driving wheel

American  

noun

1. Machinery. a main wheel that communicates motion to others.

2. Also called driver.  Railroads. one of the wheels of a locomotive that transmits the power of an engine or motor into tractive effort.

---

driving wheel British  

noun

1. a wheel, esp a gear wheel, that causes other wheels to rotate

2. any wheel of a vehicle that transforms torque into a tractive force

---

Etymology

Origin of driving wheel

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m so clumsy, I should be nowhere near the driving wheel of a vehicle or the on-button of a power tool.

From The Guardian • Sep. 16, 2019

As this happens, throw your weight to the high side of the machine to keep the driving wheel in good contact with the bottom of the bog.

From Time Magazine Archive

The carriage can be reversed by shifting the belt from the end of the drum, which gives the forward motion to the opposite side beyond the depression in the driving wheel.

From The 1893 Duryea Automobile In the Museum of History and Technology by Berkebile, Donald H.

Within g is a spring to act as a cushion to the slide, and thus prevent saw breakage should a chip pass between the saw and its driving wheel.

From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Rose, Joshua

She sat with one hand still straining at the driving wheel, the other playing with the gear lever.

From The Blind Man's Eyes by Balmer, Edwin