Elastic coupling
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Dr. Ing. Leonhard Geislinger invented the Elastic coupling in 1958. Originally it was a side product of the development for thermo-pneumatic locomotives, but unlike the trains, it was a big success.
The function principle is targeted for longest lifetime and minimized maintenance, resulting in full steel design and highest manufacturing quality.
It connects the engine with the driven unit, transmits the torque, allows misalignments between the shafts, moves resonances and dampens vibrations.
The coupling primarily consists of three main parts:
- the primary section
- the steel spring packs
- the secondary section
The whole coupling is filled with pressurized oil, which is responsible for lubrication, damping and cooling. The oil is generally supplied from the engine via a drilling in the crankshaft.
[edit] Function
The primary part is mounted to the drive side, the secondary section is connected with the driven side. Between these, the steel spring packs are mounted, the outer end to the primary section, the inner side is guided in groovings in secondary part. In case of torque irregularities caused by misfireings in the engine or vibrations caused from a propeller (in ship applications), a relative movement between inner and outer part occurs. This movement leads to an elastic deformation of the leaf springs, which push oil from one chamber to the other. This causes hydraulic friction and thus is responsible for damping the vibrations. The damping can be adjusted independently from the stiffness via the damping gaps.
Advantages:
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- High damping
- Wide range of stiffness variation, stiffness and damping adjustable independent to each other
- Technical data remain unchanged during lifetime
- High permissible torques (up to 6500 kNM) and vibratory torques
- Unaffected by hot and oily environment
- Compact design
- No ageing
