Patent ID: 6860514

Claim:
A joint connecting a pair of members rotatable about a common axis end to end, comprising: a first member having a threaded end portion, a non-circular exterior surface rearwardly of the threaded end portion, and a tapered shoulder in between the threaded end portion and the non-circular exterior surface, which tapered shoulder tapers from the non-circular exterior surface of the first member towards the threaded end portion; a second member having a threaded socket wherein the threaded end portion of the first member can be engaged and a non-circular exterior surface; a sleeve having a non-circular profile on an inner surface thereof whereby the sleeve can be slidably mounted on the non-circular exterior profiles of the first and second members when such profiles are brought into alignment by rotation of one member relative to the other in a manner effective to pass torque from one member to the other by means of the non-circular profiles; and alignable holes in the sleeve and first member for receiving a fastener to secure the sleeve to the first member, whereby an end face of the second member engages the tapered shoulder of the first member when the threaded end portion of the first member is engaged with the threaded socket of the second member with the holes in the sleeve and first member in alignment.