Shaft Couplings and Collars

A coupling helps to join a drive and another driven shaft to help optimize power transmission and machine run time. Though the two require shafts alignment and it is impossible to run during operations, coupling provides for some flexibility to help protect the device against overloads. Couplings are used for multiple purposes including transferring power from one end to another, connecting shafts, reducing transmission shocks, altering vibration characteristics, and preventing slips. Compressed couplings come in two parts that fit together around a shaft to create a sleeve. This means they can also be used to hold a shaft in place. The compressed couplings are designed for light duty devices. If you are using heavy duty industrial equipment, you should consider selecting flanged rigid couplings. These couplings come with shorter sleeves surrounded by a flange. Once coupling is positioned on the shaft the flanges are used to hold the flanges. The flanged units can be used to help align the shaft. 1. Single split coupling 2. Set screw coupling 3. Metric coupling 4. Double split coupling 5. Set screw coupling Shaft collars are used as mechanical stops, bearing faced or locators. The collars are designed in three main designs. The first group comprises of collars had a solid ring type design that utilized square-head crew protruding from the collar. However, improvements especially in the 20th century introduced the hex socket head-set screw design, shaft collar model and set screw collar. The second type of collars is the clamping style. This group is available in one and two-piece models. Instead of protruding to the shaft to lock it in place like the pioneer collars, the clamping style simply compressed the shaft so that the connection is through friction. The last group of collars is the axial clamps. These collars are refinements of the clamping collar designs. They are designed with kerf cuts and making fingers that compress the shaft to lock it in position.