FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to Front propeller Shaft used to transfer torque
from Gear Box to Rear Shaft. In particular the present invention relates to
providing a mechanism locking to hold the Center Bearing Assembly with front
propeller Shaft for ease of Serviceability. More particularly, the present invention
relates to an improved front shaft assembly with reusable locking means for
mounting a center bearing assembly with the Front propeller shaft in a vehicle .
A Front Shaft Assembly is widely used Drive Train systems of vehicles having
longer wheel base. The front propeller shaft connects a Gear Box and Rear
shaft. A first end of the propeller shaft having a companion flange for attaching
the Gear box and a second end having a Center Bearing Assembly along with
another companion flange with the Rear Shaft. The Center Bearing Assembly
holds the Front propeller shaft with the Vehicle Chassis.
Thus, mounting of the Center Bearing on the Front propeller Shaft becomes
technically important and critical.
In traditional practice, Hex nut has been used to assemble the Center Bearing on
the Front Propeller Shaft. A typical assembly process includes mounting of the
Center Bearing with the front end piece followed by the Coupling flange
assembly and finally the hex nut assembly to lock the center bearing with the
front propeller shaft.

The Assembly process further includes power tools and fixtures which interalia
consumes high amount of energy.
In order to maintain a safety cushion, higher size Hex nut is used in the prior art
to lock the Center Bearing Assembly with the Front propeller Shaft. The Hex nut
selected required to have geometry corresponding to that of the particular
propeller with satisfactory mechanical properties. The Hex nut required to have a
crimping portion so as to be crimped after tightening. During servicing of the Hex
nut, the Crimped portion generally gets broken, hence makes the hex nut
incapable of reusing. Further, in course of servicing, when the Hex nut is
opened, the threaded portion of the Front end piece also gets damaged due to
Striking of the Crimped Portion of the Hex nut, which interalia requires repairing
of the front end piece thread. Therefore, maintenance of the propeller shaft is
quite time consuming and costly. Further, use of power tools make the process
further costlier.
On the other hand, if manual assembly without using power tools, entails a
potential chance of improper tightening causing Dis-location of Center bearing
from its desired position and also may cause its subsequent failure.
The problems of prior art Front propeller shaft and center bearing locking result
in high cost and down time to the end users.

Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved mechanism for locking the
Center bearing Assembly with Front propeller Shaft which can be reusable,
reliable, light in weight, easily accessible and avoid use of power tools.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose an improved front
shaft assembly with reusable locking means for mounting a center bearing
assembly with the Front propeller shaft in a vehicle, which eliminate the
disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to propose an improved front shaft
assembly with reusable locking means for mounting a center bearing assembly
with the Front propeller shaft in a vehicle, which eliminate the disadvantages of
the prior art which eases servicing time and cost.
A further object of the invention is to propose an improved front shaft assembly
with reusable locking means for mounting a center bearing assembly with the
Front propeller shaft in a vehicle, which is reusable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, there is provided an improved front shaft assembly with reusable
locking means for mounting a center bearing assembly with the Front propeller
shaft in a vehicle, the improvement is characterized in that the front end piece of

the propeller shaft is modified to eliminate the threaded portion; two tapped
holes are constructed on the front end piece to accommodate correspondingly
sized flanged type hex bolts; and a toughened round strap with two holes
provided so as to rest over the back face of the coupling flange.
According to the invention, higher size hex nut of the prior art, is placed by a
round strap along with two numbers of Flanged types Hex bolts of fine grade for
mounting the Center bearing Assembly on the Front propeller shaft, wherein the
threaded portion of front end of the front propeller shaft is eliminated and holes
for said bolts are provided. The prior art Hex nut (5) used as the locking
provision for the Center bearing assembly is now replaced by a round strap (7)
along with two numbers of flanged type M 12x1.25 Grade 10.9 (8).
Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved Front shaft assembly (9)
with Reusable type of locking means for mounting a Center bearing on the front
shafts assembly. The invention provides following advantages.
> Assembly and dismantling can be done easily,
> Secure mounting of Center Bearing Assembly.
> Elimination of power tools and fixtures;
> Lesser operator fatique,
> Ease of Serviceability,
> Reduction in cost to the End users.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure 1 - shows a schematic diagram of a Front propeller shaft assembly with
center bearing mounted by means of a Hex nut, according to prior
art.
Figure 2 - shows a schematic sub-assembly diagram of the Center bearing with
Front propeller shaft of figure 1.
Figure 3 - shows the sub-assembly of figure 1 with the Center bearing mounted
over front end piece.
Figure 4 - shows Location of the Center bearing after a coupling flange is
Assembled with the sub-assembly of figure 1.
Figure 5 - shows a Hex hut fitted on the assembly of figure 4.
Figure 6 - shows a schematic diagram for Assembly sequence of the Center
Bearing Assembly with the Front propeller shaft according to the
present invention.
Figure 7 - shows an enlarged view of improved Front end piece, with means for
Assembly of two hex bolts made on front End Piece according to the
Invention.

Figure 8 - shows a sub-assembly of the Center bearing mounted over the front
end piece "According to current invention"..
Figure 9 - shows the Location of the Center bearing after assembly of a coupling
flange according to the present invention.
Figures 10 & 11 -shows a Round strap and flanged type hex bolt provided on
the assembly as per the present invention.
Figure 12 - shows an enlarged view of the Flange type Hex bolt of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE
INVENTION
The present invention provides a modified Front propeller shaft (9) with reusable
type mounting provision for Center Bearing (3).
Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1, a Front propeller shaft
assembly (1), for a vehicle used to transmit rotational power.
As mentioned, for the Center bearing (3) mounting with the Front propeller shaft
(1), a hex nut (5) is used in prior art.

The front propeller shaft (1) includes a Front end piece (2) the center Bearing
Assembly (3), a Coupling Flange (4) and hex nut (5). The Front end piece (2) is
co-axially assembled with the tube. The center bearing (3) mounts over the front
end piece (2) on a first surface (2a) and an inner racer of the center bearing (3)
is supported by a second surface (2b).
The coupling flange (4) is assembled over the Front end piece (2) and such that
the face of the coupling flange (4) supports the second end of the bearing inner
racer.
The center bearing (3) and the Coupling flange (4) should be co-axial with the
tube. After mounting and assembly, the Hex nut (5) is tightened and crimped to
locate the center bearing (3) at its desired position. The Front end piece (2) and
the Coupling Flange (4) lock the inner racer of the bearing (3) and the Hex nut
(5) provides the required axial thrust to lock the Center bearing (3) at its
position. Also, the Hex nut (5) takes the axial thrust coming from the
Engine/transmission assembly.
The Hex nut (5) should be strong enough to withstand the axial thrust generated
from the Engine / transmission assembly.
In the present invention with an improved approach to make Center bearing
mounting provision reusable, Front end piece (2) is modified. The threaded
portion of the front end piece (2) is removed and two numbers of Tapped hole
(2c, 2d) of M 12x1.25 type is provided to accommodate Hex bolts as shown in
figure 7.

In addition to this a toughened round Strap (7) is provided which rests over the
back face of the Coupling flange (4).
At least two numbers Flanged type Hex bolts M12xl.25 Grade 10.9 (8) are used.
The flanged type Hex bolts (8) eliminates the use of washers during assembly.
The Flanged type Hex bolts (8) are strong enough to withstand the axial thrust
from the Engine/Transmission Assembly.
For full-proofing of the anti-loosening gel can be applied to the Flanged type Hex
bolt during tightening.

WE CLAIM :
1. An improved front shaft assembly with reusable locking means for
mounting a center bearing assembly with the Front propeller shaft in
a vehicle, the improvement is characterized in that:
- the front end piece of the propeller shaft is modified to eliminate the
threaded portion;
- at least two tapped holes are constructed on the front end piece to
accommodate correspondingly sized flanged type hex bolts; and a
toughened round strap with two holes provided so as to rest over the
back face of the coupling flange.
2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flanged type hex bolt
can be selected to type M12xl.25grade 10.9.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein an anti-loosening gel is
used along the joining face of the hex bolts.

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an improved front shaft assembly with reusable locking
means for mounting a center bearing assembly with the Front propeller shaft in
a vehicle. The improvement is that the front end piece of the propeller shaft is
modified to eliminate the threaded portion; two tapped holes are constructed on
the front end piece to accommodate correspondingly sized flanged type hex
bolts; and a toughened round strap with two holes provided so as to rest over
the back face of the coupling flange