Apparatus for coupling a first member to a second member

• US 4,573,824 A
• Filed: 02/10/1984
• Issued: 03/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Valenite Inc.
• Original Assignee: GTE Products Corporation (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Ehle, Ray G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundrat, Andrew V.
• Application Number:
  US06/578,802
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 403/374, 403/322, 403/324, 279/97, 279/83, 279/67, 279/112
• US Class Current: 403/322.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/1077 acting on a floating pin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/17675 Transverse-screw actuated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/591 having operating mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/598 Transversely sliding pin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/30952 with cutter holder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 82/2589 Quick release tool or holder clamp

Abstract

Apparatus for rigidly coupling a first member to a second member along a longitudinal axis is disclosed wherein one of the members carries a pair of wedges coupled to opposite threaded ends of a differential screw. The other one of the two members includes a reaction surface confronting wedging surfaces on each of the two wedges. Upon rotation of the differential screw, the wedges are moved in opposite directions to bear against the reaction surface with substantially a surface area contact to force the first and second member into rigidly coupled engagement. Upon rotation of the differential screw in an opposite direction, the wedges are positively moved in reverse opposite directions to effect uncoupling.

Claims

1. Apparatus for coupling a male member to a female member along a common longitudinal axis, the male and female members each having shank portions, with the male member having an axially extending pilot portion of cross-sectional area less than that of the male member shank portion and a first section adjoining the shank portion and a smaller second end section, the pilot portion shaped for mating engagement with a cavity in the shank portion of the female member, the apparatus comprising:

first and second wedge means each having a wedging surface, the first and second wedge means carried by the male member on the second section of the pilot;

wedge actuator means coupled to the first and second wedge means, operative to simultaneously move the first and second wedge means in opposite directions traverse to the longitudinal axis; and

conical reaction surface means on the female member confronting complementary convex conical wedging surfaces of the first and second wedge means in a manner such that as the wedge actuator means moves the first and second wedge means in predetermined opposite directions, the wedging surfaces engage the reaction surface means with substantial surface contact so as to provide a force urging the first and second members together along the axis in substantially rigid fashion.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the wedge actuator means comprises a differentially threaded screw and wherein the first wedge means is threadingly coupled to a first threaded end of the screw, and the second wedge means is threadingly coupled to a second oppositely threaded end of the screw in a manner such that, upon rotation of the screw in a first rotational direction, the first and second wedge means simultaneously move radially outwardly from the axis and, upon rotation of the screw in a second rotational direction, the first and second wedge means simultaneously move radially inwardly toward the axis.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reaction surface means comprises an annular surface formed in the female member extending in a continuous manner about the axis.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the reaction surface means comprises first and second distinct surfaces formed in the female member on opposite sides of the axis respectively positioned to engage with the wedging surfaces of the first and second wedge means.

5. Apparatus for coupling a male member to a female member along a common longitudinal axis, the male and female members each having shank portions, with the male member having an axially extending pilot portion of cross sectional area less than that of the male member shank portion and a first section adjoining the shank portion and a smaller second end sections, the pilot portion shaped for mating engagement with a cavity in the shank portion of the female member, the apparatus comprising:

a first wedge having a first threaded bore therethrough and a first wedging surface, and a second wedge having a second threaded bore therethrough and a second wedging surface, the first and second wedges carried by the male member on the second section of the pilot portion;

a differential screw threadingly engaging the first bore in a first sense and the second bore in a second sense opposite to the first sense, operative upon rotation to simultaneously move the first and second wedges in opposite directions traverse to the longitudinal axis; and

conical reaction surface means on the female shank portion confronting complimentary convex conical surfaces of the first and second wedging surfaces in a manner such that as the screw is rotated in a first direction the first and second wedges move in opposite directions transverse to the axis to engage the reaction surface means with substantially a surface area contact so as to force the male and female members into substantially rigid axial engagement.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a key extending axially from one end of a peripheral surface of the male shank portion and toward the female member, and a keyway in the female shank portion shaped for mating receipt of the key.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising means for retaining the first and second wedges, when both are coupled to the differential screw in the pilot portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the first and second wedges, while coupled to the differential screw, are retained in the second pilot portion of the male member, the reaction surface means located in the female member shank portion, and the first and second wedges are moved outwardly from the axis to effect coupling and inwardly toward the axis to release coupling between the male and female members.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the female shank portion includes at least one access bore extending from a peripheral surface of the female shank portion to the cavity therein, the access bore positioned such that a driving element may be inserted therethrough into engagement with the differential screw to effect rotation thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a wedge receiving slot extending through the pilot portion substantially normal to the longitudinal axis and shaped for sliding receipt of the first and second wedges while the wedges are threadingly coupled to opposite ends of the differential screw.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the means for retaining comprises a pin housed in a mating cavity in the pilot portion passing through the pilot portion transverse to the axis and intersecting the wedge receiving slot in a manner such that the pin is engageable by portions of the first and second wedges facing the axis.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the portion further comprises a first section adjoining the shank portion of the male member and a second portion adjoining the first portion the second portion including wedge receiving slot has a cross sectional area less than the first section.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the reaction surface means comprises an annular groove extending from the cavity in the female shank portion, the annular groove including a sloping surface extending away from the cavity opening at an acute angle to the axis, all portions of the sloping surface shaped for mating wedging engagement with the first and second wedging surfaces.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the reaction surface means comprises first and second distinct slots extending from the cavity in the shank of the female member, the first and second slots positioned on opposite sides of the axis and each slot including a sloping surface extending away from the cavity opening at an acute angle to the axis and shaped for respective mating wedging engagement with the first and second wedging surfaces.