Chapter 2

coupling and clutches

Chapter Outline
 Introduction to coupling
 Rigid couplings and flexible couplings
 Coupling design for stress

 Worked Examples on coupling

 Clutches

 Introduction

 Positive clutches and friction clutches

 Clutches design for stress

 Worked Examples on clutches

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Shaft couplings are used in machinery for several purposes, the most
common of which are the following:..\..\Capture.PNG

1. To provide for the connection of shafts of units such as a motor

and generator
2. To provide for disconnection for repairs or alternations.
3. To provide for misalignment of the shafts or to introduce
mechanical flexibility.
4. To reduce the transmission of shock loads from one shaft to
another.
5. To introduce protection against overloads.
6. It should have no projecting parts.
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Types of Shafts Couplings
1. Rigid coupling. It is used to connect two shafts which are perfectly aligned.
The Following are some of the types of rigid coupling :
a) Sleeve or muff coupling.
b) Clamp or split-muff or compression coupling, and
c) Flange coupling.

2. Flexible coupling. It is used to connect two shafts having both lateral and
angular misalignment. The Following are some types of flexible coupling :
a) Bushed pin type coupling,
b) Universal coupling, and
c) Oldham coupling.

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 1. Rigid coupling.
a) Sleeve or Muff-coupling
 It is the simplest type of rigid coupling, made of cast iron.
 It is fitted over the ends of the two shafts by means of a gib head key, as
shown in Fig.
 The usual proportions of a cast iron sleeve coupling are as follows:
Outer diameter of the sleeve, D =2d + 13 mm and
Length of the sleeve, L = 3.5 d
where d is the diameter of the shaft.
 The sleeve is designed by considering it as a hollow shaft.

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 Where T = Torque to be transmitted by the coupling, and
τc = Permissible shear stress for the material of the sleeve which
is cast iron.
• The coupling key is usually made into two parts so that the length of the key in
each shaft,

After fixing the length of key in each shaft, the induced shearing and
crushing stresses may be checked. We know that torque transmitted,

Considering shearing of the key

Considering crushing of the key

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 b) Clamp or Compression Coupling
 It is also known as split muff coupling.
 In this case, the muff or sleeve is made into two halves and are
bolted together as shown in Fig
 This coupling may be used for heavy duty and moderate speeds.
 a single key is fitted directly in the keyways of both the shafts.
 The advantage of this coupling is that the position of the shafts
need not be changed for assembling or disassembling of the
coupling.
 The muff and key are designed in the similar way as discussed in
muff coupling.

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 Design of clamping bolts

Let T = Torque transmited by the shaft,

d = Diameter of shaft,
db= Root or effective diameter of bolt,
n = Number of bolts,
σt = Permissible tensile stress for bolt material,
μ = Coefficient of friction between the muff and shaft, and
L = Length of muff.

 We know that the force exerted by each bolt

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 Let p be the pressure on the shaft and the muff surface due to the
force, then for uniform pressure distribution over the surface,

and the torque that can be transmitted by the coupling,

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 2. Flexible coupling
a) Bushed – pin type coupling
 A bushed-pin flexible coupling is a modification of the rigid type of
flange coupling. The coupling bolts are known as pins. The rubber or leather
bushes are used over the pins.
 There is no rigid connection between them and the drive takes place through the
medium of the compressible rubber or leather bushes.
 In designing the bushed-pin flexible coupling, the proportions of the rigid type
flange coupling are modified. The main modification is to reduce the bearing
pressure on the rubber or leather bushes and it should not exceed 0.5 N/mm2. In
order to keep the low bearing pressure, the pitch circle diameter and the pin size

is increased.

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10
 Direct shear stress due to pure torsion in the coupling halves,

Since the pin and the rubber or leather bush is not rigidly held in the left hand
flange, therefore the tangential load (W) at the enlarged portion will exert a
bending action on the pin as shown in Fig. below. The bush portion of the pin
acts as a cantilever beam of length l. Assuming a uniform distribution of the
load W along the bush, the maximum bending moment on the pin,

we know that bending stress,

 Since the pin is subjected to bending and shear stresses, therefore the design
must be checked either for the maximum principal stress or maximum shear
stress by the following relations :
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 After designing the pins and rubber bush, the hub, key and flange may
be designed in the similar way as discussed for flange coupling.

b) universal (or Hooke’s) Coupling

 used to connect two shafts whose axes intersect at a small angle.

 In designing a universal coupling, the shaft diameter and the pin
diameter is obtained as discussed below.

We know that torque transmitted by the shafts,

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The other dimensions of the coupling are fixed by
proportions as shown in Fig below.

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 c) Oldham Coupling
It is used to join two shafts which have lateral mis-alignment. It consists of
two flanges A and B with slots and a central floating part E with two
tongues T1 and T2 at right angles as shown in Fig below.

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 1. Design and make a neat dimensioned sketch of a muff coupling which is used to
connect two steel shafts diameter of 55 mm transmitting 40 kW at 350 r.p.m. The
material for the shafts and key is plain carbon steel for which allowable shear and
crushing stresses may be taken as 40 MPa and 80 Mpa respectively. The material
for the muff is cast iron for which the allowable shear stress may be assumed as
15MPa.Given : P = 40 kW = 40 × 103 W; N = 350 r.p.m.; τs = 40 MPa = 40
Solution.
N/mm2; σcs = 80 MPa =80 N/mm2; τc= 15 MPa = 15 N/mm2; d=55mm
We know that the torque transmitted by the shaft, key and muff,

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  Since the induced shear stress in the muff (cast iron) is less than the permissible
shear stress of 15 N/mm2, therefore the design of muff is safe.

2. Design a bushed-pin type of flexible coupling to connect a pump shaft to a

motor shaft of 40mm dia. transmitting 32 kW at 960 r.p.m. The overall torque is 20
percent more than mean torque. The material properties are as follows :
(a) The allowable shear and crushing stress for shaft and key material is
40MPa and 80 MPa respectively.
(b) The allowable shear stress for cast iron is 15 MPa.
(c) The allowable bearing pressure for rubber bush is 0.8 N/mm2.
(d) The material of the pin is same as that of shaft and key.
Draw neat sketch of the coupling.
Solution. Given : P = 32 kW = 32 × 103 W ; N = 960 r.p.m. ; Tmax = 1.2 Tmean ;
τs = τk = 40 MPa= 40 N/mm2 ; σcs= σck = 80 MPa = 80 N/mm2 ; τc = 15 MPa
= 15 N/mm2 ; pb = 0.8 N/mm2 d=40mm.
The bushed-pin flexible coupling is designed as discussed below :
 Design for pins and rubber bush
We know that the mean torque transmitted by the shaft,

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 Clutches
 A clutch is a device used to connect or disconnect a driven
component from a prime mover such as an engine or motor.
 A familiar application is the use of a clutch between an engine’s
crankshaft and the gearbox in automotive settings.
 The need for the clutch arises from the relatively high torque
requirement to get a vehicle moving and the low torque output
from an internal combustion engine at low levels of rotational
speed.
 There are the two commonly used types of clutches
1. Positive clutches , and
2. Friction
 The positive clutches
clutches are used when a positive drive is required.
 The simplest type of a positive clutch is a jaw or claw clutch.
 A friction clutch has its principal application in the transmission of
power of shafts and machines which must be started and stopped
frequently.
 In friction clutches the force of friction is used to start the driven
shaft from rest and gradually brings it up to the proper speed
without excessive slipping of the friction surfaces.
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 Disc or plate clutches (single disc or multiple disc clutch),
Cone clutches, and Centrifugal clutches are types of friction clutches
that will be discussed in this section.
 The major considerations that need to be taken in designing any type
of friction clutch is the torque to be transmitted should not exceed
the frictional torque , so that power can be transmitted from the
driving shaft to the driven shaft without slip.
 The acceleration, a, of a rotating
machine is given by

Typical applications of clutches .

Example
Calculate the torque a clutch must transmit to accelerate a pulley with a
moment of inertia of 0.25 kg m2 to
1. 500 rpm in 2.5 s,
2. 1000 rpm in 2 s.
 Single Disc or Plate Clutch

 Consider two friction surfaces maintained in contact by an axial

thrust (W ) as shown in

 Consider an elementary ring of radius r and thickness dr as shown and

then the area of the contact surface or friction surface is
1. Considering uniform pressure. When the pressure is uniformly
distributed over the entire area of the friction face then the intensity of
pressure,
T

where

2. Considering uniform axial wear.

 Normal wear ∝ Work of friction ∝ p.V
or
 Let p be the normal intensity of pressure at a distance r from the
axis of the clutch. Since the intensity of pressure varies
inversely with the distance, therefore
In general, total frictional torque acting on the friction surfaces
(or on the clutch) is given by
Example 1. A single plate clutch, effective on both sides, is
required to transmit 25 kW at 3000 r.p.m. Determine the
outer and inner diameters of frictional surface if the
coefficient of friction is 0.255, ratio of diameters is 1.25
and the maximum pressure is not to exceed 0.1 N/mm2.
Also, determine the axial thrust to be provided by springs.
Assume the theory of uniform wear.

Example 2. Determine the maximum, minimum and

average pressure in a plate clutch when the axial force is
4 kN. The inside radius of the contact surface is 50 mm
and the outside radius is 100 mm. Assume uniform wear.
 Cone Clutch
 used in automobiles.
 It consists of one pair of friction surface only.
 The material of the clutch faces depends upon the
allowable normal pressure and the coefficient of friction.
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 Design of a Cone Clutch
 A little consideration will show that the area of contact of a pair of
friction surface is a frustum of a cone.
1. Considering uniform pressure

and the axial force acting on the ring,

Total axial load transmitted to the clutch or the axial spring force
required,

And pn is
Total frictional torque,
2. Considering uniform wear
 We know that, in case of uniform wear, the intensity of pressure
varies inversely with the distance.

the normal force acting on the ring,

the axial force acting on the ring,

Total axial load transmitted to the clutch,

Total frictional torque,
 for steady operation of the clutch and after the clutch is engaged,
we find that

 Then the normal pressure acting on the friction surface, can be written as

or

And also the Total frictional torque, may be written as

The above equations are valid for steady operation of the clutch and after
the clutch is engaged.
Example : An engine developing 45 kW at 1000 r.p.m. is fitted with a
cone clutch built inside the flywheel. The cone has a face angle of
12.5° and a maximum mean diameter of 500 mm. The coefficient of
friction is 0.2. The normal pressure on the clutch face is not to exceed
0.1 N/mm2. Determine :
1. the face width required, and
2. the axial spring force necessary to engage the clutch.
 Centrifugal Clutch
 It consists of a number of shoes on the inside of a rim of the
pulley.
 These shoes, which can move radially in guides, are held against
the boss (or spider) on the driving shaft by means of springs.
 When the centrifugal force exceeds the spring force, the shoe
moves outward and comes into contact with the driven member
and presses against it.
..\Animation How centrifugal clutch works. ✔.flv
 Design of a Centrifugal Clutch
 In designing a centrifugal clutch, it is required to determine the
weight of the shoe, size of the shoe and dimensions of the spring.

 the centrifugal force acting on each shoe

at the running speed,

 Since the speed at which the engagement begins to take place is generally
taken as 3/4th of the running speed,
 Therefore the inward force on each shoe exerted by the spring is given by
Net outward radial force (i.e. centrifugal force) with which the shoe
presses against the rim at the running speed

and the frictional force acting tangentially on each shoe,

Size of the shoes

Area of contact of the shoe

and the force with which the shoe presses against the rim

Since the force with which the shoe presses against the rim at the running
speed is (Pc – Ps),
therefore

Example: A centrifugal clutch is to be designed to transmit

15 kW at 900 r.p.m. The shoes are four in number. The
speed at which the engagement begins is 3/4th of the
running speed. The inside radius of the pulley rim is 150
mm. The shoes are lined with Ferrodo for which the
coefficient of friction may be taken as 0.25. Determine:
1. mass of the shoes, and 2. size of the shoes.(Assuming that r
= 120 mm)