A worm drive is a gear arrangement in which a worm (which is a gear in the form of a screw) meshes with a worm gear (which is similar in appearance to a spur gear). The two elements are also called the worm screw and worm wheel. The terminology is often confused by imprecise use of the term worm gear to refer to the worm, the worm gear, or the worm drive as a unit.
Like other gear arrangements, a worm drive can reduce rotational speed or transmit higher torque. The image shows a section of a gear box with a worm gear driven by a worm. A worm is an example of a screw, one of the six simple machines.
here are three different types of gears that can be used in a worm drive.
The first are non-throated worm gears. These don’t have a throat, or groove, machined around the circumference of either the worm or worm wheel. The second are single-throated worm gears, in which the worm wheel is throated. The final type are double-throated worm gears, which have both gears throated. This type of gearing can support the highest loading.
An enveloping (hourglass) worm has one or more teeth and increases in diameter from its middle portion toward both ends.
Double-enveloping wormgearing comprises enveloping worms mated with fully enveloping wormgears. It is also known as globoidal wormgearing.
