The OEP type UA Oldham/Universal coupling differs from other versions of the Oldham/Universal coupling (UC and UI) in that its midsection is machined from metal bar, the same alloy as the hubs. The UA is a strong, stiff, robust coupling, and can easily be configured for larger or non-standard sizes.

A Delrin© (or higher temperature plastic) replaceable wear bushing between the cylindrical fins on the hub and the cylindrical slots in the midsection provide smooth, low-friction, low-reactive-force flexion with zero backlash. These wear bushings include very small holes that serve as a grease reservoir. The placement of the bushings mounted within a machined metal midsection, enable the coupling to transmit great amounts of torque.

These couplings protect support bearings by exerting consistently low reactive forces, even under large misalignments. They accommodate large radial misalignment in a short length.

OEP Couplings, a division of Oren Elliott Products, Inc. ※※※
www.oepcoupling.com

Thomas & Betts Corporation (www.tnb.com), a world leader in the manufacture, design and marketing of electrical components for construction, industrial and utility markets, has introduced the T&B Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling, which supports thermal expansion and movement in conduit runs to deliver a watertight and flexible connection.

The new coupling features a protective stainless-steel inner sleeve that makes wire installation easier, while its Erickson conduit union reduces installation effort and time. Supporting up to three-quarter inch of axial or parallel movement, the T&B Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling also accommodates up to 30 degrees of angular movement from normal position.

“The stainless-steel inner sleeve used in the T&B® Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling is far more durable than the conventional plastic tubes or corrugated hose found in other couplings of this kind,” said Bogdan Diaconescu, Product Manager for Thomas & Betts.

“It also provides better protection and easier wire pulling,” he added.

Specifically designed for rigid conduit, the T&B Fitting XD Expansion/Deflection Coupling features copper ground mounting plates that have been enclosed and secured with tamperproof jacket straps. It is made of stainless steel to impede vandalism and theft. The coupling also comes with ductile cast iron dual-layer hubs that have been coated with aluminum acrylic paint and zinc plated to protect it against corrosion.

CSA Certified to C22.2 No. 18.3, the new coupling is also UL Listed to UL 514B, making it ideal for wet locations. It is also NEC Article 250.98 compliant and is watertight pursuant to NEMA 4.

VULKAN Couplings (www.vulkan.com) is all geared to launch the VULKARDAN G 84 Couplings at the Koremarine in Busan on 26 to 29 October 2011. Specifically designed for electric motors and generator drives in the medium power range, VULKARDAN G 84 supplements the company’s VULKARDAN G product range, which has been released for marine drive components to cater for a higher torque range of up to 63 kNm.

Developed for generator applications and modern auxiliary drives, the flexible VULKARDAN G series feature couplings in sizes ranging from 54 to 62 with a 25 kNm nominal torque. These couplings were developed for free-standing systems and allow the elastomer to be extended without fear of displacing the connected units. With the offered torsional stiffness, the system’s torsional vibration is optimized, limiting damaging resonances in the operating speed and preventing impact on the motor control.

The VULKARDAN G 84 enables the membrane to absorb the axial vibration produced during the engine’s operation, freeing the connected generator from axial vibrations and providing a positive effect on the generator bearing’s service life.

Putting emphasis on backlash-free torque transmission, the VULKARDAN G 84 with up to 63 kNm nominal torque has been introduced in response to the growing demand for economic generator couplings. It is suitable for non-SAE motors that feature rated power ranging between 3,000 kW and 4,500 kW. This result to proper transmission characteristics considering the controller stability offered when the VULKARDAN G 84 is loaded or unloaded. Moreover, the VULKARDAN G 84 features a coupling design that highly protects the system from overload. Its linear torsional stiffness allows safe design of the coupling based on the defined stiffness.

Ameriloc internal and external locking devices and shaft couplings are custom-engineered, manufactured, and tested to precise tolerances to meet specific customer requirements and provide years of trouble-free service.

Quality materials and state-of-the-art manufacturing processes ensure high reliability. Units eliminate the need for keyways, splines, or hydraulic hubs, allowing for unlimited shaft positioning. Installation and removal is easy using standard tools. Features include zero backlash, reduced shaft stress, and high contact pressure for greater torque. Tight contact prevents contamination in high dust and moisture environments.

Ameriloc locking devices are suited for use on test stands, printing presses, ski lifts, mining crushers, meat processing, drilling, milling, compressors, pulp & paper, cranes, fans, and steel mills.

All units are pre-assembled, ready to install. Torque range is from 25,000 to 4,303,675 ft-lb (34 to 5,835 kNm). A range of standard sizes is available with outer diameters from 12.5 to 53 in. (320 to 1,350 mm), and shaft diameters from 6.5 to 29.5 in. (165 to 750 mm). Additional sizes and custom designs are available upon request.

Ameridrives Couplings
www.ameriloc.com

Making use of the existing EKL line of compact elastomer couplings, the  SLE safety coupling offers a compact, flexible and vibration damping option with integral torque overload release. Designed for aggressive servo driven applications, the SLE is backlash free, relying on preloads and frictional connections, along with a precision molded, wear resistant, polyurethane insert to damp vibration and relieve bearing loads resulting from misalignment. In the event of a machine crash, power surge, or any other cause of unanticipated overload, the SLE will disengage the motor or gearbox shaft from the load in less than 3 milliseconds. Re-engagement takes place automatically with slow speed rotation of the shaft subsequent to the overload occurrence. Available in four sizes, the SLE handles a range of disengagement torque values from 5 to 700 Nm, and English or metric shaft diameters from 12 to 60 mm.

R+W America
www.rw-america.com/torque-limiters/torque-limiter-sle_t.php

The BKS series of stainless steel, welded bellows couplings are up to 1/3 shorter in length, reducing moment of inertia and saving space. Manufactured in Germany, the BKS makes use of 1.4301 (304) stainless steel hubs, precision machined to a high level of concentricity. Laser welded while mounted onto a common shaft to guarantee straightness, the couplings compensate for shaft misalignment and precisely transmit motion with zero backlash. Allowable temperatures range from -40 to +300° C. The BKS coupling is available in 6  sizes, with torque ratings from 15 to 500 Nm and English or metric bores from 12 to 75 mm.

R+W America
www.rw-america.com/bellows_couplings/index.html

VULKAN Couplings (www.vulkan.com) has unveiled a new innovation of the Rato DS coupling that is directly connected to a composite shaft.

Aside from being a torsional coupling, the combination of high radial stiffness and low bending and axial stiffness makes the Rato DS ideal to work as an integrated misalignment coupling when it is rigidly connected to an intermediate shaft. A torsionally stiff misalignment coupling at the intermediate shaft’s rear end creates the second bending flexible pivot, which offers a double cardanic design. This unique combination of the intermediate shaft and the Rato DS is known as the VULKAN Integrated Shaft Coupling (ISC).

Even at high misalignment levels, the angular deflection of the Rato DS causes a minimal level of strain against the torque load, which results to a lower power loss. Thus, it effectively eliminates the need for a misalignment coupling between the shaft and Rato DS. The intermediate shaft can be connected directly to the coupling’s inner ring where the Rato DS is not radially supported.

The new ISC design’s advantages include the major reduction of parts, less design of the bearing and lighter weight, which leads to reduced alignment and installation efforts. The new design of the ISC also has no noise transmission path over bearing or metallic parts between the engine and gearbox. The Rato DS rubber element of the assembly provides outstanding sound isolation against structure borne noise.

Depending on the speed of the shaft the ISC design based on RATO DS can be offered with composite shafts to a maximum length of 7 m. All RATO DS coupling elements whether dual couplings or single row couplings can be utilized for the ISC design.

Motion system designers have a new option to arrest electrical current. Zero-Max CD® couplings have composite flex elements that are non-conductive in addition to their primary function.

In addition to protecting from stray electrical current, CD couplings protect generators in a system from transferring lower reaction loads to the generator bearings. The coupling’s composite discs withstand all types of environmental elements, including temperature extremes from -40 to +70° C, and also moisture and chemicals.

Additional operating features include: zero backlash, excellent for reversing loads, smooth operation at high speeds, and compact size with a clamping system that fits most applications. CD couplings have long life cycles and require less replacement over time.

CD couplings are available in many models and sizes, including custom designs for unusually large and challenging applications such as wind turbines. Standard models and sizes include single and double flex models with clamp style hubs with or without keyways. The torque capacities range from 40 Nm to 1436 Nm and beyond with speed ratings from 4400 RPM to 17,000 RPM.

Zero-Max
www.zero-max.com

Zero-Max Wind Turbine Couplings are now available as an upgrade replacement for existing wind turbines and for OEM applications. These couplings easily handle torque spikes and high misalignment installations. They have composite disk packs at both ends of a center spacer for strength and generous flexibility. The composite disk packs (flex elements) allow a surplus of parallel and axial misalignment while remaining torsionally stiff through all harmonic ranges of the wind turbine’s oscillating load.

Depending on the application, the center spacers can be machined out of steel, composite glass fiber, or 6061-T6 aluminum. Through the use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA), these center spacers can be engineered to withstand in excess of 100,000 Nm of torque.

These wind turbine couplings have many additional design advantages. The flex elements electrically insulate the turbine’s generator from the gear box, eliminating stray electrical current that can leak across the coupling, thus preventing bearing damage to the gear box. The coupling protects the generator by transferring lower reaction loads to the generator bearings. Also, the coupling’s composite material withstands all types of environmental elements, including temperature extremes from -40 to +70° C, and also moisture and chemicals native to the nacelles of wind turbines.

Zero-Max
www.zero-max.com

For high technology applications such as test and measurement, inspection, semi-conductor, solar panel production equipment as well as medical devices, Ruland manufactures a variety of components including oldham couplings and beam couplings. While both coupling types are backlash-free and feature misalignment capabilities, small performance differences make the choice of coupling critical depending on application parameters.

Ruland oldham couplings are comprised of two aluminum hubs with drive tenons that mate with a floating center member. This design allows for easy sliding to accommodate misalignment. Oldham couplings have very light bearing loads since the only resistance caused by misalignment is frictional. They also have the advantages of electrical isolation. The couplings accommodate angular and axial misalignment, but are especially useful in applications where parallel misalignment is present. The replaceable center discs are available in two materials, offering different levels of torsional rigidity.

Beam couplings have overlapping spiral cuts in a single piece of aluminum.  The spiral cuts accommodate angular misalignment, parallel misalignment, and axial motion. The one-piece design and cut pattern ensure backlash-free operation and allow for a small amount of shock absorption. Beam couplings are especially suitable when angular or complex misalignment is present. Stainless steel versions are also available for applications requiring higher torque transmission capabilities.

Ruland beam and oldham couplings are offered in a variety of body sizes with bore sizes from 3/32 in. (2 mm) to 1-1/8 in. (28 mm).

The complete line of products includes shaft collars and rigid couplings, and a full line of motion control couplings: beam couplings, bellows couplings, oldham couplings, miniature disc couplings and zero backlash jaw couplings.

Ruland Manufacturing Co., Inc.
www.ruland.com/ps_couplings_flexible.asp
www.ruland.com/ps_couplings_oldham.asp