TORQUE RELEASE ADAPTER

• US 3,662,628 A
• Filed: 04/20/1970
• Issued: 05/16/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lawrence S. Schnepel
• Original Assignee: Lawrence S. Schnepel
• Inventors: Schnepel, Lawrence S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Jr., James L.
• Application Number:
  US05/030,043
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 81/92.4 64/29 151/21C,15,23
• US Class Current: 81/474
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 23/141 Mechanical overload release couplings

Abstract

A torque release adapter comprising a receptacle and rigid plate rotatably mounted therein with confronting surfaces normal to the axis of rotation, said surfaces containing recesses in which are mounted bearing members, and means for yieldably applying pressure to the parts to constrain the bearings to said recesses to transmit torque from one part to the other, said yieldable means being yieldable to a torque in excess of a predetermined adjustable amount to permit the parts to separate so that one part rides over the bearing members relative to the other part a distance corresponding to the distance between recesses and then become re-engaged with the bearing members.

Claims

1. A torque release adapter comprising a receptacle embodying a chamber for receiving torque release mechanism, said chamber having a side wall closed at one end by an end wall and open at the other end, said end wall containing centrally thereof an axially extending opening of rectangular configuration and at the junction of said rectangular opening and the interior a centrally located circular recess of larger cross-section than the rectangular opening, said side wall at the open end containing interior threading, a shaft comprising axially aligned portions of different cross-section and at one end an integral head having a flat circular face perpendicular to the axis thereof, said portions of different cross-section decreasing in area from the portion next to the head which is the largest toward its distal end and comprising proximal intermediate and distal portions, said distal portion being of rectangular cross-section, a nut containing a centrally located opening adapted to receive the intermediate portion of the shaft with a clearance therebetween, a sleeve-like needle bearing assembly mounted on the distal portion within the clearance about the shaft, said assembly being force-fitted into the opening and having an axial length corresponding to the thickness of the nut, said nut having a flat inner side and a kerfed outer side and being exteriorly threaded peripherally for threaded engagement with the interior threading at the open end of the wall, said nut being adjustable to support the shaft within the chamber with the head confronting the inner side of the end wall, said confronting surface of the head and end wall containing a plurality of uniformly spaced recesses adapted to receive balls, means yieldably holding the balls in said recesses comprising spring washers disposed on the intermediate portion of the shaft between the nut and the head of the shaft, antifriction means situated between the head and spring washers comprising a flat annular washer and an annular needle bearing disposed about the proximal portion of the shaft, said needle bearing being confined between the spring washers and the head, said nut sealing the opening at the open end of the wall, a flat disc mounted in said circular recess, and a coiled spring situated between the head and the disc holding said disc in sealing engagement with the inner end of said rectangular opening.

2. A torque release adapter according to claim 1, wherein the recesses in the planes of the faces taper, the wider ends being adjacent the periphery of the faces and the narrower ends adjacent the centers of the faces, and the bearing members are frusto-conical in shape.

3. A torque release adapter according to claim 1, wherein the nut comprises concentric parts connected for rotation in unison but separable in a direction along their common axis of rotation, and screws threaded through one part in engagement with the other part by means of which the parts may be forced away from each other to bind their respective threads against the threads of the receptacle.

4. A torque release adapter according to claim 1, wherein the nut contains a slot part way through it parallel to its end faces, a threaded hole through the portion of the nut at one side of the slot and a locking screw threaded into the threaded hole against the portion of the screw at the other side of the slot, said locking screw being adapted by rotation to force the parts at opposite sides of the slot away from each other thereby to bind the thread on said parts against the threads of the receptacle.

5. A torque release adapter according to claim 1, wherein a handle is fixed to said Receptacle to extend radially therefrom.

6. A torque release adapter according to claim 1, wherein said annular nut contains diametrically disposed holes entering the top and extending downwardly at angles divergent to the axis of the nut, said holes at the top intersecting the threaded exterior of the nut and providing openings therein, and a set screw situated in each of the holes in threaded engagement with the threaded interior of the receptacle exposed to the interior of the hole through said openings.

7. A torque release adapter according to claim 6, wherein the upper ends of the holes are substantially tangent to the pitch circle of the threaded interior of the receptacle.

8. A torque release adapter according to claim 6, wherein said openings taper from a minimum width at the top to a greater width at the bottom.

9. A torque release adapter according to claim 6, wherein said holes terminate short of the bottom of the nut.

10. A torque release adapter according to claim 1, wherein said holes have smooth interior surfaces.