Rack and Pinion Gears

Rack and Pinion Gears are another variety of Spur Gears. Actually a Rack is defined as a straight bar that has teeth which are cut straight and across. Basically, The Rack is considered as a spur gear that is unrolled and laid flat. Pinion gears are the normal gear. A rack and pinion gears are really a very special example of spur gearing. The rack-and-pinion has been found to be specially useful in conversion of rotary motion into linear and vice versa. Rotating a pinion produces a linear motion of the rack. Alternately moving a rack causes rotation in the pinion.

Working of a Rack and Pinion Gears
To describe the working of a rack and pinion gear system is not very easy. In fact the rack and pinion gear system looks a bit unusual. However you will be amazed to know that it is composed of two gears. The pinion is what you call a normal round gear while rack's shape is straight or flat. It is the teeth of the rack which meshes with pinion gear's teeth.

Actually it is the pinion that rotates and is able to move the rack in a straight line. In other words, rotary motion is converted into to linear motion'. The perfect example to describe a Rack and pinion gears is the trains moving on the tracks, on steep inclines. The wheels of a train are made up of steel and there is no way to grip the steel tracks. What happens is that the heavy weight of the train is sufficient for allowing the train to travel on the tracks. But consider a situation where a train has to travel a steep incline or hill. It is quite likely that would slip backwards.

Here comes the magnificent technology of rack and pinion gears system that exactly provides solution to the trains to overcome this problem. As the image shows a big gear wheel is added at the center of the train. While in the track a Rack an extra track with teeth, is added. As the train moves over an inclined hill or slope, the rack and pinion gears is lowered instantly to the track where it meshes perfectly with the Rack. As a result there is no chance of the Train slipping backwards and is carried along smoothly over the steep slope.

Types of Rack and Pinion Gears
Basically there are three variations of Rack and Pinion Gears. They are helical teeth modular pitch, straight teeth metric pitch and straight teeth modular pitch. Rack and pinion gears variations are also made available in various qualities. For example 9/10 milled teeth or hardened and milled quality. 7/8 precision cut or precision cut and hardened quality and lastly the quality of 5/6 teeth hardened and ground.

Application of Rack and Pinion Gears

Selecting the Right Rack and Pinion Gear System
For optimal efficiency it is very important to select the Rack and pinion Gear System that comes with optimal features. For this keeping in mind the following features would be really useful:

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