Abstract:
A drive shaft coupling support assembly includes a support beam mounted on a roller support and a housing movable along the beam between use and non-use positions. The housing includes a camming mechanism that can engage and securely hold the drive, shaft in a stationary position relative to the roller support to enable the replacement driven shaft to be readily re-engaged with the drive shaft. The camming mechanism is operable without the use of any tools. and the support assembly is able to be secured directly to a roller support to minimize the complexity of the assembly utilized to hold the drive shaft.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/252,772, filed on Nov. 9, 2015, the entirety of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to power transmission systems, and more specifically to a support for use in changing out driven rollers that are connected to a drive shall of the power transmission system. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In order to couple a drive shaft to a driven shaft, such as, used in driving rollers in a roll coating machine, many different types and constructions for the power transmission couplings have been developed. The coupling securely engages the drive shaft to the driven shaft such that the rotation of the drive shaft is effectively transferred to the driven shaft in order to rotate the driven shaft and the roller secured thereto. 
         [0004]    One concern with machines of this type is the issues that are presented when it is necessary or desired to change the roller and associated driven shaft that are connected to the drive shaft. In particular, due to the heavy weight of the drive shaft, it is, necessary to provide a separate support mechanism to engage and hold the drive shaft in position when disengaged from the driven shaft and roller. 
         [0005]    The prior art solution to provide the support to the drive shaft during replacement of the driven shaft/roller is to have a separate support structure present around the drive shaft that can be secured to the drive shaft. The support structure normally takes the form of a gantry disposed and/or anchored above the drive shaft that supports a chain or other similar structure that depends downwardly from the gantry for engagement around the drive shaft. The chain is positioned around the drive shaft to support the drive shaft as it is disengaged and displaced from the roller. The drive shaft can be maintained in the displaced location by the chain until replacement of the roller or placement of the new roller is completed, whereupon the drive shaft can be moved back into position relative to the roller and re-engaged therewith. Other support structures include pedestals or similar structures that are positioned beneath and engaged with the drive shaft that allow for the support and movement of the drive shaft relative to the roller to enable removal and/or replacement of the roller while the drive shaft is disengaged. 
         [0006]    However, in these prior art support devices and structures, the structures are often very complicated and unwieldy to move into position and engage/disengage from the drive shaft. For example, with the structure including the chain supported by the gantry, the structure of the gantry must be formed to be able to adequately support the weight of the drive shaft, which can be in excess of 40 lbs, during the initial disengagement of the drive shaft from the roller and during the movement of the drive shaft relative to the roller. As such the structures of prior art drive shaft supports are significantly limiting in that they require significant space for the structure to be positioned and moved within in order to adequately support the drive shaft. In addition, the positioning, engagement and movement of the support structure requires multiple tools in order to securely engage the support structure with the drive shaft. 
         [0007]    Thus, it is desirable to develop a support for a drive shaft that has a more compact structure but is still capable of functioning in an effective and efficient manner in holding a drive shaft when disconnected from a driven shaft and roller. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Therefore according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a drive shaft coupling support clamp assembly is provided that can be quickly and easily engaged and disengaged from the drive shaft coupling without the need for any tools or additional implements. The shaft coupling support clamp assembly overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages as it has a simple construction that is mountable directly on the roller support on which the roller and driven shaft are disposed. 
         [0009]    In one exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, to enable the clamp to be positioned where necessary relative to the drive shaft coupling, the shaft coupling support clamp assembly is movably mounted on a support arm that is connected directly to the roller support in alignment with the drive shaft. The coupling clamp assembly is movable on the support arm between use and non-use positions. 
         [0010]    In another exemplary and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, to engage and retain the drive shaft in position on the support are when disengaged from the driven shaft, the coupling clamp assembly includes a caroming lock, mechanism that can engage and securely hold the drive shaft coupling in a stationary position relative to the roller support to enable the replacement driven shaft and/or roller to be readily re-engaged with the drive shaft. The lock mechanism can be manually engaged with the drive shaft without the need for tools, and includes a safety lock that can retain the lock mechanism in the engaged position to prevent inadvertent disengagement of the lock mechanism from the drive shaft. 
         [0011]    Other aspects, advantages and features of the present invention, will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    The drawings illustrate the best mode currently contemplated of practicing the present invention, 
           [0013]    In the drawings: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a partially broken-away side plan view of a shaft support clamp assembly according to one exemplary embodiment of the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a front plan view of the shaft support clamp assembly of  FIG. 1  in a disengaged position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a front plan view of the shaft support clamp assembly of  FIG. 1  in an engaged position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shaft support clamp assembly of  FIG. 1  in a disengaged position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the shaft support clamp assembly of  FIG. 1  in an engaged position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a partially broken away, perspective view of locking tab on the shaft support clamp assembly engaged with a drive shaft. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]    With reference now to the, drawing figures in which like reference numbers designate like parts throughout the disclosure, a roller support assembly is indicated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The roller support assembly  10  is utilized to support opposed ends of a driven shaft  12  to which a roller  14  or other similar structure is mounted for rotation therewith. The support assembly  10  include a pair of collars  16  (only one of which is shown in  FIG. 1 ) that supports an end  18  of the driven shaft  12  therein. The collars  16  enable the ends  18  of the driven shaft  12  to rotate within the collars  16 , such that the driven shaft  12  and roller  14  can be rotated with respect to the roller support assembly  10 . 
         [0021]    One end  18  of the driven shaft  12  includes a coupling  20  that is utilized to engage the end  18  of the driven shaft  12  with an end  22  of a drive shaft  24 . The coupling  20  can have many alternative structures, but is used to engage the drive shaft  24  with the driven shaft  12 , such that the rotation of the drive shaft  24  is transmitted through the coupling  20  to rotate the driven shaft  12  and the roller  14 . Opposite the coupling  20 , the drive shaft  24  is connected to a suitable motor or drive member (not shown) that rotates the drive shaft  24  at the desired speed when operated. 
         [0022]    Looking now at  FIGS. 2-6 , the roller support assembly  10  includes a shaft coupling support clamp assembly  25  disposed on and extending outwardly from the roller support assembly  10 . The shaft coupling support assembly  25  includes a support arm or beam  26  that is engaged directly with and extends outwardly from the roller support assembly  10  in alignment with the driven shaft  12  and the drive shaft  24  below the collar  16 . The beam  26  can be formed integrally with the structure of the support assembly  10 , or can be disposed on a mounting plate  28  that can be bolted or otherwise secured to the support assembly  10  in a known manner to properly positon the beam  26  on the roller support  10 , as shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment. The beam  26  is also shown to have a generally rectangular cross-section in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, but other configurations for the beam  26  are also possible, such as a beam  26  having a circular cross-section, as desired. Mounted to the beam  26  is a shaft support clamp  30 . The shaft support clamp  30  includes a housing  32  that in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is U-shaped to define an opening  33  between the housing  32  and a plate  35  secured over the top of the housing  32 . The housing  32  is positioned around the beam  26  which extends though the opening  33  and is slidable with respect thereto, such as by rollers or other structures positioned on the housing  32 . 
         [0023]    The housing  32  also includes a pair of clamping arms  34  extending upwardly out of the housing  32  on opposed sides of the housing  32 . The arms  34  are interconnected to one another by a camming mechanism  36  disposed within the housing  32 . In addition to the arms  34 , the camming mechanism  36  is connected to handles  38  extending outwardly form the housing  32  opposite the arms  34  as well as to a housing lock pin  40  and a cam lock pin  42 . 
         [0024]    The camming mechanism  36  is operable to enable the arms  34  to be moved from a disengaged position as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4  to an engaged position as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . The mechanism  36  includes a pair of central members  44  that are pivotally secured to, each other at pivot pin  45  and are each secured to one of the arms  34  by pivot pins  46 . Pivot pins  46  are fixed to the housing  32  such that the central members  44  can move from an extended position as best shown in  FIG. 2  to a camming position as best shown in  FIG. 3 . In the positon of  FIG. 3 , the central members  44  provide a cam lock to the mechanism  36 . This lock is maintained by the cam lock pin  42 . The cam lock pin  42  is biased inwardly into the housing  32 , such as by a spring (not shown) and is disposed on, the housing  32  within a bore  43  located just below the locking positon of the central members  44 . Thus, when the central members  44  are moved into the locking positon of  FIG. 3 , the biased cam lock pin  42  moves into the housing  32  through the bore  43  to a position just below one of the central members  44 , preventing the movement of the central members  44  out of the locking position. When the cam lock pin  42  is diseneaged by pulling the pin  42  outwardly from the housing  32  against the bias, of the spring, the movement of the central members  44  is no longer restricted, such that the central members  44  can pivot around the pins  46  to the unlocked or disengaged position of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0025]    To move the central members  44  between the locked and unlocked positions, the handles  48  are grasped and pivoted in the direction desired for the movement of the central members  44 . The handles  48  are each directly engaged with one of the central members  44 , such that the movement of the handles  48  directly moves the associated central member  44  as desired. However, in the locking position, the handles  48  cannot be moved until the cam lock pin  42  has been disengaged, to enable free movement of the central members  44  within the housing  32 . 
         [0026]    The arms  34  are also connected to the pivot pins  46 , such that the movement of the central members  44  is translated via the pivot pins  46  to the arms  34 . As such when the central members  44  are moved towards the locking position of  FIG. 2 , the pivot pin  45  moves along a channel  47  formed in the housing  32  to enable the arms  34  to pivot and move inwardly towards one another due to the corresponding movement of the pivot pin  45  and the rotation of the pivot pins  46 . Conversely, when the central members  44  are moved to the position of  FIG. 3 , the arms  34  are correspondingly rotates away from one another by the rotation of the pins  46 . 
         [0027]    To securely engage the arms  34 , and thus the shaft support clamp assembly  25  with the drive shaft  24 , opposite the pivot pins  46  the arms  34  each include a locking tab  50 . The tabs  50  can be shaped as desired. but in, the illustrated embodiment is shaped complementary to a notch  52  formed in the coupling  20 . as best shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . When the central members  44  are moved into the locking position using the handles  48 , the arms  34  move towards the coupling  20  to engage the tabs  50  within the respective notches  52 . The cam lock pin  42  holds the arms  34  and tabs  50  within the notches  52 , thereby maintaining the positon of the coupling  20  and the drive shaft  24  with respect to the support assembly  10 . In this position the coupling  20  can be disengaged, allowing the driven shaft  12  and roller  14  to be removed and replaced, while the drive shaft  24  is held by the support clamp assembly  25 . Further, because the assembly  25  is fixed to the support assembly  10 , the weight of the driven shaft  24  is easily supported by the support assembly  10 . 
         [0028]    When the assembly  25  is disengaged from the coupling  20 , the assembly  25  can be slid along the beam  26  to a non-use position where the assembly  25  will not interfere with the normal operation of the drive shaft  24 . The assembly  25  can be held in this non-use position by the housing lock pin  40  which can be engaged within an aperture  54  disposed in the beam  26  to hold the support clamp  30  at the desired location. A similar bore (not shown) can be disposed at a location on the beam  26  where the clamp  30  is to be positioned when engaged with the coupling  20  to use the housing lock pin  40  to hold the housing  32  and clamp  30  at the required location for engagement of the tabs  50  with the notches  52 . 
         [0029]    While the concepts of the present disclosure will be illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and description, such an illustration, and description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the illustrative embodiments are shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected. There are a plurality of advantages that may be inferred from the present disclosure arising from the various features of the apparatus, systems, and methods described herein. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of each of the apparatus, systems, and methods of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the inferred advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of an apparatus, system, and method that incorporate one or more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and, scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.