Spring couplings absorb and redirect energy between drive and driven systems, reducing vibration and increasing their lifespan. Couplings are used to combat misalignment and change the way power travels between shafts. Springs absorb and store energy, releasing it when uncoiled. Spring joints maintain driven speed by stretching or shortening the spring to absorb or transfer power.
A spring coupling is a method used to alleviate irregularities in the power sent between a drive system and a driven system. These systems rely on springs to absorb and redirect energy between two systems. When an irregularity occurs, instead of one side of the two systems jerking the other to match its speed, the spring will absorb most of the impact and allow the system to equalize time. The use of a spring joint drastically reduces vibration and increases the life of both systems.
A mate is a method of connecting two trees. In general, using a coupling is superior to just using a longer shaft for two reasons: It’s easier to align the shafts and change the connection. When two systems are put into a larger machine, the shafts won’t always line up perfectly; this is especially true as the machine works over time. To combat misalignment and prevent damage to the shaft, the shafts are connected in a way that gives a little more freedom to the systems.
In addition to freedom, joints are used to change the way power travels from shaft to shaft. In some cases, such as cars, this allows the shaft to change directional rotation. Other systems, such as a spring coupling, are used to change horsepower as it moves from one system to another.
Springs absorb and store energy. When the spring is tightening, it is absorbing power, which it releases when it is uncoiled; basically, shortened springs hold power and lengthened springs transfer it. For this reason, springs are used in a variety of manufacturing processes and types of machinery to store or release energy at specific times. For example, a car’s springs reduce the impacts caused by bumps and potholes in the road by absorbing most of the force and slowly releasing it.
This principle extends to the spring joint. When a drive system rotates a shaft, a spring coupling absorbs power and releases it to a connected system. If everything works correctly, the coupling is releasing exactly the same amount of power as it is drawing, meaning that the coupling is simply linking systems together rather than transferring or absorbing power.
If something goes wrong in the system, the spring joint kicks in. Fluctuations in the power sent by the drive system will cause its coupling end to move faster or slower than the end connected to the driven shaft. If the shaft slows down, the change in speed causes the spring to stretch, transferring more power and maintaining the driven speed. As the drive shaft accelerates, the speed difference shortens the spring as it absorbs the additional power. In both cases, the spring slowly returns to its normal shape as it discharges power into the connected systems.
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