A pinion shaft is the primary driving element in most gear sets, transferring input from a drive shaft or crank to produce work. It can transfer motion to linear or right angle bevel gear sets. Pinion shafts and drive gears are typically one-piece steel assemblies and may pass through pillow block bearings and have an output seal. They are usually short and equipped with one or more gears. In some gear designs, the shaft will go through a bearing or bushing, and in sealed gearboxes, it will be fitted with an oil seal.
A pinion shaft is the primary driving element of most gear sets. The shaft transfers input from a drive shaft or crank to the rest of the gears to produce the work for which the gear train is designed. A pinion shaft can transfer this driving motion to a linear gear set or a right angle bevel gear set, such as a vehicle differential. Pinion shafts and associated drive gears are typically one-piece assemblies machined from a single piece of steel. Pinion shafts can pass through several pillow block bearings along their paths and will generally have an output seal in applications involving oil filled gearboxes.
Most gear sets transfer a mechanical rotational input into increased or decreased speed or torque output. They also allow you to adjust the direction of the input to drive elements at right angles. Most input drive is provided by a drive shaft or crank mechanism. Common examples of these inputs include the drive shaft and differential of an automobile and the drive mechanism of a fishing reel. Both take input from the drive shaft or reel crank and transmit rotational motion to a set of gears via a pinion shaft. The pinion shaft, therefore, forms the first stage of the gear train.
Pinion shafts are usually equipped with one or more gears that transfer drive input to the rest of the gear set. Most of the shafts and pinion gears are one-piece pieces machined from a single billet of steel. This increases the strength of the shaft and its resultant ability to absorb the large torque applied thereto during operation. Unfortunately, it usually means that a worn or broken sprocket requires both the gear and shaft to be replaced.
These shafts are typically quite short, covering only the gap between the gearbox input and the first few gears of the train. In some gear designs, the shaft will go through a bearing or bushing which supports the shaft and reduces friction. In sealed gearboxes that operate in an oil bath, the pinion shaft will be fitted with an oil seal where it exits the gearbox. Simpler open drives, such as manual openers and pump cranks, have exposed pinion-gear shaft assemblies that rely on manual spot lubrication. In some gear trains, the pinion-gear shaft assembly will be made of a harder material than the gears it drives, as gearbox ratios mean they experience higher gear tooth contact speeds.
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