Wheel

Wheel

A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction with axles, allow heavy objects to be moved easily facilitating movement or transportation while supporting a load, or performing labor in machines.

History

The invention of the wheel falls into the late Neolithic, and may be seen in conjunction with other technological advances that gave rise to the early Bronze Age. This implies the passage of several wheel-less millennia even after the invention of agriculture and of pottery.

Design

A wheel can also offer advantages in traversing irregular surfaces if the wheel radius is sufficiently large compared to the irregularities. The wheel alone is not a machine, but when attached to an axle in conjunction with bearing, it forms the wheel and axle, one of the simple machines. A driven wheel is an example of a wheel and axle.

Types of Wheels

There are various types of wheels, including the spoked wheel, the airless tire, the caster, the omni wheel, and the mechanum wheel.

Applications

Wheels are used in a plethora of applications, including in rail transport, automobiles, bicycles, and aircraft landing gear. They are also used in material handling equipment such as hand trucks, conveyors, carts, dollies, and wheelbarrows.

See also

• Axle
• Bearing
• Tire
• Rim (wheel)
• Hub (wheel)