Rack And Pinion Gear Design
Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:56:00 +0000
Understanding Gear Design For Beginners
Understanding Gear Design For Beginners
By Ajeet Khurana
Gears are everywhere, often hidden amongst the inner workings of highly advanced machinery or simple items whose use and operation we take for granted. A gear is a component that transmits force from a power source to a device. In a very simple design the power source turns the gear, which links to another gear or to a device through teeth, or "cogs", that mesh together, thereby transferring the power of the original source onward.
A well-known example of a gear in action would be a water wheel on a mill. The energy source in this instance is the water, which turns the gear (the water wheel), the water wheel has a shaft transferring that energy to another gear, on the opposite end, meshed to a second gear which drives the mill stone.
The most advantageous feature of the gear is that gears of unequal sizes can be combined to produce increased or decreased speed or torque, as the mechanical operation requires. This is what is known as creating a mechanical advantage. This change in the power of the original source of energy is known as the gear ratio and is determined by the change in size from one gear to another.
There are a number of different designs for gears. A spur gear is the most basic design. In this design the teeth of the connecting gears are straight and contact each other at the same time. While this can supply a great deal of force and energy transfer, it tends to great very loud operations and high amounts of stress on the gears.
Other types of gears have been developed to serve particular purposes. Helical gears employ a more gradual engagement of the teeth, which creates a smoother operation. Bevel gears are most useful for changing the direction of a shafts rotation. Hypoid gears are used in order to change the axes on which the opposing shafts operate. Worm gears are extremely efficient in creating large gear reductions.
The versatility of gears is nearly unlimited. Gears can be used to coordinate multiple shafts to run at equal speeds in the same or opposite directions or to run at varying speeds. Gear sizes can be manipulated to create high torque, or high speeds, beyond the direct power of the original energy source.
The use of gears can be seen in a variety of applications. Gears, of course, are used to convert the power from a car motor to the torque and force used to propel the vehicle. Rack and pinion gears are used in the steering systems of vehicles. Gears are used to operate conveyor belts and to turn the rotors of helicopters and can be found in simple items like a household scale.
Based off of one of man's earliest technological achievements, the wheel, gears are now used to harness the energy of any number of power sources. Continuous advances in the implementation and design of gears enable humankind to reach ever-higher levels of achievement, simplify work and create all manner of labor saving devices.
The new C4 generation of Corvettes was the 1984 Corvette. For the first time in 15 years General Motors totally redesigned the Corvette. The mission statement “form follows function” by chief engineers and designers Jerry Palmer and David R. McClellan. Even though, this statement was followed in the past, the new generation had to prove to be worth the wait.
So that fans could have 30 year anniversary model the 1984 Corvette was meant to come out in 1983 but there were snags and glitches that delayed production. The new generation would not go into production until March 1983 which meant it would not be released until 1984. However, the 1984 Corvette was worth the wait.
Other than the engine there was nothing in the design from top down in the 1984 Corvette from the Shark area. The new features in the 1984 Corvette include:
Improved Frame: Chevrolet and the 1984 Corvette made history incorporating the first ever uni-frame, or ‘birdcage’ frame.
Improved Steering: The 1984 Corvette featured rack-and-pinion steering design as opposed to the past recirculating-ball steering that General Motors typically used at the time.
Improved Suspension: The 1984 Corvette featured a Z51 Performance Handling Package. This package included 13.0:1 quick-ratio steering, heavy-duty shocks, and upgraded front and rear springs. The new Corvette also featured Formula 1 and Indy Car racing inspired V-Rated tires for a better overall grip.
Improved Braking: A new design of 11.5 inch rotors made their way onto the 1984 Corvette. These rotors were a special design from the company Girlock.
Improved Hood: The 1984 Corvette saw the birth of the clam-shell hood which made access to the engine much easier than previous models.
Improved Trunk: The 1984 Corvette had a bigger back piece of glass that opened as a hatch to give way to a much roomier trunk.
Improved Top: The new Corvette brought the first targa top with no centerline reinforcement for the muscle car.
Improved Transmission: The 1984 Corvette had a new four speed automatic transmission like no one had ever known before. Dubbed the ‘4+3,’ the new transmission was basically a regular four speed transmission with three planetary gears attached to the rear which acted as a step down or overdrive reduction in the top three gears when signaled by the computer.
Even though the engine was a carryover from the 1982 model, the 1984 Corvette was able to put out five additional horsepower and five additional foot pounds of torque thanks to a more efficient radiator fan and accessory drive. The 5.7-liter 350 V-8 featured twin throttle-body electronic fuel injection and ‘CrossFire’ manifolding with dual ram-air intakes.
The official unveiling of the 1984 Corvette was done in the early spring of 1983. The new generation of Corvette came out to much herald acclaim by both enthusiasts and critics alike and thanks to an extra long model year the 1984 Corvette saw 51,547 units sell which represented the second highest in Corvette history. While it took a long time for General Motors to create another generation of Corvette it seems that the wait was more than worth it.
For additional info or questions in regards to 1984 Corvette please visit the Smokinvette Group at www.smokinvette.com
Tags: 1984 Corvette, Cars, CorvettesRelated posts
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