Patents by Inventor Horst-Dieter Schafer

Horst-Dieter Schafer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4660811
    Abstract: A spring according to this invention has a core of an elastically deformable but substantially incompressible material and having two axially spaced end surfaces operatively engageable with objects to be relatively resiliently mounted. Thus when the two bodies engaging the end surfaces move toward each other the core swells radially. An annular belt formed of an elastic synthetic resin snugly surrounds the core between its ends. The belt can be lapped or can be a single unitary ring. It may also be formed of a plurality of independent layers having ends provided with a heat-shrunk clip for securing the ends together. To soften the initial spring characteristic the belt is corrugated and has peaks engaging the core and valleys normally not engaging the core. The corrugations may run longitudinally or transversely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1987
    Assignee: Ringfeder GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Muhlhahn, Gino Marsella, Friedhelm Detzner, Dieter Simons, Horst-Dieter Schafer, Hermann Haarkotter
  • Patent number: 4134699
    Abstract: A coupling for shafts and the like, comprising a sleeve having a passage adapted to receive the end portions of two aligned shafts, an outer circumferential surface having two axially spaced sections which conically diverge towards each other, and a radial flange intermediate the sections; a pair of pressure rings each surrounding one of the sections and having a conically tapering inner circumferential surface complementary to the respectively surrounded section; and bolts connecting the pressure rings with the flange and operative for pulling the pressure rings axially towards each other and towards the flange to thereby compress the sleeve radially inwardly into frictional engagement with shaft end portions located in the passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1979
    Assignee: Ringfeder GmbH
    Inventors: Horst-Dieter Schafer, Paul Loosen, Ulrich Kloren, Hans-Martin Thiele
  • Patent number: 4095908
    Abstract: A coupling unit for coupling a shaft to a surrounding hub has an inner ring which surrounds the shaft and is in turn surrounded by an outer ring. The juxtaposed surfaces of the two rings define with one another two wedge-shaped annular gaps which taper towards each other axially of the rings. Tension members are inserted into these gaps and both extend through the tension members so as to draw them axially together in order to force the rings against the shaft and the hub, respectively. An abutment ring is located between the inner and outer rings and has circumferentially spaced bores some of which are smooth and some of which are tapped. By cooperation of the bolts and the abutment ring the tension members can be forced out of the respective gaps when the connection between shaft and hub is to be released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1977
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1978
    Assignee: Ringfeder G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Horst-Dieter Schafer, Paul Loosen, Ulrich Kloren, Hans-Martin Thiele
  • Patent number: 4025213
    Abstract: An inner annular member of the arrangement surrounds the shaft and has an outer circumferential face two sections of which conically taper in mutually opposite directions. The inner annular member is also provided with a radially outward extending collar intermediate these sections. A pair of outer annular members each surround one of the sections with clearance and have an exterior cylindrical surface and an interior surface having a taper opposite to that of the respective section to form therewith a wedge-shaped annular clearance. The outer annular members abut from opposite axial ends against the collar. Tension members are received in the respective clearance and are drawn by both or the like inwardly of the clearance so as to force the inner member against the shaft and to the outer members against the surrounding hub, thus coupling the hub and the shaft for joint movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1977
    Assignee: Ringfeder GmbH
    Inventors: Horst-Dieter Schafer, Manfred Witzel, Paul Loosen, Hermann Haarkotter
  • Patent number: 3957381
    Abstract: The connector includes a flanged clamping ring and an unflanged clamping ring. One ring is received within the other. Tightening screws tighten the connector by drawing the rings together in axial direction. Each ring has an inner and an outer surface. The inner surface of the outer ring and the outer surface of the inner ring are conical surfaces which engage each other when the rings are drawn together in axial direction. The other surface of at least one of the rings is a clamping surface adapted to engage with a clamp action a complementarily configurated surface of a shaft or collar when the rings are drawn together in axial direction. The unflanged ring at the axial end thereof facing towards the flange is provided, intermediate the inner surface of the unflanged ring and the outer surface of the unflanged ring, with an inclined conical intermediate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1975
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1976
    Assignee: Ringfeder GmbH
    Inventor: Horst-Dieter Schafer