B.S.A. College Of Engg.

& Technology Mathura

Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

Experiment No. - 5

Object: To study the four bar mechanism.

Apparatus: Working models of Gears.

Theory:

Gears are machine elements used to transmit rotary motion between two shafts, usually
with a constant speed ratio. The pinion is a name given to the smaller of the two mating
gears; the larger is often called the gear or the wheel.

Classification of Gears
Spur Gear: The axes of the two shafts are parallel and the teeth are straight and paral-
lel to the axes of rotation of the shafts; such gears are called spur gears. Spur gears are
so commonly employed for transmission of motion, that the term gear is commonly used
for spur gear. The spur gear has its teeth parallel to the axis of shaft and is similar in
profile throughout. The tooth profile of a spur gear has been identical to its mating gear.
Further, for any given angular position, the point of contact of the teeth should be simi-
larly located at any transverse section, and hence, it is enough to consider one such sec-
tion while studying tooth action. It can also be observed that the line of contact between
corresponding teeth is always parallel to the axis of shaft in case of the spur gears.

Diagram 1 Spure Gear

Helical Gears: Helical gears have their tooth of helical or screw form. The tooth profile of
a transverse cross-section of a helical gear is the same as that of a spur gear. However, a
change in the longitudinal position of the transverse plane necessarily causes a change
in the angular position of the wheels, unlike in spur gears. Also, the line of contact be-
tween two mating teeth is not parallel to the teeth but inclined. This ensures gradual
engagement of the teeth, rather than a sudden engagement as in the case of spur gears.
This gradual engagement makes the gears function smoothly without much noise.
 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

If the teeth on each of the members are formed in two portions of opposite hand, then
the gear set is called, double helical gears. The two different teeth may be continuous or
separated by a gap. Helical rack-and-pinion, and internal helical gears are also common.
b Lead angle

Helix
angle φ

pn

(a) (b)
Diagram 2 Helical Gears

Bevel Gears: These gears are used to transmit motion between intersecting shafts. The
classification of bevel gears can be made according to whether the pitch angle , is less
than, equal to or greater than 90°. When the pitch angle is less than 90°, they are exter-
nal bevel gears. They will become internal bevel gear, if  > 90°. When pitch angle is 90°,
the teeth become flat, and the bevel gear is known as a crow wheel. Obviously the sum of
the pitch angles of two rotating bevel gears will be equal to the angle between intersect-
ing shafts.

Diagram 3 Bevel Gear

Worm Gears: Worm gears are similar to spiral gears and are generally used to connect
skew shafts (generally at right angles) transmitting high velocity ratios. The worm
gears give line contact between mating teeth unlike a point contact in the case of spiral
gears.
If a tooth of a helical gear makes complete revolutions on the pitch cylinder, the re-
sulting gear is known as a worm. The mating gear is called worm gear or worm wheel. A
single-threaded worm and a worm wheel, with axes at 90°, are shown in Diagram 7.16a
and 7.16b, respectively. The driver is the worm and it is used for obtaining a high reduc-
tion in speed. The contact between the mating teeth is along a line and is different from
that in spiral gearing where the contact is at a point. Thus, it can be used for transmit-
ting greater loads. A new quantity lead has to be defined in the case of a worm for calcu-
 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

lating the speed ratio. The lead l is the axial movement of a point on the helix of a worm
when it makes one revolution.
Worm

Centre distance
d1 d2

φ
px
Worm gear
Lead angle λ
(a) (b)
Diagram 4 Worm gear
Top land

Face width
Face
Addendum circle p = Circular pitch
Pitch circle p a = Addendum
b = Dedendum
c = Clearance
a
Tooth Bottom land
depth b
c Working depth
Thickness
of rim Dedendum or root circle
Fillet radius Tooth space Tooth thickness
Addendum circle Dedendum circle
Pitch circle
Addendum circle dia.

Pitch circle dia.

Dedendum
circle dia.

Pitch point

Pitch surface
Pitch cylinder
Diagram 7.1 Terminology of gears

TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS

 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

Pitch Cylinders: Pitch cylinders, of a pair of gears in mesh are the imaginary friction cy-
linders, which by pure rolling together, transmit the same motion as the pair of gears.
Pitch Curve: The pitch curve of a gear is the theoretical curve along which the gear rolls
(without slipping) on the corresponding pitch curve of the other gear, for transmitting
equivalent motion. Obviously, at the point of contact of the pitch curves (called the pitch
point), the relative velocity between the mating gears is zero. So, these pitch curves are
the loci of the relative instantaneous centres (called centrodes or polodes) between the
mating gears. From the definition, it follows that the ratio of the angular velocities of
two mating gears is proportional to the ratio of the radius vectors of the pitch curves at
the point of contact. So, if a constant angular velocity ratio is to be maintained, the pitch
curves become circles (if the distance between the centres of the gears remains constant)
and termed as pitch circles. All calculations are usually based on pitch circles.
Pitch Diameter: It is the diameter of the pitch circle/cylinder.
Pitch Surface: It is the surface of the pitch cylinder.
The pitch point is the point of tangency of the pitch circles of a pair mating gear
wheels, and the common tangent is a tangent to the pitch circles at the pitch point, and
the relative motion between the matting gears is zero.
Line of Centres: A line through the centres of rotation of a pair of mating gears is the
line of centres.
Pinion: The smaller of two mating gears is referred to as the pinion. The larger gear is
termed the wheel.
Rack: The pitch curve is a straight line, i.e., if the radius of the pitch circle is infinite,
then the gear is called a rack, obviously, it will transmit only translating motion.
Pitch Line: It is a part of the pitch circle of a rack and is a straight line
Circular Pitch: The distance measured along the pitch circle from one point of a tooth to
the corresponding point of the adjacent tooth is termed the circular pitch p.
Diametral Pitch: The number of teeth per unit length of the pitch circle diameter is
termed the diametral pitch pd.
Module: It is the ration of pitch diameter to number of teeth. The inverse of the diame-
tral pitch is referred to as the module m.
Centre Distance (l): The centre to centre distance between two gears.
Velocity Ratio (λ): The velocity ratio is defined as the ratio of the angular velocity of the
follower (or output gear) to the angular velocity of the driving gear (or input gear).
Gear Ratio (i): The ratio of rotational speed of the driving gear n1 (or input gear) to the
rotational speed of the driven gear n2 (or output gear).
The addendum circle is a circle which passes through all the tooth ends.
Addendum: The radial distance between the pitch circle and the top land of the gear is
called the addendum (a).
Dedendum: The radial distance between the pitch circle and the bottom land of the gear
is called the dedendum (b).
The dedendum or root circle bounds the spaces between the teeth, and the distance be-
tween the pitch circle.
Clearance: The amount by which the dedendum of a gear exceeds the addendum of the
mating gear is known as the clearance (c).
 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

Back lash is the difference between the tooth space of the one gear and tooth thickness
of the mating gear.
Backlash = Space width – Tooth thickness
Full Depth of Teeth: It is the total radial depth of the tooth space.
Full depth = Addendum + Dedendum
Working Depth of Teeth: The maximum depth to which a tooth penetrates into the tooth
space of the mating gear is the working depth of teeth.
Working depth = Sum of addendums of the two gears.
Space Width: It is the width of the tooth space along the pitch circle.
The top and bottom surface of a tooth are known as top land and bottom land respective-
ly.
The face of the tooth is the part of the tooth between the pitch cylinder and addendum
cylinder, and its width along the tooth element is known as face width.
The flank of the tooth is the part of the tooth lying between pitch cylinder and dedendum
cylinder.
The tooth thickness is the thickness of tooth measured along the arc of the pitch circle.
The tooth space is the circular distance between two successive teeth measured along
the pitch circle.
Flank: Tooth surface between the pitch circle and the bottom land including fillet.
Fillet: It is the curved portion of the tooth flank at the root circle.
Pitch circle
Dedendum circle B
F
D
Path of
contact
β
Angle of P
action δ φ Driver

Follower

Pitch point A C Dedendum circle

E
Base circle Line of
action
Pitch circle 

Diagram 6 Involute gears

CHARACTERISTICS OF INVOLUTE ACTION

The line of action is a line normal to both the mating profiles at the contact point. It is
also termed as pressure line (CPD).
The pressure angle is the angle between the common tangent and the normal of action.
It also termed as angle of obliquity ().
The Path of Contact or Contact Length: Locus of the point of contact of two mating teeth
from the beginning of engagement to the end of engagement is known as the path of con-
tact or the contact length. Pitch point P is always one point on the path of contact.
 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

Path of Approach: Portion of the path of contact from the beginning of engagement to
the pitch point, i.e., the length CP.
Arc of Approach: It is the portion of the arc of contact from the beginning of engagement
to the pitch point, i.e., length AP or EP.
Angle of approach is the angles through which the two gears rotates as the point of con-
tact progresses from C to P [φ].
Path of Recess: Portion of the path of contact from the pitch point to the end of engage-
ment, i.e., length PD.
Arc of Recess: Portion of the arc of contact from the pitch point to the end of engagement
is the arc of recess, i.e. length PF or PB.
Angle of Recess is the angles through which the two gears rotates as the point of contact
progresses from P to D [β].
Angle of Action: It is the angle turned by a gear from the beginning of engagement to the
end of engagement of a pair of teeth, i.e., the angle turned by arcs of contact of respec-
tive gear wheels.
 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

Experiment No. - 6

Object: To study the various types of gear trains.

Apparatus: Working models of Gears.

Theory:
A gear train is a combination of gears used to transmit motion from one shaft to anoth-
er. It becomes necessary when it is required to obtain large speed reduction within a
small space. A combination of gears that is used for transmitting motion from one shaft
to another is known as a gear train; it may include various types of gears. One such gear
train of bevel, spiral, and spur gears is shown in Diagram 1. We shall consider two types
of gear trains. In one type, referred to as a simple train, the axes of rotation of the gears
are fixed in space as in the train shown in Diagram 1. In the other type, known as an
epicyclic gear train, the gears revolve about axes that are not fixed in space. The term
"epicyclic" comes from the fact that points on gears with moving axes of rotation will de-
scribe epicycloid paths.
In simple gear trains, each shaft sup- Spiral gears
ports one gear. In a compound gear train, Bevel gear
each shaft supports two gear wheels except
the first and the last. In a reverted gear
train, the driving the driven gears are
coaxial or coincident. In all these three
types, the axes of rotation of the wheels
are fixed in position and the gears rotate Spur gears
about their respective axes. However, it is Diagram 1 Gear train of bevel, spiral, and
also possible that in a gear train, the axes spur gears.
of some of the wheels are not fixed but rot-
ate around the axes of other wheels with which they mesh. Such trains are known as
planetary or epicyclic gear trains. Epicyclic gear trains are useful to transmit very high
velocity ratios with gears of smaller sizes in a lesser space.

Simple Gear Trains

In a simple gear train, each shaft carries
only one gear. If any one of the interme- A C
diate shafts (i.e., a shaft other than the in- B D
put and output shafts) carries more than
one gear, then the train is said to be a
Diagram 2 Simple gear train
compound gear train.
Diagram 2 shows a simple gear train consisting of four gears A, B, C, and D. Let the
speed of rotation (rpm) be nA, nB, nC, and nD, respectively, and let the number of teeth in
each gear be NA, NB, NC, and ND. Then,
 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

nA/nB = NB/NA, nB/nC = NC/NB, nC/nD = ND/NC, [1]

nA/nD = ND/NA, [2]
The number of teeth on intermediate gears is not significant in respect of the speed
ratio between two gears. The direction of the rotation is indicated in the diagram
(viewed from the same direction). For the simple train (consisting of only bevel gears)
shown in Diagram 2b, equations (7.59) and (7.60) will apply, and the direction of rota-
tion is represented by the vectors a, b, c, and d along respective axes (using the right-
hand-screw notation for the sense). For gears with parallel axes of rotation, the proper
sign should be used for the right-hand side of (7.59) and (7.60), depending on the direc-
tion of rotation. So,
nA/nB = –NB/NA, nB/nC = –NC/NB, nC/nD = –ND/NC, [1a]
nA/nD = –ND/NA, [2a]

Compound Gear Train

In a compound gear train, the number of teeth on the intermediate gears will influence
the speed ratio. Consider the compound gear train shown in Diagram 3. Here, nB = nC as
the gears are mounted on the same shaft. Now,
nA/nB = –NB/NA, nC/nD = –ND/NC, nB/nD = – ND/NB,
nA N B N D
  train value from D to A. [3]
nD N A N C
A
A
B
C
2 3
C B
Last gear
4
D 1
D
First gear

Diagram 3 Compound gear train Diagram 4 Reverted Gear Train

Reverted Gear Train

If the axes of the first and the last wheels of a compound gear coincide, it is called a re-
verted gear train. Such an arrangement is used in clocks and in simple lathes where
back gear is used to give a slow speed to the chuck.
Referring Diagram 4,
r1 + r2 = r3 + r4,
Since the distances between the axis of gears 1–2, and 3–4 are same.
or, N1 + N2 = N3 + N4,
n4 N N
 1 3 . [4]
n1 N 2 N 4
where r is the pitch circle radius, and N is the number of teeth of gears.

Epicyclic Gear Trains

 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

However, in epicyclic gear trains, it is sometimes difficult to see how the gears will oper-
ate as some of them rotate about axes which also are in motion. That is why we use me-
thods for analyzing epicyclic gear trains which are rather mechanical, without trying to
visualize the actual motion of the gears. Two-such methods are discussed in this section.
These are (i) the tabulation method, and (ii) the algebric method.
The basic principle of these methods is that the relative motion between a pair of
mating gears is always the same (being equal to the inverse ratio of the number of teeth
on the gears) whether the axes of rotation are fixed or moving. Diagram 5 shows a sim-
ple epicyclic gear train where the gear A can rotate about an arm which itself rotates
about the axis of the gear B. Before explaining this principle, let us consider the epicyc-
lic gear train in Diagram 5, and show that it has two degrees of freedom. The number of
links n is four, namely, the fixed link, gear B, arm, and gear A. The number of higher
pairs h is 1.
A

Arm  S
T
P θ
B θ R

U
O

Diagram 5 Epicyclic gear trains

Sun and Planet Gear

Sun and planet gear is a compound epicyclic gear train. When an annular wheel A is
added to the epicyclic gear train of Diagram 5, the combination is usually referred as
sun and planet gear (Diagram 6a). The annular wheel gears with the wheel P which can
rotate freely on the arm X. The wheels S and P are generally called the sun and the pla-
net wheels respectively due to analogy of motion of a planet around the sun.
λ
1
G2 G1
NS NQ
Q R λ 3/4
NR NP
P fixed Practical rage of λ
1/2
S fixed
S 1/4
Arm X

0 0.5 1
P
Speed ration y/nS, or y/nP
(a) (b)
Diagram 6 Sun and planet gear
 B.S.A. College Of Engg. & Technology Mathura
Department of Mechanical Engg.
Course : B.TECH. SUBJECT : TOM LAB (KME-652)
Prepared By: Brij Bhooshan

In general, S, R (compound gear Q-R) and arm are free to rotate independently of
each other. It is also possible that either S or R are fixed. If R is fixed, S will be the driv-
ing member and if S is fixed, R will be the driving member. In each case the driven
member is the arm X.