Patent ID: 7670076

Claim:
A multi-sided shaft and locking hub apparatus, comprising: a multi-sided shaft; and a locking hub, including an inner hub having a multi-sided inner surface extending around and defining a center hole through the inner hub configured and sized for receiving the multi-sided shaft with the sides of the inner surface in face-to-face abutting relation with the sides of the shaft, the inner hub including a tapered outer surface extending therearound, and a cut extending through the inner hub between the tapered outer surface and the multi-sided inner surface to allow compressing the inner hub, the locking hub including an outer hub having a tapered inner surface extending around and defining a central hole therethrough adapted for receiving the inner hub with the tapered inner surface and the tapered outer surface in face-to-face abutting relation, the tapered outer surface and the tapered inner surface including inner and outer half-holes at spaced locations therearound, respectively, the inner and outer half-holes at the spaced locations, respectively, being alignable when the inner hub is received in the center hole of the outer hub, for cooperatively receiving threaded members, the outer half-holes at some of the spaced locations being threaded so as to be threadedly engageable with the threaded members when received therein for pressing the inner hub and the outer hub together while exerting a compressive force against the inner hub, and the inner half-holes at others of the spaced locations being threaded so as to be threadedly engageable with the threaded members when received therein for jacking the inner hub and the outer hub apart, wherein the shaft includes a transverse passage therein at a predetermined longitudinal location therealong adjacent a distal end of the shaft, the transverse passage receiving a pin therein for bearing against the inner hub, for locating the hub longitudinally along the shaft, and against which the inner hub exerts a longitudinal force when the inner hub and the outer hub are jacked apart.