Home >> Hobbies >> Other Hobbies

Rotary Couplings Found on Machine Tools

A machine tool is any one of many machines used by machinists, including drill presses, horizontal lathes and milling machines. Lots of machine tools are custom-made tools manufactured by other machine tools to perform a specific task -- like a special tool to manufacture an auto part. By definition, the nature of any machine tool is mechanical. They often have gears, pulleys and mechanisms to mechanically transfer energy, such as a coupling.

Rotary Couplings
- A coupling is simply a connection. Chain links, for example, are couplings because they mechanically couple one link to the next link. Couplings can be used to transmit all kinds of forces. The chain link, for example, withstands tension. Other couplings, though, are specifically designed to transmit rotational force or torque from one mechanical component to another. There are many ways to accomplish this.
Universal Joint
- A universal joint is a rotary coupling. Often called a u-joint, it is chosen over other methods of rotary couplings when the rotation of a shaft, does not continue in a straight line. U-joints use two "c-shaped" couplings that ride on bearings, allowing them to adjust as they spin. The clever design of the universal joint allows mechanical rotation to turn a corner. While there are other solutions that can turn a corners the angle of the corner with a gear-driven coupling, for example, usually can't be adjusted while the mechanism is spinning. A u-joint's angle can typically be adjusted as the mechanism spins.
Spline
- A spline is a common way to splice two axles or drive shafts together into a straight, continuous unit. The spline has ridges that run longitudinally along the end of one shaft. The profile or cross-section of the spline-end looks like a starfish. The female component has the inverse shape, locking the spline in place, preventing any rotational slippage. Some splines allow a joint to adjust in and out, effectively changing the length of the drive shaft.
Gears
- There are many ways to create rotational couplings with gears. If you want to simply continue or make a splice in a shaft, a spline is the way to do it. Otherwise a gear or set of gears can continue the rotation in any conceivable direction. Gears may cause the shaft to travel in a parallel, but offset plane. They may turn the rotation at an angle. A drill chuck is a recognizable example of gears turning 90 degrees. The drill chuck is a gear. When interlocked and turned with the gear-teeth in the collett, the rotation turns 90 degrees.

Other Hobbies