Annulus gear and drive shell
A method of producing a torque transmission between a driving member and a driven member including the steps of capturing an annular gear within the interior of a hollow cylindrical shell formed of a formable material which is caused to be flow formed around a portion of the exterior of the gear to militate against any relative longitudinal and axial movement between the shell and the gear.
1. An annulus gear and drive shell product for transmitting torque between a driving member and a driven member comprising:
a drive shell formed of a malleable metal having a longitudinal axis and a cylindrical body with spaced apart coaxial ends, one of the ends adapted to be coupled to said driving member and the other end adapted to be coupled to said driven member and having at least one radially extending cavity formed between said coaxial ends; and
an annular gear provided with radially inwardly projecting teeth disposed coaxially within the interior of the cylindrical body of said drive shell and having at least one outwardly projecting surface modification received within the cavity of said drive shell to prevent relative movement between said annular gear and said drive shell; and wherein the drive shell is formed around the annular gear to prevent relative movement between the annular gear and the drive shell.
2. The product defined in claim 1 wherein the formable metal of said drive shell is aluminum.
3. The product defined in claim 1 wherein the formable metal of said drive shell is steel.