A jaw coupling is a type of general purpose power transmission coupling that also can be used in motion control (servo) applications. It is made to transmit torque (by linking two shafts) while damping program vibrations and accommodating misalignment, which protects other parts from damage.
Jaw Couplings are among the first and even now most widely used elastomer couplings in the world due to their inherent simplicity. Two identical hubs with 3 encounter lugs are linked through a celebrity shaped element, sometimes referred to as an insert or spider. The 3 piece design makes them simple to work with and popular on applications such as pumps, followers, blowers and compressors.
Jaw Couplings need no lubrication and offer high dependability for light to medium duty applications with good alignment of equipment no requirement of torsional dampening.
In normal operating conditions there is no metal to metal contact therefore the life of the hubs is virtually indefinite. However, in a catastrophic failing of the component the load would still be carried by the hubs offering a amount of failure protection. Jaw couplings are resistant to essential oil, dirt, moisture and grease.
Specific element materials can be found to achieve maximum performance for the working conditions.
The standard element materials is NBR (N)-‘Synthetic Rubber’. It is highly flexible, essential oil resistant and the torsionally softest of the component options. It has a temperatures operating range suitable for most commercial applications and allows for up to 1 1 degree misalignment capacity of the connected shafts. NBR may be the most economically priced option.