WO2011026181A1

WO2011026181A1 - Drive assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2011026181A1
Application number: PCT/AU2010/001130
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harold Gregory Hinton; Timothy Joseph Gaudry; Jeremy Ross Arnot; Bernard Farrington; Kevin Quirk; Peter Harold Craig
Original assignee: Fci Holdings Delaware, Inc.
Priority date: 2009-09-01
Filing date: 2010-09-01
Publication date: 2011-03-10
Also published as: AU2010291866A1

Abstract

A drive assembly comprising a nut adapted to be located over an elongate member and engage the elongate member, the nut having a driver engagement end surface; a driver having an internal cavity, an opening extending into the cavity, and a nut engagement end surface; the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface each having a profile adapted such that operative engagement to impart rotary force between the nut and the driver is effected by end to end contact between the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface.

Description

DRIVE ASSEMBLY

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a drive assembly for transmitting drive from a driver to a nut. The assembly is suitable for use in tensioning cable applications and for other engineering applications.

Background

Driver and nut combinations are utilised to transmit torque to an associated member, to create relative movement of the nut and another object, to place tension on a cable or for other engineering applications.

Summary of the Disclosure

Disclosed is a drive assembly comprising a nut adapted to be located over an elongate member and engage the elongate member, the nut having a driver engagement end surface; a driver having an internal cavity, an opening extending into the cavity, and a nut engagement end surface; the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface each having a profile adapted such that operative engagement to impart rotary force between the nut and the driver is effected by end to end contact between the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface.

In one form the nut engagement surface is located around the opening.

In one form, during engagement the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface are substantially aligned.

In one form operative engagement allows rotation of the elongate driver about an axis to effect rotation of the nut In one form the driver engagement end surface and the nut engagement end surface have substantially similar cross sections.

In a second aspect, disclosed is a driver for transmitting drive to a nut, the driver comprising a body having an internal cavity, an opening extending into the cavity, and a nut engagement end surface shaped such that operative engagement to impart rotation between the nut and the driver is effected by contact between an end surface of the nut and the nut engagement end surface.

In one form, the nut engagement end surface is located around the opening.

In one form the nut engagement end surface is profiled. In one form the profile of the nut engagement end surface is wave-shaped. In one form the body is elongate. hi a third aspect, disclosed is a nut adapted to be located over an elongate member and engage the elongate member, the nut comprising a body, a cavity extending into the body, and a driver engagement end surface shaped such that operative engagement to impart rotation between the nut and a driver is effected by contact between the driver engagement end surface and the driver.

In one form the driver engagement end surface is located around an opening to the cavity.

In one form the driver engagement end surface is profiled. In one form the profile of the driver engagement end surface is wave-shaped.

In one form the nut has an internal thread to engage the elongate member.

The profiled engagement ends on each of the driver and the nut mean drive can be imparted from the driver to the nut. This means drive can be imparted while

maintaining an external diameter of the driver that is no greater than the nut. This has advantages for working in confined spaces and for maintaining a narrow diameter of access.

The profiled engagement ends are shaped to complement one another such that rotation of the driver imparts drive to the nut. In one arrangement the profile is wave shaped, with the waves comprising a trough and a peak with opposing surfaces extending between the trough and the peak. In this arrangement one of the opposing surfaces is angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the driver or the nut. The second opposing surface, which acts as the abutment surface when drive is being imparted from the driver to the nut, is aligned with the axis of rotation. This arrangement allows for a oneway rotation in which the driver and the nut are not biased away from one another when rotation is being imparted upon the drive receiving portion.

Alternative arrangements of the profiled engagement surfaces are available. For example a toothed arrangement in which both surfaces extending between the trough and the peak are aligned with the axis of rotation would result in a two-way rotation. A profile where both surfaces were sloped with respect to the axis of rotation is also available. A profile consisting of cavities extending into the end engagement surface of one of the driver and the nut complementing protrusions extending from the other of the driver and the nut is viable both in a one-way form and a two way form. Other alternatives include a ridged profile or a profile comprising complementary splines or alternative tooth profiles.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig 1 is an side view of one embodiment of the drive assembly in situ;

Fig 2 is a cross-sectional view of the drive assembly of Fig 1;

Fig 3 is an isometric view of a driver of one embodiment of the drive assembly; Fig 4 is a cross-sectional view of the driver of Fig 3;

Fig 5 is an isometric view of a nut of one embodiment;

Fig 6 is a cross sectional view of the nut of Fig 5;

Fig 7 is a detail view of A as shown in Fig 7.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

Referring to the figures, a preferred embodiment is a drive assembly 1 comprising a drive nut 3 adapted to be mounted on an elongate member 4 such as, in this

embodiment, a rock bolt cable. The drive nut 3 comprises a body 5 having an interior cavity 6 which extends therethrough. The elongate member 4 can therefore be inserted into and through the interior cavity 6 such that the drive nut 3 is mounted on the elongate member 4.

The drive nut 3 is adapted to engage the elongate member 4 by means of an engagement assembly such as, for example, a barrel and wedge assembly, an internal helical thread, a press fit, adhesive, welding or any other engagement means appropriate for the needs of the particular application to which the drive assembly is being put.

The drive nut 3 further has a driver engagement end surface 8 which is adapted to engage a driver 16. The driver engagement end surface 8 comprises a profiled section 9 which is situated on the end surface 8. The end surface 8 is substantially in line with the circumference of the drive nut 3.

The profiled section 9 on the nut 3 is shaped generally as a wave or toothed profile having alternating peaks 40 and troughs 41. The profile includes a base portion 42 that is of generally constant radius and opposing side walls 45 and 46. One wall 45 is sloped relative to the longitudinal axis of the nut 3 and provides a lead in surface for the complementary profiled surface 22 of the driver 16 to locate in the profile troughs 41, whereas the other wall 46 is disposed in the direction of the nut longitudinal axis and forms the abutment surface for the profiled surface 22 of the driver 16 allowing driver 16 to impart rotation to the nut 3. The drive assembly 1 further comprises a driver 16. The driver includes a body 17 and an internal cavity 18. The driver 16 includes an opening 20 at an open end 19. The open end 19 of the driver 16 includes a nut engagement end surface 21 which is located around the opening 20. The nut engagement end surface 21 includes a profiled section 22 which is shaped to complement and engage with the profiled section 9 of the nut 3.

The profiled section 22 on the driver 16 is shaped generally as a wave or toothed profile having alternating peaks 30 and troughs 31. The profile includes a base portion 32 that is of generally constant radius and opposing side walls 35 and 36. One wall 35 is sloped relative to the longitudinal axis of the driver 16 and provides a lead in surface for the complementary profiled surface 9 of the nut 3 to locate in the profile troughs 31, whereas the other wall 36 is disposed in the direction of the actuator axis and forms the abutment surface for the profiled surface 9 of the nut 3 allowing driver 16 to impart rotation to the nut 3.

Upon engaging contact being made between nut 3 and driver 16, the profiled sections 9 and 22 engage operatively such that rotation of the driver 16 about an axis results in rotation of the nut 3 about the same axis. Rotation of the nut 3 results in relative movement of the elongate member 4 and nut 3 such that elongate member 4 extends through nut 3. Further rotation means the elongate member 4 extends into the interior cavity 18 of the driver 16 through opening 19.

The profiled section 22 of the driver 16 is substantially in line with the outer

circumference of the driver 16.

The engagement between the profiled section 22 of the driver 16 and the profiled section 9 of the nut 3 results in one-way operative engagement between the nut 3 and the driver 16.

It can be seen that in use the profiled sections 22 and 9 allow for engagement of the nut 3 with the driver 16 to effect rotation upon the nut 3 and therefore provide tension on a tensioning cable or effect an alternative operational impact on the elongate member 4 or an associated part (not illustrated). The profiled sections 22 and 9 allow for this to happen without substantially increasing the circumference of the driver 16 beyond that of the nut or beyond the body 17 of the driver 16. This has the benefit of allowing access for a driver to transmit drive through a relatively narrow access port. A further benefit is increasing the torque on the nut 3 by maintaining a consistent circumference so torque is transmitted from driver 16 to nut 3 without substantial losses. Yet another benefit is allowing for a variety of profiles to provide rotation with specific parameters such as one-way rotation or other directional specific or torque specific rotation factors.

In use the driver 16 is engaged with a drive shaft 30 which acts to impart drive onto driver 16 and therefore on to nut 3.

This drive assembly 1 can be utilized for any system requiring a nut 3 such as civil applications where a nut 3 is moved up a shaft to be brought into contact with an object to be fastened, applications where tension must be brought upon a cable or alternative systems.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word

"comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments.

Variations and modifications may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A drive assembly, the assembly comprising:

a nut adapted to be located over an elongate member and engage the elongate member, the nut having a driver engagement end surface,

a driver having an internal cavity, an opening extending into the cavity, and a nut engagement end surface,

the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface each having a profile adapted such that operative engagement to impart rotary drive between the nut and the driver is effected by contact between the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface.

2. A drive assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the nut engagement surface is located around the opening.

3. A drive assembly as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein during engagement the nut engagement end surface and the driver engagement end surface are substantially aligned.

4. A drive assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein operative engagement allows rotation of the elongate driver about an axis to effect rotation of the nut.

5. A drive assembly as defined in any of the preceding claims, wherein the driver engagement end surface and the nut engagement end surface have substantially similar cross sections.

6. A driver for transmitting drive to a nut, the driver comprising:

a body having an internal cavity,

an opening extending into the cavity, and a nut engagement end surface shaped such that operative engagement to impart rotation between the nut and the driver is effected by contact between and end surface of the nut and the nut engagement end surface.

7. A driver as defined in claim 6, wherein the nut engagement end surface is located around the opening.

8. A driver as defined in claim 6 or 7, wherein the nut engagement end surface is profiled.

9. A driver as defined in claim 8, wherein the profile of the nut engagement end surface is wave-shaped.

10. A driver as defined in any one of claims 6 - 8, wherein the body is elongate

11. A nut adapted to be located over an elongate member and engage the elongate member, the nut comprising:

a body;

a cavity extending into the body;

and a driver engagement end surface shaped such that operative engagement between the nut and a driver to allow rotary drive to be imparted from the driver to the nut is effected by contact between the driver engagement end surface and the driver.

12. A nut as defined in claim 11, wherein the driver engagement end surface is located around an opening to the cavity.

13. A nut as defined in claim 11 or 12, wherein the driver engagement end surface is profiled.

14. A nut as defined in claim 13, wherein the profile of the driver engagement end surface is wave-shaped.