Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Shafting – With disparate device for coupling shaft to additional shaft...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-09-06
2004-11-30
Bagnell, David (Department: 3672)
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Shafting
With disparate device for coupling shaft to additional shaft...
C403S013000, C403S312000, C403S344000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06824471
ABSTRACT:
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a coupling assembly used to connect a rotatable motor shaft to a drive shaft, as for example may be used with a fluid pump, and more particularly a coupling assembly which incorporates a jack ring for moving the drive shaft axially relative to the motor shaft to enable adjustment in its final positioning.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Coupling assemblies used to connect a drive shaft in an axially aligned orientation with the end of a rotating motor shaft, so as to be journalled in rotation therewith, are well known. Conventional coupling assemblies typically consist of a two-part sleeve which, in assembly, define a centrally extending bore into which end portions of the motor shaft and drive shaft are located. Screws, pins or other retaining configurations are used to physically couple each of the motor shaft and drive shaft to the sleeve, to thereby mechanically connect the drive shaft to the motor shaft to each other.
With fluid pumps and particularly vertical in-line pumps, the drive shaft typically consists of a pump or impeller shaft to which is connected to a fluid impeller. The impeller is in turn rotatable within a fluid housing to pump the fluid therethrough. It is often desirable to allow for final adjustment of the positioning of the pump shaft axially relative to the motor shaft. In particular, prior to final assembly of vertical in-line pumps, the pump shaft and impeller typically are provided in an initial position resting directly against the bottom of the pump housing. As such, to avoid friction and wear on the pump housing, when connecting the pump shaft to the motor shaft it is desirable to raise the impeller or pump shaft vertically upward, so as to provide a desired degree of clearance between the impeller, the bottom end of the pump shaft and the bottom of the housing.
Heretofore, it has been necessary to manually raise and hold the pump shaft in a position raised relative to the pump housing while the coupling sleeve is secured about both the upper end of the pump shaft and the bottom of the motor shaft. In addition to necessitating extra labour, the inability to manually suspend the pump shaft to a precisely predetermined height during the placement of the coupling sleeve often results in the impeller shaft being positioned either too close or too far from the bottom of the pump housing.
While various individuals have proposed lifting devices to facilitate both the coupling of a motor shaft and a pump or impeller shaft while permitting the impeller shaft to be raised relative thereto, heretofore the prior art lifting devices have achieved limited success as a result of their complex construction and difficulty of use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide a simplified construction for a coupling assembly used in connecting a motor shaft and a drive shaft in axial alignment, and which enables simplified adjustment in the final positioning of the drive shaft in the axial direction.
Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling assembly for connecting in axial alignment the ends of a motor shaft and a pump shaft of a vertical in-line pump, and which includes a jack ring for use in raising the pump shaft relative thereto which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured.
Another object of the invention is to provide a coupling assembly used in securing the end of a drive shaft in axial alignment with a motor shaft so as to be rotatable therewith, and which includes a jack or lifting ring formed having two substantially identical ring halves which is adapted to be secured to one of the motor or drive shafts.
Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified method of connecting a drive shaft to a motor shaft using a coupling assembly, and which enables simplified final adjustment in the positioning of the drive shaft axially relative to the motor shaft.
To achieve at least some of the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides for a coupling assembly for use in connecting a drive shaft in axial alignment with a motor shaft, so as to be rotatable therewith. The coupling assembly includes a coupling sleeve or jacket which is configured to engage an end portion of one of the motor shaft and the drive shaft and a jack or lifting ring which is secured to the other. More preferably, the coupling assembly secures the motor shaft and drive shaft in a coupled relationship both aligned with and rotatable about a central axis. Preferably, the coupling sleeve extends in the axial direction from a forward end proximate to the motor to a distal rearward end which is remote therefrom. A central bore extends at least partway into and more preferably through the coupling sleeve. The central bore includes a first end portion which extends into the forward end of the coupling sleeve and has a size which is complementary to that of the end portion of the motor shaft. A second other end portion of the bore extends axially into the rearward end of the sleeve and has a size which is complementary to that of an end portion of the drive shaft.
The sleeve is secured to one of the drive shaft or the motor shaft and the jack or lifting ring is coupled to the other of the drive and motor shafts so as to be movable in assembly to a position adjacent one end of the sleeve. The lifting ring includes an aperture which, by way of non-limiting example, could comprise a bore, slot, or groove which extends in the axial direction. The aperture is sized to receive therein a connector which is insertable axially through the aperture and into engagement with the coupling sleeve, so as to moveably connect the coupling sleeve and lifting ring to each other.
In a simplified construction, an internally threaded bore is spaced radially outwardly from the central bore and extends axially into an adjacent end of the coupling jacket. The connector is insertable axially into the threaded bore in threaded engagement therewith, such that the turning of the connector and its engagement with the internal threads moves the lifting ring and drive shaft along the axis relative to the coupling sleeve.
In a more preferred construction, the connecting assembly is used as part of a water or other fluid pump, and the drive shaft is a pump or impeller shaft which is connected to a fluid impeller which is rotatable within a pump housing. In such a construction, the connecting sleeve is secured to the motor shaft and the jack ring is coupled to the pump shaft with the connecting assembly used to raise both the pump shaft and impeller vertically relative to the pump housing.
The jack or lifting ring may be coupled to the pump shaft in a variety of possible manner, including without restriction by the use of mechanical screws, physical weldments and the like. Most preferably, however, the pump shaft is formed having a reduced diameter slot or groove adjacent to an end portion of the shaft which is insertable into the second end of the central bore of the coupling sleeve, and which is delineated in its axial length by radially extending shoulders. The lifting ring is formed having an internal ring opening with a diameter marginally greater than the radial diameter of the pump shaft at the groove, but less than the diameter of the adjacent portions of the pump shaft. The engagement of the jack ring with the shoulders of the groove thus limits axial sliding of the jack ring relative to the pump shaft securing it thereto. The jack ring may be of a number of possible configurations. Most preferably, the lifting ring is formed having a pair of semi-circular ring segments, each formed with the identical configuration. It is to be appreciated that forming the ring segments with an identical configuration advantageously minimizes manufacturing costs and provides a further simplified construction which facilitates the installation of the coupling assembly.
Like the jack ring, the coupling sleeve may be secured to the motor shaft in a number of possible manner including through the use of mechanical fasteners,
Bagnell David
S. A. Armstrong Limited
Thompson K.
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