Racks & Pinions

A Rack and pinion is a pair of Gears which convert rotational motion into linear motion. The circular pinion engages teeth on a flat bar – the rack. Rotational motion applied to the pinion will cause the rack to move to the side, up to the limit of its travel. For example, in a rack railway, the rotation of a pinion mounted on a locomotive or a railcar engages a rack between the rails and pulls a train along a steep slope.