Which arrangement provides angular misalignment between two shafts?

• A. Gear drive
• B. Universal joints
• C. Chain drive
• D. Belt drive

Answer: (B)

A universal joint is designed to connect two shafts that are not in a straight line while still transmitting torque between them. Its cross-and-yoke construction lets one shaft tilt relative to the other, so you can have angular misalignment between the shafts and the system continues to work. As the input shaft rotates, the joint flexes to keep the output shaft turning at an angle, though the speed will vary with the angle.

In contrast, a gear drive assumes aligned axes for proper meshing of teeth; misalignment would cause binding and gear damage. Chain and belt drives are set up for parallel shafts and rely on tensioning and alignment to function reliably; they don’t provide the same angular accommodation as a universal joint.