A keyway is a longitudinal slot or notch usually milled into the outside of a cylindrical machine shaft, or into the inside hole of a pulley or gear, all of which indentations are intended to accept a small rectangular metal key or semi-circular bit of metal (known as a Woodruff key). This provides one way of locking pulleys, gears, and other parts to shafts so as to prevent relative angular movement, but either relative axial movement is allowed, or other means are needed to prevent relative axial movement. A "Scotch Key" also provides a keyway not by milling but by drilling axially into the part and the shaft, so that a round key can be used.
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