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Jaw Couplings

Jaw Couplings

The paragraph below is copied from "Wikipedia" and serves as a reasonably complete and accurate description of couplings, in general, and the Jaw Coupling, specifically.



Jaw couplings are considered "fail-safe" because, should the elastomer fail or wear away, the jaw coupling hub teeth will mate, much like teeth on two gears, and continue to transmit torque. This may or may not be desirable to the user depending on the application.

Jaw couplings elastomers are wearing elements that do need to be inspected and replaced. Jaw coupling elastomers often have signature wear patterns, and failures can often be root caused based on the condition of the elastomer and hubs. Common failure causes include misalignment, over-torque, chemical exposure, temperature exposure, torsional vibrations, and hub failure.

Jaw couplings are available in both straight tooth jaw and curved jaw design. The straight tooth design enables elastomers to be attached and removed radially, including a "not fail-safe" jaw elastomer in-shear design. For the elastomer in-shear design, the coupling hub teeth are no longer inter-meshed, so an elastomer failure will result in no torque being transmitted. When used with a stiff elastomer, the curved jaw design can maintain a zero-backlash fit required for many motion control applications.

Zero-backlash curved jaw couplings are best suited for applications that rely on a stop-and-go type of movement, where accuracy needs to take place upon stopping in order to perform any number of precision tasks, such as taking a high resolution picture (machine visionsystem). Absorbing vibrations decreases the settling time the system needs, which increases through-put. The curved jaw coupling is less suited for applications that rely on a constant scanning type of motion, where accuracy is required during movement, which requires a torsionally stronger coupling.

Like other flexible couplings, jaw couplings are limited in the shaft misalignment that they can accommodate. Too much axial motion will cause the couplings to come apart, while too much angular or parallel misalignment will result in bearing loads that may lead to premature system wear or failure.

With its damping capability, interchangeable spiders, and wide variety of custom options, jaw couplings make a great solution for shock absorption and torque transmission in many applications."


One of the simplest, and least complex type of coupling, is the Jaw Coupling. It gets it's name from the shape of the mating pieces.

These couplings are heavily used in industry because of their simplicity, their cost, and their flexibility. In addition, they are found in numerous sizes from tiny sub-fractional capacity to massive, multi-horsepower behemoths rated at upwards of 4000HP @ 1750RPM (according to one manufacturer).

So depending on your actual application, A.R.&E. can assist you in the proper selection of a Jaw Type Coupling, if that's best, and supply it for you when you're ready to purchase.