Nexen announced their TL Series pneumatically engaged, single-position torque limiters, delivering overload protection for industrial machinery. The TL Series uses a ball/detent interface and proximity sensor to immediately disengage the machine shaft when excessive torque or a machine jam occurs, effectively protecting downstream equipment and product from damage and decreasing downtime. Upon detecting the overload condition, the sensor instantly sends a signal to the torque limiter’s control valve, exhausting the air and disengaging the unit for a clean disconnect of power to the driven components.
By utilizing pneumatic actuation, TL Series units facilitate remote trip-out torque adjustment via an air regulator, allowing operators to optimize overload protection while the machine is in use-thus eliminating the need for inconvenient onsite adjustments. Each torque limiter’s interface has five ball/detents arranged in an asymmetrical pattern, assuring each engagement occurs in the same position and affirming machine components are accurately synchronized. The unique hard-chromed detent interface decreases drive-ring wear when the balls are pressed against the face during jog-to-position engagement, extending operational life as well as ensuring complete disengagement every time-without premature re-engagement.
Semi-open and totally enclosed, nickel-plated TL Series units are available. Semi-open units are sealed to keep contaminants out of the ball/detent area, while enclosed units are designed to protect the ball/detent and spline areas in washdown or other manufacturing environments where liquids are present. A variety of ball/detent sizes are available to provide a range of torque capacities, making the TL Series well suited for a broad application base, including packaging machinery, food processing, bottling, material handling and newspaper presses.
Several additional features of the TL Series ensure its long-lasting, dependable operation:
- The air chamber is sealed with o-rings to eliminate air leakage and minimize repairs, with backup rings to prevent o-ring dislocation, decreasing wear and extending the component’s operational life.
- Internal springs separate the ball and detent interfaces, preventing the ball from being forcefully removed from the detent-extending life and eliminating detent distortion, as well as preventing the torque limiter from re-engaging until the machine stops.
- The proximity sensor features an LED that illuminates to indicate when the torque limiter is engaged.
- Single-flex or double-flex couplings are available to deliver high shaft misalignment protection with zero backlash and excellent torsional rigidity.