Glossary L-Q
Leaf springs - These springs consist of flat bars of varying lengths clamped together to obtain greater efficiency and resilience (automotive and railway leaf springs)
Linear load deflection - Deflection is proportional to the load, when load is doubled, the deflection will be doubled e.g. typical compression springs.
Load - The force applied to a spring that causes a deflection
Loops - Coil-like wire shapes at the ends of extension springs that provide for attachment and force application.
Mean coil diameter - Outside wire diameter minus one wire diameter.
Mechanical spring - Elastic body, whose primary function is to deflect or distort or absorb energy under load and which recovers its original shape when released.
Metric system - See SI
Modulus of elasticity - See Young's modulus
Modulus of rigidity - See Shear modulus
Nonlinear load Functions of springs - To absorb energy and mitigate shock, to apply a definite force or torque, to support moving masses or isolate vibration, to indicate or control load or torque
Open Ends, Not Ground - End of a compression spring with a constant pitch for each coil
Open and Ground End - "Open ends, not ground" followed by an end grinding operation
Passivating - Acid treatment of stainless steel to remove contaminants and improve corrosion resistance.
Permanent set - A material that is deflected so far that its elastic properties have been exceeded and it does not return to its original condition upon release of load.
Pitch - The distance from center to center of the wire in adjacent active coils.
Plastic deformation - The non-reversible change of shape in response to an applied force