A New Key and Keyway Design

Abstract

A review of the history of the analysis of torsionally induced shaft stresses due to the inclusion of an empty keyway, or keyseat, is given with emphasis placed upon experimentally measured values. More realistic stresses recently found by photoelastic analysis of a shaft in which the keyways were not empty are then presented. A new, patented (U.S. Patent 3 920 343, Nov. 18, 1975 assigned to the U.S.), and operating key and keyway design which resulted from these tests, wherein the twisting forces were actually applied through the keys, is described toward the close of the paper.