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Crank (mechanism)

Simple machine transferring motion to or from a rotating shaft at a distance from the centreline / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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A crank is an arm attached at a right angle to a rotating shaft by which circular motion is imparted to or received from the shaft. When combined with a connecting rod, it can be used to convert circular motion into reciprocating motion, or vice versa. The arm may be a bent portion of the shaft, or a separate arm or disk attached to it. Attached to the end of the crank by a pivot is a rod, usually called a connecting rod (conrod).

Winch.PNG
Hand crank for a winch on a sailboat - commonly referred to as a winch handle.

The term often refers to a human-powered crank which is used to manually turn an axle, as in a bicycle crankset or a brace and bit drill. In this case a person's arm or leg serves as the connecting rod, applying reciprocating force to the crank. There is usually a bar perpendicular to the other end of the arm, often with a freely rotatable handle or pedal attached.

Rotary_to_linear_motion_conversion_crank.jpg
A compound crank