MECC484 ME

COMPREHENSIVE COURSE 2
Mentor: Engr. Danielle D. Cabaña, MEng.
CEA – Mechanical Engineering
Cebu Institute of Technology - University
 TOPIC 7
DESIGN OF KEYS AND
COUPLINGS
 Introduction
A key is a piece of mild steel inserted between the shaft and hub or
boss of the pulley to connect these together in order to prevent relative
motion between them. It is always inserted parallel to the axis of the
shaft. Keys are used as temporary fastenings and are subjected to
considerable crushing and shearing stresses. A keyway is a slot or
recess in a shaft and hub of the pulley to accommodate a key.
Keyway, key and keyseat
 Types of Keys
The following types of keys are important from the subject point of view :
1. Sunk keys, 2. Saddle keys, 3. Tangent keys,
4. Round keys, and 5. Splines.
 Sunk Keys
1. Rectangular keys. A rectangular sunk key is shown in the figure. The
usual proportions of this key are
2. Square sunk key. The only difference between a rectangular sunk key
and a square sunk key is that its width and thickness are equal.
3. Parallel sunk key. The parallel sunk keys may be of rectangular or
square section uniform in width and thickness throughout. It may be
noted that a parallel key is a taperless and is used where the pulley, gear
or other mating piece is required to slide along the shaft.

Parallel sunk key

4. Gib-head key. It is a rectangular sunk key with a head at one end
known as gib head. It is usually provided to facilitate the removal of
key.

The usual proportions of the gib head key are:

Width, w = d / 4 ; and thickness at large end, t = 2w / 3 = d / 6
5. Feather key. A key attached to one member of a pair and which
permits relative axial movement is known as feather key. It is a special
type of parallel key which transmits a turning moment and also
permits axial movement. It is fastened either to the shaft or hub, the
key being a sliding fit in the keyway of the moving piece.

The feather key may be screwed to the shaft as shown in the figure (a) or it
may have double gib heads as shown in (b). The various proportions of a
feather key are same as that of rectangular sunk key and gib head key.
6. Woodruff key. The woodruff key is an easily adjustable key. It is a
piece from a cylindrical disc having segmental cross-section in front
view as shown.
 IS: Proportions of standard
parallel, tapered and gib head keys
Inch Dimensions for
Some Standard
Square and
Rectangular-Key
Applications

Source: Joseph E. Shigley,

“Unthreaded Fasteners,”
Chap. 24 in Joseph E. Shigley,
Charles R. Mischke, and
Thomas H. Brown, Jr. (eds.),
Standard Handbook of
Machine Design, 3rd ed.,
McGraw-Hill, New York, 2004.
Dimensions of Woodruff
Keys—Inch Series
Sizes of Woodruff
Keys Suitable for
Various Shaft
Diameters
 Saddle Key
The saddle keys are of the following two types :
1. Flat saddle key, and 2. Hollow saddle key.
1. A flat saddle key is a taper key which fits in a keyway in the hub and is flat on
the shaft. It is likely to slip round the shaft under load. Therefore, it is used for
comparatively light loads.
2. A hollow saddle key is a taper key which fits in a keyway in the hub and the
bottom of the key is shaped to fit the curved surface of the shaft.
 Tangent Keys
The tangent keys are fitted in pair at right angles as shown in the figure. Each
key is to withstand torsion in one direction only. These are used in large
heavy-duty shafts.
 Round Keys
The round keys, as shown in the figure (a), are circular in section and fit into
holes drilled partly in the shaft and partly in the hub. They have the advantage
that their keyways may be drilled and reamed after the mating parts have been
assembled. Round keys are usually considered to be most appropriate for low
power drives.
 Splines

Sometimes, keys are made integral with the

shaft which fits in the keyways broached in
the hub. Such shafts are known as splined
shafts as shown in the figure. These shafts
usually have four, six, ten or sixteen
splines. The splined shafts are relatively
stronger than shafts having a single
keyway.
 Forces acting on a Sunk Key
Forces (F1) due to fit of the key in its keyway, as in a tight fitting straight key
or in a tapered key driven in place. These forces produce compressive stresses
in the key which are difficult to determine in magnitude.
Forces (F) due to the torque transmitted by the shaft. These forces produce
shearing and compressive (or crushing) stresses in the key.
Strength of a Sunk Key
Considering shearing of the key, the tangential shearing force acting at the
circumference of the shaft,

Considering crushing of the key, the tangential crushing force acting at the
circumference of the shaft,

Torque transmitted by the shaft,

The key is equally strong in shearing and crushing, if

In order to find the length of the key to transmit full power of the shaft, the
shearing strength of the key is equal to the torsional shear strength of the
shaft.
 Shaft Coupling
Shafts are usually available up to 7 meters length due to
inconvenience in transport. In order to have a greater length, it
becomes necessary to join two or more pieces of the shaft by means of
a coupling.
 Other purpose of shaft coupling

✓To provide for the connection of

shafts of units that are manufactured
separately such as a motor and
generator and to provide for
disconnection for repairs or
alternations.
✓To provide for misalignment of the
shafts or to introduce mechanical
flexibility.
✓Toreduce the transmission of shock
loads from one shaft to another.
✓To introduce protection against
overloads.
✓It should have no projecting parts.
 Requirements of a Good Shaft Coupling
A good shaft coupling should have
the following requirements :
1. It should be easy to connect or
disconnect.
2. It should transmit the full power
from one shaft to the other shaft
without losses.
3. It should hold the shafts in perfect
alignment.
4. It should reduce the transmission
of shock loads from
one shaft to another shaft.
5. It should have no projecting parts.
 Types of Shafts Couplings
1. Rigid coupling. It is used to connect two shafts which are perfectly
aligned. Following types of rigid coupling are important from the
subject point of view :
(a) Sleeve or muff coupling.
(b) Clamp or split-muff or compression coupling, and
(c) Flange coupling.

Sleeve or muff Split-muff Flange

 2. Flexible coupling. It is used to connect two shafts having both
lateral and angular misalignment. Following types of flexible coupling
are important from the subject point of view :
(a) Bushed pin type coupling,
(b) Universal coupling, and
(c) Oldham coupling.

Bushed pin type Universal Oldham

 Flange Coupling

A flange coupling usually

applies to a coupling having
two separate cast iron
flanges. Each flange is
mounted on the shaft end
and keyed to it. The faces are
turned up at right angle to
the axis of the shaft. One of
the flange has a projected
portion and the other flange
has a corresponding recess.

Unprotected type cast iron flange couplings

If d is the diameter of the shaft or inner diameter of the hub, then
Outside diameter of hub,
D=2d
Length of hub,
L = 1.5 d
Pitch circle diameter of bolts,
D1 = 3d
Outside diameter of flange,
D2 = D1 + (D1 – D) = 2 D1 – D = 4 d
Thickness of flange,
tf = 0.5 d
Number of bolts = 3, for d up to 40 mm
= 4, for d up to 100 mm
= 6, for d up to 180 mm
 Design of Flange Coupling
Taking the following:
1. Design for hub. The hub is designed by considering
it as a hollow shaft, transmitting the same torque (T) as
that of a solid shaft.

The outer diameter of hub is usually taken as twice the

diameter of shaft. Therefore, from the above relation, the
induced shearing stress in the hub may be checked.
The length of hub (L) = 1.5 d.
2. Design for key. The key is designed with usual
proportions and then checked for shearing and crushing
stresses. The material of key is usually the same as that of
shaft. The length of key is taken equal to the length of hub.
3. Design for flange. The flange at the junction of the hub is under shear
while transmitting the torque. Therefore, the torque transmitted,
T = Circumference of hub × Thickness of flange × Shear stress of flange × Radius of
hub

The thickness of flange is usually taken as half the diameter of shaft.

4. Design for bolts. The bolts are subjected to shear stress due to the torque
transmitted. The number of bolts (n) depends upon the diameter of shaft and the
pitch circle diameter of bolts (D1) is taken as 3d.
and torque transmitted,

From this equation, the diameter of bolt (d1) may be

obtained. Now the diameter of bolt may be checked in
crushing.

Torque is,