Method of mounting a metal yoke to a composite tube
First Claim
Patent Images
1. The method of mounting a metal yoke having a cylindrical shank to a cylindrical composite tube to form an automotive drive shaft comprising the steps of:
- broaching a plurality of axially-extending splines on the surface of said shank,first sliding a steel ring around the outer surface of the end of said tube, andthen driving said shank into said end of said tube to cause said splines to cut into the internal surface of said tube and to cause said tube to expand outwardly into contact with said steel ring.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drive shaft in which a graphite tube has splined yokes inserted at each end. A steel ring surrounds the tube at each end to clamp the tube against the yoke.
57 Citations
6 Claims
-
1. The method of mounting a metal yoke having a cylindrical shank to a cylindrical composite tube to form an automotive drive shaft comprising the steps of:
-
broaching a plurality of axially-extending splines on the surface of said shank, first sliding a steel ring around the outer surface of the end of said tube, and then driving said shank into said end of said tube to cause said splines to cut into the internal surface of said tube and to cause said tube to expand outwardly into contact with said steel ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. The method of mounting a metal yoke having a cylindrical shank to a cylindrical composite tube to form an automotive drive shaft comprising the steps of:
-
broaching a plurality of axially-extending splines on the surface of said shank, first sliding a steel ring around the outer surface of the end of said tube, and then driving said shank into said end of said tube to cause said splines to cut into the internal surface of said tube and to cause said tube to expand outwardly into contact with said steel ring and to expand said steel ring to increase its diameter by about 0.0025 inch.
-
Specification