CH.

8
Kinematic of Gears

Gears: Toothed Wheels

Higher-Pair Mechanism
Objectives:
This chapter will help you:
• learn about the features of different kinds of gears

• the kinematics of a pair of gears operating together

• the operation of gear trains having more than two gears

Gears:
are machine elements that transmit motion by means of successively
engaging teeth. The gear teeth act like small levers.

Gears are desired for transmission of constant angular velocity ratio

between two shafts ( input shaft & output shaft)
constant angular velocity ratio this very different from constant rpm
ratio; rpm is not angular velocity; that is the average angular velocity or
average angular speed ; but constant angular velocity ratio used such that
at every instant the instantaneous angular velocity of the two shafts
maintain a constant ratio that where we are used gears

For a constant velocity ratio,

the position of P should
remain unchanged
The two shafts can be :
➢ Parallel
➢ Intersecting; shafts may be intersects at a point
➢ Skewed neither parallel nor intersecting

➢ Skewed
➢ Parallel ➢ Intersecting: Crossed-helical gears
Spur gears 1- Straight bevel gears
Parallel helical gears 2- Spiral bevel gears
.
.
 ➢ Parallel We start with Spur gears ( straight tooth); teeth
are // to the axis of the shaft
Spur gears
Spur gears also called circular
NOMENCLATURE AND GEARTOOTH FEATURES of circular strait tooth
Spur gears

Pinion rotates CW ; gear rotates CCW

Called external gearing

Two gears rotates in the same direction

3 link mechanism

Called internal gearing

Pair of spur gears. The pinion drives the gear.
Two mating spur gears
The angular velocity ratio Pinion
𝑟𝑝1
𝜔1
= 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡
𝜔2 𝑂1
𝜔1
P
Pitch point
𝜔2𝑟
𝑝2
Exactly the equivalent
transmission is also 𝑂2
possible by mounting
Gear
two friction discs:
one disc of radius 𝑟𝑝1
And another disc of radius 𝑟𝑝2
Imagine that these two disc drive each other without slipping

The same velocity is transmit
𝜔1
= 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡 = −
𝜔2
Because there is no slip at
point p the velocity is the
same
𝜔1 𝑥 𝑟𝑝1 = 𝜔2 𝑥 𝑟𝑝2
Because 𝜔1 & 𝜔2 in
opposite direction we can take
care about the sign
These two imaginary circles
called: pitch circles
𝑟𝑝2
𝑟𝑝1
P
Pitch circle diameter( radius 𝑟𝑝 ). It is the
diameter of the pitch circle. The size of the gear
is usually specified by the pitch circle diameter.
It is also known as pitch diameter
As we will see most of the gears geometry will be referred to these
imaginary pitch circles

Now imagine that 𝑟𝑝 tends to ∞

2

𝑟𝑝2 tends to ∞
Then the pitch circle converted to a
strait line ; such a gear is called a rack

Such rack- pinion are used to transmit

constant speed from circular speed to
linear speed or vise versa

Rack- Pinion are very often used for conversion of uniform angular
motion to uniform Rectilinear motion or vise versa
Face width (F):
The width of the tooth
measured parallel to the axis of
the gear.
• Fillet:
The arc joining the involute-
tooth profile to the root of the
tooth space
• Face:
The surface of a gear tooth
from the pitch circle to the
outside circle of the gear
• Flank:
The surface of a gear tooth
from the pitch circle to the root
of the tooth space, including
the fillet
 Working depth:
The distance between
addendum circles of two
mating gears

Working depth

Pitch circle. It is an imaginary

circle which by pure rolling
action, would give the same
motion as the actual gear.
 Circular pitch P
Circular pitch. It is the distance
measured on the circumference of
the pitch circle from a point of one
tooth to the corresponding point on
the next tooth.

𝑟𝑝 𝐷
𝑃 = 2𝜋 = 𝜋
𝑁 𝑁

Where:
𝑟𝑝 N = Number of teeth, and
D =(2 𝑟𝑝 )Pitch circle diameter.
Diametral pitch. It is the ratio of number of
teeth to the pitch circle diameter.
It is denoted by pd. Mathematically, Pd= N / D
𝑃𝑥𝑃𝑑 = 𝜋
For gear & pinion
Pd= NG / DG = NP / DP
Inverse of the diametral pitch which is more commonly used is called module

Module. It is the ratio of the pitch circle diameter in millimeters to the number of teeth.
It is usually denoted by m. Mathematically,

2𝑟𝑝
Module, m = D /N =
𝑁
This tells us that this pitch circle radius are proportional to the number of teeth for a pair
of mating gears

𝑟𝑝1 𝑁1 𝜔1 𝑟𝑝2 𝑁2
= We
=− So =−
𝑟𝑝2 𝑁2 know
𝜔2 𝑟𝑝1 𝑁1

𝜔1 𝑁2
=−
𝜔2 𝑁1
We given various definitions which defines the tooth geometry of circular gear

Pitch circle diameter( radius 𝑟𝑝 ). Circular pitch P Diametral pitch 𝑃𝑑

2𝑟𝑝
Module, m = D /N =
𝑁
Addendum. It is the radial distance of a tooth from the pitch circle to the top of the tooth.
Addendum 𝒂 = 𝒓𝒂 − 𝒓𝒑
Dedendum. It is the radial distance of a tooth from the pitch circle to the bottom of the tooth.

Dedendum 𝒃 = 𝒓𝒑 − 𝒓𝒃
𝒂 ≅𝒎
a & b are usually standardized 𝑏 >𝑎

What should be the tooth profile such that the constant angular velocity
ratio is maintained?
so we have a higher pair,⇒ that is a line contact between a pair of teeth
of the mating gears
Fundamental law of gearing
What is the condition necessary such that the two gears maintains constant angular velocity ratio

n
IC I23
We don’t know where; but we
know that it lies on the
common normal
𝜔2 𝜔3
Appling Aronhold- Kennedy
2 I23 theorem we know that I12
I12 I13 3
1 𝑂2 P , I13 and I23 must be collinear
Revolute pair 1 𝑂3
with relative Revolute pair Consider that body 2 rotates
IC I12 with relative CW with 𝜔2
IC I13 n
So that body 2 rotates CCW
I23 mean the velocity of point P considered to be a with 𝜔3
point on body 2 must have the same velocity; if we
considered that point P to be a point on body 3 which 𝜔2 𝑂3 𝑃
means: =
𝜔2 (𝑂2 𝑃) = 𝜔3 (𝑂3 𝑃) 𝜔3 𝑂2 𝑃
 𝜔2
If we want to maintain constant; 𝑂2 and 𝑂3 are fixed points then P must be fixed point , so
𝜔3
shape of the body must be that the common normal n-n (which called the line of action) always
passes the same point P on the line 𝑂2 𝑂3 which called the line of centers

𝜔2 𝑂3 𝑃 Called Fundamental
= law of gearing
𝜔3 𝑂2 𝑃

The common normal ( line of action) must intersect the line of centers at
a fixed point ( pitch point P )
Now we will discuss that there are a radius profile which are possible to
maintain this fundamental law of gearing and maintain this angular
velocity ratio

But as we know most common it is the involute profile which is used for
the gearing

What is involute
Conjugate profiles
In fact if one profile is given what ever the arbitrary so long is
continuous we can always find another profile which is Conjugate to the
given profiles such that the Fundamental law of gearing satisfied
In practice we don’t do that
In practice we use what is called

Involute Profiles
An involute of a circle is a plane curve generated by a point on a tangent,
which rolls on the circle without slipping or by a point on a taut string
which in unwrapped from a reel
taut string which in
What is involute? unwrapped from a
reel is always
tangent to the
cylinder
Involute of a circle

rb
Base circle

The center of curvature of the involute is always at the point of tangency

of the string with the cylinder
A tangent to the involute is then always normal to the string, the length
of which is the instantaneous radius of curvature of the involute curve
Crossed – belt and pulley analogy to explain why this involute
profile will satisfy the Fundamental law of gearing or a pair of involute
will be

When rotating;
1 𝜔1 𝑟1 = 𝜔2 𝑟2 𝑂1 1
Point Q 𝑂1 𝑟1
generates an
involute in A
which the
pulley is a base Line common normal
circle between two involute
And this line of action Q profiles line of action Q
intersects line of centers at
P P pitch point P
fixed point P
𝜔1 𝑟2
B 𝑟2
=−
𝑂2
𝜔2 𝑟1 𝑂2
2 2
So these two profiles maintain the same motion as was been done by the cross belt AB if we remove the belt
and allow to move by the two involute then the eq. Is maintain and Conjugate action maintained
conclusion
Line AB as we see is a common normal for the two profiles which
generating due to the rotation; and this line AB is a common tangent for
the two circles; and we called this line a line of action.

1 And a common normal AB intersecting

𝑂1 the line of centers 𝑂1 𝑂2 at point P
𝑟1
A
And as we see because of the base
circles point P never changes as the belt
P Q rotates because of common normal AB
point of remains a line of action
action
And we called point P ; point of action
B 𝑟2
𝑂2
2
If we draw two circles which center of 𝑂1 & 𝑂2 and radius 𝑂1 P 𝑟𝑝1 & 𝑂2 P (𝑟𝑝2 ); so
these two circles are called Pitch circles

The line t t passes through point P

making common tangent with the two
𝑟𝑝1 Pitch circles ; this line >>>>>
1
𝑂1
𝑟1
point of A
The angle that the common
action φ Pitch normal AB makes with the
φ circles
P Q common tangent t t to the
t t two pitch circles; angle ( φ )
is called the operating
φ pressure angle
B 𝑟2 𝑟𝑝2
𝑂2 And these two angels also = φ
2
𝑟𝑏1 = 𝑟1 = 𝑟𝑃1 cos 𝜑
𝑟𝑏2 = 𝑟2 = 𝑟𝑃2 cos 𝜑
 𝜔1 𝑟2 𝑟𝑃2
=− =−
𝜔2 𝑟1 𝑟𝑃1

So we have define operating pressure angle ; the pitch point; the

line of action
Advantages of the involute profile
Because of this advantages we find involute profiles are most commonly
used in mass produced gears
➢ Maintains conjugate action (
➢ Operating pressure angle is constant ( φ ) ( will explain)
➢ A pair of involute gears maintains conjugate action even if the center
distance between two gears changes ( will explain)
➢ Ease of production ( because teeth of gears are produced by a process
called process of generation using a conjugate action between rack
and a pinion and that a conjugate rack of the involute profile is strait
to track)
Can maintain conjugate
profile is strait; action with involute gear
and profile
So this rack is an
It is satisfied strait cutter is used to produce the involute rack which is
involute tooth profile on a circular gear blank used as a cutter
Why the involute of a rack is a strait line ; the involute of strait line is a
strait line ( will be explained) (as we called that that the rack is a circle
with radius is infinity so the profile becomes as a line)