Patent ID: 7874759

Claim:
A coupling for a shaft of a ship propulsion system, the shaft comprising a first shaft section, a second shaft section, and a connecting device to be arranged between the first shaft section and the second shaft section, the coupling comprising: a first radial surface facing a second radial surface, said first and second radial surfaces are transversal to an axial extension of the first and second shaft section, wherein said first and second radial surfaces are connectable into an axially engaged condition and disconnectable into an axially disengaged condition, wherein said first and second radial surfaces are rotationally secured relative to each other in said axially engaged condition by at least one shear-carrying element seated in opposite recesses arranged in the first radial surface and the second radial surface, respectively, taking up shear forces directed substantially parallel to said first and second radial surfaces, each of said opposite recesses comprises an open end facing the other one, wherein said at least one shear-carrying element in said axially engaged condition abuts an axial abutment surface provided in a vicinity of each of said recesses for provision of a distance between the first radial surface and the second radial surface, wherein an axial play between the first shaft section and the second shaft section in said axially disengaged condition is smaller than a distance between the first radial surface and the second radial surface in said axially engaged condition, wherein in the axially disengaged condition, the first and second shaft sections are arranged to rotate freely in relation to each other, and wherein in the axially disengaged condition, transmission of axial forces between the first and second shaft sections is allowed without contact between the first radial surface and the second radial surface.