sprag

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /spræɡ/
    • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -æɡ

Etymology 1

Adjective

sprag (comparative more sprag, superlative most sprag)

  1. Alternative form of sprack.

Etymology 2

See spray (“a branch”).

Noun

sprag (plural sprags)

  1. A billet of wood; a piece of timber, a similar solid object or constructed unit used as a prop.
    • 1956, United States Department of the Army, United States Department of the Air Force, Principles of Automotive Vehicles, Technical Manual 9-8000, page 325,
      A sprag (fig. 349) is a steel block so shaped as to act as a wedge in the complete assembly. In the sprag unit under discussion, there are 42 sprags assembled into an outer race and held in place by two energizing springs (fig. 350).
    • 1981, (US) Departments of the Army and Air Force, Maintenance: Direct Support, and General Support Level, Technical Manual 9-2520-246-34-1, page 2-201,
      When checking sprags, anvil and spindle ends of micrometer and flat back of sprag must all rest on a flat surface as shown in view A.
      Since wear on all sprags in any one sprag unit will be the same, it is only necessary to check 5 sprags in each assembly.
    • 2008, Cliff Ruggles, GM Automatic Overdrive Transmission Builder's and Swapper's Guide, page 52:
      The sprag should still be taken apart for visual inspection of the components. I have seen sprags that still functioned correctly, but when taken apart, the spring cage that holds the sprag elements was completely destroyed.
    • 2009, Jack Erjavec, Automotive Technology: A Systems Approach, Cengage Learning, page 1192:
      A one-way sprag clutch (figure 40-36) consists of a hub and a drum separated by figure-eight-shaped metal pieces called sprags. The sprags are shaped this way so they can lock between the races when a race is turned in one direction only.
Derived terms
  • sprag clutch

Verb

sprag (third-person singular simple present sprags, present participle spragging, simple past and past participle spragged)

  1. (transitive) To check the motion of, as a carriage on a steep slope, by putting a sprag between the spokes of the wheel.
    • 1911, L. M. Jones, “Accidents from Mine Cars and Locomotives”, in Miners' Circular:
      Accidents happen to the driver while running alongside his trip, spragging wheels or applying brakes
  2. (transitive) To prop or sustain with a sprag.

Anagrams

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