Shock absorbing clutch assembly for marine propeller

摘要

A marine propeller hub has an axial hole therein having a wavy, non- cylindrical surface consisting of a plurality of alternating peaks and valleys. A closely fitting resilient insert slips into the axial hub hole of the propeller hub and has an outer surface with peaks that extend into the respective valleys of the axial hub hole. The resilient insert has a cylindrical axial hole therein with a plurality of longitudinal keyways disposed in the surface of that hole. The keyways receive respective keys rigidly attached to the outer surface of a spline driver adaptor sleeve, the inner surface of which has keyways that receive the splines of a drive shaft of a marine motor. The resilient insert transfers torque from the driving shaft to the hub without slippage if the torque is less than a predetermined amount, and absorbs shock if the propeller strikes a rock or the like by allowing the peaks of the hub hole to compress the peaks of the resilient insert. The resilient insert allows slipping of the hub relative to the driving shaft if the torque on the drive shaft exceeds a predetermined amount of torque.