US2563166A - Locking means for shaft keys - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 7, 1951 A J, l, GARDNER 2,563,166 K LOCKING MEANS FOR SHAFT KEYS Filed July 5, 1947 Inventor Jack Gard-ner Patented Aug. 7, 1,951

-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f LOCKING MEANS FOR-SHAFT l Jack I. Gardner, Hays, Mont.. E

Application July 3, 1947, Serial No. 758,959 l The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in keys for holding gears or other V'objects to shafts and V thev invention has for its primary kobject to` provide means for locking they key against accidental removal from the keyway in the shaft.

A further object of the invention is tovprovide locking pins carried by the key and adapted for insertion in openings in thegear or other object fastened tothefshaftxir s I 1 Another object of the invention is to provide a self-.locking pin for keys of this character and providing means whereby the locking pin may be released to remove the object from the shaft, when desired.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is e1`l`cient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and other- Wise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating one type of key with the locking pins shown thereon;

Figure 2 is a similar view of a modied key construction;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the key in locking engagement with a wheel connected to a shaft;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a further modied type of key;

Figure 6 is an end elevational view thereof;

Figure '7 is a perspective view of still another key construction; and

Figure 8 is an end elevational view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail and with particular reference to Figures l, 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated a modified form of shaft key indicated at 5 and which is of circular segmental construction and having a bar 6 extending outwardly at each end of the key.

The key 5 is adapted to be seated in a key seat or groove 1 in a shaft 8 while the bars 6 are received partly in a longitudinally extending groove 9 in the shaft and partly in a longitudinally extending groove l0 in the hub Il of a gear or the like l2.

The bar 6 is provided with one or more recesses 7; Claims: (Cl. 287-52.05)

l3 formed: in its edge provided vwith the key 5 and a bore I4 extends from theinner end of the recess to theV opposite side of the bar and` in which a locking pin I5V isy slidably received. The innerend of the. pin is formed with a flange or head positioned` in the recess 'I3-and against which a coil spring Il is held by a plug I8 suitably secured in the outer end of 1 the recess. The springproje'cts thefpin l5 outwardly from the side of the "bar 6 Vopposite to thezkey 5.

The hub I I ofthe gear or wheelxlZ isprovided with fa. radially extending opening', I9- `in which the 'pin l5fis received as shown .iniFigurefSrof the drawing, to lock the key 5 and bar 6 against longitudinal movement relative to the shaft 8 and thus secure the key against accidental displacement in its seat or groove 1.

The pins l5 also lock the gear I2 on the shaft 8 without requiring the use of nuts or other fastening devices.

When it is desired to remove the key 5 andA bar 6 a pointed tool is inserted in the opening I9 to retract the pin l5 in the recess I3 whereby the hub Il of the gear is free to slide 01T the shaft. f

In Figure 2 a modied type of key is illustrated wherein a single bar 20 projects from one edge of the key 2|, the bar having one or more of the spring-projected locking pins 22 positioned therein.

Figure 5 illustrates another modified type of key wherein the bar 23 is of a width greater than the width of the key 24 and the bar is also provided with the spring-projected locking pin 25.

Figures '7 and 8 illustrate a still further modified construction wherein the key 26 is of a width greater than the width of the bar 21 and is also provided with the spring-projected locking pin 28.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a shaft key of the class described, locking means carried by the key holding the key in locking engagement with a shaft and an object mounted thereon, said means comprising a spring projected locking pin.

2. In a key of the class described, locking means carried by the key holding the key in locking engagement with a pair of elements mounted one upon the other, said means comprising a spring projected locking pin engaging one of said elements.

3. A shaft key comprising a circular segmental member, a bar extending from one end of the member in the plane thereof, and a spring projected locking pin carried by the bar. y

4. A shaft key comprising a circular segmental member, a bar extending from one end of the member in the plane thereof, and a spring projected locking pin carried by the bar, at its edge opposite from the member.

5. The combination of a shaft and object mounted thereon, said object having a bore for receiving the shaft and an opening extending outwardly through the object from the bore, of a key extending longitudinally in the bore and connecting the object to the shaft, and locking means carried by the key and received in said opening.

6. The combination of a shaft and object mounted thereon, said object having a bore for receiving the shaft and an opening extending outwardly through the object from the bore, of a key extending longitudinally in the bore and connecting the object to the shaft, and locking 4 means carried by the key and received in said opening, said locking means comprising a spring projected pin.

7. 'I'he combination of a shaft and object mounted thereon and having opposed longitudinal grooves, the groove of the shaft having a key seat and said object having an opening extending radially from its groove, of a key connecting the object to the shaft, and including a circular segmental portion engaged in said key seat, a bar extending from one end of the semicircular portion in the plane thereof and partly engaged in the grooves of the shaft and object, and a spring projected locking pin carried by the bar and engaged in said opening.

JACK I. GARDNER.

REFERENCES crrlm The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 226,113 Rominger Mar. 30, 1880 313,711 Corser Mar. 10, 1885 775,433 Werle Nov. 22, 1904 831,745 Rice Sept. 25, 1906 1,049,984 Bowers Jan. 7, 1913 1,221,709 Dyett Apr. 3, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 637,288 France Apr. 26, 1928 393,473 Great Britain June 8, 1933

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