Idler-wheel

Idler-wheel

An idler-wheel drive is a system used to transmit the rotation of the main shaft of a motor to another rotating device. For example the platter of a record-reproducing turntable or the crankshaft-to-camshaft gear train of an automobile.

An idler gear is a gear wheel that is inserted between two or more other gear wheels.

The purpose of an idler gear can be two-fold. Firstly, the idler gear will change the direction of rotation of the output shaft. Secondly, an idler gear can assist to reduce the size of the input/output gears whilst maintaining the spacing of the shafts.

An idler gear does not affect the gear ratio between the input and output shafts.Idler Gears

Note that in a sequence of gears chained together, the ratio depends only on the number of teeth on the first and last gear. The intermediate gears, regardless of their size, do not alter the overall gear ratio of the chain. But, of course, the addition of each intermediate gear reverses the direction of rotation of the final gear.

An intermediate gear which doesn't drive a shaft to perform any work is called an idler gear. Sometimes, a single idler gear is used to reverse the direction, in which case it may be referred to as a reverse idler. For instance, the typical automobile manual transmission engages reverse gear by means of inserting a reverse idler between two gears.

Idler gears can also transmit rotation among distant shafts in situations where it would be impractical to simply make the distant gears larger to bring them together. Not only do larger gears occupy more space, but the mass and rotational inertia (moment of inertia) of a gear is quadratic in the length of its radius. Instead of idler gears, of course, a toothed belt or chain can be used to transmit torque over distance.

A gear wheel placed between two other gears to transmit motion from one to the other. It does not alter the speed of the output, but it does alter the direction it turns. It is used to ensure that the rotation of two gears is the same. An idler gear is placed between two gears. The idler gear rotates in the opposite direction as the driver gear, and the follower gear rotates in the opposite direction of the idler, the same direction of the driver. It is also used to change the spacing between the input and output axles. It does not change the gear ratio between the input and output gears.All the gears and wheels that turn inside the treads of a battle tank are all idler gears that transfer power from the input gear to the output gear to move the tread and move the tank forward.The power take off mechanism includes a gear train with an input idler gear, a first intermediate idler gear, a second intermediate idler gear and an output gear. The input idler gear receives a rotary input and the first intermediate idler gear meshes with the input gear and the second intermediate idler gear. The output gears transmit rotary power to one of the first and second axles


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • idler wheel — noun also idle wheel : a wheel or roller used to transfer motion or to guide or support something: as a. : idler gear b. : idler pulley c. : a rubber surfa …   Useful english dictionary

  • idler wheel — noun Date: 1929 1. a wheel, gear, or roller used to transfer motion or to guide or support something 2. idler pulley …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • idler wheel — /ˈaɪdlə wil/ (say uydluh weel) noun 1. a cogwheel placed between two other cogwheels in order to transfer the motion of one to the other without changing the direction of rotation. 2. an idler pulley …  

  • Idler — An idler is a mechanical device such as an idler pulley or idler wheel that is secondary to the main transfer of power in a mechanical system. See also * Gear ratio * The Idler magazines and an essay collection entitled The Idler * …   Wikipedia

  • wheel — Synonyms and related words: BMOC, Charybdis, Ferris wheel, O, Procrustean bed, airscrew, alternate, annular muscle, annulus, areola, arsis, association, aureole, auto, avert, balance wheel, be here again, beat, bed of Procrustes, bevel gear,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • idler — [īd′lər, īd′ l ər] n. 1. a person who wastes time and does no work; lazy person 2. a gear placed between two others to transfer motion from one to the other without changing their direction or speed: also idler gear or wheel or idle wheel 3. a… …   English World dictionary

  • Idler — I dler, n. 1. One who idles; one who spends his time in inaction; a lazy person; a sluggard. [1913 Webster] 2. (Naut.) One who has constant day duties on board ship, and keeps no regular watch. Totten. [1913 Webster] 3. (Mach.) An idle wheel or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • wheel — n. circular rim or solid disc joined to a hub that turns 1) to spin; turn a wheel 2) to align; balance; rotate wheels (on a car) 3) a balance; driving; front; idler; mill; paddle; potter s; ratchet; rear; retractable; roulette; spinning;… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • Idler — Idle I dle, a. [Compar. {Idler}; superl. {Idlest}.] [OE. idel, AS. [=i]del vain, empty, useless; akin to OS. [=i]dal, D. ijdel, OHG. [=i]tal vain, empty, mere, G. eitel, Dan. & Sw. idel mere, pure, and prob. to Gr. ? clear, pure, ? to burn. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • idler — [1] A gearwheel between a driving and a driven gear in a gear train which may serve to reverse the original direction of rotation of the driven wheel. [2] A free turning pulley or wheel which serves to maintain tension in a belt drive. Also see… …   Dictionary of automotive terms

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”