worm gear
1
6.1
- noun
- /wɜrm ɡɪr/
- Specialized
:
engranaje de tornillo
- Two new sizes have been added to the Flowserve Limitorque PT series of worm gear operators.
- stainless-steel worm gear
- worm gear drive
- steel worm gear
Examples
-
To achieve precise movements, the engineers designed the device with a dual worm gear mechanism.
-
OK, so you've got the worm gear against this gear.
-
This is a right angle worm gear driven gearbox.
-
A worm-gear drive rotary table has a 90:1 gear reduction.
Academic text (1993) -
The worm gear is attached to a ball nut fitted with recirculating steel balls that make translating contact with the ball screw.
Academic text (2004) -
As one turns the horizontally mounted worm shaft, sliding contact is made with a worm gear inside the actuator housing.
Academic text (2004) -
The high-tensile bronze worm gear and stainless-steel worm are supported by tapered roller bearings and seals to prevent loss of lubrication.
Academic text (1996) -
The machine operates smoothly due to its efficient worm gear system.
-
In this assembly, the worm gear converts the rotary motion into linear movement effectively.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is a simple modifier+head noun where 'worm' (a screw-like gear) specifies the type of 'gear' (toothed wheel), so the overall meaning — a gear that uses a worm — is directly derived from the constituents. This is a literal, technical composition rather than idiomatic or metaphorical, so a learner who knows both words can infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Worm gear gets its name from a 'worm' image: one part is a screw-shaped piece, the worm, that fits into the teeth of a wheel called the worm wheel. That's why a worm gear is used to change the direction of movement and to give slow, strong, and exact control.