An interference apparatus is provided for a motor shaft transmission assembly. The interference apparatus may include split-ring shells and a retaining device. The interference apparatus may be mounted to an intermediate sleeve of the motor shaft transmission assembly. The interference apparatus is configured to prevent the loss of certain motor shaft transmission assembly components downhole in the event of a failure of the motor transmission due to dynamic loads.

A first yoke includes a tubular portion extending in a first direction, a flange, and a pair of arms extending from the flange. Support holes for a joint spider are formed at tips of the respective arms. The arms have respective inner surfaces facing each other in a second direction. Each of the inner surfaces includes a first recessed portion and a second recessed portion as viewed in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. The first recessed portions are recessed such that the distance between the inner surfaces of the arms increases from a start end located closer to an opening edge of each support hole toward an end point located closer to a base end of the arm. Each of the second recessed portions connects the end point to an end surface of a flange so as to form a curved surface.

A bearing assembly has an inner ring with an inner diameter configured to receive a shaft. The inner ring has axial slots and at least two radial holes. A collar configured to surround the inner ring is provided. The collar has two radial holes. Each of the collar radial holes is alignable with the at least two inner ring radial holes. Each of the collar radial holes is configured to threadably receive set screws extendable from the collar through the at least two radial holes of the inner ring to engage the shaft. The collar has a radial slot and is adjustable to compress the radial slot to tighten the collar around the inner ring and the inner ring around the shaft. In the alternative, the bearing assembly may be provided with two collars—one for a set screw only configuration and another for a concentric clamping only configuration.

In a steering system, a first universal joint includes a first yoke coupled to an intermediate shaft. A second universal joint includes a fourth yoke paired with a third yoke coupled to the intermediate shaf and a shaft attachment portion joined to the fourth yoke and in which a bolt insertion hole allowing a pinion shaft to be clamped is formed. When an angle between the intermediate shaf and a steering shaft is set to θ1, an around-axis angle of the first yoke in a rotating direction is set to ω1, and an angle between the intermediate shaft and the pinion shaft is set to θ2, a junction angle between the fourth yoke and the shaft attachment portion in the rotating direction is adjusted to set an around-axis angle of the bolt insertion hole in the rotating direction to a preset angle ω2.

A yoke assembly for receiving a shaft, the yoke assembly including a main section including a pair of planar surfaces and a shoulder portion; and a subsidiary section with a pair of planar surfaces extending between a proximal wall and a distal wall. The subsidiary section is configured and arranged to be seated and securely attached to the first main section such that the proximal wall of the subsidiary section opposes the shoulder portion of the main section, and the pair of planar surfaces of the main section oppose the pair of planar surfaces of the subsidiary section. The main section and the subsidiary section are configured and arranged to be joined together to form a receiving aperture therebetween.

A guide member 48 includes a cylindrical portion 52 fitted to a front end of a pinion shaft 19 and extending on the side of an opposite yoke and a slit engagement plate 54 extending on the side of the pinion shaft 19 from a portion, on the side of the pinion shaft 19, of the cylindrical portion 52 and engaging with a slit 42 of a yoke 22, the cylindrical portion 52 being inserted first in a clamp portion 36 of the yoke 22 upon the yoke 22 being fitted to the pinion shaft 19, the yoke 22 being rotatably guided by the cylindrical portion 52.

Apparatus and method for an improved driveline coupler having a reversible saddle thereon which allows it to be configured to work with different sizes and shapes of shafts. The reversible saddle is configured on one side to work with one size of driveline shaft and configured on the opposite side to work with a different size driveline shaft so that in the field, an operator can modify the driveline coupler from use with a first size of drive shaft to a second size of drive shaft easily and quickly by turning the saddle upside down.

A steering assembly includes a pinion shaft. The steering assembly also includes a yoke defining a space for axially receiving the pinion shaft and defining an access path for receiving a fastener that couples the pinion shaft to the yoke. The steering assembly further includes an error-proofing device fixed to the yoke and having a deflectable portion blocking the access path in an initial position and deflectable upon contact with the pinion shaft to be clear of the access path in a final assembly position to ensure that the pinion shaft is assembled to the yoke at a predetermined axial position.

A flexible coupling for coupling a first shaft and a second shaft includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a first end to be fixed to the first shaft, a second end to be fixed to the second shaft and a first tooth, fixed to the radially inner face. The second body is secured to the first body, and has a radially outer face and a second tooth fixed to the radially outer face. The first tooth and the second tooth come into contact when a torque is applied to the first end of the first body so as to transmit the torque to the second end of the first body by the intermediary of the second body.

Apparatus and method for an improved driveline coupler having a reversible saddle thereon which allows it to be configured to work with different sizes and shapes of shafts. The reversible saddle is configured on one side to work with one size of driveline shaft and configured on the opposite side to work with a different size driveline shaft so that in the field, an operator can modify the driveline coupler from use with a first size of drive shaft to a second size of drive shaft easily and quickly by turning the saddle upside down.