Suppose I have a coiled spring. The spring is 3 ft long with 2 coils per ft, total of 6 coils. When I compress the spring the coil has a slight amount of twist say about 45 degrees at the top coil. If I made that same spring with twice as many coils but otherwise the same length and diameter (12") would the amount of twist change. I am having trouble framing it in such a way that I can comprehend the twisting motion.
I believe coil springs twist when compressed if the load is not balanced over the center of the coils. Is that the case you are dealing with?
If that’s what’s happening, essentially the spring bending along it’s center axis, then I don’t think it’s as simple a matter of only the number of coils.
I just realized I am not expressing the problem correctly because of how I am using the spring. It is actually tension when stretched out and relaxed when fully retracted. The spring is inside of flexible ducting.
I have about 220" of wire in the spring, it retracts about 6". It looks like the diameter of the coils slightly changes. Maybe that is all there is to it.
Watcha makin’? You come up with interesting problems.
I’m trying to understand what you are seeing. Is the spring connected to anything at the ends? The usual thing is just a hook on a rod or in a hole and often some freedom of movement is allowed so the spring could twist or bend.
Yes it is anchored on one end. I would love to talk about it but I am planning on getting a patent soon, hopefully.