10/07/2012 Calculating Screw Jacks and Their Operation www.brighthub.com/engineering/mechanical/articles/110446.aspx 1/3 THK Ball Screw w w w .Rollmannbrgs.

com Precision Ground Ball screws For demanding Machine Tool Industry Power Scissor Lifts liftw ell.in/Manufacturer Haryana's Best Manufacturer for Hydraulic Power Scissor Lifts. HIWIN Ball Screws w w w .HIWIN.com.tw Industry Leader of Precision Ball Screws & Components. High Quality! Ads by Google Calculating Screw Jacks written by: Swagatam edited by: Lamar Stonecypher updated: 3/16/2011 Screw Jacks are devices used for raising and lowering heavy objects (weights) th rough external small manual labor. The article discusses the various calculations involved and explains the relation between weight which is to be li fted and the applied external force associated with these devices. Screw jacks are mechanical devices which are used to raise and lower heavy objec ts vertically through the application of a smaller external force in a circular path. Screw jacks were especially developed with the aim of solving the issue of raisi ng and lowering large and heavy objects over ground levels easily through relatively smaller magnitudes of external effort. Using a screw jack thus makes it possible the lifting and lowering of huge objec ts like automobiles, heavy industrial machines, etc. These devices find an important place and utility in automobile garages. Here he avy vehicles which require servicing from underneath are easily hoisted above the ground using a screw jack for the necessary inspections and troublesho oting. Basically screw jacks are mechanical devices consisting of a heavy bottom metall ic base or stand through which a screw mechanism is allowed to slide up and down through a circular path over a central axis. The load that is to be lifted is place dover the top head of the screw mechanism. The lifting movement or operation is made functional by applying an external physica l force (using human hands) through a radial motion. A careful inspection of the screw movement (unwinding) through a single thread s hows that the elevating movement follows the principle of an inclined plane. Primarily two major factors are involved with the functioning of a screw jack, viz. the weight lifted and the effort applied. Lets try to understand and derive a relation between the above two parameters responsible for the operation of a screw jack. Relating Effort and the Weight Lifted in Screw Jacks Lets assume a few of the elements associated with the above two parameters and as sign them in the following manner: p = pitch of the screw, d = mean diameter of the screw and, = helix angle. Also a cross-sectional analysis of the produced angular displacement can be illu strated with the diagram shown alongside and the following expression: tan = P/d Now assume, P = the effort applied for lifting the load, W = Weight of the body being lifted and = Coefficient of friction, between the screw threads and the stand threads. As discussed earlier, since the calculations involved with a screw jack is simil ar and can be compared to that of an inclined plane, we can consider the

external applied force to be horizontal. Also, the weight which is being elevated generates a friction F acting downwards equal to: F = R Where F = force of friction, = coefficient of friction, And R = normal reaction developed between the interacting surfaces. Resolving the forces over the horizontal plane gives: P cos = W sin + R Similarly, resolving the perpendicular forces gives: R = P sin + W cos Substituting the value of R in equation ( i ), we get: P cos = W sin + R = W sin + (P sin + W cos ) 10/07/2012 Calculating Screw Jacks and Their Operation www.brighthub.com/engineering/mechanical/articles/110446.aspx 2/3 = W sin + P sin + W cos Or P cos P sin = W sin + W cos Or P(cos sin ) = W(sin + cos ) Or P = W (sin + cos ) / (cos sin ) Re l cing the value of = tan , P = W (sin + tan cos ) / (cos tan sin ) Multi lying the numerator and the denominator by a common factor cos , we get P = W (sin + cos + sin cos ) / (cos cos sin sin ), = W sin ( + ) / cos ( + ), Fin lly, we write, P = W tan ( + ) The above expression presents a clear relation between the weight P which is to be raised and the effort W needed to be applied externally using screw jacks. References Book: Applied Mechanics and Strength of Materials, .Author: Khurmi R.S. Publishe r: S. Chand and Company Ltd. The Engineering Toolbox (Website), Machine Design (pg.153), By Kulkarni (Google Books) 10/07/2012 Calculating Screw Jacks and Their Operation www.brighthub.com/engineering/mechanical/articles/110446.aspx 3/3