Linear Rack and Pinions

Linear Rack and Pinions (LRPs and RLRPs)		Non-magnetic and precise. Wide Range of Linear Travels with option of continuous 360° Rotation. Light Duty and Heavy Duty versions. Bakeable to 250°C. Motorisation options available. High Torque, High Thrust.
Whilst magnetic linear drives are a low cost and very useful device for many applications they also have a few limitations. There is no direct mechanical connection between the inner and outer moving parts, so they can de-couple and have a positional hysteresis. They are magnetic; some experiments cannot allow magnetic fields to be nearby.
When you require the transport device to overcome at least one of the above limitations, then the solution is the Linear Rack and Pinion - the LRP. This device has been designed to allow fast reliable transfer of samples within UHV system. The LRP uses a single rotary drive to move a rack assembly. This means that, the LRP only has linear movement. Additional secondary motion can be provided by an additional rotary drive and shaft assembly. This combination becomes a Rotating Linear Rack and Pinion or RLRP. The RLRPs are available in all of the same travel lengths as the LRP series. In the XL transfer series the secondary rotation is used to lock and unlock samples into position on the end of the RLRP.	Normally these devices are mounted horizontally. Vertical mounting is possible with the optional friction brake.

The Product Range
The LRP and RLRP product range are split into 2 subsections: namely, the P2 Light Duty and P6 Heavy Duty versions. The light duty versions are mounted on 70mm O.D. conflat flanges. The heavy duty versions are mounted on 150mm O.D. conflat flanges and allow much heavier loads to be rotated and transported. Drawings and specifications of these versions are detailed in the next few pages.