idle wheel

American  

noun

Machinery.

1. a wheel for transmitting power and motion between a driving and a driven part, either by friction or by means of teeth.

2. idle pulley.

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idle wheel British  

noun

1. Also called: idler. a gearwheel interposed between two others to transmit torque without changing the direction of rotation to the velocity ratio

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Etymology

Origin of idle wheel

First recorded in 1795–1805

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

idle wheel

You furnish the water-power with your idle wheel, and I furnish the electric installation.

From Electricity for the farm Light, heat and power by inexpensive methods from the water wheel or farm engine by Frederick Irving Anderson

They found the pilot, Valdemar Svensen, leaning at his ease against the idle wheel, with his face turned towards the eastern sky.

From Thelma by Marie Corelli

If, however, it be lowered from the horizontal position, n is brought into gear with o, and m becomes an idle wheel.

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

It looked exanimate enough, with its idle wheel looming above the black stream dashed with yellow-white spume, and its cluster of sheds sagging under their white load.

From Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

That is, of course, if you will give me the use of half the electricity that your idle wheel is grinding out with my second-hand dynamo.

From Electricity for the farm Light, heat and power by inexpensive methods from the water wheel or farm engine by Frederick Irving Anderson

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