Nope, I reckon if you are applying torque by definition it is a tangential force (it always acts perpendicular to the lever arm) but you might not pull at exactly a right angle so some of the effort gets lost. You then need to think of the force acting on a point on the lever arm and then you need some idea of direction but the direction is relative to the lever arm and hence rotated 90 degrees in a sense. But if it is not torque, then it is a force acting on a body and you then need to know the direction of the force which would be cos theta.
I suppose it depends where on the curve you start!
Mark
PS, being in the northern hemisphere, do we need to increase or reduce the torque load on threaded components depending on whether the torque wrench is turning clockwise or anticlockwise? And does that mean Australian machines fall apart easier 'cos the bolts aren't tight enough?
Edited By Mark C on 03/03/2015 19:41:20