Weight Raised by a Large Screw
An off-centre load stresses screw and nut with two contrary forces
A large vertical screw is drawn passing through a horizontal nut-block and pressing down onto a weight that rests on a solid block; the members are lettered a, o, n and m. The note observes that if the centre of the weight lies off the vertical through the screw's centre, the load feels heavier to whoever turns it, and the threads of the screw and of the 'mother' (nut) that sheathes it are stressed oppositely by two contrary forces. Citing the fifth proposition of the 'Theory', Leonardo says the weight shows itself greater in the ratio by which n m enters into n a, the threads on the o side pressing one way and those on the m side the reverse.
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Screw and nut lifting a weight
The drawing shows a thick threaded screw running through a nut-block and bearing on a weight set atop a solid block. The screw's centre is marked n and the weight's centre a, with the threaded sides at o and m.
Opposed forces on the threads of an off-centre load
When the weight's centre a lies off the vertical of the screw's centre n, the load feels heavier in the ratio by which n m enters n a. The threads on the o side touch the nut with their lower part while those on the m side do the opposite, so screw and nut are stressed by two contrary forces.
