Patent number: 5501541

Flexible coupling device

Inventors:

  • Gomes; Daniel

Field of technology: Industrial Machinery and Processes

Patent granted on: Tue, 26 Mar 1996

Patent drawing

Abstract

A flexible coupling device including a flexible metal rod or wire within a flexible tube which can be removably secured through the aligned bores of the pieces. The pieces are held in a fixed longitudinal relationship using the axial tension created by the flexible coupling device while still permitting relative rotation between each of the pieces. The flexible metal rod or wire is secured through various mechanism which include radial angular ridges in the interior of the flexible tube and a retaining post having radial angular ridges that interlock with the ridges in the flexible tube such that, as the post is inserted into the flexible tube, the post ridges and the tube ridges interlock to secure the flexible tube. In addition, radial angular ridges on the exterior of the flexible rod interlock with a retaining post having an interior bore with corresponding radial angular ridges as the flexible rod is inserted into the retaining post. The flexible rod can be pulled through the retaining post such that the excess of the flexible rod can be trimmed once it is secured.