Torque Transmitting Elements

Chapter Objectives
This chapter will help you answer the following
questions:

• How are the keys and other connecting devices made?

• What materials are used?
• How are they installed?
• What kinds of forces must they resist?
• How does their special geometry accomplish the
desired function?
• How could they fail?
1
 Torque Transmitting Elements
Introduction
• How can two or more parts of a machine be connected
to locate one part with respect to another?
• How can that connection be designed if the parts are
moving and if power must be transmitted b/n them?
• Keys and couplings connect functional parts of
mechanisms and machines, allowing moving parts to
transmit power or to locate parts relative to each other.
• A key is used to connect a drive member such as a
pulley, a gear, or a sprocket to the shaft that carries it.
• Torque and power are transmitted across the key to or
from the shaft.
2
 4.1. Keys
Fig. 1

3
 Square and Rectangular Parallel/Sunk Keys
• The most common type of key for shafts ≤ 6.5 in
diameter is the square key illustrated in Figure (b).
• The rectangular key, Figure (c), is recommended for
larger shafts and is used for smaller shafts where the
shorter height can be tolerated.
• Both the square and the rectangular keys are referred to
as parallel keys or sunk keys.
• Table 1 gives the preferred dimensions for parallel keys
as a function of shaft diameter for both U.S. sizes and
SI Metric sizes.
• The width is approximately one-quarter of the diameter
of the shaft.
4
 Square and Rectangular Keys
• Table 4.1

5
 Square and Rectangular Parallel/Sunk Keys
• The keyseats in the shaft and the hub are designed so
that one-half of the height of the key is bearing on the
side of the shaft keyseat and the other half on the side of
the hub keyseat. (See Figure 2).
• The distance Y is the radial distance from the
theoretical top of the shaft, before the keyseat is
machined, to the top edge of the finished keyseat to
produce a keyseat depth of exactly H/2.
• To assist in machining and inspecting the shaft or the
hub, the dimensions S and T can be computed and
shown on the part.
• Tabulated values of Y, S, and T are available in many
References. 6
 Square and Rectangular Parallel Keys
Fig. 2

7
 Square and Rectangular Parallel/Sunk Keys
• keyseats in shafts are machined with either an end mill
or a circular milling cutter, producing the profile or
sled runner keyseat, respectively.
• In general practice, the keyseats and keys are left with
essentially square corners.
• But radiused keyseats and chamfered keys can be used
to reduce the stress concentrations (see Table 2 for
suggested fillet radii and chamfers).
• As alternates to the use of parallel keys, taper keys, gib
head keys, pin keys, and Woodruff keys can be used to
provide special features of installation or operation.
• Figure 3: general geometry of these types of keys.
8
 Square and Rectangular Parallel/Sunk Keys
• Table 2

9
 Parallel Keys
• Fig. 3

10
 Taper Keys
• Taper keys are designed to be inserted from the end of the shaft
after the hub is in position rather than installing the key first and
then sliding the hub over the key as with parallel keys.
• The taper extends over at least the length of the hub, and height,
H, measured at the end of the hub, is same as for the parallel key.
• The taper is typically 1/8 in per foot.
• Note that this design gives a smaller bearing area on the sides of
the key, and the bearing stress must be checked.

11
 Gib Head Keys
• The Gib Head Key, Figure (c) below, has a tapered
geometry inside the hub that is the same as that of the
plain taper key.
• But the extended head provides the means of extracting
the key from the same end at which it was installed.
• This is very desirable if the opposite end is not
accessible to drive the key out.

12
 Pin Keys
• The pin key, shown in Figure (d), is a cylindrical pin
placed in a cylindrical groove in the shaft and hub.
• Lower stress concentration factors result from this
design as compared with parallel or taper keys.
• A close fit between the pin and the groove is required to
ensure that the pin does not move and that the bearing
force is uniform along the length of the pin.

13
 Woodruff Keys
• Where light loading and relatively easy assembly and
disassembly are desired, the Woodruff key is considered.
• Figure (e) shows the standard configuration.
• The circular groove in the shaft holds the key in position
while the mating part is slid over the key.

14
 Woodruff Keys
• Table 3: a sampling of the dimensions for a number of
standard Woodruff keys and their mating keyseats.

15
 Woodruff Keys
• Note that the key number indicates the nominal key
dimensions.
• The last two digits give the nominal diameter, B, in
eighths of an inch, and the first two digits give the
nominal width, W, in thirty-seconds of an inch.
E.g., key number 1210 has a diameter of 10/8 in (5/4 in),
and a width of 12/32 in (3/8 in).
• The actual size of the key is slightly smaller than half of
the full circle, (see dimensions C and F in Table 3).

16
 Selection and Installation of Keys and
Keyseats
• With the shaft diameter as a guide, the size of a key is
selected from Table 1.
• The remaining variables are the length of the key and its
material.
• The material can be specified and the length can be
computed.
• The length of a key is a substantial portion of the hub
length of the element in which it is installed to provide for
good alignment and stable operation.
• But if the keyseat in the shaft is to be in the vicinity of
other geometric changes, like shoulder fillets and grooves,
it is important to provide some axial clearance b/n them so
that the effects of the stress concentrations are not
compounded. 17
 Selection and Installation of Keys and
Keyseats
• The key can be cut off square at its ends or provided
with a radius at each end when installed in a profile
keyseat to improve location.
• Square cut keys are usually used with the sled-runner-
type keyseat.
• The key is sometimes held in position with a set screw
in the hub over the key.
• However, the set screw can sometimes back out of the
assembly due to vibration.
• Axial location of the assembly should be provided by
more positive means, such as shoulders, retaining
rings, or spacers.
18
 Materials for Keys
• Keys are made from plain carbon steel, alloy steels,
stainless steels, and some nonferrous metals.
• Plastics are used for small devices under low loads.
• Here we will focus primarily on steels for general
industrial applications.
• Table 4 lists a variety of steels and one aluminum
alloy to illustrate the types of materials available.
• For problem solutions, it is recommended that the low-
carbon steel AISI or SAE 1018, 1020 be considered
for most applications.
• It is a low-cost, readily available material and its
strength is generally adequate.
19
 Materials for Keys
• Table 4.4

20
 Materials for Keys
• If higher strength is necessary to produce a design with
a reasonable length, medium-carbon AISI 1035 or
1045, or alloy steels AISI 4140 or 8630 are
recommended.
• The high-carbon steel AISI 1095 may be used but it
may have low ductility.
• Where corrosion resistance is necessary, the stainless
steels listed in Table 4 may be considered.
• Aluminum 6061 is less frequently used for keys but
may be desirable for material compatibility reasons.

21
 Stress Analysis to Determine Key Length
• There are two basic modes of potential failure for keys
transmitting power:
– (1) shear of key across the shaft/hub interface and
– (2) compression failure due to the bearing action
between the sides of the key and the shaft or hub
material.

• The analysis for either failure mode requires an

understanding of the forces that act on the key.

22
 Stress Analysis to Determine Key Length
• Figure 4 shows the idealized case in which the torque
on the shaft creates a force on the left side of the key.
• The key in turn exerts a force on the right side of the
hub keyseat.
• The reaction force of the hub back on the key then
produces a set of opposing forces that place the key in
direct shear over its cross section, W x L.
• The magnitude of the shearing force can be found
from:

23
 Stress Analysis to Determine Key Length
• Figure 4: Forces on Key

• The shearing stress is then

…….. (4.1)

24
 Stress Analysis to Determine Key Length
• In design we can set the shearing stress equal to a
design stress in shear for the Maximum Shear Stress
Theory of failure,

• Then the required length of the key is,

1) Minimum Required Key Length for Shear

……….. (4.2)

25
 Stress Analysis to Determine Key Length
• The failure in bearing is related to the compressive
stress on the side of the key, the side of the shaft
keyseat, or the side of the hub keyseat.
• The area in compression is the same for either of these
zones, L x (H/2).
• Thus, the failure occurs on the surface with the lowest
compressive yield strength.
• Let's define a design stress for compression as,

• Then the compressive stress is,

..….. (4.3)
26
 Stress Analysis to Determine Key Length
• Letting this stress, σ, equal the design compressive
stress, σd, allows the computation of the required
length of the key for this mode of failure:
1) Minimum Required Key Length for Compression

………….. (4.4)
• In typical industrial applications, N = 3 is adequate.

• For the design of a square key in which the strength of

the key material is lower than that of the shaft or the
hub, Equations (4.2) and (4.4) produce the same result.
27
 Stress Analysis to Determine Key Length
• Substituting the design stress into either eqn. (4.2) or
(4.4) would give,

• Minimum Required Key Length if Key Material is

Weakest
…………….. (4.5)

• But be sure to evaluate the length from Equation (4.4)

if either the shaft or the hub has lower yield strength
than the key.

28
 Design Procedure for Parallel Keys
1. Complete the design of the shaft into which the key
will be installed, and specify the actual diameter at the
location of the keyseat.
2. Select the size of the key from Table 1.
3. Specify a suitable design factor, N. In typical
industrial applications, N = 3 is adequate to
accommodate accidental overloads and shock.
4. Specify the material for the key, usually AISI or SAE
1018 steel. A higher-strength material can be used.
5. Determine the yield strength of the materials for the
key, the shaft, and the hub.

29
 Design Procedure for Parallel Keys
6. If a square key is used and the key material has the lowest strength,
use Eqn. (4.5) to compute the minimum required length of the key.
This length will be satisfactory for both shear and bearing stress.
7. If a rectangular key is used, or if either the shaft or the hub has a
lower strength than the key, use Eqn. (4.2) to compute the
minimum required length based on shear of the key.
Also, use Eqn.(4.4) to compute the minimum required length of
the key based on bearing stress.

• The larger of the two computed lengths governs the design.

• Check to be sure that the computed key length is shorter than the
hub length.
• If not, a higher-strength material must be selected and the design
process repeated.
30
 Design Procedure for Parallel Keys
8. Specify the actual length of the key to be equal to or
longer than the computed minimum length.
A convenient standard size should be specified using
the preferred basic sizes (see Appendix 2).
The key should extend over all or a substantial part of
the length of the hub.
But the keyseat should not run into other stress raisers
such as shoulders or grooves.
9. Complete the design of the keyseat in the shaft and the
keyway in the hub using the equations in Figure 2.
ANSI Standard should be consulted for standard
tolerances on dimensions for the key and the keyseats.
31
 Preferred Basic Sizes
Appendix 2

32
 Example 4.1
Example 4.1
• A portion of a shaft where a gear is to be mounted has a
diameter of 2.00 in.
• The gear transmits 2965 lb.in of torque.
• The shaft is to be made of SAE 1040 cold-drawn steel.
• The gear is made from SAE 8650 OQT 1000 steel.
• The width of the hub of the gear mounted at this
location is 1.75 in.
• Design a parallel key.

33
 Example 4.1 Solution
From Table 4.1, the standard key dimension for a 2.0 in
diameter shaft would be 0.50 in square key.
Material selection is a design decision; Let’s choose SAE
1018 steel with Sy = 54 ksi as listed in Table 4.2.
A check of the yield strengths of the three materials: the
key, the shaft, and the hub indicates that the key has the
weakest material. Then Eqn. (4.5) can be used to
compute the minimum required length of the key:

• This length is well below the width of the hub of the

gear i, e., 1.75 in.
34
 Example 4.1 Solution
• Notice that the design of the shaft includes retaining rings on
both sides of the gear.
• It is desirable to keep the keyseat well clear of the ring grooves.
Therefore, let’s specify the length of the key to be 1.50 in.
• Proposed Design

35
 Example 4.1: Complete Design Details
In summary, the key has the following characteristics:
• Material: SAE 1018 steel; Width: 0.500 in
• Height: 0.500 in; Length: 1.50 in
• A profile keyseat in the shaft is shown

36
 Example 4.2
Example 4.2
A SAE 1040 steel shaft, heat-treated to a minimum yield
strength of 75 kpsi, has a diameter of 1 (7/16) in. or
[1.4375 in.]. The shaft rotates at 600 rpm and transmits
40 hp through a gear.
Select an appropriate parallel key for the gear (SAE 1340
steel), with a design factor of 2.8.
The width of the hub of the gear mounted at this location is
2.00 in.

37
 Example 4.3
Example 4.3
A SAE 1040 steel shaft has a diameter of 25 mm.
The shaft rotates at 720 rpm & transmits 15 kW
through a gear. Select an appropriate parallel
key for the gear, with a design factor of 2.8.
What size gear (OD) will be suitable for the setup?
• Gear Material: SAE 1340 OQT 1000 steel.

38
 Example 4.4
Example 4.4
A SAE 1045 steel shaft, heat-treated to a minimum yield
strength of 75 kpsi, has a diameter of 1 in. The shaft
rotates at 670 rpm and transmits 30 hp through a gear.
Select an appropriate parallel key for the gear (SAE
1340 steel), with a design factor of 1.5.
The width of the hub of the gear mounted at this
location is 1.50 in.

39
 Example 4.5
Example 4.5
A shaft 30 mm in diameter is transmitting power at a
maximum shear stress of 60 MPa.
If a pulley is connected to the shaft by means of a
parallel key, determine the dimensions of the key so
that both shear stresses and bearing stresses in the
key do not exceed 55 MPa and the length of the key
is 4 times its width.

40
 Shear and Bearing Areas for Woodruff Keys
The geometry of Woodruff keys makes it difficult to
determine the shear area and the bearing area for use
in stress analyses.
The figure shows that the bearing area on the side of the
key in the keyseat is a segment of a circle.

41
 Shear and Bearing Areas for Woodruff Keys
The shear area is the product of the chord of that segment
times the thickness of the key.

The following equations describe the geometry:

– B = nominal diameter of the cylinder of which the key is a part
– W = width (thickness) of the key
– C = full height of the key
– ds = depth of the keyseat in the shaft

42
 Shear and Bearing Areas for Woodruff Keys
To define the equations for the bearing areas on the side of
the key in the shaft and in the hub, we first define three
geometric variables, G, L, and J, as follows:

The Bearing Area in the Shaft is:

43
 Example 4.4
• Make a detailed 3D drawing (sketch) of a
Woodruff key for connecting a shaft with the hub
of a gear.
• The shaft has a diameter of 3.250 in.
• Use No. 2428 Woodruff key.
• In the sketch, show the following dimensions of
the Woodruff key: W, B, L, C, dS.
• Also, compute the shear area of the Woodruff key
and show this shear area on your sketch by
shading/hatching it.
44
 Splines
Defn.: A series of axial keys machined into a shaft for
torque transmission; corresponding grooves are
machined into the bore of a hub

Advantages over keys:

• Uniform (smooth) transfer of torque
• Lower loading per spline (more load distribution)
• No relative motion b/n spline & shaft
• Machined to provide controlled fit b/n mating parts
• Axial sliding permitted (unlike keys & shaft)

45
 Splines
No. of keys/splines:
•4, 6, 8, …, 60
Basic design parameters
•D = nominal major diam.
•d = minor diam.
•W = spline width
•h = spline height

46
 Splines
Spline Table

47
 Splines
Spline Table

48
 Splines
Spline Table

49
 Splines
Spline Figure

50
 Splines
Standards

51
 Splines
Standards

52
 Splines
Video 1

0.1 Spline (introduction).mp4

53
 Splines
Video 2

0.2 What are Splines.mp4

54
 Pins
Pins

55
 Setscrew
Setscrew

56
 Setscrew
Setscrew

57
 Pins
Video 1

1 Non-Threaded Fasteners, cotter pins - Pivot Point.mp4

58
 Pins
Video 2

3 How to fit a Cotter pin_Split pin.mp4

59
 Pins
Video 3

4 How to Install a Cotter Key.mp4

60
 Pins
Video 4

Cotter joint __ animation__ and its parts.mp4

61
 Pins
Video 5

COTTER & PIN JOINT.mp4

62
 Couplings
Couplings

63
 Couplings
Rigid Coupling

64
 Couplings
Video 1

2 Coupling-Key Joint Animation.mp4

65