TORQUE TRANSMITTING DEVICE

Abstract: To enable a torque transmitting device to be mounted between and removed from spaced aligned stub shafts (2a, 3a) (e.g. of an electric motor (2) and a pump (3) without moving the stub shafts, the device is divisible and comprises three rotary members (15, 20, 30) connected serially with an elastic coupling (13B) and a controllable variable-slip clutch (10C) (e.g. a multi-disc visco-hydraulic clutch) and a stationary member (40) able to transmit control signals to the cloth. At least three of the four members (15, 20, 30, 40) have central openings allowing insertion of the stub shafts.

Description: Torque transmitting device The present invention relates to a device of the kind defined in the preamble of the enclosed claim 1 for trans¬ mitting a rotary motion or a torque with an infinitely and continuously variable speed from a prime mover, such as an asynchronous electric motor for connection to a 50 or 60 Hz net and having a highest speed of 3000 or 3600 r.p. , to a driven machine, such as a pump, which is assembled with the prime mover into an assembly. 'The transmitted torque should exceed 50 Newton meters, with an uppermost limit of more than 5000 Newton meters, and an average value of about 500 Newton meters, corresponding to a power of about 75 kW at 1500 r.p.m. and about 90 kW at 1800 r.p.m. Primarily, the invention relates to assemblies in accordance with national or international standards, such as, for electric motors, IEC-standards (International Electrotechnical Commission) or r ANSI/NEMA-standards (Ame¬ rican National Standards Institue / National Electrical Manufacturers' Association) , and, as far as the driven machines, particularly pumps, are concerned, ISO-standards (International Organization for Standardization) or ANSI- standards. The standards define certain dimensions which are determining for the connection or interchange possibili¬ ties, such as, with respect to the stub shafts of the machines, their diameter, their free length and their free radial space (i.e. the distance from the centre line of the stub shaft to a hypotethic coaxial cylindric surface, tangential to a closest adjacent obstruction, formed by e.g. the base plate or the like of the assembly) . Norma.lly, the prime mover and the driven machine are interconnected by means of an elastic shaft clutch to compensate for possible small deviations from a strict coaxial position of the two stub shafts, and the machines are mounted in the assembly in one of the two following ways. Either are the machines mounted at such an axial distance from each other that the said clutch, but no bigger unit, may be received in the gap between the oppo¬ site end or front surfaces of the two stub shafts, and the above said gap will then be of a size of a few tenths millimetres. Alternatively, the gap is given such a size, of the order from about 100 mm, that the disassembly of one of the parts of the assembly is facilitated. Such a " gap may be bridged by a "spacer"-element, which, if desir¬ ed, may be designed as an elastic shaft clutch of the "spacer"-type, i.e. in principle two conventional elastic shaft clutches, mounted on one end each of a shaft portion which bridges the gap. In the present specification are in the expression elastic shaft clutch also included other units having the same function, e.g. a double universal joint. Another solution of the disassembling problem is to bridge the gap, according to the SE-C-216.789, by means of an obliquely cut end portion of an unusually long stub shaft of the pump, which end portion may be temporarily removed r if necessary. However, interconnection by means of one of the above mentioned arrangements does not permit control of the speed of the driven machine relative to that of the prime mover. In many cases in practice, however, the possibi¬ lity of such a control, infinite and continuous, is extre¬ mely desirable or even indispensible, not the least within the pump field. Devices for transmission of rotary motion or torque by means of infinitely and continuously adjustable speed controllers, and operating according to various principles are known in different designs, .thereamong e.g. so called hydrodyna ic slip clutches and hydromechanic slip clutches (also called viεcohydraulic slip clutches) . Most of the known speed controllers comprise a sta¬ tionary or fixed member, to which the non-rotating outer parts of the controller* are connected, among them a means for adjustment of a desired speed condition or, with automatic control, a means that generates a control signal to the same purpose. Further, there exist two rotary and rotatable members which cooperate with the aid of one operative element each, the first one of said members being non-rotatably connected to the prime mover and rota¬ ting with the same speed as the prime mover, whereas the second member is non-rotatably connected to the driven ma¬ chine and rotates with the same (controlled) speed as the machine. In the present specification and in the claims the term "non-rotatable" includes a connection that per¬ mits transmission of torque and at the same time permits a certain degree of torsional elasticity in order to sup¬ press torsional oscillations. In viscohydraulic clutches the operative elements of both rotary parts are defined by disc sets. Further, in the present context, a member filling the function of an elastic clutch shall define an indispen- sible third rotary or rotatable member which is disposed between the prime mover and the driven machine in the assembly, and in the absence of which the assembly should not be operable. Known speed controllers are normally designed as separate units, which are interposed between the prime mover and the driven machine as a third machine or unit, in which case the axial length of the assembly is increa¬ sed considerably. Such a solution is described e.g. in GB-A-431.215 and is disclosed schematically in fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing, wherein an assembly 1 has a base 4 , an electric motor 2 and a pump 3, between which there is interposed, by means of two elastic clutches 52, 53, a conventional speed controller 51, which is of just about the same size as the motor 2 or the pump 3 proper. The free ends of the output stub shaft 2a of the prime mover and of the input stub shaft 3a of the pump have to be separated by a gap G with an axial length LS of the order of seve'ral hundreds of millimetres, and normally at least 500 mm. Both this axial length LS, and the axial length LA of the entire assembly, will then by far exceed the standardized values. The length of the assembly has been extended beyond the normal length or standardized length by a distance A. It is also known to build together the speed control¬ ler with the prime mover and/or the pump, e.g. according to SE-C-413.540, US-A-3.433.162 or DE-A-29.22. 97. All these cases are special designs, i.e. machines that have a build-in speed control function from the outset and which cannot be added subsequently to replace a normal not speed controlling clutch. The present invention has for its object to provide a device of the kind defined in the preamble of claim 1, which device may be mounted in an assembly comprising a prime mover and a driven machine in lieu of a conventional elastic clutch without the need of changing the axial and radial dimensions of the assembly. Thereby the assembly shall retain its possibility of lateral disassembly, if it had that possibility earlier. When a device according to the present invention is built in into an assembly already from the outset, the advantage is achieved that all standardized measurements and parameters depending thereon (e.g the dimensions of the floor space, the height etc) may remain unchanged, i.e. may remain the same as with an assembly without the speed control facility. However, an even greater advanta¬ ge resides in that the device according to the invention may also be built-in posteriorly, without changing the in¬ stallation, into already existing, standardized assemblies not having any speed control facility. The possibility to subsequently build-in the device according to the inven¬ tion is extremely important, mainly in the heavy process industry, where not only the circumstance, that there will be no need to increase the floor space, is very important, but it is primarily important that there will be no need to interrupt operation for any considerable period of time, or to stop the equipment, in order to change* the foundation. Using the device according to the invention, the whole replacement may be carried out within the course of a few hours, i.e. during a normal operational stop, e.g overnight. Considering a number of e.g. about 25.00C motor-pump assemblies within the torque range as set forth above (which is a number just about corresponding to real¬ ity in Sweden) , considerable energy and cost gains may be achieved (in the order of one billion US dollars) . The invention is characterized by features stated in the characterizing portion of the accompanying claim 1, and preferred further developments are defined in the subclaims. The invention will now be described more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which show exemplary embodiments, and where Fig. 2 is a side view of a first embodiment of an assembly with a device according to the present invention, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section, at a larger scale, through the assembly according to Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section, through a second embodiment of an assembly having a device according to the invention. Fig. 5 illustrates, at an even larger scale than in Fig. 4, a longitudinal section through one half of a third embodiment of the device according to the invention, Fig. 5a shows, at a smaller scale, a rotational stop in the device according to Fig. 5, Fig. 5b shows in cross-section a barrier seal in the device according to Fig. 5, Fig. 6 shows, at a larger scale, a cross-section through the device according to Fig. 5, Fig. 6a is a section through an oil filling means in the device according to Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is an operational chart of the device accor¬ ding to Figs. 5 and 6, Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through a fourth embodiment of the device according to the invention, Fig. 9 shows a bearing in the device according tc Fig. 8, Figs. 10A and 10B show, very schematically, two al¬ ternatives of the mutual disposition of the two rotatable members, Figs. 11A and 11B show two alternatives of the ar¬ rangement with a narrow gap, and Figs. 12A - 12D show four alternatives of an arrange¬ ment with a broader gap. Parts having identical functions are in all figures of the drawings provided with identical or analogous refe¬ rence characters. According to Fig. 2, an assembly 1A having a total length LA comprises a prime mover 2 embodied by an elect¬ ric motor having parameters within the above said limits , a driven machine 3 embodied by a pump, and a base 4 on which the motor and the pump are stationarily mounted by their feet. The motor 2 has an end face 2' turning toward the pump and from which there protrudes an output stub shaft 2A having a free length LM and a diameter D. The pump 3 has an end face 3' turned toward the motor 2 and its end face 2' and from which end face 3' there protrudes an input stub shaft 3A having " a free length LP and a dia¬ meter D' . The stub shafts 2A, 3A are at least nearly coaxial (centre line X-X) , and their opposed end faces are separated by a gap G having the length LS. The dimensions D, D', LM, LP, LS and, to a certain extent LA, use to be¬ long to the standardized dimensions, and they are, parti¬ cularly what concerns LA and LS, standardized with a view to the stub shafts being interconnected either by means of a conventional elastic shaft clutch, or by means of a "spacer" type elastic shaft clutch. Due to this standardization, also the dimensions of the space K around the two stub shafts 2A, 3A and between the said end faces 2 * , 3' are generally determined. Radi¬ ally, this space K is limited by hypotethic cylindrical surfaces whcih are coaxial with the stub shafts 2A, 3A and comprise, as generatrixes, lines E and E' which run paral¬ lel with the centre line of the respective stub shaft and thereby constitute a tangent to any obstacle which radi¬ ally is closest adjacent to said centre line. Thus, for the output stub shaft 2A, this line E is tangent to the base 4 at the right hand portion thereof, and thereby has a radial distance H from the centre line X-X, whereas, for the input stub shaft 3A, the line E' is tangent to the base 4 at the elevated left hand portion 4' thereof, and thereby has a radial distance H' from the centre line X-X which is smaller than the radial distance H. The motor 2 and the pump 3 are interconnected by means of a device according to the present invention and which is entirely compised in the space K, and is shown more in detail in Fig. 3. According to Fig. 3, the device 10A comprises a first rotatable member 20 with a central portion 21 designed as a tubular hub and which has its central bore 21 ' non-ro¬ tatably secured to the output stub shaft 2λ of the motor 2, and a second rotary or rotatable member 30 which has a central portion 31 designed as a tubular hub, and which is radially mounted by being with its central opening 31 ' rotatably mounted on the outside of the central portion 21 of the first rotatable member 20 by means of an interposed freely rotatable sleeve bearing 14. Further, the device 10A has a third rotatable member which consists of a shaft clutch of the "spacer" type, comprising two elastic clutches 13A, 13B and a tubular spacer element 15. The clutch 13A has a central portion 13A' with a central bore 13A", by means of which said central portion is non-rotatably mounted on the input stub shaft 3a, and -is surrounded by a tubular outer casing 16 which is rigidly secured to e.g. the pump 3. The first rotatable member 20 has a set of outer operative elements 27, and the second rotatable member 30 has a set of cooperating inner operative elements 37. While the inner and the outer operative elements in all the accompanying drawings are illustrated as discs, they may, generally, also be embodied by other means, known per se, for mechanic, hydrodynamic or magnetic torque trans¬ mission. The embodiment with discs corresponds to a known clutch of the above mentioned so called viscohydraulic type, and its function will be described more in detail with reference to the embodiment according to fig. 5. The stationary member (this term is used in the present spe¬ cification and in the accompanying claims to mean "non rotating", irrespective of possible other movements, e.g. axial) of the device 10A consists of a manoveuvre disc 40 with an axial bearing 40A, which disc controls the axial position of e.g. the above mentioned operative elements. The manoeuvre disc 40 has also a hub-shaped central por¬ tion 41 with a central bore 41', by means of which it is rotatably mounted on the hub portion 31 of the second rotatable member 30. Each one of the central bores 21', 31', 41', 13" constitutes a central attachment opening for the entire device 10A. The biggest rotatable member, the member 20, has a maximum radial dimension S. The entire device 10A is comprised within the space K, having an axial lenght LT and, with the outer casing 17 stationary, a maximum radial dimension that does not ex¬ ceed the corresponding radial dimension H or H' (Fig. 2) . In " Fig. 4 there is shown an assembly IB having a vertical rotational center line X-X. The pump 3 carries a support frame 6 with an upper support disc 7 wherein a circular opening 7A with a diameter D" is provided. The motor 2 is with its end which is terminated by the end- face 2' inserted into the opening 7A. A device 10B accor¬ ding to the present invention is mounted in the support frame 6. To permit insertion of the device 10B, the devi¬ ce must be able to pass through the opening 7A, for which reason, in the present case, the generatrix E of the hypo- tethic cylindrical surface is defined by a tangent to the edge of the opening 7A, said edge embodying an "obstacle", although it is situated outside the space K proper, The dimension H then corresponds to half the diameter D", and the dimension N has to be still slightly smaller. According to another aspect of the present invention, the principle thereof may be advantageously realized by means of a viscohydralic slip clutch made to embody a speed controller. Such a device is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and comprises a first rotatable member 20, arranged as an outer disc carrier, and a second rotatable member 30, arranged as an inner disc carrier, a third rotatable mem¬ ber, arranged as an elastic shaft clutch of the same type as in Fig. 3 and of which only the portions 13B and 15 are visible in the drawing, and a stationary or non-rotatable member 40. The first rotatable member 20 has the general shape of an outer barrel 20' limited by a first front wall 22 which is supported by a central portion 21 in the shape of a hub, by a peripheral portion 23, which by means of fas¬ tening bolts 22a is secured to the periphery of the first front wall 22, and by a second front, wall 24 which is integral with the peripheral portion 23. The second front wall 24 has a central opening 24a, from which there extends towards the first front wall 22 a hopper like portion 24b, which at its other, inner end is surrounded by an annular chamber 24c (the portion at the chamber 24C is shown at a larger scale in fig. 5B) . In the peripheral portion 23 there is provided an annular chamber 23A the bottom 23A' of which is located at a grea¬ ter radial distance from the central portion 21 than the adjacent portions of the peripheral portion 23. At least one pressure head tube 28 (cfr Fig. 6) , and preferably a plurality such tubes, secured,, to the stationary member 40, projects into the chamber 23A which is entirely open to¬ ward the inner space M of the outer barrel 20' and which defines a rotatable oil reservoir. The outhes 28a of the pressure head tubes are turned opposite to the intended rotational direction Y of the device. Within the outer barrel 20', axially spaced from the two said front walls 22, 24 thereof, and radially spaced from the peripheral portion 23, an inner barrel 26 is provided having a bottom 26a facing the second front wall 24. This bottom 26a also has a central opening 26b which spacedly surrounds the inner end of the hopper like por¬ tion 24b with the ring chamber 24c. The inner barrel 26 is entirely open at its end facing the first front wall 22 of the outer barrel 20' . Within a piston space P between the inner face of said first front wall 22, and the adjacent end of said inner barrel 26, a flat control piston 25 governed by centrifugal pressure and having an upwardly flared edge portion 25' and a central opening 25a is provided. The control piston 25 carries a protruding ringshaped block 25c on its face turning towards the inner barrel 26. The control piston 25 is entirely open inwardly towards the rotational centre line X-X (opening 25a with a diameter of e.g. 150 - 200 mm) . Within the inner barrel 26 are at least one, and preferably several, in the example shown eight, outer dis'cs 27 mounted, which define the operative elements of the first rotatable member 20 and which are, as is known per se, non-rotatably, but axially adjustably arranged, in that " they have at their outer peripheries protruding abut¬ ments which slide in axial grooves 26c in the inner sur¬ face of the inner barrel 26. ' At the periphery of the control piston 25 there is arranged at least one opening 25d, and in a flange 29, by means of which the inner barrel 26 is supported in the outer barrel 20', there is provided at least one passage 29a through which the piston space P communicates with the above mentioned space M. The first rotatable member 20 is by means of its central bore 21a mounted on the output stub shaft 2a of the motor 2, and is non-rotatably connected thereto, e.g. by means of a key joint 5. The second rotatable member 30 has a central portion 31 in the shape of a hub which with some spacing surrounds the central portion 21 of the first rotatable member and is supported by by this member by the aid of bearings 11a, lib. Disposed concentrically around the central portion 31, and connected thereto by means of a bracket 32 having at least one opening 32a, a ring portion 33 is provided which is located inside the inner barrel 26 and which supports at least one, preferably sveral , in the example shown seven, inner discs 37, which define the operative elements of the second rotatable member 30. Also the discs 37 are supported, as is known per se, non-rotatably, but axially adjustably in that they with lugs at their inner periphery slide in axial grooves 33c in the ring member 33. The outer and the inner discs 27 and 37 are arranged alternating with each other in a disc space B, formed inside the barrel 26. The ring member 33 has at its inner surface an inwardly open annular chamber 33A. The second rotatable member 30 is non-slidably and non-rota¬ tably connected to the third rotatable member, i.e. to the elastic axial clutch 13B etc. The stationary member 40 comprises a hopper-like or conical portion which is connected to a central portion 41 and is located within the hopper-like portion 24b of the first rotatable member 20 and which, in its turn, sur¬ rounds the central portion 31 of the second rotatable member 30 * and is mounted thereon. The portion 41 is non- rotatably connected to a rigid tubular casing 16 and to a rigid barrel-shaped hood 17. The connection is made "pi¬ votal" to avoid the necessity of a careful alignment of the stationary member, without some additional journal forces being generated. The member 40 may be rigidly connected to the casing 16 and/or to the hood 17, and this or these ones may in their turn be pivotally connected to the base 4 o to any other stationary part of the assembly, e.g. according to Fig. 5a by means of a rigid rod 17a with pivots at each end. An alternative rotational stop having the same func¬ tion may be embodied e.g. by an engagement fork 17B af¬ fixed to the casing 17, and a bolt engaging therewith with a slight play, and which protrudes from the end face 2' of the motor 2, etc. A further alternative rotational stop may be formed e.g. by a somewhat loose steel wire running between the stationary member 40 and any other stationary part. The casing 16 and/or the hood 17 may also be rigidly connected to the motor 2, the machine 3 etc, and the sta- tionary member 40 may be connected, in the above described manner, to the casing 16 and/or the hood 17, inside the assembly. In this connection it should be noted, that what concerns the actual journalling of the stationary member 40, mounting on the output stub shaft 2A via the central portion 31 (or an analogous design on the input stub shaft 3A) as is illustrated, is entirely satisfactory with res¬ pect to the support function, so that the rotational stop has to fulfill only the task of preventing co-rotation. In viscohydraulic clutches the torque is primarily transmitted through friction in an oil film between the inner and the outer discs 27, 37. The magnitude of the transmitted torque - and thus the speed of the driven machine - is varied, according to the invention, both by variation of the mutual specement between the discs 27, 37, and by variation of the degree to which oil is filled in the disc space B (i.e. a variation of the radius of the circle line which defines the inner boundary of the an¬ nular oil volume, which by the effect of the centrifugal force is formed adjacent the inner face of the inner bar¬ rel 26. Both said variation functions are achieved by varying the oil flow in the device by means of a control valve 58 (Fig. 7) located outside the device 10 C and valve is not shown in Fig. 5. Oil is admitted both to the disc space B and the right hand portion P' of the piston space P, Fig. 5. In operation, the oil forms, due to the centrifugal force, an oil annulus within the space P', and, when the oil has been dammed up in the disc space B (to what place it comes through the opening 32a and the piston space P) , it also forms annular volumes around the discs 27-, 37. The oil flows from the disc space B via the opening or openings 26d, and from the piston space F' via the opening or ope¬ nings 25d and the passage or passages 29a in the space K to assemble - still due to the centrifugal force - in the chamber 23A. The oil is passed through the pressure head tubes 28 from the chamber 23A in the direction of the arrow C to the stationary member 40. Thus, the oil which enters and which leaves the disc space B, flows in a closed cycle in accordance with the arrow C to the stationary member 40, which in a manner known per se (not shown) is connected to a secondary clo¬ sed cycle (not shown in fig. 5) , comprising a filter, a cooler and said control valve, then back to the stationary member 40, and further in the direction of the arrow F back into the disc space B. The oil entering the piston space P' follows the same way from the pressure head tubes 28 and through the secon¬ dary closed cycle, and follows then the path denoted by arrows Q from the stationary member 40 via -channels in the central portion 31 into the portion P' of the piston space between the control piston 25 and the first front wall 22, and further via the opening or openings 25d and the pas¬ sage or passages 29a in the direction of arrows T back ■ * into the space M. A changed degree of filling in the space P' results in an axial adjustment of the control piston 25, resulting in a narrower or wider space between the discs 27, 27, and consequently a reduced or increased slip between the two disc sets. For feedback of the speed (strictly the square of the speed) there is provided a circuit from the chamber 33A via the channel 41e (Fig. 6) to an outer controller (not shown) , designed e.g. according to SE-C-7605875-9. From Figs. 5 and 6 it is evident that three pressure head tubes 28 are connected to the hub portion 41 of the stationary member. The three pressure head tubes 28 are combined, by means of a collecting channel, not shown, to a' channel 41c for further - transport of the oil to the outer controller. A stationary oil reservoir 54, which partly surrounds all hub portions, is connected to an outer level indicator 54a (Fig. 7) for the oil level in the reservoir, and is vented to the air by means of chan¬ nels 41b and 41a, respectively. Filling from the oil reservoir 54 is made by means of an oil filling device 140. This device 140 is controlled by a bell crank 145, which is pivotally journalled on the stationary member 40. The first lever 145a of the bell crank extends with a spade-like end portion 145a r into the oil annuluε 123A, formed in the chamber during rotation. The oil filling device 140 (Fig. 6a) comprises two valves. The second lever 145b of the bell crank is pivotally con¬ nected to the valve body 141 of a first valve 140A, which valve body affects a first valve seat 141a. A pressure spring 141' maintains the valve open in rest position. The valve body 142 of a second valve 140B, acting against a second valve seat 142a, is connected to a membrane disc 142b. A membrane 144 divides the valve house, forming the inner space of the oil filling device 140, into two cham¬ bers VI and V2, respectively. The chamber VI is, via conduits not shown, connected to the pressure head tubes 28 or to the channel 41c (Fig. 6) , and the chamber V2 is connected to the oil reservoir 54. A second pressure spring 142' maintains the second valve body ' 142 in a clo¬ sed position, when there is no pressure in the chamber VI. With both valves open, oil may flow out from the oil reservoir 54. At normal operational condition and counter clock-wise rotation (arrow Y) , the resistance from the oil annuluε 123A against the end of the lever 145a maintain*- * the first valve closed, whereas pressure from the pressure head tube maintains the other valve open. If oil is mis¬ sing in the first oil annulus 123A in the chamber 23A, the first valve is opened. To take up radial forces, the non-rotating hub por¬ tion 41 is rotarily mounted on the hub portion 31. Ac¬ cording to the invention, the bearing means is defined by self-adjusting radial bloc bearings. Bearing blocs 9, 9' , 91a-c are each pivotally suspended on an adjustable screw 92a-c with a sperical end face. The blocs have a bearing surface of a few cm 2 , and are located in recesses in the hub portion 41. Thus space is obtained for intermediate oil channels. The oil channel system comprises various channels 41a-e which extend in various directions in the central portion 41. The oil circuitry is shown very diagrammatically in Fig. 7. The oil annuli formed by the rotation are rep¬ resented by downwardly "open" squares 123A, 100B, 100P and 133A, corresponding to spaces denoted 23A, B, P' and 33A. Full lines represent channels for a closed oil flow and circle-signs represent an open oil flow such as jets, drips etc. Dashed lines represent signal routes. In the chamber 33A there is disposed a measuring pressure head tube 38 which receives a signal value pro¬ portional to the square of the speed of the second rotat¬ able member 30. The signal value, which is an actual value, is as an oil pressure passed to a controller 50 where it is compared with an outer control signal as a set value. The difference between the actual value and the set value is a control deviation which governs a con¬ trol valve 58 to increase or reduce the oil flow. The controlled oil flow is passed through a filter 63 and a cooler 64 to the stationary member 40 and is distri¬ buted therein on hte one hand to the disc space B, and on the other hand to the space P' adjacent the control piston 25. One of the advantages of the embodiment according to Fig. 5 is that the pressure in the space P' is generated by the centrifugal force, which means that the inlet pres¬ sure to the stationary member 40 may be very low. Between the stationary member 40 and the second rotatable member 30 is an annular chamber 55 provided in which the oil flowing to the space P' passes via the first rotatable member 20 as an open flow. Side leacks (arrows 55') from the chamber 55 are lead to the disc space B in a manner not shown. Besides of the illustrated oil circuits there are also circuits with lower flows rates for replenishing oil rings in barrier seals when starting?, and for the lubri¬ cation of roller bearings. When these oil rings are "flooded", any excess oil is drained off in the device, primarily to the spaces B and P' . This drainage is ob*- tained by the radial limitation of the barrier seals in¬ wardly towards the device, having a larger diameter than the corresponding limitation outwardly. From Fig. 5b it is evident that the radius R. is smaller than the radius The oil reservoir 54 in the shape of a portion of a circular ring does not take part in the oil circulation. The design of said reservoir, permitting location inside the device, does not only amount to a reduction of the required space, but allows also that the radius of the oil annulus, which is critical for the function, may by a valve 140A directly control replenishment of the oil vo¬ lume in the circulation circuit. The portion 145a', de¬ signed as a small spade, affects mechanically directly the valve 140A. To prevent emptying of the oil reservoir 54 at standstill, a second valve 140B is provided which is controlled by the pressure head tube pressure from the chamber 23A. This second valve 140B remains closed when the device is not rotating. The oil level in the inter¬ nally located oil reservoir 54 communicates with the sur¬ roundings, among other things via the channel 41b in the stationary member 40 leading to an outer device 54A for oil replenishment and oil level indication. Within the device exists in operation a rich oil splash and oil mist condition, and due to the different speeds of the members different air pressures exist at the locations of the three shaft seals of the device IOC, at least two of these seals having a rather large diameter. For this reason, simple slot seals are not sufficient, and the shaft seals are according to the invention embodied by barrier seals having air sealing oil rings. The barrier seal with the largest diameter is defined by the annular chamber 24c at the hopper-like portion 24b, into which chamber there projects an annular flange 40a of L-εhaped profile, secured to the central portion 41 of the statio¬ nary member 40. The barrier seal with the smallest diameter, i.e. the inner barrier seal, is embodied by a similar chamber 31a and a similar annular flange 21d, secured to the central portions 31, 21 of the second and of the first rotatable member 30, 20, respectively. The third (or outer) barrier seal comprises a blade ring 8, secured to the central portion 31. Among other things due to the arrangement of these three barrier seals, which are entirely relieved from oil pressure, there is achieved a useful life of the device IOC that meets the demands within the process industry. The comparatively large diameters occuring when mounting the stationary member, and when radially mounting the first and the second rotatable members on the statio¬ nary member (in the example shown, the central portion 31 of the second rotatable member 30 within the central por¬ tion 41 of the stationary member 40) edntail that both roller bearings and entirely encapsulated slide bearings should lead to a too high friction. Therefore, two of the above described self adjusting bearings 9, 9' of radial type are used, each one having three blocs 91a, 91b, 91c, and a bearing face of a few cm 2 according to Fig. 6. In the central portion 41 are the channels 41a-e located which have been mentioned already in connection with the description of Fig. 7. Besides of the already described channels 41a, 41b and 41e, there are also chan¬ nels 41c and 41d leading to and from the controller/cool¬ er. Individual channels may also be doubled, to permit, within the restricted space which is available (the wall thickness Z of the central portion 41) , transport of oil flows which actually need a larger channel diameter. At a quick stop (e.g. at an electric power failure) there will not be time enough to drain (via the stationary member) the oil quantity in the device into the oil re¬ servoir 54 inside the device (which is intended to compen¬ sate for leakage) . Therefore, the oil filled volumes inside the device are advantageously dimensioned so, in rest position, when the assembly is installed with its rotational centre line X-X extending horizontally, the oil quantity may be received in the lowermost portion of the assembly, not shown in Fig. 5, beneath the barrier seal 24c, 40a (i.e. beneath the lowermost part of that seal, not shown in Fig. 5) . In vertical dispoεition, when the motor 2 always is located uppermost, the oil may be recei¬ ved in the space provided in the peripheral portion 23 which is limited by the second front wall 24 and the hop¬ per-like portion 24b, and the level of the barrier seal 24c, 40a defines then the highest permissible oil level. A device according to the invention for 55 kW at 1470 r.p.m. may, using an elastic shaft clutch 13, 15 of "spa¬ cer"-type, without difficulties be made in a size which is evident from the millimeter scale in Fig. 5, with a total axial length L of the portions acco odated within the hood 17 amounting to 135 mm, which permits mounting on an electric motor according to the IEC standard, having a length of the output stub shaft 2a of 140 mm. Then, the length LS of the gap G (Fig. 2) remains unchanged (i.e. not utilized, so that the possibility of disassemble the pump or the motor is retained.) The fitting between the output stub shaft 2a and the opening 21a in the central portion 21 is comparatively tough, and therefore the first front wall 22 of the first rotatable member 20 has been provided with a mounting bore 18, closeable by a plug, which bore works against an in¬ ternal not shown, temporarily compressed, split ring on the output stub shaft 2a. For the last phase of the moun¬ ting a threaded bore 2a' in the free end of the output stub shaft 2a is used. Demounting is performed by means of withdrawing tools, screwed at 19a on the outer end of an extension sleeve 33, loosely pushed on the output stub shaft 2a and having its inner end screwed to the central portion 21 of the first rotatable member 20. In Fig. 8 there is shown a device 10D where the first rotatable member 20' supports inner discs 27' and the second rotatable member 30' supports outer discs 37' . In lieu of the two bearings 11a, lib of the device 10C accor¬ ding to Fig. 5, in this case a single bearing 11' between the central portions 21' , 31' of the two rotatable members 20', 30 is used for the radial ountinα . This bearinσ 11' , shown more in detail in Fig. 9, is of the so called four point contact type, having ball races 11 'a, 11 'b, 11 'c, ground in such a manner that the bearing balls 11' e rest against them only at four points, with the result, that the journalling function corresponds to that of two bearings, disposed in positions Ti , T∑ ,spacedly from each other. In the embodiment according to Figure 8, the statio¬ nary member 40 is also provided with a plurality of pres¬ sure head tubes 28' which extend out to . the chamber 23a. A plurality of pressure head tubes are used in this case, as in the device according to Fig. 6, to reduce the axial length of the entire device. At the end of the stub shaft 2a a thin plate 39 is provided which iε secured to the second rotatable portion 30' in order to prevent oil leak¬ age. The axial adjustment of the discs 27' , 37' is achie¬ ved with the aid of a control piston 25' which is provided with a membrane, and to which pressurized oil iε fed from the stationary member 40. In this case the pasεage 29a (Fig. 5) is defined by an axial annular εlot 29a' having a small play. A device of the type 10D in the size indica¬ ted by the millimeter scale is able to transmit 22 kW at 1470 r.p.m. In Figs. 10A and 10B are very diagra atically shown the two methods by which the first rotatable member 20 and the second rotatable member 30, together with the station¬ ary member 40, may be mutually arranged within a device according to the invention. The construction according to Fig. 8 corresponds to the diagram 10A, and the construc¬ tion according to Fig. 5 corresponds to the diagram 10E. From the diagrams 10A and 10B it iε evident that the se¬ cond rotatable member 30 may be journalled as well on the first rotatable member 20, as is the case in Figs". 5 and 7, aε directly on the output stub shaft 2a (either will the central portion 21 be extended to the free end of the stub shaft 2a, or the central portion 31 will be displaced to abut with that stub shaft) . One of the characterizing features of the invention iε , as shown in the embodiment according to Figs. 5 and 8, the mutual journalling of the rotatable members so as to among other things take up radial forces. An extremely compact design iε further achieved due to the fact that the members are telescoped into each other, the journal- ling being preferably located at the central parts of the members . To facilitate a posterior mounting, the device accor¬ ding to the invention is advantageously designed in such a manner that it has one or two separation surfaces, exten¬ ding transversely to the rotational centre line and situ¬ ated in the area of the free end of one or both of the stub shafts. The term "separation surface" is in this instance used to denote a hypothetic surface, particularly a plane, along which the device may readily be assembled and disassembled into two or three parts, following one another in axial direction. Advantageously, the separation surface is according to the invention selected so that the more complicated and delicate inner parts of the device form a compact and sturdy unit, which, among other things, is protected against contamination at the erection site of an assembly. Fig. 11A and 11B show two alternatives of localizing a separation surface U in a device 10 according to the in¬ vention when mounting in an asεe bly with a narrow gap G. The axial length L of the device iε limited by the respec¬ tive separation surface, the exact position of which in its turn depends on the design of the shaft clutch. In a conventional, non elastic shaft clutch 19 having a central opening 19', the separation surface will extend along the flange 19a by which the clutch is connected to the as¬ sembly 10 with the aid of screws. In the elastic clutch 13, the separation surface U is defined by the plane, along which the clutch may be diεaεεe bled. As has been mentioned at the outset, there also exist motor-pump assemblies wherein the gap G' between the out¬ put and input stub shafts is in the order of 100 - 200 mm, to facilitate disaεεembly, and is then bridged by a "spa- cer" e.g. embodied by a tube. In such a case may, accord¬ ing to Figs. 12A-12D, a unit 10 or 10' according to the invention be arranged in this gap G' with a length LS ' (Fig. 12D) , and be connected to one of the stub shafts 2a, 3a by means of an elastic shaft clutch 13, 13A which iε slipped on that stub shaft, whereas it is rigidly con¬ nected to the other stub shaft by means of a conventional, rigid clutch 19. It will be understood that in practice it is unimportant to which one of the stub shafts the connection is made elastic, and to which one rigid. Fur¬ ther, it is also possible to establish according to Fig. 12B the connection to both of the stub shafts 2a, 3a by means of elastic shaft clutches 13A, 13B. In Figs. 12C and 12D is shown a mounting by means of a combination of two elastic clutches 13A, 13B and two non-elastic clutches 19A, 19B, and in Fig. 12D iε shown a still further combi¬ nation with a "spacer" element 15. Two separation surfa¬ ces U, V are available. • The unit 10' according to Figs. 12A-12C does not need to have any central opening, since it is the central openings 13', 13A' , 13B' , 19' of the shaft clutches 13, 13A, 13B, 19 which define the connec¬ tion openings of the device. As mentioned above, the design of a device according to the invention may be varied considerably within the scope of the basic principle as defined in the claims.

Claims: rece ve y e n e . . original claims 1 and 6 replaced by new claim 1; claims 2-5,7 and 8 amended; claims 10 and 11 replaced by new claim 6; claim 12 replaced by new claim 9; claims 13 and 14 replaced by new claim 10; claims 15,16,17-19 replaced by new claims 11,12,13-15; new claims 16-19 added (5 pages)] 1. A device for connecting an electric motor (2) , which rotates with an at least nearly constant rotational speed and has a housing with an end face (2') from which projects an output stub shaft (2a) with determined free length (LM) , with a pump (3) , which has an end face (3') which is turned towards the said end face (2') of the motor (2) and from which extends an input stub shaft (3') with determined free length (LP) and essentially co-axially (X-X) with the said output stub shaft (2a) , the adja¬ cent free ends of the two stub shafts (2a, 3a) being separated one from another by a gap (G, G') with predetermined axial length (LS, LS ' ) , and the electric motor and the pump being at a mutual distance (LK) , determined particularly in accordance with appli¬ cable standards, combined into an assembly (1A, IB) , characte¬ rized in that a) the device is embodied by a stepless and continuous¬ ly operable speed controller which in per se known manner com¬ prises aa) a first rotable member (20, 20') adapted for non- rotary connection to said output stub shaft (2a) , and for carry¬ ing at least one operative element, ab) a second rotable member (30, 30') adapted for non- rotary connection to said input stub shaft (3a) , and for carrying at least one operative element co-operating with the said opera¬ tive element of the first rotable member (20, 20') , ac) at least one third rotable member (13, 13A, 13B) which defines an elastic shaft clutch means and which is located between the first and/or the second rotable member and/or the corresponding stub shaft, and ad) a stationary member (40) b) said controller, in order to be installable in the space (K) between the said two end faces (2', 3') in a pump-mo¬ tor-assembly (1A, IB) , where their space ent (LK) has been deter¬ mined without regard to a speed control mechanism, is with limi¬ ted radial and axial extent (S, LT) constructed as a unit (10, 10') comprising two of the rotable members and the stationary member, the said rotable members extending in radial direction maximally to a cylindrical reference surface (E, E') which is coaxial with the stub shafts and is tangent to a limit point (4, 4', 7a) which is relevant for the space adjacent the respective stub shaft; ba) the stationary member extends in the reεpective direction maximally to said reference surface (E, E'), and is with the aid of bearing means (9, 9', 29a') carried by and jour- nalled to at least one of the said rotable members so as to take up radial forces, bb) a rotational stop (17a, 17b) , permitting limited rotational movement of the stationary member, is provided to prevent this member to co-rotate with its carrier; be) the stationary member is provided with input and output connections for a cooling medium provided to carry off heat generated in the device by power losses, and with an input connection for an outer speed control signal affecting the ro¬ table members in order to induce a change of speed; c) the axial length (L) of all rotable parts of the unit (10, 10*), inclusive of joined shaft clutch means (13, 15, 19) , does not by more than 5% exceed the free length of each one of the stub shafts increased by 10%, or the length of the gap, whichever is the largest; d) the speed controller has at least one central con¬ nection opening (13', 13A' , 13B' , 21'), by which it is ountable on at least one of said stub shafts; e) at least three of said at leaεt four parts of the speed controller have a central portion (13, 13', 13A', 15, 1?, 21, 21', 31, 41, 41') with a central opening, the central opening of at least one of the rotable members embodying said at least one connection opening, by means of which the central portion of the respective rotable member is non-rotarily mountable on the respective stub shaft; f) in at least three of the said members provided with a central portion (21, 21', 31, 31', 41, 41') are their other portions situated radially around the central portion, and g) the first and the second rotable members are mounted one on another with the aid of bearing means and so as to take up radial forces and at the same time allow rotation with different speeds. 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it, in order to prevent soiling at the errection site, comprises a rotable means of protection (21', 20, 22, 24, 30', 39) for the operative elements and for the bearing means, and that it, in order to facilitate partial disassembly, is separable along at least one separation surface (U, V) extending adjacent the free end .of a stub shaft tranεverεely to the longitudinal centre line of the εtub shaft. 3. A device. aε claimed in claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that at least some of the central portions (21, 21' , 31, 31', 41, 41') in the unit (10, 10') are with the aid of bearing means telescoped one into another, and at least some of the said other portions (20' , 26, 33) which carry the operative elements and are disposed radially around the central portions, are telescoped or entirely accommodated one into another. 4. A device aε claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the first and the second rotable members are mounted with their central portions one upon the other. 5. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the central portion of the second rotable member is rotarily mounted relative the stub shaft on which the central portion of the first rotable member is non-rotarily mounted. 6. A device aε claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the speed controller is embodied by a viscohydraύlic clutch of a type known per se, compriεing a plu¬ rality of outer and inner operative elementε defined by discs (27, 37; 27', 37) mounted with variable mutual εpacement and bet¬ ween which a torque-transmitting oil film is sustained, and a closed circuit for the oil from which said film is formed, com¬ prising a pumping means (28, 28'} , a means for varying the oil flow, a cooler (64) , and possibly a filter (63) , whereby it is enabled for said pumping means (28, 28') to compel the oil to circulate in the circuit. 7. A device aε claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the outer operative elements (27) are carried by the first rotable member (20) and surround the inner operative elements (37) which are carried by the second rotable member (30) . 8. A device as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that at least one outer operative element (27) is carried by the second rotable member (30) and surrounds at least one inner ope¬ rative element (37) which is carried by the first rotable member (20) . 9. A device aε claimed in one or more of the claimε 6 to 8, where a control piston (25) with an inner face turned to¬ ward the operative elementε and an outer face turned in the oppo¬ site direction is provided for affecting the operative elements, characterized in that the control piston opens toward the inner space of the device and is provided with an oil outlet (25d) , the speed controlling action being achieved solely by variation of the amount of oil which is fed to the outer face of the control piston, where, due to centrifugal force, a rotating oil annulus with a thickness and radiuε varying in dependence of the oil feed is formed. 10. A device as claimed in one or more of the prece¬ ding claims, characterized in that it comprises a rotable oil re- rervoir (23a) in. the first rotable member, and at* least one sta¬ tionary pump means (28), such aε a preεsure head tube, projecting into this reservoir and connected to the central portion (41) of the stationary member. 11. .A device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that there is provided a stationary oil reservoir (54) for com¬ pensation of leakage, which is adapted to be controlled, with the aid of an oil filling device (140) , by the amount of oil in the said rotable oil reservoir (23a) . 12. A device as claimed in one or more of the prece¬ ding claims, characterized in that sealing elements are provided, in a manner known per se, between the stationary member of the device and the rotable members thereof, and that the inner spaces of the device are so dimensioned that the oil quantity which du¬ ring operation circulates in the device in operation may at rest be accommodated beneath the sealing elements, irrespective of the rotational axis extending horizontally or vertically, in the last mentioned case provided that the motor is in conventional manner located on the top of the assembly. 13. A device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that at least some of the sealing elements are embodied by bar- rier seals, comprising an annular groove having a trough-shaped cross-section. 14. A device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the barrier seals have in cross-section a lower limitation towards the centre of the device than in the opposite direction. 15. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotable members of the stepless and continuous speed controller have a radial extent (S) which does not exceed five times the diameter of the connection opening of the thickest stub shaft, and that their axial dimension * (L) , multiplied by their radial dimension (S) , does not exceed twelve times the square of the said diameter. 16. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of channels (41a-e) is provided in the central portion (41, 41') of the stationary mem¬ ber approximately along one common circular path. 17. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding .claims, characterized in that the bearing means for the stationa¬ ry member (40) are defined by self-adjusting r-adial bloc bearings (9, 9') , each comprising three blocks (91a-c) . 18. A device as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bearing means (11a, lib, 11') between the first and the second rotable member are entirely lo¬ cated inside the unit (10, 10') and maximally at a mutual axial spacement of lesε than 75% of the axial length (L) of the unit. 19. A device as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the said bearing means is defined by a single bearing (11') of a four ' point contact type, known per se, with ball races (ll'a, ll'b, ll'c) adapted εo that the bearing has a journalling function corresponding to that of two bearing? spac d a a t . STATEMENTUNDERARTICLE19 Revised claim 1 is based on original claims 1 and 6. The in¬ troductory part of the new claim 1 reflects the state of art as shown e.g. by the references Kaniut and Dana Corporation. The in¬ dividual features in the characterizing part of the revised claim 1 have been for better understanding marked with letters a) to g) , and include now even the feature of the stationary member be¬ ing provided with connections (for the control signal and for the cooling fluid) with the exterior of the device. Claim 1 is now restricted to an assembly of an electric mo¬ tor with a pump. In this field of application of torque transmis¬ sion devices, variable speed and geometrical configuration are important parameters which are closely linked together. The pre¬ sence of stepless control and continuous operation are features by which the invention differs from so-called on-off clutches or from torsional damping couplings. The "unit" of claim 1 with the geometrical configuration of the various functional members and their spatial limitations, as well as the feature of protection against soiling (claim 2) de¬ fine new aspects in the conception of variable speed drives for pumps. Claim 3 expresses now more clearly the feature of "double telescoping", a feature which contributes to the extreme compact¬ ness of the device according to the invention. None of the references shows a device for stepless change of the rotational speed of a pump driven by an electric motor rota¬ ting with constant speed, and consequently does none of the refe¬ rences show such a device embodied by a speed controller (feature a) of claim 1) in general, and the less one which comprises the members according to features aa) to ad) of claim 1. Further, none of the references shows, even in a speed cont¬ roller used for quite different purposes than driving a pump, the combination of features b) to g) of the revised claim 1, nor such individual features as e.g. bb) and g) per se. The characterizing part of revised claim 1 comprises thus a novel idea of embodying and in particular of using a speed cont¬ roller, which essentially comprises conventional constituent parts, for driving a pump, under the condition, that a new combi¬ nation of further measures, and among them also such, which are new even per se, is applied. In particular the feature of the speed controller being mounted on a standard shaft of a standard electric motor brings about considerable advantages. The notion of the "axial length (L) of claim 1, paragraph (c) , and claim 15 is based on the definition on page 20, lines 26 and 27. By "joint clutch members" in the above cited paragraph of claim 1 are meant connections for members such as 13A, 13B in Fig. 3 having the function of connecting and disconnecting the pump and the motor. In the other claims which have* been revised amendments and clarifications have been made to clearly point out the existing differences relative the references cited. Finally is to be stated that no bearing of the reference Ka- niut on the original claims 13 to 15, not even an indirect one, could have been recognised.

Inventors: HALEN ELOV, JONSSON ARNE, HALEN, ELOV, JONSSON, ARNE
Applicants: CONTROL DRIVE UTVECKLING KB
Application year: 1989
Main classification: F16D47
IPC codes: F16D35, F16D47