Rotary shafts – gudgeons – housings – and flexible couplings for ro – Housing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-15
2001-02-20
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3929)
Rotary shafts, gudgeons, housings, and flexible couplings for ro
Housing
C417S360000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190261
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to machinery sets where a shaft coupling requires guarding and, more particularly, to a guard to be positioned about the drive shaft or coupling of a fluid pumping assembly.
Pumping systems and other machinery sets utilizing a rotating shaft present a significant number of safety concerns to those designing, operating, and maintaining the systems. For example, a typical pumping system incorporates a number of pumping motors coupled to respective rotatable components of fluid pumps via a drive shaft or pump coupling. The drive shafts or couplings are typically enclosed or encased in a removable steel or aluminum shaft housing to permit convenient inspection and routine maintenance of the shaft or coupling while ensuring safe operation and maintenance of the pumping system.
These conventional shaft housings are a fairly common component of a pumping system. Accordingly, there is a continuing need in the fluid pumping industry for shaft housings incorporating new and improved operational features. Further, there is a continuing need in the industry for shaft housings that are less expensive to manufacture and easier to assemble, install, and remove.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This need is met by the present invention wherein a shaft guard is provided comprising opposing, substantially identical, non-metallic, tinted, transparent guard portions and a pair of support legs including clamping portions for joining the opposing guard portions. The shaft guard of the present invention is constructed so as to be easily assembled, durable, and cost effective to produce.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a shaft guard is provided comprising a first guard portion, a second guard portion, and a pair of support legs. The first guard portion defines a first guard body, a first pair of guard portions, and a first pair of flange portions. The first guard body is arranged about a longitudinal shaft guard axis. The first pair of guard portion openings are positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The first pair of flange portions are arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. Similarly, the second guard portion defines a second guard body, a second pair of guard portions, and a second pair of flange portions. The second guard body is arranged about the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The second pair of guard portion openings are positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The second pair of flange portions are arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. Respective ones of the first pair of flange portions are secured to opposing ones of the second pair of flange portions to form respective mated flange pairs such that the respective ones of the first pair of guard portion openings complement opposing ones of the second pair of guard portion openings to form a pair of shaft guard openings positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The pair of support legs are secured to at least one of the first and second guard portions.
The first guard portion, the second guard portion, and respective ones of the first pair of flange portions may be arranged such that the first guard portion and the second guard portion define a substantially circular column enclosing substantially all of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The first and second guard bodies may define at least one stepped-down diametrical region in which one of the shaft guard openings is defined. The stepped-down diametrical region may extend along the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The first and second guard bodies may define a pair of stepped-down diametrical regions positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The substantially circular column may define a pair of diametrically stepped-down regions at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis.
At least one of the first guard portion and the second guard portion preferably includes ventilation ports formed therein. Each of the respective flange portions preferably includes a flange slot formed therein, wherein opposing ones of the slots are arranged to lie in registration with one another to form a support leg passage in each of the mated flange pairs, and wherein each of the pair of support legs extends through one of the support leg passages. The support legs may be arranged to secure the respective ones of the first pair of flange portions to opposing ones of the second pair of flange portions. The support legs may be arranged to secure the flange portions by clamping the respective ones of the first pair of flange portions to opposing ones of the second pair of flange portions. Each of the support legs may include a shoulder portion, an extension portion, and a clamping portion, wherein the extension portion extends from the shoulder portion, through one of the support leg passages, to the clamping portion, and wherein one of the mated flange pairs is secured between the clamping portion and the shoulder portion.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a shaft guard is provided comprising a first guard portion and a second guard portion. The first guard portion defines a first guard body, a first pair of guard portion openings, and a first pair of flange portions. The first guard body is arranged about a longitudinal shaft guard axis. The first pair of guard portion openings are positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The first pair of flange portions are arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. Similarly, the second guard portion defines a second guard body, a second pair of guard portion openings, and a second pair of flange portions. The second guard body is arranged about the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The second pair of guard portion openings are positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The second pair of flange portions are arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. At least one of the first guard portion and the second guard portion is transparent. Respective ones of the first pair of flange portions are secured to opposing ones of the second pair of flange portions such that the respective ones of the first pair of guard portion openings complement opposing ones of the second pair of guard portion openings to form a pair of shaft guard openings positioned at opposite ends of the longitudinal shaft guard axis. The transparent guard portion may be tinted with a predetermined color.
In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a pump assembly is provided comprising a motor, a fluid pumping mechanism, a drive shaft arranged to couple movement of the motor with movement of the fluid pumping mechanism, and a shaft guard according to the present invention.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shaft guard or housing that is less expensive to manufacture and easier to assemble, install, and remove. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a non-metallic and non-sparking shaft guard that is transparent and may be tinted to enhance the safety of those in the vicinity of the guard. Other objects of the present invention will be apparent in light of the description of the invention embodied herein.
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Binda Greg
Browne Lynne H.
Flowserve Management Company
Killworth, Gottman Hagan & Schaeff LLP
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