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The wheel and axle is a simple machine, consisting of a wheel attached to a smaller axle so that these two parts rotate together, in which a force is transferred from one to the other. The wheel and axle can be viewed as a version of the Lever , with a drive force applied tangentially to the perimeter of the wheel, and a load force applied to ...
An early wheel made of a solid piece of wood. A wheel is a rotating component (typically circular in shape) that is intended to turn on an axle bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction with axles, allow heavy objects to be moved easily facilitating ...
A pinwheel is a simple child's toy made of a wheel of paper or plastic curls attached at its axle to a stick by a pin. It is designed to spin when blown upon by a person or by the wind . It is a predecessor to the more complex whirligigs .
Simple machines are elementary examples of kinematic chains that are used to model mechanical systems ranging from the steam engine to robot manipulators. The bearings that form the fulcrum of a lever and that allow the wheel and axle and pulleys to rotate are examples of a kinematic pair called a hinged joint. Similarly, the flat surface of an ...
In this method, simple casting and a special rolling machine are used to construct wheels. The desired wheel is molded by heating its outer portion, with pressure provided by spinning the unfinished wheel, and sculpting the wheel using specialized rollers. This method creates a wheel similar in quality to forged wheels, but at a lower cost.
The drive axle may be a live axle, but modern rear-wheel drive automobiles generally use a split axle with a differential. In this case, one half-axle or half-shaft connects the differential with the left rear wheel, a second half-shaft does the same with the right rear wheel; thus the two half-axles and the differential constitute the rear ...
A relatively simple design of differential is used in rear-wheel drive vehicles, whereby a ring gear is driven by a pinion gear connected to the transmission. The functions of this design are to change the axis of rotation by 90 degrees (from the propshaft to the half-shafts) and provide a reduction in the gear ratio .
It seems the basic definition of a wheel and axle as a simple machine comes from its use in lifting machines to provide leverage to wind up ropes. While this is technically the source of the term, many also refer to gears as wheels and axle simple machines, while at the same time not calling wheels alone simple machines.