Installation and Maintenance

Length dimesions The operating length of a universal shaft is determined by: the distance between the driving and the driven units the length compensation during operation The following abbreviations are used: Lz = Compressed length This is the shortest length of the shaft. A further compression is not possible. La = Length compensation The universal shaft can be expanded by this factor La is a constant factor for each universal shaft. An expansion beyond that factor is not permissible. Lz + La = Max. perm. operating length LBmax. During operation the universal shaft can be expanded up to this length. The optimum working length LB of a universal shaft is achieved if the length compensation is extracted by one-third of its length. This rough rule appiles to most of the arrangements. For applications where larger length alterations are expected the operating Iength should be chosen in such a way that the movement will be within the limit of the permissible length compensation. Arrangements of cardan shafts A tandem arrangement of universal shafts could become necessary to cope with greater installation lengths to by-pass construction units Basic forms of shaft combinations: Universal shaft with intermediate shaft Universal shaft with two intermediate shafts 2 universal shafts with double intermediate bearing In case of such arrangements the individual yoke positions and deflection angles are to be adjusted with regard to one another in such a way that the degree of non-uniformity (see "Installation conditions") and the reaction forces acting on the connection bearings (see "Load on connection bearings") are minimized.