SANTA MARIA, CA., December 10, 1999—Helical Products Company’s manufacturing ability to incorporate multiple functions into a single-component machined spring enables wrap spring clutch designers to take a no compromise, "application specific" approach.

In this example, a wrap spring is combined with a lever arm, a bearing mount with a retaining ring groove, and positional stops.

The application calls for incrementally rotating a six-position carousel using a pneumatic cylinder. The wrap spring is supported on a ball bearing, which is mounted on one end of the spring and is held in place by a retaining ring. A lever arm extends from the spring, which attaches to a pneumatic cylinder. A notch in the wrap spring encompasses a stop pin, which limits rotational travel to the required sixty degrees. The carousel support shaft is concentric within the wrap spring and is gripped by it. As the pneumatic cylinder is extended, it rotates the wrap spring in the ball bearing and the carousel rotates with it to the next position. When the pneumatic cylinder retracts, the wrap spring releases its grip and rotates without the carousel to the original position. The clutching action of the wrap spring provides incremental unidirectional rotational motion.

"’Machined’ springs provide an excellent foundation for integrating several useful features and functions into a single spring part," Helical says. Applications range from deep space instrumentation to medical apparatus on earth.

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