What is the difference between screw pitch

and lead?

Pitch

Pitch is the distance between screw grooves and is commonly used with inch sized products and
specified as threads per inch.

Lead

Lead is the linear travel the nut makes per one screw revolution and is how ball screws are
typically specified.

The pitch and lead are equal with single start screws. For multiple start screws the lead is the
pitch divided by the number of starts.

Pitch is distance between two consecutive crest (or trough).

Lead is how much distance a screw advances (move ahead) when rotated once.

So, if screw is single start, means one helical thread running on its length, (like one threads
wound on a pipe side by side) so, when you rotate it once, it move ahead by 1 pitch.

see this,
Screw (simple machine)

for double start, we have two helical threads running on its length (like two threads wound on a
pipe side by side),

so when you rotate it once, it moves ahead by 2 times that of pitch.

and so on.

Multi start threads are used to get more lead (more movement) than that of single start.

Lead (L) – is the axial advance of a helix for one complete turn, as in the threads of cylindrical worms and
teeth of helical gears.
L = π · D / Tan Ψ (D = Pitch Diameter, Ψ = Helix Angle)
Pitch Circle – is the circle through the pitch point having its center at the axis of the gear.
Pitch Cylinder – is the imaginary cylinder in a gear that rolls without slipping on a pitch cylinder or pitch
plane of another gear.
Pitch Diameter (D) – is the diameter of the pitch circle.
D = N / Pd (N=Number of teeth, Pd = Diametral Pitch)
D = N · .3183 · P (P = Circular Pitch)
D = N / Pd (Pd = Diametral Pitch or Transverse Diametral Pitch for helicals)

Pitch Radius (R) – is the radius of the pitch circle.

R = .5 · D (D = Pitch Diameter)

Pitch Point – is the intersection between the axes of the line of centers and the line of action.
Pitch Range – is the difference between the longest and the shortest pitches on a gear.

Best Answer: *The correct technical term for "single threaded screw and double threaded screw" is
"single start screw and double starts screw"
*PITCH:
The axial distance between threads. Pitch is equal to the lead in a single start screw.
*LEAD
The axial distance the nut advances in one revolution of the screw. The lead is equal to the pitch times
the number of starts.
LEAD = PITCH x STARTS
[For example: 1/4" – 4 RH requires four turns for one inch of travel. A 1/4" – 4 RH has two starts and a
0.125" pitch. 0.125" pitch X two starts = 0.250" lead.]

*SCREW STARTS:
The number of independent threads on the screw shaft; example one, two or four.
What is Solved Examples Based On Free Body Diagram 2?
Example: Two smooth spheres, each of radius 100 mm and weighing 100 N, rest in a horizontal channel having
vertical walls, the distance between which is 360 mm. Find the reactions at the points of contact of A, B, C and Das
shown in Fig. (a)

Solution: Let Oyand 02 be the centres of the first and second spheres. Drop a perpendicular 0 1 P to the horizontal
through 02. Figs. (b) and (c) show free body diagrams of spheres 1 and 2 respectively. Since the surfaces of contact
are smooth, reaction at B is in the radial direction, i.e. in the direction Oi 0 2. Let it make an angle a with the
horizontal. Then,

cos α = 02P/ O1O2 = 360 - 01A - O2D/ O1B + BO2

= 360-100-100/10+100

α= 36.890o

Equilibrium condition of sphere 1;

 –RAi – 100j + RB cos ai + RB cos (90o – a)j = 0

(–RA + RB cosa)i + (–100 + RB sin a)j = 0

∴ –RA + RB cos 36.890o = 0 (i)

And –100 + RB sin 36.890o = 0 (ii)

∴ RB = 100/sin 36.89o = 166.67 N

Substituting the value of RB in eqn. (i), we get

RA = 166.67 cos 36.890o – 133.33 N

Now, consider the equilibrium condition of sphere 2:

–RB cos ai – RBcos (90o – a)j + RCj + RDi – 100j = 0

(–RN cos a + RD)i + (–RB sin a + RC – 100)i = 0

i.e., –RB cos a + RD = 0 (iii)

and –RD sin a + RC – 100 = 0 (iv)

∴ From eqn. (iii),

RD = RB cos a

= 166.67 cos 36.890o

= 133.33 N

∴ From eqn. (iv),

Rc = 100 + RB sin 36.890°

= 100 + 166.67 sin 36.890°

and –RD sin a + RC – 100 = 0 (iv)

∴ From eqn. (iii),

RD = RB cos a

= 166.67 cos 36.890o

= 133.33 N

∴From eqn. (iv),

Rc = 100 + RB sin 36.890°

= 100 + 166.67 sin 36.890°

= 200 N