Shaft Collar

Ruland shaft collars are offered in multiple styles to fit shafts ranging from 1/8" to 6" in the inch series and 3mm to 80mm in the metric series, in a variety of materials and finishes. Collars are stamped with the Ruland name and the bore size for easy identification.

Extra steps are taken in the manufacture of Ruland shaft collars to provide important performance benefits. For example, Ruland collars are single point faced (indicated by the circular groove on the face) during the boring operation to insure perpendicularity of the face to the bore. Perpendicularity is important for alignment when collars are used as a bearing face, a mechanical stop, or for mounting other components.

One-piece clamp style collars wrap around the shaft for even distribution of clamping forces. This results in a tight fit and greater holding power, without the shaft damage caused by set screws. Ruland uses carefully selected materials and proprietary processes to ensure that the clamping gap remains open for simpler and more precise adjustment, installation and fit.

Two-piece clamp style collars offer the same benefits of the one-piece clamp collars with additional versatility and convenience. They are easily disassembled, reducing labor and downtime when adjustment, removal or replacement is necessary. Ruland keeps both halves of its two-piece collars together throughout the manufacturing process to assure a perfect match for proper fit, holding power and alignment.

One- and two-piece threaded collars share the same quality and benefits of their smooth bore counterparts, as well as providing additional features. Threaded collars provide axial holding power which is superior to smooth bore collars, while offering easier installation and adjustment than solid ring locking devices. A diverse list of thread diameters and pitches, including locknut threads, are offered. Ruland threaded collars are double tapped to insure precise and burr-free threads.

Set screw collars are most effective when used on a shaft made of a material that is softer than the set screw. Ruland set screw collars are furnished exclusively with forged socket set screws for greater torque capacity and improved holding power. Forging of the stainless steel set screws has the additional benefit of work hardening, which results in stainless steel with elevated hardness and performance.

Rigid Coupling

Ruland rigid shaft couplings are available in one- and two-piece designs, with and without keyways, in aluminum, carbon steel, and stainless steel. A large number of standard sizes are available in straight and step bore combinations to fit shafts ranging from 1/8" to 2" in the inch series and from 3mm to 50mm in the metric series. Inch to metric conversion couplings are also available by special order. Shaft couplings are stamped with the Ruland name and the bore sizes for easy identification.

One-piece rigid couplings wrap around the shaft providing high torsional holding power without the shaft damage and fretting inherent when set screw style couplings are used. Two-piece styles have the additional benefits of allowing for disassembly and maintenance without removal of other components. Two-piece couplings also feature opposing hardware for dynamic balancing.

Extra steps are taken in the manufacture of rigid couplings to provide important performance benefits. As one of these steps, the bores of Ruland straight bore couplings are precision honed. Honing of the bores provides several benefits that enhance the overall performance of the coupling. Applications that require strict control of shaft alignment benefit greatly from honing, which assures both bores are collinear. Honing also corrects any residual distortions caused by stresses introduced during the manufacturing process, resulting in a round, precisely sized bore. Proper sizing and geometry assures a large percentage of shaft contact and greater torque transmission ability.

Rigid couplings are supplied with Ruland's unique Nypatch® socket head cap screws for increased performance and reliability. Nypatch® is a proprietary process that involves depositing a 360 degree coating of Nylon on several threads of the socket head cap screws. This coating is designed to reduce screw vibration, which can cause the screws to loosen and torque transmission ability to diminish during the course of normal use. The Nylon also provides the necessary dissimilar material to reduce galling of the screw threads in stainless steel couplings.

The benefits of rigid couplings include their economy, high torque capacity, and zero-backlash. They are suitable for applications when misalignment is neither present nor desired, including connecting line-shafting and attaching a motor to a gearbox. Rigid couplings are increasingly being used in precision motion control applications with properly aligned components.

Shaft Collars and Rigid Couplings:

Steel: 12L14 or 1215 bar

Aluminum: 2024-T351 bar

Stainless Steel: 18-8 (type 303) austenitic, non-magnetic bar

Plastic: Delrin 150E (white)