SHAFT ATTACHMENTS

Keyway & Key-seat

A groove or slot cut for the key to
seat.
When used with a key, it prevents
relative rotation between the shaft
and the attachment.
KEYS
A key is a machine element used to connect a rotating machine
element to a shaft. The key prevents relative rotation between
the two parts and may enable torque transmission.

For a key to function, the shaft and rotating machine element

must have a keyway and a keyseat. It is a slot and pocket in
which the key fits.
Key
Keyseat
KEYS

Saddle Key – For very light duty. Has the radius of the shaft milled
into its surface. The holding is due to friction forces.

Flat Key – For light duty application. The shaft is planed off to
accommodate the key.
KEYS

Sunk Keys – They are designed to fit in a sunken keyway whose bed
is parallel to the axis of the shaft. The transmission power of these
keys depends on the types of sunk keys.
 Types of Sunk Keys

Feather

Taper
 Methods of Mounting a Gear to a shaft

Simplest
Method
KEYS (Supplementary Reading)

Some design guidelines

when designing keys.
Stresses in Key Joints
Forces in a key joint:
a) Forces due to the fit of the key in its keyway
b) Forces caused by the torque transmitted.

For general design purpose, it is customary to neglect the forces due

to the fit of the key. (Beside, safety factors are normally used)

Failure due to shear

Design of the Key Joint
In the transmission of power, keys are generally used to fasten the
attachment with the shaft. The key is designed on the basis of the
power to be transmitted. The key may fail either by shearing or
crushing.
T = torque to be transmitted fs = shear stress induced in the key
t = thickness of the key b = width of the key
r = radius of the shaft l = length of the key
P = tangential force at the shaft

Shear area of the key, = l x b

Tangential force, P = T/r or 2T/d

Permissible
Shear stress, fs = P/A = P/(l x b) = T/(r x l x b) = 2T/(d x l x b)

For shear failure of the key, T = l x b x r x fs or = (l x b x d x fs)/2

 Design of the Key Joint
The key may also fail by crushing.

Area resisting the crushing of the key, = l x t/2

Permissible

Crushing stress, fc = P/A = 2P/(l x t) = 2T/(r x l x t) = 4T/(d x l x t)

Tangential force, P = T/r or 2T/d

Since fc = 2T/(r x l x t)
For crush failure of the key, T = (l x t x rx fc) /2 or = (l x t x d x fc)/4

When the key is fitted on all the four sides, the permissible
crushing stress is more than twice the permissible stress in shear.
In this case we check the key for shear strength only.
Design of the Key Joint

Advantages:
• A simple positive way to transmit torsion between shaft and
attachment.
• Able to transmit high torque

Disadvantages:
• The danger of wear due to back lash. Need for close tolerance.
• The joint is non-adjustable.
• The slot on the shaft and hub weaken the joint.
 COUPLINGS
Coupling are mechanical elements which join two
shafts together
• Couplings are permanent connections
• Clutches can be connected or disconnected.

Shafts to be connected maybe:

• Collinear axes

• Intersecting axes

• Parallel axes

Shafts to be connected may have collinear axes, intersecting

axes or parallel axes at a relatively small distance.
 COUPLINGS
Couplings
• Rigid – Need good shafts alignment and no relative motion
allowed.
• Flexible – Allow certain degree of mis-alignment and relative
motion during power transmission.

Flexible couplings can accommodate up to 1.5° of mis-alignment and some

parallel mis-alignment. They can also be used for vibration damping or noise
reduction.
COUPLINGS

Requisites of good couplings

• Must transmit the full torque of the shaft
• Maintain the shafts in perfect alignment
• Easy to assemble and disassemble
• Cover or protect any projecting parts
SLEEVE COUPLING
• A simple coupling
• Connect two shafts rigidly
• Consists of a sleeve or hollow cylinder
• Shafts are join by keys or screws
• Requires very careful fitting
• 2 keys are used to prevent poor fitting

Sleeve coupling is a Rigid couplings . They do not have the

ability to compensate for shaft misalignments and are
therefore used where shafts are already positioned in
precise lateral and angular alignment.
 CLAMPED OR COMPRESSION COUPLING

• Modification of the sleeve coupling

• Consists of two halves
• Two halves connected through bolts
• Easily assembled and disassembled
• Keys are normally used to drive the
shaft

Clamped or Compression Coupling

is a Rigid couplings

Please ignore the

calculation in the notes!
FLANGE COUPLING
Flange coupling is a rigid coupling most commonly used. It can
handle large amount of torque.
• Requires perfect alignment of both shafts (shaft in both hub)
• The 2 flanges are coupled together by bolts
• The hub must provide sufficient length for the key
• The size of the bolts must be able to transmit the full torsional
strength of the shafts.

Flange coupling is a rigid coupling

 FLANGE COUPLING BOLT SIZE CALCULATION

Bolts are subjected to direct shear.

Force
Shear Stress 
Area
 d1
2
Area resisting stress per bolt 
4
 d1
2
Area resisting stress for n bolts  n
4
 d1
2 B
Force  f s  Area  f s  n T  F r  F
4 2
 d1 f s B
2
T  n  Finding bolt size:
4 2
• Determine force per bolt
• Determine area resisting stress per bolt
• Determine bolt diameter.
FLEXIBLE COUPLING

- Perfect alignment is practically impossible to attain.

Shafts are subjected to wear and movement during
transmission.
- For these reasons, flexible couplings are employed for
moderate or heavy duty transmission.
- The flexible couplings prevent the transmission of shock
from one shaft to another.

Rigid coupling needs excellent alignment of the two shafts.

Flexible coupling can work with some misalignment
OLDHAM’S COUPLING (Flexible Coupling)

This coupling is used to connect 2 shafts whose axes are parallel

with a short distance apart.

To cater for up/down

misalignment

To cater for left/right

misalignment

It consists of two flanges having a recess each

and a central floating part with two tongues at
right angle to each other.
The compensation is due to the sliding motion
between the central float and the recesses in
the flanges.
FLEXIBLE CUSHION COUPLING

Can be used to accommodate angular misalignment, parallel

offset and axial displacement.
The flexibility is due to the highly flexible elastomeric tyre
material.
UNIVERSAL COUPLING (HOOKE’S)

Design to accommodate high torque and axial travel.

They are particularly used to join intersecting shafts at angles
greater than other flexible couplings.

Angular velocity ration is not constant

HELICAL COUPLING

A one-piece curved beam design.

• Zero backlash
• Torsionally rigid
• Maintenance free
• Constant velocity
• High speed application
• Accommodate 3 different misalignments
 Pictures of the Different Types of Coupling

Universal Coupling Helical Coupling

Clamped Collars

Compress Coupling Oldham Coupling

Couplings are mechanical elements that enables rotary

motion to be transferred from one shaft to another shaft.
Question 8 Exam 2019S2
 
A solid shaft is connected by a flange coupling and transmitting maximum power.
A square key is used to connect the shaft and the hub.

Below shows the shaft, flange coupling and key data:

 
 The solid shaft has a diameter of 70 mm and a length of 2 m.
 The solid shaft transmits 250 KW power.
 The coupling has 6 bolts arranged along a pitch circle diameter of 260 mm.
 The maximum shear stress of the bolt is 70 MN/m2.
 The maximum shear stress of the key 80 MN/m 2
 The size of square key is 25 mm.
 
(a) What is the torque of the shaft (Nm) if it is rotating at 400 rpm? (5 marks)
 
(b) What is the diameter (mm) of the bolts? (5 marks)
 
(c) What is the length (mm) of the key? (5 marks)
 
(d) What is the maximum shear stress (MPa) that can be applied to the shaft?
(5 marks)
 
(e) What is the angle of twist (radian) that can be applied to the shaft?
Take G = 80 GN/m2. (5 marks )
 No. of bolts n=6

Important
  Points B
*Torque is constant throughout
* 3 diameters
i) diameter of shaft ds
ii) diameter of bolt db
iii) Pitch circle dia. or Bolt Circle diameter B

*3 Stress
i) Stress for shaft, fs
ii) Stress for bolt, fb
iii) Stress for key, fk

*J
Solution