Synchronous coupling

A coupling device for selectively connecting and disconnecting a driving shaft from a driven shaft which includes a driving flange carried by the end of the driving shaft and a driven flange opposed thereto carried by the end of the driven shaft. A drive pin assembly carried by the driven flange selectively engages a hole in the driving flange selectively alignable with the drive pin assembly to connect and disconnect the driving flange from the driven flange only when a prescribed relative rotational position exists between the driving shaft and the driven shaft. Also, means are provided for disconnecting the driving flange from the driven flange only when machinery driven by the driven shaft reaches a predetermined position. The method of operating of the device is also contemplated.

I claim:

1. A coupling device for connecting driving machinery to driven machinery wherein the driven machinery has an initial non-interfering position in which the driven machinery will not interfere with the operation of the driving machinery if the driven machinery is disconnected from the driving machinery comprising:

support means;

a driving shaft rotatably mounted on said support means about a common rotational axis and having an adjacent end;

a driven shaft rotatably mounted on said support means about said common rotational axis coaxially with said driving shaft and having an adjacent end opposed to and spaced from the adjacent end of said driving shaft; and,

interconnecting means for selectively connecting the adjacent ends of said driving and driven shafts only at a prescribed relative rotational position between said driving shaft and said driven shaft to maintain synchronous movement therebetween, said interconnecting means including:

a first member fixably mounted on the adjacent end of one of said shafts, said first member defining a driving surface thereon generally normal to said common axis and facing the other of said shafts and further defining a hole opening onto said driving surface:

a drive pin assembly mounted on the adjacent end of the other of said shafts for rotation therewith, said driving pin assembly comprising a housing defining a passage therethrough and having a centerline generally parallel to said common axis and radially spaced therefrom so that said passage is selectively registrable with said hole in said first member, a drive pin slidably carried in said passage in said housing for selective extension from said housing into said hole in said first member and retraction into said housing from said hole in said first member, and means for urging said drive pin toward said first member;

an annular cam selectively positionable about said driving and driven shafts concentrically about said common axis and defining an annular camming surface thereon;

a positioning assembly connected to said drive pin for selectively moving said drive pin out of engagement with said hole in said first member, said positioning assembly including cam follower means rotatable with said drive pin assembly concentrically about said common axis and a positioning member connecting said cam follower means to said drive pin, said positioning member comprising a handle fixed perpendicular to said drive pin, and said cam follower means including a support member connected to said positioning member and a cam follower roller rotatably mounted on said support member adapted to rotatably engage said camming surface of said annular cam, said support member fixed perpendicular to said handle and comprising a mounting bracket for said cam follower roller;

positioning means for selectively moving said annular cam into engagement with said cam follower means on said positioning member to selectively urge said drive pin out of engagement with said hole in said first member as said cam follower means rides along camming surface of said annular cam; and, sensing means operatively connected to said positioning means to prevent said positioning means from moving said annular cam into engagement with said cam follower means to disconnect said drive pin from said hole in said first member until the driven machinery reaches its initial noninterfering position.

2. The coupling device of claim 1 further including bearing means operatively connecting said adjacent end of said driving shaft with said adjacent end of said driven shaft to maintain substantial alignment between said ends of said shafts while allowing rotation of said ends of said shafts independently of each other.