ARTICULATED COUPLING Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: mechanical engineering; multipurpose three-dimensional joints. SUBSTANCE: articulated coupling consists of two half-couplings directed towards each other; each half-coupling has fork and shaft. half-couplings are interconnected by means of intermediate member whose center is located in kinematic center of coupling. Intermediate members includes four similar interconnected disks engageable in pairs with fork of respective half-coupling. Each disk has projection located axially; lateral surface of this projection is engageable with surface formed be end of slot of half-coupling fork. Each disk is also provided with slot passing to center of disk and coinciding in direction with slot of respective fork of half-coupling. Lateral surface of each disk engageable with half-coupling fork is provided with open circular projection which may be received by closed circular slot made on lateral surface of half-coupling fork. Other part of lateral surface of each fork and disks engageable with it is formed by rotation of radius-vector whose center is located in kinematic center of coupling. Half-coupling forks and disks engageable with them are so positioned that above-mentioned intermediate member has form of ball. EFFECT: enhanced durability of coupling. 5 dwg