Chapter 6

Gears and Gear Train System

Introduction
• Gears are a rotating machine elements having cylindrical shape and
cut teeth, used to transmit motion and therefore power from one
rotating shaft to another.

• There are two types of gearing system

1. Simple or Spur Gears
2. Compound Gears
1- Simple or Spur Gears
Mainly describe the rotational between two gears
(pinion and spur). A rotation of spur is opposite in
direction to that of the pinion. See Fig. 6-1. If it is
necessary for the spur gear to rotate in the same
direction of the pinion gear, an idler (intermediate)
gear must be inserted between them. See Fig. 6-2.

Input Output

Pinion Spur

Fig. 6-1: Shows pinion gear at A mesh on spur gear at B [4]

 ω

Input

Idler

Output

Fig. 6-2: Two gear trains with an idler (intermediate)

gear connected between input and output gears [4].
Relationship between gear ratio, torque
and power

30
20

Fig. 6-3: shows teeth of Gear 1 meshes with teeth of Gear 2 [4]
 • Gear Ratio (GR) or speed ratio:

angular velocity of input gear

GR =
angular velocity of output gaer
win
GR =
wout
For two gears that are mesh together
win Tout
=
wout Tin
Where, Tout and Tin are number of teeth on the output and input gears, respectively.
2pN in
60 = Tout
2pN out Tin
60
N in Tout
=
N out Tin
Then,
N out * Tout N *T
N in = or N out = in in = rpm
Tin Tout
The above equation shows that if the number of teeth on the output gear
is larger than the number of teeth on the input gear, then the input gear
must rotate faster than the output gear. For detail, see the below Figure.

output
input

10 30

GR is 3:1, that means the input gear must rotate 3 revolutions for 1
revolution on the output gear. ( Less output speed but more power)
input
output

10
30

GR is 1:3, that means the input gear must rotate 1 revolution for 3
revolution on the output gear. (More output speed but less power)
• Module of the gear (m):
Scale factor to the gear design whose effect is to
enlarge or reduce the gear tooth size.
circle diameter
m=
number of teeth of the gear
d
m= ® d = m.T
T
p .d 2p r
p= =
• Centre distance between two gears (L): T T

d +d
L= 1 2
2
1
= (m T + m T )
2 1 2
m
= (T + T )
2 1 2
• Torque Ratio (τR):
t out
τR =
t in
Where, τout and τin are output torque and input torque,
respectively.
Note that τ = F. r where F is applied force of compression (N)
and r is gear radius (m)
• Efficiency (η):

Power output Pout

h= =
Power input Pin
Where,
Pout = t out * wout
Pin = t in * win
 2- Compound Gears
Gear train system which consists of more than one gear
wheel fixed into the same shaft is a compound gears.
For example, see the below Figure.

2 3

1 2
Input 1 Output
shaft shaft
4
3 4

Fig. 6-4: shows four gear wheels. Gear 1 drives gear 2 and gear 3
drives gear 4. Gear 2 and 3 are connected in one rotating shaft.
 angular velocity of input gear win Tout
GR = = =
angular velocity of output gaer wout Tin

win T4 T2
= 2 3

wout T3 T1
Input 1 Output
N in T4 T2 shaft shaft
=
N out T3 T1 4

T4 T2
N in = * N out
T3 T1
T3 T1
N out = * N in
T4 T2
Exercise 6.1
• Power transmitted between two parallel shafts by simple train
of gears. The gear on the input shaft has 20 teeth and meshes
with an intermediate gear having 40 teeth. The gear on the
output shaft has 50 teeth. Compute the speed of the output
shaft when the input shaft makes 300 rev/min.
Solution,
300 rpm
Input 20
N in Tout shaft
=
N out Tin 40

300 50
= 50 Output
N out 20 shaft

300 * 20
N out = = 120 rev/min
50
Exercise 6.2
• It is required to make two spur gears that will give a
ratio of 3:4 and have a module of 6 mm. If the centre
distance between the two gears is approximately 125
mm, Calculate:

a) The number of teeth on each gear.

b) The pitch circle diameters.
Input shaft
c) The circular pitch.
d) The exact centre distance. T₁ T₂

Output shaft
Solution, Input shaft

GR = 3:4 = ¾ =0.75 T₁ T₂
Output shaft
(a) Number of teeth for each gear
L
T2
= 0.75
T1
(b) pitch circle diameters
T2 = 0.75 T1
d1 = m.T1 = 144 mm
From the centre distance equation
d 2 = m.T2 = 108 mm
m
L = (T1 + T2 ) (c) circular pitch
2
p d1 p d 2
6 p= = = 18.85 mm
125 = (T1 + 0.75T1 ) = 5.25 T1 T1 T2
2
125 (d) exact centre distance
Then, T1 = = 23.8 = 24 teeth m
5.25 L = (T1 + T2 ) = 126 mm
And , T2 = 0.75 T1 = 18 teeth 2
Exercise 6.3
• In the gear train shown below, the number of teeth of
gears A, B, C and D are 24, 96, 30 and 75 respectively.
If gears A and B have a module of 3.5 mm, determine:
B
C

L
A
Input Output
a) The gear ratio shaft D shaft

b) The speed of gear D (output speed) if gear A runs at

3600 rpm.
c) The centre distance (L).
d) The module of gears C and D.
e) The circular pitches of A/B and C/D.
a) Gear Ratio
N in TD TB 75 96
GR = = = = 10
N out TC TA 30 24
b) Speed at gear D (output speed)
3600 3600
= 10 then, N out = = 360 rpm
N out 10
B
c) Centre distance 96 C
m A/B 30
L = (TA + TB ) L
2
3.5 Input A Output
= ( 24 + 96) = 210 mm 24 75
2 shaft D shaft
d) module of gear C and D 3600 rpm
m C/D
210 = (TC + TD )
2
m C/D 210 210
= = = 2
2 (TC + TD ) (30 + 75)
m C/D = 2 ´ 2 = 4 mm
e) Circular pitches of A/B and C/D
p d
p = =p ´m
T
p A/B = p m A/B = p ´ 3.5 = 10.99 mm
p C/D = p m C/D = p ´ 4 = 12.56 mm
What is the rpm at Gear C and what is the direction?
Assignment 6
The input shaft of the gear box shown has a gear A with 40 teeth,
which meshes with gear B on the lay shaft having 60 teeth. The lay
shaft has an output gear C having 50 teeth, which meshes with gear
D on the output shaft having 60 teeth. Compute:
B
C

L
A
Input Output
A. The gear ratio. shaft D shaft
B. The speed of the input shaft, if the speed of the output shaft is
1800 rpm.
C. The centre distance (L).
D. The module of gears A and B, if the module of gears C and D is 4
mm.
E. The circular pitches of A/B and C/D.
F. If the force of compression approximately equals to 1000 N, find
the torque ratio and the efficiency on the input and output shafts.