rack and pinion

plural rack and pinions · plural racks and pinions

1. A pair of gears, consisting of a circular pinion that engages with the teeth of a flat bar, that converts rotational into linear motion; used in the steering mechanism of cars, and in some railways.

   This machine transfers a heavy load via a rack and pinion.

   3 more examples

   To sum up, the Furka-Oberalp Railway is a good example of the adaptation of the rack-and-pinion system to a main line over mountainous terrain.

   1950 November, H. P. White, “The Furka-Oberalp Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 770

   The length of the Wengernalp Railway from Lauterbrunnen over the Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald or vice versa, Riggenbach rack-and-pinion operated throughout, should be a "must" in the itinerary of every Oberland tourist; [...].

   1960 December, Voyageur, “The Mountain Railways of the Bernese Oberland”, in Trains Illustrated, page 752

   Finally, it is the world's leading manufacturer in the rack-and-pinion rail vehicle industry.

   2021 May 19, David Clough, “Swiss precision meets UK growth”, in RAIL, number 931, page 56

2. A type of steering that uses such a gear arrangement: Ellipsis of rack and pinion steering.

   This car came with rack and pinion, disc brakes, and a turbocharger at a time when all of those things seemed like exotic luxuries.