A worm gear consists of a worm wheel and a worm, which transfer energy in one direction and turn output power perpendicular to input power. Worm gears reduce gear size and modern versions are fully contained.
A worm wheel is one of two parts of a worm gear. These one-way gears are used to prevent energy from flowing backwards in a system and to turn the output power of a gear system perpendicular to the input power. Worm gears are also used to reduce the size of gears, as the worm can transfer energy to any size worm wheel. Historically, worm wheels were open for inspection and parts replacement, but modern worm wheels are usually part of a fully contained worm gear set.
The worm gear is a very simple gear that works on the same principle as a screw. The gear is made up of two parts, the worm wheel and the worm. The worm wheel looks a lot like a typical spur gear; it is round and covered with teeth. The worm is basically a headless screw. Each of these parts is connected to a shaft, so they are positioned so that the worm is flat on top of the worm wheel.
The energy is sent to the gear through the shaft connected to the worm. This spins the screw, just like a common household screw. Instead of screwing into a surface, the teeth rotate the worm wheel. This will turn the shaft connected to the worm wheel, transferring the system’s power output 90 degrees.
Worm gears have two properties that make them special. First, these gears only work in one direction. When the worm rotates, it will easily rotate the worm wheel, but the worm wheel cannot rotate the worm. The screw design makes wheel movement impossible and the gear locks instead of transferring power.
The second important factor concerns the size of the gear. In a mechanical system, the size of a gear, the speed at which it rotates, and the power it generates are all related. A worm gear is a form of reduction system. Since the size of the worm wheel is only important in relation to the size of the worm, its power can match that of a much larger gear.
Modern worm gears are generally totally contained devices. The two gears are placed inside a protective case. A permanent lubricant is pumped into the case and the whole thing is permanently sealed. The outside of the case has two small shafts which are used to connect to a larger machine.
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