Screws

SCREWS

Threaded fasteners as screws, nuts and bolts are important components of mechanical structures, and machines. Screws may be used as removable fasteners or as devices for moving loads.

1.1

Screw thread

The basic arrangement of a helical thread wound around a cylinder is illustrated in Fig 1.1. The terminology of an external screw threads is, Fig. 1.1: pitch denoted by p is the distance, parallel to the screw axis, between corresponding points on adjacent thread forms having uniform spacing; major diameter denoted by d is the largest (outside) diameter of a screw thread. minor diameter denoted by dr or d1 , is the smallest diameter of a screw thread. pitch diameter denoted by dm or d2 is the imaginary diameter for which the width of the threads and the grooves are equal.

Screws

The standard geometry of a basic prole of an external threads is shown in Fig. 1.2, and it is basically the same for both Unied (inch series) and ISO (International Standards Organization, metric) threads. The lead denoted by l is the distance the nut moves parallel to the screw axis when the nut is given one turn. A screw with two or more threads cut beside each other is called multiple-threaded screw. The lead is equal to twice the pitch for a double-threaded screw, and to 3 times the pitch for a triple-threaded screw. The pitch p, lead l, and lead angle are represented in Fig. 1.3. Figure 1.3(a) shows a single thread right hand screw and Fig. 1.3(b) shows a double-threaded left hand screw. All threads are assumed to be right-hand, unless otherwise specied. A standard geometry of an ISO prole, M (metric) prole, with 60 symmetric threads is shown in Fig. 1.4. In Fig. 1.4 D(d) is the basic major diameter of internal (external) thread, D1 (d1 ) is the basic minor diameter of internal (external) thread, D2 (d2 ) is the basic pitch diameter, and H = 0.5(3)1/2 p. Metric threads are specied by the letter M preceding the nominal major diameter in millimeters and the pitch in millimeters per thread. For example: M 14 2

Screws

M is the SI thread designation, 10 mm is the outside (major) diameter, and the pitch is 2 mm per thread. Screw size in the Unied system is designated by the size number for major diameter, the number of treads per inch, and the thread series, like this: 5 18 UNF 8 5 is the the outside (major) diameter where the double tick marks mean 8 inches, and 18 threads per inch. Some Unied thread series are: UNC Unied National Coarse UNEF Unied National Extra Fine UNF Unied National Fine UNS Unied National Special UNR Unied National Round (round root) The UNR series threads have improved fatigue strengths.

1.2

Power screws

For application which require power transmission, the Acme, Fig. 1.5, and square threads, Fig. 1.6, are used. Power screws are used to convert rotary motion to linear motion of the

Screws

meting member along the screw axis. These screws are used to lift weights (screw-type jacks) or exert large forces (presses, tensile testing machines). The power screws can also be used to obtain precise positioning of the axial movement. A square-threaded power screw with a single thread having the pitch diameter dm , the pitch p, and the helix angle is considered in Fig. 1.7. Consider that a single thread of the screw is unrolled for exactly one turn. The edge of the thread is the hypotenuse of a right triangle and the height is the lead. The hypotenuse is the circumference of the pitch diameter circle (Fig. 1.8). The angle is the helix angle of the thread. The screw is loaded by an axial compressive force F , Figs. 1.7 and 1.8. The force diagram for lifting the load is shown in Fig. 1.8(a), (the force Pr acts to the right). The force diagram for lowering the load is shown in Fig. 1.8(b), (the force Pl acts to the left). The friction force is Ff = N, where is the coecient of dry friction and N is the normal force. The friction force is acting opposite to the motion.

Screws The equilibrium of forces for raising the load gives

Fx = Pr N sin N cos = 0, Fy = F + N sin N cos = 0. Similarly, for lowering the load one may write the equations

(1.1) (1.2)

Fx = Pl N sin + N cos = 0, Fy = F N sin N cos = 0. Eliminating N and solving for Pr Pr = and for lowering the load F ( cos sin ) . cos + sin F (sin + cos ) , cos sin

(1.3) (1.4)

(1.5)

Pl = Using the relation

(1.6)

tan = l/dm , and dividing the equations by cos one may obtain F [(l/dm ) + ] , 1 (l/dm ) F [ (l/dm )] Pl = . 1 + (l/dm ) Pr =

(1.7) (1.8)

Screws

The torque required to overcome the thread friction and to raise the load is dm F dm = 2 2 l + dm . dm l

Tr = Pr

(1.9)

The torque required to lower the load (and to overcome a part of the friction) is F dm 2 dm l . dm + l

Tl =

(1.10)

When the lead, l, is large or the friction, , is low the load will lower itself. In this case the screw will spin without any external eort, and the torque Tl in Eq. (1.10) will be negative or zero. When the torque is positive, Tl > 0 Tl in Eq. (1.10), the screw is said to be self-locking. The condition for self-locking is dm > l. Dividing both sides of this inequality by dm , and using l/dm = tan , yields

> tan .

(1.11)

The self-locking is obtained whenever the coecient of friction is equal to or greater than the tangent of the thread lead angle.

Screws

The torque, T0 , required only to raise the load when the friction is zero, = 0, is obtained from Eq. (1.9) Fl . 2

T0 =

(1.12)

The screw eciency e can be dened as T0 Fl = . Tr 2Tr

e=

(1.13)

For square threads the normal thread load, F , is parallel to the axis of the screw, Figs 1.6 and 1.7. The preceding equations can be applied for square threads. For Acme threads, Figs 1.5, or other threads, the normal thread load is inclined to the axis due to the thread angle 2 and the lead angle . The lead angle can be neglected (is small) and only the eect of the thread angle is considered, Fig. 1.9. The angle increases the frictional force by the wedging action of the threads. The torque required for raising the load is obtained from Eq. (1.9) where the frictional terms must be divided by cos F dm 2 l + dm sec . dm l sec

Tr =

(1.14)

Equation (1.14) is an approximation because the eect of the lead angle has been neglected. For power screws the square thread is more ecient than

Screws

the Acme thread. The Acme thread adds an additional friction due to the wedging action. It is easier to machine an Acme thread than a square thread. In general, when the screw is loaded axially, a thrust bearing or thrust collar may be used between the rotating and stationary links to carry the axial component, Fig. 1.10. The load is concentrated at the mean collar diameter dc . The torque required is Tc = F c dc , 2 (1.15)

where c is the coecient of collar friction.

Example A double square-thread power screw has the major diameter d = 64 mm and the pitch p = 8 mm. The coecients of friction is = 0.08 and the coecient of collar friction c = 0.08. The mean collar diameter is dc = 80 mm. The external load on the screw is F = 10 kN. Find: 1. the lead, the pitch (mean) diameter and the minor diameter; 2. the torque required to raise the load; 3. the torque required to lower the load; 4. the eciency.

Screws

Solution 1. From Fig. 1.6(a): the minor diameter is dr = d p = 64 8 = 56 mm, the pitch (mean) diameter is dm = d p/2 = 64 4 = 60 mm. The lead is l = 2 p = 2 (8) = 16 mm. 2. The torque required to raise the load is Tr = F dm l + dm F c dc + 2 dm l 2 4 3 10 (60)(10 ) 16 + 0.08(60) 104 (0.08)(80)(103 ) = + 2 60 0.08(16) 2 = 49.8 + 32 = 81.8 N m. 3. The torque required to lower the load is Tl = F dm dm l F c dc + 2 dm + l 2 104 (60)(103 ) 0.08(60) 16 104 (0.08)(80)(103 ) = + 2 60 + 0.08(16) 2 = 1.54 + 32 = 30.45 N m.

Screws

10

The screw is not self-locking (the rst term in the above expression is negative). 4. The overall eciency is Fl 104 (16)(103 ) = = 0.31. 2Tr 2(81.8)

e=

Major diameter d Pitch diameter dm , d2 Minor diameter dr , d1

Pitch p

45 chamfer

Root Crest Thread angle 2

Figure 1.1

Root (or minor) diameter dr

Root p 8

Figure 1.2 Axis of thread

30 p

Pitch diameter dm

Major diameter d

p 4

60

Crest

l p

Single thread-right hand (a) l p

(b)

Double thread-left hand

Figure 1.3

H 8

p 8 Internal threads p 2 p 2 3H 8 60 60 D, d

5H 8

p 4 30 p

H 4

Figure 1.4

D1 , d1

External threads

D2 , d2

p p 2 2 = 29 p 2 d dr (a) Acme dm dr d dm (b) Acme stub p p 2 2 = 29 0.3p

Figure 1.5

p p 2

p 2

d dr

dm

(a) Square p

p 2 = 5

p 2

dm

dr

(b) Modified square

Figure 1.6

dm

p Nut

F/2

F/2

Figure 1.7

F y Pr N dm (a) N l x y

Pl N N dm (b)

l x

Figure 1.8

F cos

2 =

Thread angle

Figure 1.9

dc

F 2

F 2 Collar

Nut

F 2

F 2

Figure 1.10