rack and pinion
n.
A device for the conversion of rotary and linear motion, consisting of a pinion and a mated rack.
rackandpinion rack'-and-pin'ion (răk'ən-pĭn'yən) adj.
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A device for the conversion of rotary and linear motion, consisting of a pinion and a mated rack.
rackandpinion rack'-and-pin'ion (răk'ən-pĭn'yən) adj.For more information on rack and pinion, visit Britannica.com.
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
a wheel gear (the pinion) meshes with a toothed rack; converts rotary to reciprocating motion (and vice versa)

A Rack and Pinion is a pair of gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. The circular pinion engages teeth on a flat bar - the rack. Rotational motion applied to the pinion will cause the rack to move to the side, up to the limit of its travel.
Alternatively the rotation of a pinion mounted on a locomotive or a railcar will engage a rack between the rails and pull a train along a steep slope.
The rack and pinion arrangement in vehicle steering is commonly found in the steering mechanism of cars or other wheeled, steered vehicles. This arrangement provides a lesser mechanical advantage than other mechanisms such as recirculating ball, but much less backlash and greater feedback, or steering "feel". The use of a variable rack was invented by Arthur E Bishop[1] , so as to improve vehicle response and steering "feel" on-centre, and that has been fitted to many new vehicles, such as the 2008 Honda Accord, after he created a hot forging process to manufacture the racks, thus eliminating any subsequent need to machine the form of the gear teeth.
For every pair of conjugate involute profile, there is a basic rack. This basic rack is the profile of the conjugate gear of infinite pitch radius.[2]
A generating rack is a rack outline used to indicate tooth details and dimensions for the design of a generating tool, such as a hob or a gear shaper cutter.[2]
For rack and pinion railways see Rack and pinion railway.
| Gears | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gear systems | Spur gear systems • Worm gear • Rack and pinion • Epicyclic (planetary) gearing • Harmonic drive • Cycloidal drive • Non-circular gear | |
| Gear shapes | Straight cut gear • Bevel gear • Helical gear • Hypoid gear | |
| Geartooth profiles | Involute • Cycloid | |
| Gear mechanics | Transmission • Differential • Gear coupling • Gear train • Bicycle gearing • Continuously variable transmission • Offset (gears) | |
| See also | Ball screw • Leadscrew • Jackscrew • Belt drive • Chain drive • Gear manufacturing | |
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![]() | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more | |
![]() | WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. Read more | |
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