A working end of a rotary shaft extends through a bearing supported at a distal end of a cantilever housing, the shaft's working end being subjected to transverse loading. The bending stiffness of the system is matched so that the angular deflection of the shaft and supporting cantilever housing are coordinated to minimize angular misalignment at the bearing. A cantilever system provides for apparatus and methodology demonstrating arrangements characterized by an operational ease for submersion of the working end in a fluid and ease of access to the bearing. Mitigation of misalignment enables the use of radial bearings.

A power transmission system for a wind turbine includes a main shaft configured to be driven by the rotor about a main axis, a support structure including at least one bearing supporting the main shaft for rotation about the main axis, and a gearbox having a gearbox housing rigidly coupled to the support structure and a gearbox input member coupled to the main shaft. The gearbox housing supports the gearbox input member for rotation about the main axis, and the gearbox input member is coupled to the main shaft with a translational degree of freedom along the main axis and rotational degrees of freedom about axes perpendicular to the main axis. The main shaft is coupled to the gearbox input member by a flexible coupling positioned at least partially within the main shaft. The flexible coupling may be positioned entirely within the main shaft.