Geoff,

 

Think about a recurve bow for archery.  You can adjust a leaf spring in
thickness, length and width of material and also put prestress in bends to
get all sorts of results.  In a coil you could use tapered wire to wind the
coil or you could vary the angle or diameter of the coils as the spring
compresses.  A larger diameter or flatter coils will normally soften the
spring with the same wire.  With cams you can do all sorts of things as in
the compound bows for archery with high onset flat force curve and rapid
drop off at some pre set length.  

 

Randy

 

 














Geoff,

 

Think about a recurve bow for archery.  You can =
adjust
a leaf spring in thickness, length and width of material and also put =
prestress
in bends to get all sorts of results.  In a coil you could use =
tapered
wire to wind the coil or you could vary the angle or diameter of the =
coils as
the spring compresses.  A larger diameter or flatter coils will =
normally
soften the spring with the same wire.  With cams you can do all =
sorts of
things as in the compound bows for archery with high onset flat force =
curve and
rapid drop off at some pre set length.  =


 

Randy