UNIT- I SPRING AND POWER SREWS

1. Classify springs & their applications.

According to their shape:
Helical springs - compressive or tensile loads applications
Conical and volute springs – to support a body that has a varying mass (telescopic spring)
Torsion springs - watches and clocks
Laminated or leaf springs - automobiles
2. Describe about nipping in leaf spring and its role.
In order to utilise the material to the best advantage, all the leaves should be equally stressed.
By giving a greater radius of curvature to the full-length leaves than graduated leaves before
the leaves are assembled to form a spring. By doing so, a gap or clearance will be left between
the leaves. This initial gap is called nip.
When the load is gradually applied to the spring, the full-length leaf is first relieved of this
initial stress and then stressed in opposite direction. Consequently, the full-length leaf will be
stressed less than the graduated leaf. This is desirable in automobile rear springs.
3. How surge is eliminated?
The surge in springs may be eliminated by using the following methods:
1. By using friction dampers on the centre coils so that the wave propagation dies out.
2. By using springs of high natural frequency.
3. By using springs having pitch of the coils near the ends different than at the centre to have
different natural frequencies.
4. State A.M. Wahl’s factor’s importance in the design of helical springs.
To consider the effects of both direct shear as well as curvature of the wire in helical springs
design, a Wahl’s stress factor (K) introduced by A.M. Wahl.
Wahl’s stress factor increases very rapidly as the spring index decreases.
The Wahl’s stress factor (K) may be considered as composed of two sub-factors, KS and KC,
such that
K = KS × KC
Where, KS = Stress factor due to shear, and KC = Stress concentration factor due to curvature.
5. Explain one method of avoiding the tendency of a compression spring to buckle.
In order to avoid the buckling of spring, it is either mounted on a central rod or located on a
tube. When the spring is located on a tube, the clearance between the tube walls and the
spring should be kept as small as possible, but it must be sufficient to allow for increase in
spring diameter during compression.
6. Why are square threads preferable to V-threads for power transmission?
A square thread is adapted for the transmission of power in either direction.
This thread results in maximum efficiency and minimum radial or bursting pressure on the
nut.
7. How does the helix angle influence on the efficiency of square threaded screw?
The efficiency of square threaded screws may be defined as the ratio between the ideal effort
(i.e. the effort required to move the load, neglecting friction) to the actual effort (i.e. the effort
required to move the load taking friction into account).
W = Load to be lifted, α = Helix angle, and φ = Angle of friction

8. Express the self-locking property of threads and it is need. (CO1, CO2) (Understand)
Torque required to lower the load

In the above expression, If however, φ > α, the torque required to lower the load will be
positive, indicating that an effort is applied to lower the load. Such a screw is known as self-
locking screw (i.e. It needs torque for moving downward).
In other words, a screw will be self-locking if the friction angle is greater than helix angle or
coefficient of friction is greater than tangent of helix angle i.e. μ or tan φ > tan α.
9. What do you understand by overhauling of screw?
Torque required to lower the load

In the above expression, if φ < α, then torque required to lower the load will be negative. In
other words, the load will start moving downward without the application of any torque. Such
a condition is known as overhauling of screws.
10. Differentiate between differential screw and compound screw.
Differential screw: When a slow movement or fine adjustment is desired in precision
equipment’s, then a differential screw is used. It consists of two threads of the same hand (i.e.
right-handed or left-handed) but of different pitches, wound on the same cylinder or different
cylinders.
Compound screw: When a fast movement is desired, then a compound screw is employed. It
consists of two threads of opposite hands (i.e. one right-handed and the other left-handed)
but of different pitches, wound on the same cylinder or different cylinders.
 QUIZ- Questions & Answers
1. Spring index is [ ]
(a) Ratio of coil diameter to wire diameter (b) Load required to produce unit deflection
(c) Its capability of storing energy (d) Indication of quality of spring
2. Which of the following spring is used in a mechanical wristwatch?
(a) Helical compression spring (b) Spiral spring (c) Torsion spring (d) Bellevile spring [ ]
3. If helical compression spring is subjected to an axial compressive load, the stress induced in the wire
is [ ]
(a) tensile stress (b) compressive stress (c) shear stress (d) bending stress
4. If number of coils are 8 and wire diameter of spring 3mm, then solid length is given by [ ]
a) 21mm b) 27mm c) 24mm d) 28mm
5. In leaf springs, the longest leaf is known as [ ]
(a) lower leaf (b) master leaf (c) upper leaf (d) none of these
6. Which of the following screw thread is used for power transmission in one direction only?[ ]
(a) Square threads (b) Multiple threads (c) Acme threads (d) Buttress threads
7. If α denotes the lead angle and φ, the angle of friction, then the efficiency of the screw is written as
[ ]
(a) tan (α −φ)/tan α (b) tan α/tan (α −φ) (c) tan (α +φ)/ tan α (d) tan α/ tan (α +φ)
8. To ensure self-locking in a screw jack, it is essential that the helix angle is
(a) larger than friction angle (b) smaller than friction angle (c) equal to friction angle
(d) such as to give maximum efficiency in lifting [ ]
9. A screw is said to be over hauling screw, if its efficiency is [ ]
(a) less than 50% (b) more than 50% (c) equal to 50% (d) none of these
10. The maximum efficiency of a square threaded screw is (CO1, CO2)(Remember) [ ]
(a) (1 - sinφ)/ (1 + sinφ) (b) (1 + sinφ)/ (1 - sinφ)
(c) (1 - sinφ)/ (1 + cosφ) (d) (1 + cosφ)/ (1 - sinφ)
11. Screws used for power transmission should have [ ]
(a) low efficiency
(b) high efficiency
(c) very fine threads
(d) strong teeth
12. A screw jack has square threads, and the lead angle of the thread is α. The screw jack will
be self-locking when the coefficient of friction (μ) is [ ]
(a) μ > tan α
(b) μ = sin α
(c) μ = cot α
(d) μ = cosec α
13. A screw is said to be self-locking screw if its efficiency is [ ]
(a) less than 50%
(b) more than 50%
(c) equal to 50%
(d) none of these
14. When helical compression spring is cut into halves, the stiffness of the resulting spring will
be [ ]
(a) same (b) double (c) one-half (d) one-fourth
15. The spring mostly used in gramophones is [ ]
(a) helical spring (b) conical spring (c) laminated spring (d) flat spiral spring
ESSAY TYPE Questions
1. It is desired to design a valve spring of I.C. engine for the following details: a) Spring load
when valve is closed =80 N; b) Spring load when valve is open=100 N; c)Space constraints
for the fitment of spring are: inside guide bush diameter=24 mm, outside recess
diameter=36 mm; d) Valve lift=5 mm; e) Spring steel has the following properties:
Maximum permissible shear stress=350MPa, Modulus of rigidity=84 kN/mm 2. Compute
(i) Wire diameter (ii) Spring index (iii) Total number of coils (iv) Free length of spring (v)
Pitch of the coil when additional 15 % of working deflection is used to avoid complete
closing of coils.

2. Design a close coiled helical compression spring for a service load ranging from 2250 N to
2750 N. The axial deflection of the spring for the load range is 6 mm. Assume a spring
index of 5. The permissible shear stress intensity is 420 MPa and modulus of rigidity G=
84 kN/mm2. Neglect the effect of stress concentration. Draw a fully dimensioned sketch
of the spring, showing details of the finish of the end coils.

3. Design a helical compression spring for a maximum load of 1000 N for a deflection of 25
mm using the value of spring index as 5. The maximum permissible shear stress for spring
wire is 420 MPa and modulus of rigidity is 84 kN/mm2 .

Take Wahl’s factor, where C = Spring index.

4. A vertical two start square threads of 100 mm mean diameter and 20 mm pitch supports
a vertical load of 18 kN. The axial thrust on the screw is taken by a collar bearing of outer
and inner diameters of screw collar are 250 mm and 100 mm, respectively. Find the force
required at the end of a lever which is 400 mm long in order to lift and lower the load. The
coefficient of friction for the vertical screw and nut is 0.15 & that for collar bearing is 0.2.

5. A power screw having double start square threads of 25 mm nominal diameter and 5 mm
pitch is acted upon by an axial load of 10 kN. The outer and inner diameters of screw collar
are 50 mm and 20 mm respectively. The coefficient of thread friction and collar friction
may be assumed as 0.2 and 0.15 respectively. The screw rotates at 12r.p.m. Assuming
uniform wear condition at the collar and allowable thread bearing pressure of 5.8 N/mm2,
find: 1. the torque required to rotate the screw; 2. the stress in the screw; and 3. the
number of threads of nut in engagement with screw.

6. The lead screw of a lathe has Acme threads of 50 mm outside diameter and 8 mm pitch.
The screw must exert an axial pressure of 2500 N in order to drive the tool carriage. The
thrust is carried on a collar 110 mm outside diameter and 55 mm inside diameter and the
lead screw rotates at 30 r.p.m. Determine (a) the power required to drive the screw; and
(b) the efficiency of the lead screw. Assume a coefficient of friction of 0.15 for the screw
and 0.12 for the collar.