handwheel

English

Etymology

From hand +‎ wheel.

Noun

handwheel (plural handwheels)

1. (mechanics) Any wheel worked by hand, whether used to allow leverage, as of a valve or a handbrake, or to allow fine adjustment, as of a set screw.
   • 1954 July, “British Railways Prototype Class "8" Express Passenger Locomotive”, in Railway Magazine, page 491:

     Front damper doors on each hopper and the back damper door of the centre hopper are opened and closed by screw gear worked from a handwheel on the fireman's side of the cab.

   • 1964 May, “Automation in the cab—latest SNCF developments”, in Modern Railways, page 336:

     When the large handwheel seen in the illustration of a 68000 class cab is moved from "stop" to "run", the traction circuit contactors are closed and the locomotive moves off with the diesel engine running at idling speed.

Alternative forms

• hand wheel