GB487368A - Improvements in and relating to the driving of vehicle axles - Google Patents

Abstract

487,368. Universal drives. AKT.- GES. BROWN, BOVERI, & CIE. Oct. 4, 1937, No. 26834. Convention date, Oct. 17, 1936. [Class 80 (ii)] A drive from a hollow quill-shaft 6 to the axle 11 of an electric-railway vehicle, includes a hollow intermediate shaft 8, disposed between the quill-shaft and axle, and drivingly connected at opposite ends to the quill-shaft and axle respectively, by sheet-steel flexible rings 7 , 9, bolted to the respective members at circumferentially-spaced points. As shown, pairs of diametrically-opposite bolts 28, 29 connect the ring 7 to a radial arm 26 on the intermediate shaft 8 and to a gear-wheel 5 secured to the quill-shaft 6 and driven by a motor 3, whilst bolts 30, 31 similarly connect the other ring 9 to the intermediate shaft 8 and a road-wheel 10. The connecting-bolts 28, 30 pass freely through the road-wheels 10. Alternatively the rings 7, 9 may be arranged inside the roadwheels and have inwardly projecting tongues replacing . the arms 26, 27. To provide for torsional yield, the intermediate shaft 8 may be torsionally flexible, and the yield may be increased by using the torsional flexibility of the quill-shaft 6, by effecting its driving connection with the intermediate shaft 8 at the end remote from the driving gear-wheel 5. The flexible rings 7, 9 may have two, four or six points of attachment, which may be provided with leafsprings. The cross-section 'of the rings may taper inwardly or outwardly or be thickened at the centre or edges. A single ring may be backed on both sides by rings of less radial width, or the rings may be constituted by pairs of radially removable, overlapping segments. The hole 17 in the rings may be other than circular.