Patent GB-1085322-A (GB)
Title: Torsionally resilient universal couplings
IPC: F16D3/00
Filed: 1964-10-05
Abstract: 1,085,322. Universal joints. DEMAG A.G. Oct. 5, 1964 [Oct. 12, 1963], No. 40538/64. Heading F2C and F2U. A torsionally resilient universal joint comprises inner and outer rings 1, 2 separated by an annular gap in which leaf springs 16, 17 are positioned and supported by elements 20, 21, 22 engaging the inner and outer members. As shown two springs 16, 17 are separated by a roller 22 and are supported by pairs of inner and outer rollers 21, 20 engaging recesses 3, 4 in inner and outer rings 1, 2. The leaf springs may have asymmetric shapes, Figs. 8 and 10 (not shown) and the support rollers may, Fig. 9 (not shown), be different sizes to provide couplings with different characteristics for opposite directions of rotation. The leaf springs may as shown be laminated to provide friction damping and/or the ends of the springs 16, 17 may engage, Figs. 6 and 7 (not shown), so that relative motion therebetween provides friction damping. The ridges 8, 7 of the springs may, Fig. 7 (not shown), engage the inner and outer rings 1, 2 to provide friction damping. The support rollers 20, 21 and the intermediate roller 22 may, Figs. 8 and 9 (not shown), be hollow cylindrical laminated springs. The rollers may be barrel shaped, Fig. 13 (not shown), or tapered, Fig. 18 (not shown), or replaced by balls. In Fig. 14a (not shown), a single leaf spring is supported by two outer rollers and a single inner roller. In Fig. 16 (not shown), weak leaf springs are interposed between the intermediate roller and the main leaf springs. In Fig. 17 (not shown) the leaf springs are separated by two hollow cylindrical laminated spring rollers and are supported by a single outer and a single inner roller. In Fig. 20 (not shown) each pair of outer and inner rollers engages a single recess in the outer and inner rings. In Fig. 21 (not shown) the outer rollers engage the cylindrical surface of the outer ring and the inner rollers engage a flat on the inner ring. In Fig. 22 (not shown) both the inner and outer rollers engage the cylindrical surfaces on the outer and inner rings and the leaf springs may be shaped to provide a one-way clutch. In Fig. 12 (not shown) the support rollers are replaced by pairs of part cylindrical elements the two parts of which slide on one another to provide friction damping. In Fig. 11 laminated leaf springs 16, 17 are separated by a pair of rollers 22, 22<SP>1</SP> and are in sliding engagement with part cylindrical support elements 20, 21 which engage split cylindrical springs 5, 6 engaged in the recesses in the rings 1, 2. This arrangement provides considerable friction damping. In Fig. 15 (not shown) the springs 5, 6 are omitted and a single roller separates non-laminated springs. In Fig. 14b (not shown) four leaf springs are provided between an inner ring (2) and an outer ring (1). The springs are separated by four rollers (22) and are supported by outer rollers (20, (21) engaging recess (3), (4) in the rings. The arrangement provides a large relative rotation between the inner and outer members. In Fig. 2 (not shown) two torsionally resilient couplings are arranged in series. In Fig. 19 (not shown) two ball-type universal joints are arranged in series with two torsionally resilient couplings. The gap between the rings may be small and the coupling may be filled with oil to provide hydraulic damping.