COUPLINGS WEEK # 06-07

WHAT IS A COUPLING ?
A coupling is termed as a device used to make permanent
or semi-permanent connection between two shafts.
A good shaft coupling should have the following
requirements :
1. It should be easy to connect or disconnect.
2. It should transmit the full power from one shaft to the
other shaft without losses.
3. It should hold the shafts in perfect alignment.
4. It should reduce the transmission of shock loads from one
shaft to another shaft.
5. It should have no projecting parts.
 WHAT IS A COUPLING ?
Couplings are divided into two parts:
1. Rigid Couplings
1.1. Setscrew Couplings
1.2. Keyed Couplings
1.3. Clamp Couplings
2. Compliant Couplings
2.1. Jaw Couplings
2.2. Flexible-Disk Couplings
2.3. Gear and Spline Couplings
2.4. Helical and Bellows Couplings
2.5. Linkage Couplings
2.6. Universal Joints
RIGID COUPLINGS
❑ Rigid Couplings lock the two shafts together allowing no
relative motion between them, though some axial
adjustment is possible at assembly.

❑ Used when accuracy and fidelity of torque transmission

are of paramount importance.

❑ Coupled shaft axes must be adjusted with precision to

avoid introducing large side forces and moments when the
coupling is clamped in place.
SETSCREW COUPLINGS

Uses a hard setscrew that

digs into the shaft to transmit
both torque and axial loads.

These are not recommended

for any but light-load
applications and can loosen
with vibration.
 Sleeve or Muff

KEYED COUPLINGS Couplings

❑ Uses standard key and can transmit

substantial torque.

❑ Setscrews often used with key being

located 90° from the key.

❑ Shaft should be dimpled with a

shallow drilled hole under the setscrew
to provide a mechanical interference
against axial slip rather than relying on
friction.
 Split Muff
Couplings

CLAMP COUPLINGS

❑ Most common being one or two-piece

split couplings that clamp around both
shafts and transmit torque through friction.

❑ A taper-lock coupling uses a split-

tapered collet which is squeezed between
shaft and the tapered coupling housing to
clamp the shaft.
FLANGE COUPLING

A flange coupling usually applies

to a coupling having two
separate cast iron flanges.
Each flange is mounted on the
shaft end and keyed to it. The
faces are turned up at right angle
to the axis of the shaft.
One of the flange has a
projected portion and the other
flange has a corresponding
recess.
FLANGE COUPLING
COMPLIANT COUPLINGS
❑ A shaft as a rigid body has
six potential degrees of
freedom (DOF) with respect
to a second shaft.

❑ Only four DOF axial, Car’s

angular, parallel and driveshaft
torsional misalignment are of couplings
concern
 COMPLIANT COUPLINGS

Torsional
Misalignment occurs
dynamically when a
driven load
attempts to lead or
lag the driver.
 JAW COUPLINGS
They have two (often identical) hubs with protruding jaws.
These jaws overlap axially and interlock torsionally through
a compliant insert of rubber or soft-metal material.

The clearances allow some axial, angular, and parallel

misalignment, but can also allow some undesirable backlash.
 FLEXIBLE-DISK COUPLINGS

Their two hubs are connected by a

compliant member (disk) of
elastomeric or metallic-spring
material.

The clearances allow some axial,

angular and parallel misalignment
with some torsional compliance but
little or no backlash.
 HELICAL AND BELLOWS COUPLINGS
Helical Couplings are one-piece designs that use their elastic deflections to
allow axial, angular, and parallel misalignment with little or no backlash.
Made from a solid metal cylinder cut with a helical slit to increase its
compliance.
Metal-bellows Couplings are made of thin sheet metal by welding a series
of cupped washers together, by hydraulically forming a tube into the shape,
or by electroplating a thick coating on a mandrel.

These couplings have limited torque capability compared to other designs

but offer zero backlash and high torsional stiffness in combination with axial,
angular, and parallel misalignment.
HELICAL AND BELLOWS COUPLINGS
 LINKAGE COUPLINGS
These connect two shafts through a
network of links that allow significant
parallel misalignment with no side loads
or torque losses and no backlash.

Some designs allow small amount of

angular and axial misalignment.

These couplings are often used where

large parallel adjustments or dynamic
motions are needed between shafts.
UNIVERSAL JOINTS
1. Hooke Coupling does not have constant
velocity (CV). Used in pairs to cancel
their velocity error. It finds its
application in rear wheel driveshaft.

2. Rapza Coupling has constant velocity

(CV). Used in pairs to cancel their
velocity error. It finds its application in
front drive automobile.

Both types can handle very large angular

misalignment and in pairs provide large
parallel offsets as well.
BACKLASH
Backlash is angular movement in any mechanical system between mating
parts.

Often, excessive coupling backlash is caused by a worn coupling insert.

A backlash of greater than 2° of angular movement should be considered

excessive, and should be reduced to less than 2° before alignment begins.
 DESIGN OF MUFF COUPLINGS
OD of Sleeve
D = 2d + 13 mm

Length of Sleeve
L = 3.5 d
Length of Key is at least equal to length
of Sleeve but made in two parts
Torque transmitted considering shearing for Muff 3.5 𝑑
𝜋 𝐷4− 𝑑4 l=
2
T= . c( )
16 𝐷

Torque to be transmitted by Shearing in Keys Torque transmitted considering crushing in Keys

d t d
T=lxwx x T = l . . . σc
2 2 2
 DESIGN OF MUFF COUPLINGS-EXAMPLE
Design a muff coupling which is used to connect two steel shafts transmitting 40
kW at 350 r.p.m. The material for the shafts and key is plain carbon steel for
which allowable shear and crushing stresses may be taken as 40 MPa and 80
Mpa respectively. The material for the muff is cast iron for which the allowable
shear stress may be assumed as 15 MPa.

P = 40 kW
N = 350 rpm Design for Shaft
s = 40 MPa STEP 1: Calculate Torque
c = 80 MPa
c = 15 MPa 𝐏 𝑊
𝐓(𝑁. 𝑚) =
2𝜋 𝑟𝑎 𝑑Τ 𝑠 𝑒𝑐
𝛚 𝑟𝑝𝑚 . ( )
60 𝑟𝑝𝑚
STEP 2: Calculate shaft dia
𝜋
𝐓= 𝑥 s 𝑥 𝒅𝟑
16
 DESIGN OF MUFF COUPLINGS-EXAMPLE
Design for Sleeve Design for Key

STEP 3: Calculate OD and Length of Sleeve STEP 4: Calculate Corresponding width

and thickness of key using table and
find the length of key
OD of Sleeve
We will calculate it
D = 2d + 13 mm for square key l=
3.5 𝑑
2
Length of Sleeve
L = 3.5 d
Verify Safe design of Sleeve using Shear Stress
𝜋 𝐷4− 𝑑4
T= . c( )
16 𝐷
DESIGN OF MUFF COUPLINGS-EXAMPLE
Design for Key

STEP 5: Verify Safe Design for Key in Shearing and Crushing

d t d
T=lxwx x T = l . . . σc
2 2 2
 DESIGN OF SPLIT MUFF COUPLINGS
OD of Sleeve
D = 2d + 13 mm

Length of Sleeve
L = 3.5 d
Length of Key is at least equal to length
of Sleeve but made in two parts
Torque transmitted considering shearing for Muff 3.5 𝑑
𝜋 𝐷4− 𝑑4 l=
2
T= . c( )
16 𝐷

Torque to be transmitted by Shearing in Keys Torque transmitted considering crushing in Keys

d t d
T=lxwx x T = l . . . σc
2 2 2
 DESIGN OF SPLIT MUFF COUPLINGS

Length of Key is at least equal to length

Force Exerted by Bolts on each side of the shaft of Sleeve but made in two parts
𝜋 2 n Permissible tensile
F= . 𝑑𝑏 . σt .
4 2 strength

Frictional Force between each muff and shaft Torque that can be transmitted by coupling

u = 0.3 T=
 DESIGN OF SPLIT MUFF COUPLINGS-EXAMPLE
Design a clamp coupling to transmit 30 kW at 100 r.p.m. The allowable shear
stress for the shaft and key is 40 MPa and the number of bolts connecting the
two halves are six. The permissible tensile stress for the bolts is 70 MPa. The
coefficient of friction between the muff and the shaft surface may be taken as
0.3.

P = 30 kW
N = 100 rpm Design for Shaft
s = 40 Mpa STEP 1: Calculate Torque
n = 06
t = 70 MPa 𝐏 𝑊
𝐓(𝑁. 𝑚) =
µ = 0.3 2𝜋 𝑟𝑎 𝑑Τ 𝑠 𝑒𝑐
𝛚 𝑟𝑝𝑚 . ( )
60 𝑟𝑝𝑚
STEP 2: Calculate shaft dia
𝜋
𝐓= 𝑥 s 𝑥 𝒅𝟑
16
 DESIGN OF SPLIT MUFF COUPLINGS-EXAMPLE
Design for Sleeve Design for Key

STEP 3: Calculate OD and Length of Sleeve STEP 4: Calculate Corresponding width

and thickness of key using table and
OD of Sleeve find the length of key
We will calculate it
D = 2d + 13 mm for rectangular key l=
3.5 𝑑
2
Length of Sleeve
L = 3.5 d
Verify Safe design of Sleeve using Shear Stress
𝜋 𝐷4− 𝑑4
T= . c( )
16 𝐷
DESIGN OF SPLIT MUFF COUPLINGS-EXAMPLE
Design for Key

STEP 5: Verify Safe Design for Key in Shearing and Crushing

d t d
T=lxwx x T = l . . . σc
2 2 2
Design for Bolt

STEP 6: Find the core diameter of the bolt

T=
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING
 DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLING

P = 15 kW
N = 900 rpm
k = 40 MPa
c = 08 MPa
cb = ck = 80 MPa
DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLINGS
Design for Hub
STEP 1: Calculate Torque
𝐏 𝑊
𝐓(𝑁. 𝑚) =
2𝜋 𝑟𝑎 𝑑Τ 𝑠 𝑒𝑐
𝛚 𝑟𝑝𝑚 . ( )
60 𝑟𝑝𝑚
Also Calculate Max Torque using service factor

STEP 2: Calculate shaft dia

𝜋 𝟑
𝐓= 𝑥 s 𝑥𝒅
16
 DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLINGS
Design for Key

STEP 3: Calculate OD and Length of Hub STEP 4: Calculate Corresponding width

and thickness of key using table and
OD of Hub find the length of key
We will calculate
D = 2d it for square key l =1.75 d

Length of Hub
L = 1.5 d
Verify Safe design of Hub using Shear Stress
𝜋 𝐷4− 𝑑4
T= . c( )
16 𝐷
 DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLINGS
Design for Key

STEP 5: Verify Safe Design for Key in Shearing and Crushing

d t d
T=lxwx x T = l . . . σc
2 2 2
Design for Flange
Max Torque
STEP 6: Find and Verify the Flange Diameter Parameters

Thickness of flange tf = 0.5 d

OD of flange D2 = 4 d
 DESIGN OF FLANGE COUPLINGS
Design for Bolt

STEP 7: Find Diameter for Bolts

Pitch Circle Dia of Bolts = D1 = 3d n=3

Max Torque
THE END