A gearbox is a container that houses gears in a machine, often found in heavy-duty machines and even small appliances. It contains lubricating oil and seals to prevent oil from leaking out. An automobile transmission is a well-known type of gearbox, while some types use a chain and sprockets. Even wristwatches contain gears and interlocking mechanisms within their casing.
A gearbox is a container that houses gears in a machine. Constructed of cast aluminum and steel, this housing is strong enough to prevent the drive gears from misaligning with the others inside. The bearings and gears operate within the gearbox, which is filled with lubricating oil and seals to prevent oil from leaking out of the gearbox around the input and output shafts.
Many of the machines that contain a gearbox are heavy-duty machines, such as large-scale earthmoving machines and cranes. Some smaller machines found within a home or office may also contain a gearbox. A microwave oven may have a gearbox to house the mechanism that drives the turntable within the oven. A blender has a gearbox that provides the different speeds at which it can operate. Most machines that use a motor of any kind will contain at least one gearbox or box inside.
An automobile transmission is perhaps the best known type of gearbox. Inside the transmission are many interlocking gears that mesh to change the level of power the car will produce and run with. In the lowest gear, the transmission produces the most power, but requires the engine to run at maximum revolutions per minute (RPM). As the transmission shifts into higher gear, usually overdrive, the gearing allows the engine to run at a lower or reduced RPM while driving the vehicle up to a higher speed.
Some types of gearboxes use a chain and sprockets to supply power to a part of the machine. In the transfer case of many four-wheel drive vehicles, a chain is used to drive the gears that send power to the front and rear axles. The chain allows the gears to run much quieter than a full gear drive and also uses fewer parts to achieve the same result as a full gear type case.
A very simple example of a gearbox that is often overlooked is the common wristwatch or watch. The casing of these instruments contains a multitude of gears and interlocking mechanisms, all of which are contained within the casing or case. By using brass gears, as well as self-lubricating plastic and other metal parts, these boxes can operate with minimal lubrication inside the box.
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