worm wheel

8.4

A gear that fits with a screw-shaped gear to turn movement at a right angle

noun

Specialized

: rueda de gusano

The technician replaced the damaged worm wheel to ensure the machine operated smoothly.

Examples

So this is the little worm wheel for the timer worm wheel to feed this one going down there and that goes straight through there.
In fact, it's worn the same sort of shape as the worm wheel, meaning that the teeth are going down towards this bit here.
In the mechanical design, the worm wheel is crucial for changing the direction of motion.
To reduce friction, the engineer selected a high-quality material for the worm wheel.

Synonyms

gearwheel

vsworm wheel

4.2

A round wheel with teeth that makes another wheel turn in a machine

is the specific circular part that meshes with a threaded shaft at right angles

gear wheel

vsworm wheel

Specialized

3.5

A round wheel with teeth that fits together with another wheel to move parts or change speed

is the specific circular part that meshes with a threaded shaft at right angles

Surface Forms

worm wheel singular

worm wheels plural

Morphology

worm + wheel

The compound is a literal, compositional naming: 'worm' (a screw-like gear) + 'wheel' (a rotating gear) yields a wheel that meshes with a worm. Although it is a technical mechanical term, the meaning follows straightforward noun–noun modification and is directly inferable from the constituent meanings.

Etymology

Worm wheel gives a simple image: a worm is a screw-shaped gear that wraps around a wheel, and the wheel is the gear the worm turns. That's why the name means the gear that works with a worm to change the direction of movement.