SERVO COUPLINGS

In any direct mechanical drive system there exists a need to couple the variety of driven elements that may be included. The majority of drive elements, including gear reducers, lead screws, and a host of other components, are driven by shafting that is supported by multiple bearings. This allows for shafting to be held extremely straight and rigid while rotating, avoiding any possible balancing and support problems. The result of this rigid support is the virtual impossibility of avoiding slight misalignments between a driving and driven shaft when they are connected. Restoring forces that occur as the two coupled shafts compete to maintain their original positions can put unwanted strain on shaft bearings, causing them to wear out prematurely. Additional axial loads are also placed on the bearings as thermal growth occurs in shafting during operation... The simple and most commonly employed solution to the problem of shaft misalignment is the use of a flexible element to absorb..