A worm gear motor consists of a threaded gear, an interlocking gear wheel, and a motor. It amplifies the rotational force of the motor and is used in heavy industry, transportation, and small tools. The force required to drive the wheel depends on various factors, and the motor needs frequent lubrication. It is self-locking and used in elevators and escalators. Small plastic motors of this type power small toys, and tuning pegs of stringed musical instruments have a worm drive.
A worm gear motor consists of three parts: a threaded gear formed like a screw, an interlocking gear wheel, and a motor to drive the gear. The worm gear translates torque from the motor, driving it onto a shaft attached to the wheel. Although the rotational speed of the shaft is slower than that of the gear, its torque is higher and the motor does not have to work as hard to produce it. Consequently, a worm gear motor amplifies the rotational force of the motor driving the gear. The application spectrum for these motors extends from heavy industry and shipping to fine tuning for musical instruments and toys.
The force required to drive the wheel of a worm gear motor depends on a number of factors, including the diameters of the wheel and worm, the number of threads in the worm, their angle of inclination, and the number of teeth in the wheel. The efficiency of the gear motor and its rotational speed are affected by the friction generated at the interface of the gear and the wheel, therefore a worm gear motor needs to be lubricated frequently. It is self-locking; that is, the gear cannot be driven by turning the wheel if this friction is too great. The angle of inclination of the wires is the main determinant of this friction.
Heavy uses for these engines include presses and rolling mills used in the steel industry as well as ship propellers and rudders. Elevator and escalator manufacturers use self-locking worm gear motors to drive the devices due to the amount of torque they generate and also because they cannot be reversed. In transportation engineering, such a motor is used to drive conveyors in automobiles, aircraft, and other factories that have assembly lines.
Smaller tools, appliances and toys can also be powered by a worm gear motor. A worm gear circular saw is the tool of choice for builders and carpenters working in heavy construction due to the extra cutting power it provides, and home mixers use a worm gear motor to reduce their power requirements. Anyone familiar with the workings of a music box will recognize the operation of the manual worm gear motor that drives it, and small plastic motors of this type often power small toys. Additionally, the tuning pegs of stringed musical instruments such as guitars, banjos, and mandolins have a worm drive that allows the player to precisely tune the instrument with minimal force.
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