Abstract:
An annular flange which can be positioned on a shaft and securely welded in place. This disclosure also contemplates the method of making an annular shaft flange. This novel flange is materially stronger than the prior art and has lower production costs.

Description:
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/624,993 filed Mar. 29, 1996 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an annular flange which can be positioned on a shaft and fixed in place. The flange functions as a stop to locate a shaft at a particular distance in a hole or to retain an object in a position on a shaft. 
     Previous devices, such as snap rings, cotter pins or split pins require the shaft to be machined or drilled, weakening the shaft and adding cost. A locking ring requires no machining, but has a greater cost penalty and can only be placed on the shaft if the diameter of the shaft is constant or has a diameter reduction. 
     This novel annular flange has numerous advantages over the prior art. The present invention is materially stronger than the prior art snap rings, cotter rings, or split pins and requires no machinery drilling and thus does not weaken the shaft and reduces cost. 
     This novel shaft flange is also stronger than the prior art. The prior art roughly withstands approximately 400 lbs. of pressure while the present invention withstands approximately 1,200 lbs. of pressure. (See Chart 1.) It also exceeds present methods push-out force by a multiple of two. 
     The present invention is also easier to assemble, easier to manufacture, has approximately one half lower production costs than the prior art and is only 20% of the weight of the prior art. 
     This annular flange can be installed at the shaft manufacturing before painting adding yet another advantage over the prior art. Additionally, this flange can encircle the shaft at any point along the shaft unlike the prior art which must be slid over a free shaft end and slid down the circumference of the shaft to the point the flange is to be permanently affixed to the shaft. This trait of the present invention provides much flexibility and wider applications for its use. 
     This novel annular flange can be used in a myriad of industries such as automotive, lawn and garden, military equipment and machine tools. This device would be useful in any application where there exists a requirement to have two mating parts slide together and stop at a predetermined distance. 
     
         ______________________________________CHART 1                       Flange  Shaft     Flange     Thickness                              Push OutO.D.   Dia. (Inch)            I.D. (Inch)                       (Inch) Force (lb&#39;s.)______________________________________1.500  .745      *          .130   1,000 lbs.1.500  .770      *          .130   1,250 lbs.1.040  .706      *          .130     300 lbs.1.040  .716      *          .130     500 lbs.______________________________________ *Flange I.D. (Inch)--to be determined by shaft diameter. 
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is a stamped ring, or washer, with modifications performed during the stamping process. The washer has a passage of material removed from the outside diameter to the inside diameter. At 180° , a similar channel is removed from the inside diameter stopping short of the outside diameter. The passage is now spread apart to a distance greater than the original inside diameter. On the edges of the passage, two areas are coined reducing the thickness of the washer and extruding material into the gap to a distance greater than half of the original passage width. The ring has now taken the form of a letter &#34;C&#34;, being held together by the web of material at the junction of the opposing channel nearing the outer diameter. 
     This device could alternately be made from two identical halves; the coined areas would now be placed at 180° on a half, with the coined sections made in such a way that a stamped half would have the coined areas nesting when joined together with an identical stamping rotated through 180°. Both sides could then be welded together. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 a perspective of the flange in a closed position around a shaft; 
     FIG. 2 a top view of the flange alone in the partially open position; 
     FIG. 3 a top view of the flange alone in the closed position; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the flange in a closed position around a shaft; 
     FIG. 5 a top view of a second embodiment of the flange in an open position; 
     FIG. 6 a detailed side view of this invention; and 
     FIG. 7 a top view of the first embodiment of this invention in a fully open position around a shaft. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The annular flange ring of the present invention can be made from any ferrous, non-ferrous or any plastic material that is capable of being welded. This flange could be constructed from 30 the aforementioned in pure element form, or in compound form or as a mixture. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the subject invention assembly process to the shaft is illustrated in FIG. 1. The annular flange 6 is produced in a progressive die and will be manufactured in the open position A as seen in FIG. 7. The flange 6 can be fed automatically over the shaft 4 at the predetermined position. The invention will then be mechanically closed (to closed position B) as shown in Fig.3, around shaft 4 and positioned to be welded with a resistance-type spot welder. The size (KVA rating) of the welder and the electrode design would depend upon the thickness of the annular flange 6. During the weld cycle, pressure is applied mechanically to the outer diameter 3 of the annular flange 6 and maintained for period to allow the weld to solidify. The pressure would then be released, thus completing the assembly cycle. 
     FIG. 1 shows the annular flange 6 in the closed position B about a shaft 4. FIG. 1 also displays the hinge channel 8 and width 9. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the flange 6 in a partially open position A facilitated by hinge channel 8 (FIG. 7 illustrates the fully open position A&#39;). FIG. 2 is illustrated without the shaft 4 and is a top view of the flange 6. Also illustrated is first arc 12 and second arc 14 as well as nesting area 10. Also shown in FIG. 2 is inner diameter 1 and outer diameter 3. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates flange 6 in a closed position B around shaft 4. Once flange 6 is closed, it can be permanently kept closed by spot welding nesting area 10. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating flange 6 around shaft 4. Width 9 is also shown. By viewing FIGS. 1-4 one can see that first arc 12 has at one end a first arc nest end 16. At the opposing end of first arc 12 is hinge channel 8. Second arc 14 has on one end the second arc nest end 18 and on the opposing end hinge channel 8, which constitutes the only point of attachment between first arc 12 and second arc 14 in partial open position A and fully open position A&#39;. 
     In the closed position B, first arc nest end 16 is designed to mate with the second arc nest end 18 wherein first arc nest end 16 and second arc nest end 18 can be spot welded to hold the flange 6 in closed position B around shaft 4 permanently. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of this invention wherein instead of hinge channel 8 there exists a second nesting area 10&#39;. The first arc 12 and second arc 14 are &#34;C&#34; shaped members. The second nesting area 10&#39; is similar to nesting area 10. First arc 12 has, in this embodiment, a first arc nest end 16 and a first arc second nest end 16&#39;. Second arc 14 likewise has a second arc nest end 18 and a second arc second nest end 18&#39;. The first arc nest end 16 is proportioned similar to the first embodiment to mate with second arc nest end 18. Likewise, first arc second nest end 16&#39; is proportioned to mateably rest with second arc second nest end 18&#39;. Subsequently, nesting area 10 and second nesting area 10&#39; can be welded securing the flange 6 about shaft 4. Also shown in FIG. 5 are inner diameter 1 and outer diameter 3. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a detail side view of the nesting end 10 (and is similar to 10&#39;) where it is seen that the first arc nest end 16 has a lip 20 which fits into the recess 22 of second arc nest end 18. Second arc nest end 18 also has a lip 20(a) which likewise rests in recess 22(a) of first arc nest end 16. 
     Preferably, recess 22 and recess 22(a) are one half or less of width 9. Likewise, lip 20 and 20(a) are at least one half or greater of width 9. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the fully open position A&#39; of flange 6 around shaft 4. 
     &#34;Open position&#34; is defined within the scope of this invention as partial open position A and fully open position A&#39;.