Universal joints are used to connect shafts with angular misalignment. Commonly Gear divided two basic types of universal joints for a wide variety of applications:• Center block and pin type (See Figure 1.31)
– "J" Series – medium carbon alloy steel
– "JS" Series – stainless steel
• BOS-trong (See Figure 1.32)
– Uses needle bearings for heavier duty applications
– Made in two basic sizes with a variety of hub diameters and shapes
– Have keyway and set screw
Now that we have learned about some components
– gears, bearings, pillow blocks, couplings, and universal joints
– that make up a Gear power transmission drive or system, it is time to move on to a more detailed look at these and many more system components.
While the information might seem difficult at first, your understanding of the material will be greatly enhanced if you actively refer to your Glossary of Terms – and your Gear catalogs – along the way. One of the most helpful sections in the catalogs is the Index to Catalog Numbers, found at the back of the Bearings and Gears catalogs. Here you will find an identification number for every product in the catalogs – listed in both numerical and alphabetical order – along with the page number where the product appears in the catalog. When anyone gives you a catalog number, or when your need to know the specifications of a gear, just check the number stamped on the gear (or its nameplate) and then check out the index for the corresponding catalog page number. It’s that easy.
In checking the catalogs, you will also note that there are many other components (such as enclosed gear drives and a complete line of variable speed control systems) that you can select as part of a complete Gear power transmission
“package.” All of these components will be covered in detail later in our Gearology course. So let’s get started, beginning with the most basic of gears: the spur gear.
