CHAPTER 1

SPRINGS

Shammy Kumar
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engg.
SRM University , CHENNAI
 WHAT IS SPRING?
• Springs are elastic bodies (generally metal)
that can be twisted, pulled, or stretched by
some force. They can return to their original
shape when the force is released.

• In other words it is also termed as a resilient

member which store energy when deflect.
• CLASSIFICATION OF SPRINGS

1) Helical springs:
a) Tension helical or closed coil spring
b) Compression or open coil helical spring
c) Torsion spring
d) Spiral spring

2) Leaf springs
 Helical springs
• It is made up of wire coiled in the form of
helix.
• Cross section may be circular, rectangular or
square.
 TENSION HELICAL SPRING
• The gap between the successive coils is small
• The spring is loaded along the axis.
• By applying load the spring elongates in action
• The wire is coiled in a sequence that the turn
is at right angles to the axis of the spring.
• Garage door assemblies, Vise-grip pilers,
carburetors
 COMPRESSION HELICAL SPRING
• It is designed to operate with a compression
load.
• spring gets shorter as the load is applied to it.
• Ball point pen
 TORSION SPRING

• It rotates about an axis to create load.

• It releases the load in an arc around the axis.
• Mainly used for torque transmission
• The ends of the spring are attached to other
application objects, so that if the object
rotates around the center of the spring, it
tends to push the spring to retrieve its normal
position.
The load applied to a torsion spring is a
torque or twisting force.
Eg. Door hinged, clipboard.
Spiral spring

Made up of flat strip of rectangular

section.

Inner end attached with arbor and outer

end attached with drum.

It releases power when it unwinds

Alarm timepiece Watch, Automotive seat

recliners
 LEAF SPRING
• A flat spring used in vehicle suspensions,
electrical switches, and bows.
• Also called as a semi-elliptical spring.
• Form of a slender arc shaped length of spring
steel of rectangular cross section.
• It provides dampness and springing function.
• It can be attached directly to the frame at the
both ends
 SPRING MATERIALS
• The mainly used material for manufacturing the springs
are as follows:
• 1)Hard drawn high carbon steel. 9)Chrome vanadium.
• 2)Oil tempered high carbon steel. 10) Chrome silicon.
• 3)Stainless steel
• 4)Copper or nickel based alloys.
• 5)Phosphor bronze.
• 6)Inconel.
• 7)Monel
• 8)Titanium.
 TERMINOLOGIES (spring nomenclature)

• 1)Free length
• 2)Pitch
• 3)Spring Index
• 4)Slenderness ratio
• 5)Spring Rate
• 7)Solid length
• 8)Pitch angle
• Solid length: when spring in fully compressed
form.
Solid length = n × diameter of coil

• Free length = The overall length of a spring in

the unloaded position.
free length = solid length + max compression +
clearance between coil.

• Spring index: ratio of mean dia of coil to dai of

wire.
spring index = D/d
• Spring rate or stiffness or spring constant:
Force required to produce unit deflection of
the spring.
Spring constant = K = F/δ

• Pitch : axial distance between adjacent coil of

in uncompressed state.

Pitch = free length / n-1

 APPLICATIONS OF SPRINGS
• 1)To apply forces and controlling motion, as in
brakes and clutches.
• 2)Measuring forces, as in the case of a spring
balance.
• 3)Storing energy, as in the case of springs used
in watches and toys.
• 4)Reducing the effect of shocks and vibrations
in vehicles and machine foundations.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

• 1) www.webs1.vidaho.edu
• 2) www.springer.com
• 3) www.indialeaf.com
• 4)www.engineersedge.com/spring_terms.ht
ml
• 5) www.sprind.com/springterm.html
• 6) http://nptel.iitm.ac.in
• 7) www.instructables.com
THANK YOU