A recent trend has been a movement to more user friendly products in the mechanical power transmission
industry. One of these more user friendly styles is a high horsepower, right angle shaft mounted drive designed
to minimize installation efforts. Commonly referred to as an alignment free type, it allows the drive package
mounting to be quicker, more cost effective, and require less expertise during installation. This facilitates the
use of the drive in applications, such as in underground mining, where there is lttle room to maneuver parts.
The most common application for the alignment free style drive is for powering bulk material handling belt
conveyors.
An alignment free drive is direct coupled to the driven shaft only; it is not firmly attached to a foundation or rigid
structure. A connecting link or torque arm connects the drive to a fixed structure, which limits the drive’s
rotational movement about the driven shaft. The electric motor is supported by the reducer housing through a
fabricated steel motor adapter; the coupling connecting the motor shaft and reducer shaft is enclosed by this
motor adapter.