Figure 11-7.-Types of springs.spring-loaded. (Some components that appear to bespring-loaded are actually under hydraulic or pneumaticpressure or are moved by weights.)FUNCTIONS OF SPRINGSSprings are used for many purposes, and one springmay serve more than one purpose. Listed below aresome of the more common of these functional purposes.As you read them, try to think of at least one familiarapplication of each.1.2.3.4.To store energy for part of a functioning cycle.To force a component to bear against, tomaintain contact with, to engage, to disengage,or to remain clear of some other component.TO counterbalance a weight or thrust (gravita-tional, hydraulic, etc.). Such springs are usuallycalled equilibrator springs.To maintain electrical continuity.5.6.7.To return a component to its original positionafter displacement.To reduce shock or impact by graduallychecking the motion of a moving weight.To permit some freedom of movement betweenaligned components without disengaging them.These are sometimes called take-up springs.TYPES OF SPRINGSAs you read different books, you will find thatauthors do not agree on the classification of types ofsprings. The names are not as important as the types ofwork they do and the loads they can bear. The three basictypes are (1) flat, (2) spiral, and (3) helical.Flat SpringsFlat springs include various forms of elliptic or leafsprings (fig. 11-7, A [1] and [2]), made up of flat or11-5
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