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a collar bearing or simply collar is provided at any position
along the shaft and bears the axial load on a mating surface
e-Notes by Dr.T.V.Govindaraju, Principal, Shirdi Sai Engineering College,
Bangalore

4.0 Gears:

Introduction: The slip and creep in the belt or rope drives is a common phenomenon, in the
transmission of motion or power between two shafts. The effect of slip is to reduce the
velocity ratio of the drive. In precision machine, in which a definite velocity ratio is
importance (as in watch mechanism, special purpose machines..etc), the only positive drive
is by means of gears or toothed wheels.

Friction Wheels: Kinematiclly, the motion and

power transmitted by gears is equivalent to that
transmitted by friction wheels or discs in contact
with sufficient friction between them. In order to
understand motion transmitted by two toothed Figure 4.1
wheels, let us consider the two discs placed
together as shown in the figure 4.1.

When one of the discs is rotated, the other disc will be rotate as long as the tangential force
exerted by the driving disc does not exceed the maximum frictional resistance between the
two discs. But when the tangential force exceeds the frictional resistance, slipping will take
place between the two discs. Thus the friction drive is not positive a drive, beyond certain
limit.

Gears are machine elements that transmit motion by means of successively engaging teeth.
The gear teeth act like small levers. Gears are highly efficient (nearly 95%) due to primarily
rolling contact between the teeth, thus the motion transmitted is considered as positive.

Gears essentially allow positive engagement between teeth so high forces can be transmitted
while still undergoing essentially rolling contact. Gears do not depend on friction and do best
when friction is minimized.

Some common places that gears can normally be found are:

Printing machinery parts Newspaper Industry Book binding machines

Rotary die cutting
machines
Blow molding machinery
Agricultural equipment
High volume vacuum
pumps
Boat out drives
Plastics machinery builders Injection molding machinery
Motorcycle Transmissions (street Heavy earth moving to
and race applications) personal vehicles
Polymer pumps High volume water pumps for
municipalities
Turbo boosters for automotive Marine applications
applications
Special offshore racing drive Canning and bottling
systems machinery builders

1
 Hoists and Cranes
Automotive prototype and
reproduction
Diesel engine builders
Commercial and Military
operations
Low volume automotive
production
Special gear box builders
Military offroad vehicles
Stamping presses
Many different special
machine tool builders

4.1 Gear Classification: Gears may be classified according to the relative position of the
axes of revolution. The axes may be

1. Gears for connecting parallel shafts,

2. Gears for connecting intersecting shafts,
3. Gears for neither parallel nor intersecting shafts.

Gears for connecting parallel shafts

1. Spur gears: Spur gears are the most common type of gears. They have straight teeth,
and are mounted on parallel shafts. Sometimes, many spur gears are used at once to
create very large gear reductions. Each time a gear tooth engages a tooth on the other
gear, the teeth collide, and this impact makes a noise. It also increases the stress on the
gear teeth. To reduce the noise and stress in the gears, most of the gears in your car are

helical.
Spur gears (Emerson Power Transmission Corp)

Spur gears are the most commonly used gear type. They are characterized by teeth, which
are perpendicular to the face of the gear. Spur gears are most commonly available, and are
generally the least expensive.

• Limitations: Spur gears generally cannot be used when a direction change between the
two shafts is required.

• Advantages: Spur gears are easy to find, inexpensive, and efficient.

Iinternal contact
2. Parallel helical gears: The teeth on helical gears are cut at
an angle to the face of the gear. When two teeth on a helical
gear system engage, the contact starts at one end of the tooth

2
 and gradually spreads as the gears rotate, until the two teeth are in full engagement.

Helical gears
(EmersonPower Transmission Corp) Herringbone gears
(or double-helical gears)

This gradual engagement makes helical gears operate much more smoothly and quietly than
spur gears. For this reason, helical gears are used in almost all car transmission.

Because of the angle of the teeth on helical gears, they create a thrust load on the gear when
they mesh. Devices that use helical gears have bearings that can support this thrust load.

One interesting thing about helical gears is that if the angles of the gear teeth are correct,
they can be mounted on perpendicular shafts, adjusting the rotation angle by 90 degrees.

Helical gears to have the following differences from spur gears of the same size:

o Tooth strength is greater because the teeth are longer,

o Greater surface contact on the teeth allows a helical gear to carry more load than a
spur gear
o The longer surface of contact reduces the efficiency of a helical gear relative to a spur
gear

Rack and pinion (The rack is like a gear whose axis is at

infinity.): Racks are straight gears that are used to convert
rotational motion to translational motion by means of a
gear mesh. (They are in theory a gear with an infinite pitch
diameter). In theory, the torque and angular velocity of the
pinion gear are related to the Force and the velocity of the
rack by the radius of the pinion gear, as is shown.

Perhaps the most well-known application of a rack is the rack and pinion steering system
used on many cars in the past

Gears for connecting intersecting shafts: Bevel gears are useful when the direction of
a shaft's rotation needs to be changed. They are usually mounted on shafts that are 90
degrees apart, but can be designed to work at other angles as well.

3
The teeth on bevel gears can be straight, spiral or hypoid. Straight bevel gear teeth actually
have the same problem as straight spur gear teeth, as each tooth engages; it impacts the
corresponding tooth all at once.

Just like with spur gears, the solution to this problem is to curve the gear teeth. These spiral
teeth engage just like helical teeth: the contact starts at one end of the gear and progressively
spreads across the whole tooth.

Straight bevel gears Spiral bevel

gears

On straight and spiral bevel gears, the shafts must

be perpendicular to each other, but they must also
be in the same plane. The hypoid gear, can engage
with the axes in different planes.

This feature is used in many car differentials. The

ring gear of the differential and the input pinion
gear are both hypoid. This allows the input pinion
to be mounted lower than the axis of the ring gear.
Figure shows the input pinion engaging the ring
gear of the differential. Since the driveshaft of the
car is connected to the input pinion, this also Hypoid gears (Emerson Power Transmission Corp)
lowers the driveshaft. This means that the
driveshaft doesn't pass into the passenger compartment of the car as much, making more
room for people and cargo.

Neither parallel nor intersecting shafts: Helical gears may be used to mesh two shafts
that are not parallel, although they are still primarily use in parallel shaft applications. A
special application in which helical gears are used is a crossed gear mesh, in which the
two shafts are perpendicular to each other.

Crossed-helical gears

Worm and worm gear: Worm gears are used when

large gear reductions are needed. It is common for

4
worm gears to have reductions of 20:1, and even up to 300:1 or greater.

Many worm gears have an interesting property that no other gear set has: the worm can
easily turn the gear, but the gear cannot turn the worm. This is because the angle on the
worm is so shallow that when the gear tries to spin it, the friction between the gear and
the worm holds the worm in place.

This feature is useful for machines such as conveyor systems,

in which the locking feature can act as a brake for the
conveyor when the motor is not turning. One other very
interesting usage of worm gears is in the Torsen differential,
which is used on some high-performance cars and trucks.

4.3 Terminology for Spur Gears

5
Figure 4-4 Spur Gear

6
Terminology:

Addendum: The radial distance between the Pitch Circle and the top of the teeth.

Arc of Action: Is the arc of the Pitch Circle between the beginning and the end of the
engagement of a given pair of teeth.

Arc of Approach: Is the arc of the Pitch Circle between the first point of contact of the gear
teeth and the Pitch Point.

Arc of Recession: That arc of the Pitch Circle between the Pitch Point and the last point of
contact of the gear teeth.

Backlash: Play between mating teeth.

Base Circle: The circle from which is generated the involute curve upon which the tooth
profile is based.

Center Distance: The distance between centers of two gears.

Chordal Addendum: The distance between a chord, passing through the points where the
Pitch Circle crosses the tooth profile, and the tooth top.

Chordal Thickness: The thickness of the tooth measured along a chord passing through the
points where the Pitch Circle crosses the tooth profile.

Circular Pitch: Millimeter of Pitch Circle circumference per tooth.

Circular Thickness: The thickness of the tooth measured along an arc following the Pitch
Circle

Clearance: The distance between the top of a tooth and the bottom of the space into which it
fits on the meshing gear.

Contact Ratio: The ratio of the length of the Arc of Action to the Circular Pitch.

7
Dedendum: The radial distance between the bottom of the tooth to pitch circle.

Diametral Pitch: Teeth per mm of diameter.

Face: The working surface of a gear tooth, located between the pitch diameter and the top of
the tooth.

Face Width: The width of the tooth measured parallel to the gear axis.

Flank: The working surface of a gear tooth, located between the pitch diameter and the
bottom of the teeth

Gear: The larger of two meshed gears. If both gears are the same size, they are both called
"gears".

Land: The top surface of the tooth.

Line of Action: That line along which the point of contact between gear teeth travels,
between the first point of contact and the last.

Module: Millimeter of Pitch Diameter to Teeth.

Pinion: The smaller of two meshed gears.

Pitch Circle: The circle, the radius of which is equal to the distance from the center of the
gear to the pitch point.

Diametral pitch: Teeth per millimeter of pitch diameter.

Pitch Point: The point of tangency of the pitch circles of two meshing gears, where the Line
of Centers crosses the pitch circles.

Pressure Angle: Angle between the Line of Action and a line perpendicular to the Line of
Centers.

Profile Shift: An increase in the Outer Diameter and Root Diameter of a gear, introduced to
lower the practical tooth number or acheive a non-standard Center Distance.

Ratio: Ratio of the numbers of teeth on mating gears.

Root Circle: The circle that passes through the bottom of the tooth spaces.

Root Diameter: The diameter of the Root Circle.

Working Depth: The depth to which a tooth extends into the space between teeth on the
mating gear.

8
4.2 Gear-Tooth Action

4.2.1 Fundamental Law of Gear-Tooth

Action

Figure 5.2 shows two mating gear teeth, in

which

• Tooth profile 1 drives tooth profile 2 by

acting at the instantaneous contact point K.
• N1N2 is the common normal of the two
profiles.
• N1 is the foot of the perpendicular from O1 
to N1N2
• N2 is the foot of the perpendicular from O2
to N1N2.

Although the two profiles have different

velocities V1 and V2 at point K, their velocities
along N1N2 are equal in both magnitude and
direction. Otherwise the two tooth profiles
would separate from each other. Therefore, we
have

O1 N 1 1 = O2 N 2  2 (4.1)
or

1 O2 N 2
= (4.2) Figure 5-2 Two gearing tooth profiles
 2 O1 N1

We notice that the intersection of the tangency N1N2 and the line of center O1O2 is point
P, and from the similar triangles,

O1 N 1 P = O2 N 2 P (4.3)

Thus, the relationship between the angular velocities of the driving gear to the driven gear, or
velocity ratio, of a pair of mating teeth is

1 O2 P
= (4.4)
 2 O1 P

Point P is very important to the velocity ratio, and it is called the pitch point. Pitch point
divides the line between the line of centers and its position decides the velocity ratio of the
two teeth. The above expression is the fundamental law of gear-tooth action.

9
From the equations 4.2 and 4.4, we can write,

1 O2 P O2 N 2
= = (4.5)
 2 O1 P O1 N1

which determines the ratio of the radii of the two base circles. The radii of the base circles is
given by:

O1 N 1 = O1 P cos  and O2 N 2 = O2 P cos  (4.6)

Also the centre distance between the base circles:

O1 N1 O2 N 2 O1 N1 + O2 N 2
O1O2 = O1 P + O2 P = + = (4.7 )
cos  cos  cos 

where  is the pressure angle or the angle of obliquity. It is the angle which the common
normal to the base circles make with the common tangent to the pitch circles.

4.2.2 Constant Velocity Ratio

For a constant velocity ratio, the position of P should remain unchanged. In this case, the
motion transmission between two gears is equivalent to the motion transmission between
two imagined slip-less cylinders with radius R1 and R2 or diameter D1 and D2. We can get
two circles whose centers are at O1 and O2, and through pitch point P. These two circles are
termed pitch circles. The velocity ratio is equal to the inverse ratio of the diameters of pitch
circles. This is the fundamental law of gear-tooth action.

The fundamental law of gear-tooth action may now also be stated as follow (for gears with
fixed center distance)

A common normal (the line of action) to the tooth profiles at their point of contact must, in
all positions of the contacting teeth, pass through a fixed point on the line-of-centers called
the pitch point
Any two curves or profiles engaging each other and satisfying the law of gearing are
conjugate curves, and the relative rotation speed of the gears will be constant(constant
velocity ratio).

10
4.2.3 Conjugate Profiles

To obtain the expected velocity ratio of two tooth profiles, the normal line of their profiles
must pass through the corresponding pitch point, which is decided by the velocity ratio. The
two profiles which satisfy this requirement are called conjugate profiles. Sometimes, we
simply termed the tooth profiles which satisfy the fundamental law of gear-tooth action the
conjugate profiles.

Although many tooth shapes are possible for which a mating tooth could be designed to
satisfy the fundamental law, only two are in general use: the cycloidal and involute profiles.
The involute has important advantages; it is easy to manufacture and the center distance
between a pair of involute gears can be varied without changing the velocity ratio. Thus
close tolerances between shaft locations are not required when using the involute profile. The
most commonly used conjugate tooth curve is the involute curve. (Erdman & Sandor).

conjugate action : It is essential for correctly meshing gears, the size of the teeth ( the
module ) must be the same for both the gears.

Another requirement - the shape of teeth necessary for the speed ratio to remain constant
during an increment of rotation; this behavior of the contacting surfaces (ie. the teeth flanks)
is known as conjugate action.

4.3 Involute Curve

The following examples are involute spur gears. We use the word involute because the
contour of gear teeth curves inward. Gears have many terminologies, parameters and
principles. One of the important concepts is the velocity ratio, which is the ratio of the rotary
velocity of the driver gear to that of the driven gears.

4.1 Generation of the Involute Curve

The curve most commonly used for gear-tooth

profiles is the involute of a circle. This involute
curve is the path traced by a point on a line as
the line rolls without slipping on the
circumference of a circle. It may also be defined

11

Figure 4.3 Involute curve

as a path traced by the end of a string, which is originally wrapped on a circle when the
string is unwrapped from the circle. The circle from which the involute is derived is called
the base circle.

4.2 Properties of Involute Curves

1. The line rolls without slipping on the circle.

2. For any instant, the instantaneous center of the motion of the line is its point of tangent
with the circle.

Note: We have not defined the term instantaneous center previously. The instantaneous
center or instant center is defined in two ways.

1. When two bodies have planar relative motion, the instant center is a point on one body
about which the other rotates at the instant considered.
2. When two bodies have planar relative motion, the instant center is the point at which the
bodies are relatively at rest at the instant considered.
3. The normal at any point of an involute is tangent to the base circle. Because of the
property (2) of the involute curve, the motion of the point that is tracing the involute is
perpendicular to the line at any instant, and hence the curve traced will also be
perpendicular to the line at any instant.

There is no involute curve within the base circle.

Cycloidal profile:

Epicycliodal Profile:

12
Hypocycliodal Profile:

The involute profile of gears has important advantages;

• It is easy to manufacture and the center distance between a pair of involute gears can
be varied without changing the velocity ratio. Thus close tolerances between shaft
locations are not required. The most commonly used conjugate tooth curve is the
involute curve. (Erdman & Sandor).

2. In involute gears, the pressure angle, remains constant between the point of tooth
engagement and disengagement. It is necessary for smooth running and less wear of gears.

But in cycloidal gears, the pressure angle is maximum at the beginning of engagement,
reduces to zero at pitch point, starts increasing and again becomes maximum at the end of
engagement. This results in less smooth running of gears.

3. The face and flank of involute teeth are generated by a single curve where as in cycloidal
gears, double curves (i.e. epi-cycloid and hypo-cycloid) are required for the face and flank
respectively. Thus the involute teeth are easy to manufacture than cycloidal teeth.

In involute system, the basic rack has straight teeth and the same can be cut with simple
tools.

Advantages of Cycloidal gear teeth:

1. Since the cycloidal teeth have wider flanks, therefore the cycloidal gears are stronger than
the involute gears, for the same pitch. Due to this reason, the cycloidal teeth are preferred
specially for cast teeth.

2. In cycloidal gears, the contact takes place between a convex flank and a concave surface,
where as in involute gears the convex surfaces are in contact. This condition results in less
wear in cycloidal gears as compared to involute gears. However the difference in wear is
negligible

13
3. In cycloidal gears, the interference does not occur at all. Though there are advantages of
cycloidal gears but they are outweighed by the greater simplicity and flexibility of the
involute gears.

Properties of involute teeth:

1. A normal drawn to an involute at pitch point is a tangent to the base circle.

2. Pressure angle remains constant during the mesh of an involute gears.

3. The involute tooth form of gears is insensitive to the centre distance and depends only on
the dimensions of the base circle.

4. The radius of curvature of an involute is equal to the length of tangent to the base circle.

5. Basic rack for involute tooth profile has straight line form.

6. The common tangent drawn from the pitch point to the base circle of the two involutes is
the line of action and also the path of contact of the involutes.

7. When two involutes gears are in mesh and rotating, they exhibit constant angular velocity
ratio and is inversely proportional to the size of base circles. (Law of Gearing or conjugate
action)

8. Manufacturing of gears is easy due to single curvature of profile.

System of Gear Teeth

The following four systems of gear teeth are commonly used in practice:

1. 14 ½O Composite system

2. 14 ½O Full depth involute system

3. 20O Full depth involute system

4. 20O Stub involute system

The 14½O composite system is used for general purpose gears.

It is stronger but has no interchangeability. The tooth profile of this system has cycloidal
curves at the top and bottom and involute curve at the middle portion.

The teeth are produced by formed milling cutters or hobs.

The tooth profile of the 14½O full depth involute system was developed using gear hobs for
spur and helical gears.

14
The tooth profile of the 20o full depth involute system may be cut by hobs.

The increase of the pressure angle from 14½o to 20o results in a stronger tooth, because the
tooth acting as a beam is wider at the base.

The 20o stub involute system has a strong tooth to take heavy loads.

Involutometry

Addendum Circle
Pitch Circle
C
B

r
ra E
F

Gear
Base Circle
O

The study of the geometry of the involute profile for gear teeth is called involumetry.
Consider an involute of base circle radius ra and two points B and C on the involute as
shown in figure. Draw normal to the involute from the points B and C. The normal BE and
CF are tangents to the Base circle.

Let

ra= base circle radius of gear

rb= radius of point B on the involute

rc= radius of point C on the involute

and

b= pressure angle for the point B

c= pressure angle for the point C

tb= tooth thickness along the arc at B

tc= tooth thickness along the arc at C

From OBE and

15
OCF
ra = rb  cos b (1)
 Therefore
rb  cos b = rc  cos c
From the properties of the Involute:

Arc AE = Length BE and

Arc AF = Length CF
ArcAE BE
 AOE = = = tan b
OE OE
 AOB = AOE − b = tan b − b
 Inv.b = tan b − b
 Expression (tan b − b )is 
called involute function 
 

Similarly:
ArcAF BE
 AOF = = = tan c
OF OF
 AOC = AOF − c = tan C − C
 Inv.c = tan c − c

At the po int B
tb
AOD = AOB +
2rb
tb
= tan b − b +
2rb

At the po int C
tc
AOD = AOC +
2rb
tc
= tan c − c +
2rc

16
 Equating the above equations :
tb t
tan b − b + = tan c − c + c
2rb 2rc
tb t
 inv. b + = inv.c + c
2rb 2rc
 t 
tc =  inv.b − inv. c + b 2rc
 2rb 
= tooth thickness at C
Using this equation and knowing tooth thickness at any point on the tooth, it is possible to
calculate the thickness of the tooth at any point

Path of contact:

O2
Wheel Base Circle
RA 
R
N 
Pitch
L Circle
K P Addendum
Circles
M
r Pitch
 Circle
ra
Base Circle
O1 Pinion

Consider a pinion driving wheel as shown in figure. When the pinion rotates in clockwise,
the contact between a pair of involute teeth begins at K (on the near the base circle of pinion
or the outer end of the tooth face on the wheel) and ends at L (outer end of the tooth face on
the pinion or on the flank near the base circle of wheel).

MN is the common normal at the point of contacts and the common tangent to the base
circles. The point K is the intersection of the addendum circle of wheel and the common
tangent. The point L is the intersection of the addendum circle of pinion and common
tangent.

The length of path of contact is the length of common normal cut-off by the addendum
circles of the wheel and the pinion. Thus the length of part of contact is KL which is the sum
of the parts of path of contacts KP and PL. Contact length KP is called as path of approach
and contact length PL is called as path of recess.

17
ra = O1L = Radius of addendum circle of pinion,

and

R A = O2K = Radius of addendum circle of wheel

r = O1P = Radius of pitch circle of pinion,

and

R = O2P = Radius of pitch circle of wheel.

Radius of the base circle of pinion = O1M = O1P cos = r cos

and

radius of the base circle of wheel = O2N = O2P cos  = R cos

From right angle triangle O2KN

KN = (O2 K )2 − (O2 N )2
= (RA ) − R 2 cos 2 
2

PN = O2 P sin  = R sin 

Path of approach: KP
KP = KN − PN
= (RA ) − R 2 cos 2  − R sin 
2

Similarly from right angle triangle O1ML

ML = (O1L )2 − (O1M )2
= (ra )2 − r 2 cos 2 
MP = O1 P sin  = r sin 

Path of recess: PL

PL = ML − MP
= (r ) − r 2 cos 2  − r sin 
2
Length of path of contact = KL a

KL = KP + PL
= (RA )2 − R 2 cos2  + (ra )2 − r 2 cos2  − (R + r )sin 

18
Arc of contact: Arc of contact is the path traced by a point on the pitch circle from the
beginning to the end of engagement of a given pair of teeth. In Figure, the arc of contact is
EPF or GPH.

O2
Wheel
RA 
R
N 
L Pitch
E F Circle
Gear
Profile P Addendum
G H
K Circles
M
r Pitch
 Circle
ra
Base Circle
O1 Pinion
Considering the arc of contact GPH.

The arc GP is known as arc of approach and the arc PH is called arc of recess. The angles
subtended by these arcs at O1 are called angle of approach and angle of recess respectively.
Lenght of path of approach KP
Length of arc of approach = arc GP = =
cos  cos 

Lenght of path of recess PL

Length of arc of recess = arc PH = =
cos  cos 
Length of arc contact = arc GPH = arc GP + arc PH
KP PL KL Length of path of contact
= + = =
cos  cos  cos  cos 

Contact Ratio (or Number of Pairs of Teeth in Contact)

The contact ratio or the number of pairs of teeth in contact is defined as the ratio of the
length of the arc of contact to the circular pitch.
Length of the arc of contact
Mathematically, Contat ratio =
PC
Where: PC = Circular pitch =   m and m = Module.

19
Number of Pairs of Teeth in Contact

Continuous motion transfer requires two pairs of teeth in contact at the ends of the path
of contact, though there is only one pair in contact in the middle of the path, as in Figure.

The average number of teeth in contact is an important parameter - if it is too low due to the
use of inappropriate profile shifts or to an excessive centre distance.The manufacturing
inaccuracies may lead to loss of kinematic continuity - that is to impact, vibration and noise.

The average number of teeth in contact is also a guide to load sharing between teeth; it is
termed the contact ratio

Length of path of contact for Rack and Pinion:

PITCH LINE

Pc
a

h
T b

c
RACK

Base Circle
PINION


PITCH LINE 
c 20
RACK
Let

r = Pitch circle radius of the pinion = O1P

 = Pressure angle

ra. = Addendu m radius of the pinion

a = Addendum of rack

EF = Length of path of contact

EF = Path of approach EP + Path of recess PF

AP a
sin  = = (1)
EP EP
a
Path of approach = EP = ( 2)
sin 
Path of recess = PF = NF − NP (3)
From triangle O1 NP :
NP = O1 P sin  = r sin 
From triangle O1NF:
O1 N = O1 P cos  = r cos 
( ) = (r )
1 1
NF = O1 F 2 − O1 N 2 2
a
2
− r 2 cos 2  2

Substituting NP and NF values in the equation (3)

( )
1
Path of racess = PF = ra2 − r 2 cos 2  2 − r sin 
 Path of length of contact = EF = EP + PF

( )
1
a
= + ra2 − r 2 cos 2  2 − r sin 
sin 
Exercise problems refer presentation slides

Interference in Involute Gears

O2 Wheel
Base Circle
RA 
R
N 
L Pitch
Circle
P Addendum
K Circles
M
r Pitch
 Circle
ra 21
Base Circle
O1 Pinion
Figure shows a pinion and a gear in mesh with their center as O1andO2 respectively. MN is
the common tangent to the basic circles and KL is the path of contact between the two
mating teeth.

Consider, the radius of the addendum circle of pinion is increased to O1N, the point of
contact L will moves from L to N. If this radius is further increased, the point of contact L
will be inside of base circle of wheel and not on the involute profile of the pinion.

The tooth tip of the pinion will then

undercut the tooth on the wheel at the Wheel
root and damages part of the involute
profile. This effect is known as
interference, and occurs when the teeth
are being cut and weakens the tooth at its
root.

In general, the phenomenon, when the tip Undercut Pinion

of tooth undercuts the root on its mating
gear is known as interference.

Similarly, if the radius of the addendum circles of the wheel increases beyond O2M, then the
tip of tooth on wheel will cause interference with the tooth on pinion. The points M and N
are called interference points.

Interference may be avoided if the path of the contact does not extend beyond interference
points. The limiting value of the radius of the addendum circle of the pinion is O1N and of
the wheel is O2M.

The interference may only be prevented, if the point of contact between the two teeth is
always on the involute profiles and if the addendum circles of the two mating gears cut the
common tangent to the base circles at the points of tangency.

When interference is just prevented, the maximum length of path of contact is MN.

Maximum path of approach = MP = r sin 

Maximum path of recess = PN = R sin 
Maximum length of path of contact = MN
MN = MP + PN = (r + R )sin 
Maximum length of arc of contact =
(r + R )sin  = (r + R ) tan 
cos 

Methods to avoid Interference

1. Height of the teeth may be reduced.

2. Under cut of the radial flank of the pinion.

22
3. Centre distance may be increased. It leads to increase in pressure angle.

4. By tooth correction, the pressure angle, centre distance and base circles remain unchanged,
but tooth thickness of gear will be greater than the pinion tooth thickness.

Minimum number of teeth on the pinion avoid Interference

The pinion turns clockwise and drives the gear as shown in Figure.

Points M and N are called interference points. i.e., if the contact takes place beyond M and
N, interference will occur.

The limiting value of addendum circle radius of pinion is O1N and the limiting value of
addendum circle radius of gear is O2M. Considering the critical addendum circle radius of
gear, the limiting number of teeth on gear can be calculated.

Let

Ф = pressure angle

R = pitch circle radius of gear = ½mT

r = pitch circle radius of pinion = ½mt

T & t = number of teeth on gear & pinion

m = module

O2
Wheel Base Circle
RA 
R
N 
L Pitch
Circle
P Max.
K Addendum
M Circles
r Pitch
 Circle
ra
Base Circle
O1 Pinion
aw = Addendum constant of gear (or) wheel

ap = Addendum constant of pinion

23
 aw. m = Addendum of gear ap. m = Addendum of pinion

G = Gear ratio = T/t

From triangle O1NP, Applying cosine rule

O1 N 2 = O1 P 2 + NP 2 − 2  O1 P  PN cos O1 PN
= r 2 + R 2 sin 2  − 2 r R sin  cos (90 +  )
= r 2 + R 2 sin 2  + 2 r R sin 2 
 R 2 sin 2  2 R sin 2   2 RR  2 
= r 2 1 + +  = r 1 +  + 2  sin  
 rr 
2
 r r  
( PN = O2 P sin  = R sin  )

Limiting radius of the pinion addendum circle:

1 1
 RR   2 mt  T  T  2
O1 N = r 1 +  + 2  sin 2   = 1 +  + 2  sin 2  
Addendum of the pinion= Or1Nr- O1P  2  tt  
1
mt  T T  2  2 mt
a pm = +
 t t
1  + 2  sin   −
2     2
 1

=
mt 1 + T  T  2 2  
 + 2  sin   − 1
2  t t   
 

Addendum of the pinion = O1N - O1P

 1

t  T  T  2 2 
a p = 1 +  + 2  sin   − 1
2  t t   
 
2a p
t=
 
( )
1

 1 + G (G + 2 ) sin 2
 2 −1

 

The equation gives minimum number of teeth required on the pinion to avoid interference.

If the number of teeth on pinion and gear is same: G=1

1. 14 ½O Composite system 2=a p 12

t=
2. 14 ½O Full depth involute system = 32
 
( )
1
O
=2 
3. 20 Full depth involute system 1 + 3 sin −1
18
 
2
 
24
 4. 20O Stub involute system = 14

Minimum number of teeth on the wheel avoid Interference

From triangle O2MP, applying cosine rule and simplifying, The limiting radius of wheel addendum
circle:

1
 rr  2
O2 M = R 1 +  + 2  sin 2  
 RR  
1
mT  t t  2 2
= 1 + T  T + 2  sin  
2    

Addendum of the pinion = O2 M- O2P

O2
Wheel Base Circle
RA 
R
N 
L Pitch
Circle
P Max.
K Addendum
M Circles
r Pitch
 Circle
ra
Base Circle
O1 Pinion

25
  1

mT    
1 +  + 2  sin   − 1
t t 2
aw m = 2

2  T  T 

 
 
 1

T  t t  2
aw = 1 +  + 2  sin 2   − 1
2  T  T   
 
2aW
T =
 1

 1 1 
1 +  + 2  sin 2   − 1
2

 G  G   
 

The equation gives minimum number of teeth required on the wheel to avoid interference.

Minimum number of teeth on the pinion for involute rack to avoid Interference

The rack is part of toothed wheel of

infinite diameter. The base circle 
diameter and profile of the involute
teeth are straight lines.


PITCH LINE Pc 
a

h
RACK T b

 PINION

PITCH LINE L 
M
H
P
K

RACK c
Let

26
t = Minimum number of teeth on the pinion

r = Pitch circle radius of the pinion = ½ mt

 = Pressure angle

AR.m = Addendum of rack

The straight profiles of the rack are tangential to the pinion profiles at the point of contact
and perpendicular to the tangent PM. Point L is the limit of interference.

Addendum of the rack: AR  m = LH = PL sin 

= (OP sin  )sin 
= OP sin 2 
= r sin 2 
mt
= sin 2 
2
2 AR
To avoid interferen ce : t =
sin 2 

Backlash:

The gap between the non-drive face of the pinion tooth and the adjacent wheel tooth is
known as backlash.

If the rotational sense of the pinion were to reverse, then a period of unrestrained pinion
motion would take place until the backlash gap closed and contact with the wheel tooth re-
established impulsively.

Backlash is the error in motion that occurs when gears change direction. The term "backlash"
can also be used to refer to the size of the gap, not just the phenomenon it causes; thus, one
could speak of a pair of gears as having, for example, "0.1 mm of backlash."

A pair of gears could be designed to have zero backlash, but this would presuppose
perfection in manufacturing, uniform thermal expansion characteristics throughout the
system, and no lubricant.

Therefore, gear pairs are designed to have some backlash. It is usually provided by reducing
the tooth thickness of each gear by half the desired gap distance.

In the case of a large gear and a small pinion, however, the backlash is usually taken entirely
off the gear and the pinion is given full sized teeth.

27
Backlash can also be provided by moving the gears farther apart. For situations, such as
instrumentation and control, where precision is important, backlash can be minimised
through one of several techniques.

Standard
(cutting)
O2 O2
Pitch Circle
RA  R' Wheel
Wheel
R R Base Circle
N N'
 '
Standard
(cutting)
P c P Pitch Circle
c' Operating
M Pitch Circle
r
 ra M'
Standard Pinion ' r Standard
(cutting) r' (cutting)
O1
Pitch Circle Pitch Circle
Pinion Base Circle
O1
Figure a c Figure b

Let

r = standard pitch circle radius of pinion

R = standard pitch circle radius of wheel

c = standard centre distance = r +R

r’ = operating pitch circle radius of pinion

R’ = operating pitch circle radius of wheel

c’ = operating centre distance = r’ + R’

Ф = Standard pressure angle

Ф’ = operating pressure angle

h = tooth thickness of pinion on standard pitch circle= p/2

h’ = tooth thickness of pinion on operating pitch circle

Let

28
 H = tooth thickness of gear on standard pitch circle

H1 = tooth thickness of gear on operating pitch circle

p = standard circular pitch = 2п r/ t = 2пR/T

p’ = operating circular pitch = 2п r1/t = 2пR1/T

∆C = change in centre distance

B = Backlash

t = number of teeth on pinion

T = number of teeth on gear.

Involute gears have the invaluable ability of providing conjugate action when the gears'
centre distance is varied either deliberately or involuntarily due to manufacturing and/or
mounting errors.
r R c
= =
r ' R' c'
c' cos  ' = c  cos 
cos 
 c' = c
cos  '
cos   cos  
Now c = c'−c = c − c = c − 1
cos  '  cos  ' 
On the operating pitch circle:
Operating pitch = sum of tooth thickness + Backlash
 p' = h'+ H '+ B (1)

By involutometry :
 h
h' = 2r ' inv. − inv. '+ 
 2r 
Substituting h’ and H’ in the equation  (1): h 
H ' = 2 R' inv. − inv. '+
 2 R 
 h  h 
p' = 2r ' inv. − inv. '+  + 2 R' inv. − inv. '+ +B
 2r   2 R 
 r ' R' 
 p' = h +  + 2 inv. (r '+ R') − 2 inv. ' (r '+ R') + B
r R
29
 c' c' 
p' = h +  + 2 c' inv. − 2 c' inv. '+ B
c c
 + 2c' inv. '−inv. 
c'
 B = p − 2h
c
2r ' 2r c'
B= −2 + 2c' inv. '−inv. 
t 2t c
2  c' 
B=  r '−r  + 2c' inv. '−inv. 
t  c
2  r' 
B=  r '−r  + 2c' inv. '−inv. 
t  r
Backlash = B = 2c' inv. '−inv. 

There is an infinite number of possible centre distances for a given pair of profile shifted
gears, however we consider only the particular case known as the extended centre distance.

Non Standard Gears:

The important reason for using non standard gears are to eliminate undercutting, to prevent
interference and to maintain a reasonable contact ratio.

The two main non- standard gear systems:

(1) Long and short Addendum system and

(2) Extended centre distance system.

Long and Short Addendum System:

The addendum of the wheel and the addendum of the pinion are generally made of equal
lengths.

Here the profile/rack cutter is advanced to a certain increment towards the gear blank and
the same quantity of increment will be withdrawn from the pinion blank.

Therefore an increased addendum for the pinion and a decreased addendum for the gear is
obtained. The amount of increase in the addendum of the pinion should be exactly equal to
the addendum of the wheel is reduced.

The effect is to move the contact region from the pinion centre towards the gear centre, thus
reducing approach length and increasing the recess length. In this method there is no change
in pressure angle and the centre distance remains standard.

Extended centre distance system:

30
Reduction in interference with constant contact ratio can be obtained by increasing the centre
distance. The effect of changing the centre distance is simply in increasing the pressure
angle.

In this method when the pinion is being cut, the profile cutter is withdrawn a certain amount
from the centre of the pinion so the addendum line of the cutter passes through the
interference point of pinion. The result is increase in tooth thickness and decrease in tooth
space.

Now If the pinion is meshed with the gear, it will be found that the centre distance has been
increased because of the decreased tooth space. Increased centre distance will have two
undesirable effects.

NOTE: Please refer presentation slides also for more figure, photos and exercise
problems

References:
1. Theory of Machines and Mechanisms by Joseph Edward Shigley and John
Joseph Uicker,Jr. McGraw-Hill International Editions.
2. Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines by George H.Martin. McGraw-Hill
Publications.
3. Mechanisms and Dynamics of Machinery by Hamilton H. Mabie and Fred W.
Ocvirk. John Wiley and Sons.
4. Theory of Machines by V.P.Singh. Dhanpat Rai and Co.
5. The Theory of Machines through solved problems by J.S.Rao. New age
international publishers.
6. A text book of Theory of Machines by Dr.R.K.Bansal. Laxmi Publications (P)
Ltd.
7. Internet: Many Web based e notes

31
Chapter 5: Gears Trains
A gear train is two or more gear working together by meshing their teeth and turning each other in a
system to generate power and speed. It reduces speed and increases torque. To create large gear ratio,
gears are connected together to form gear trains. They often consist of multiple gears in the train.

The most common of the gear train is the gear pair connecting parallel shafts. The teeth of this type
can be spur, helical or herringbone. The angular velocity is simply the reverse of the tooth ratio.

Any combination of gear wheels employed to transmit motion from one

shaft to the other is called a gear train. The meshing of two gears may be
idealized as two smooth discs with their edges touching and no slip
between them. This ideal diameter is called the Pitch Circle Diameter
(PCD) of the gear.

Simple Gear Trains

The typical spur gears as shown in diagram. The direction of rotation is reversed from one gear to
another. It has no affect on the gear ratio. The teeth on the gears must all be the same size so if gear A
advances one tooth, so does B and C.

t = number of teeth on the gear,

v
D = Pitch circle diameter, N = speed in rpm
v
D
m = module =
t
and
A B
module must be the same for all C
gears otherwise they would not mesh.
DA DB D
m= = = C
tA tB tC
DA = m t A; DB = m t B and DC = m t C
 = angular velocity.
GEAR 'A' GEAR 'B' GEAR 'C'
D
v = linear velocity on the circle. v =  =  r (Idler gear)
2
The velocity v of any point on the circle must be the same for all the gears, otherwise they would be
slipping. DA DB DC
v = A = B = C
2 2 2
 A DA =  B DB = C DC
 A m t A =  B m t B = C m t C
 A t A =  B t B = C t C
or in terms of rev / min
N A t A = N B t B = N C tC

32
Application:
a) to connect gears where a large center distance is required

b) to obtain desired direction of motion of the driven gear ( CW or CCW)

c) to obtain high speed ratio

Torque & Efficiency

The power transmitted by a torque T N-m applied to a shaft rotating at N rev/min is given by:

2 N T
P=
60
In an ideal gear box, the input and output powers are the same so;

2 N1 T1 2 N 2 T2
P= =
60 60
T2 N
N1 T1 = N 2 T2  = 1 = GR
T1 N2
It follows that if the speed is reduced, the torque is increased and vice versa. In a real gear box, power
is lost through friction and the power output is smaller than the power input. The efficiency is defined
as:
Power out 2  N 2 T2  60 N T
= = = 2 2
Power In 2  N1 T1  60 N1 T1
Because the torque in and out is different, a gear box has to be clamped in order to stop the case or
body rotating. A holding torque T3 must be applied to the body through the clamps.

The total torque must add up to zero.

T1 + T2 + T3 = 0

If we use a convention that anti-clockwise is positive and clockwise is negative we can determine the
holding torque. The direction of rotation of the output shaft depends on the design of the gear box.

Compound Gear train Input

Compound gears are simply a chain of simple gear
trains with the input of the second being the output of B
D
the first. A chain of two pairs is shown below. Gear
B is the output of the first pair and gear C is the input A Output
of the second pair. Gears B and C are locked to the C
same shaft and revolve at the same speed.
Compound Gears
For large velocities ratios, compound gear train GEAR 'B'
arrangement is preferred.
GEAR 'A'
The velocity of each tooth on A and B are the same GEAR 'D'
so: A tA = B tB -as they are simple gears.
Likewise for C and D, C tC = D tD. GEAR 'C'
33
 A B C D
= and =
tB tA tD tC
tB  B t  D
A = and C = D
tA TC
tB  B tD  D
 A  C = 
tA tC
 A  C t B t D
= 
 B   D t A tC
Since gear B and C are on the same shaft
 B = C
A tB tD
=  = GR
 D t A tC
Since  = 2    N
The gear ratio may be
written as :
N (In ) t B t D
=  = GR
N (Out ) t A t C
Reverted Gear train
The driver and driven axes lies on the same line. These are used in speed reducers, clocks and
machine tools.
N t t
GR = A = B D
N D t A  tC

If R and T=Pitch circle radius & number of teeth of the gear

RA + RB = RC + RD and tA + tB = tC + tD

34
Epicyclic gear train:

Epicyclic means one gear revolving upon and

around another. The design involves planet and
sun gears as one orbits the other like a planet
around the sun. Here is a picture of a typical gear
box.

This design can produce large gear ratios in a

small space and are used on a wide range of
applications from marine gearboxes to electric
screwdrivers.

Basic Theory

The diagram shows a gear B on the end of an arm. Planet wheel

Gear B meshes with gear C and revolves around it B B
when the arm is rotated. B is called the planet gear
and C the sun. Arm
Arm 'A'

First consider what happens when the planet gear

orbits the sun gear.
C
C
Sun wheel

Observe point p and you will see that gear B also revolves once on its own axis. Any object orbiting
around a center must rotate once. Now consider that B is free to rotate on its shaft and meshes with C.
Suppose the arm is held stationary and gear C is rotated once. B spins about its own center and the

35
 tC
number of revolutions it makes is the ratio . B will rotate by this number for every complete
tB
revolution of C.
tC
Now consider that C is unable to rotate and the arm A is revolved once. Gear B will revolve 1 +
tB
because of the orbit. It is this extra rotation that causes confusion. One way to get round this is to
imagine that the whole system is revolved once. Then identify the gear that is fixed and revolve it
back one revolution. Work out the revolutions of the other gears and add them up. The following
tabular method makes it easy.

Suppose gear C is fixed and the arm A makes one revolution. Determine how many revolutions the
planet gear B makes.
Step 1 is to revolve everything once about the center.
Step 2 identify that C should be fixed and rotate it backwards one revolution keeping the arm fixed as
it should only do one revolution in total. Work out the revolutions of B.
Step 3 is simply add them up and we find the total revs of C is zero and for the arm is 1.

Step Action A B C
1 Revolve all once 1 1 1
Revolve C by –1 revolution, t
2 0 + C -1
keeping the arm fixed tB
tC
3 Add 1 1+ 0
tB

 t 
The number of revolutions made by B is 1 + C  Note that if C revolves -1, then the direction of B
 tB 
t
is opposite so + C .
tB

Example: A simple epicyclic gear has a fixed sun gear with 100 teeth and a planet gear with 50
teeth. If the arm is revolved once, how many times does the planet gear revolve?

Solution:

Step Action A B C
1 Revolve all once 1 1 1
Revolve C by –1 revolution, 100
2 0 + -1
keeping the arm fixed 50
3 Add 1 3 0

Gear B makes 3 revolutions for every one of the arm.

The design so far considered has no identifiable input and output. We need a design that puts an input
and output shaft on the same axis. This can be done several ways.

36
Problem 1: In an ecicyclic gear train shown in figure, the arm A is fixed to the shaft S. The wheel B
having 100 teeth rotates freely on the shaft S. The wheel F having 150 teeth driven separately. If the
arm rotates at 200 rpm and wheel F at 100 rpm in the same direction; find (a) number of teeth on the
gear C and (b) speed of wheel B.

C
100 rpm

F150
S B100
B

C Arm A
200 rpm

Solution:
TB=100; TF=150; NA=200rpm; NF=100rpm:

Since the mod ule is same for all gears :

the number of teeth on the gears is proportion al to the pitch cirlce :
 rF = rB + 2rC
 TF = TB + 2TC
150 = 100 + 2  TC
TC = 25 → Number of teeth on gears C

The gear B and gear F rotates in the opposite directions:

37
 TB
 Train value = −
TF
N L − N Arm N F − N A
also TV = = ( general exp ression for epicyclic gear train)
N F − N Arm N B − N A
TB N F − N A
 − =
TF N B − N A
100 100 − 200
− =  N E = 350
150 N B − 200
The Gear B rotates at 350 rpm in the same direction of gears F and Arm A.

Problem 2: In a compound epicyclic gear train as shown in the figure, has gears A and an annular
gears D & E free to rotate on the axis P. B and C is a compound gear rotate about axis Q. Gear A
rotates at 90 rpm CCW and gear D rotates at 450 rpm CW. Find the speed and direction of rotation of
arm F and gear E. Gears A,B and C are having 18, 45 and 21 teeth respectively. All gears having
same module and pitch.

P E
A
B
C Arm F
Q

Solution:
TA=18 ; TB=45; TC=21; NA = -90rpm; ND=450rpm:

Since the module and pitch are same for all gears :
the number of teeth on the gears is proportion al to the pitch cirlce :
 rD = rA + rB + rC
 T D = T A + T B + TC
T D = 18 + 45 + 21 = 84 teeth on gear D

38
 Gears A and D rotates in the opposite directions:
T T
 Train value = − A  C
TB TD
N L − N Arm N D − N F
also TV = =
N F − N Arm N A − N F
T A TC N D − N F
 −  =
TB TD N A − N F
18  21 450 − N F
− =
45  84 − 90 − N F
 N F = Speed of Arm = 400.9 rpm − CW

Now consider gears A, B and E:

rE = rA + 2rB
 TE = T A + 2TB
TE = 18 + 2  45
TE = 108 → Number of teeth on gear E

Gears A and E rotates in the opposite directions:

TA
 Train value = −
TE
NE − NF
also TV =
NA − NF
TA N E − N F
 − =
TE N A − N F
18 N − 400.9
− = E
108 − 90 − 400.9
 N E = Speed of gear E = 482.72 rpm − CW

Problem 3: In an epicyclic gear of sun and planet type shown in figure 3, the pitch circle diameter of
the annular wheel A is to be nearly 216mm and module 4mm. When the annular ring is stationary, the
spider that carries three planet wheels P of equal size to make one revolution for every five revolution
of the driving spindle carrying the sun wheel.
Determine the number of teeth for all the wheels and the exact pitch circle diameter of the annular
wheel. If an input torque of 20 N-m is applied to the spindle carrying the sun wheel, determine the
fixed torque on the annular wheel.
Annular 'A'

Spider 'L'
Sun Wheel 'S'
Planet Wheel 'P'
39
Solution: Module being the same for all the meshing gears:
TA = TS + 2TP
PCD of A 216
TA = = = 54 teeth
m 4

Spider Sun Wheel S Planet wheel P Annular wheel A

Operation
arm L
TS TP TA = 54
Arm L is fixed & TS TS TP T
Sun wheel S is 0 +1 − −  =− S
TP TP T A TA
given +1 revolution
Multiply by m TS TS
(S rotates through 0 m − m − m
TP TA
m revolution)
Add n revolutions TS TS
n m+n n− m n− m
to all elements TP TA

If L rotates +1 revolution:  n=1 (1)

The sun wheel S to rotate +5 revolutions correspondingly:
 n+m=5 (2)
From (1) and (2) m=4

When A is fixed:
TS
n− m=0  T A = 4 TS
TA
54
 TS = = 13.5 teeth
4

But fractional teeth are not possible; therefore TS should be either 13 or 14 and TA
correspondingly 52 and 56.

Trial 1: Let TA = 52 and TS = 13

T −T 52 −13
 TP = A S = = 19.5 teeth - This is impracticable
2 4
Trial 2: Let TA = 56 and TS = 14

40
 TA − TS 56 −14
 TP = = = 21teeth - This is practicable
2 4
 TA = 56, TS = 14 and TP = 21
 PCD of A = 56  4 = 224 mm
Also
Torque on L  L = Torque on S  S
5
Torque on L  L = 20  = 100 N − m
1
 Fixing torque on A = (TL – TS) = 100 – 20 = 80 N-m

]
D
Problem 4: The gear train shown in figure 4
is used in an indexing mechanism of a milling A C Arm
machine. The drive is from gear wheels A and B
B to the bevel gear wheel D through the gear H
train. The following table gives the number of G
teeth on each gear.

Gear A B C D E F
Number of E
72 72 60 30 28 24 F
teeth
Diametral
08 08 12 12 08 08
pitch in mm

How many revolutions does D makes for one Figure 4

revolution of A under the following
situations:
a. If A and B are having the same speed and same direction
b. If A and B are having the same speed and opposite direction
c. If A is making 72 rpm and B is at rest
d. If A is making 72 rpm and B 36 rpm in the same direction

Solution:
Gear D is external to the epicyclic train and thus C and D constitute an ordinary train.

Arm
Operation E (28) F (24) A (72) B (72) G (28) H (24)
C (60)
Arm or C is fixed 28 7 28 7
& wheel A is given 0 -1 − =− +1 -1 +1 =
+1 revolution 24 6 24 6

41
 Multiply by m 7 7
(A rotates through 0 -m − m +m -m +m m
m revolution) 6 6
Add n revolutions 7 7
n n-m n− m n+m n-m n+m n+ m
to all elements 6 6

(i) For one revolution of A: n+m=1 (1)

For A and B for same speed and direction: n+m = n–m (2)
From (1) and (2): n = 1 and m = 0

 If C or arm makes one revolution, then revolution made by D is given by:

N D T C 60
= = =2
NC TD 30
 N D = 2 NC
(ii) A and B same speed, opposite direction: (n + m) = - (n – m) (3)
n = 0; m = 1
 When C is fixed and A makes one revolution, D does not make any revolution.

(iii) A is making 72 rpm: (n + m) = 72

B at rest (n – m) = 0  n = m = 36 rpm
60
 C makes 36 rpm and D makes 36  = 72 rpm
30
(iv) A is making 72 rpm and B making 36 rpm
(n + m) = 72 rpm and (n – m) = 36 rpm
(n + (n – m)) = 72;  n = 54
60
 D makes 54  =108 rpm
30 A2
P2 A1
Problem 5: Figure 5 shows a compound
P1
epicyclic gear train, gears S1 and S2 being
rigidly attached to the shaft Q. If the shaft
P rotates at 1000 rpm clockwise, while Q
P
the annular A2 is driven in counter
clockwise direction at 500 rpm, S2
determine the speed and direction of S1
rotation of shaft Q. The number of teeth
in the wheels are S1 = 24; S2 = 40; A1 =
100; A2 = 120.
Figure 5

Solution: Consider the gear train P A1 S1:

Arm A1 Arm A1
Operation S1 (24) Operation S1 (24)
P (100) P (100)

42
 100 P OR A1 P
Arm P is fixed & + − 1 Arm P is fixed − − 1
P1 24 & wheel A1 is P1 S1
wheel A1 is given 0 +1 0 -1
25 given -1 A1
+1 revolution =− revolution =+
6 S1
Multiply by m 25 100 25
(A1 rotates through 0 +m − m 0 -1 =
m revolution) 6 24 6

25 Add +1 25 31
Add n revolutions
n n+ m n− m revolutions to +1 0 + 1=
to all elements 6 6 6
all elements

If A1 is fixed: n+ m; gives n = - m
NP n 1 6
= = =
N S1 n + 256 n 316 31
6
 NP = N S1
31

Now consider whole gear train:

A1 A2 S1 (24), S2 (40)
Operation Arm P
(100) (120) and Q
6
A1 is fixed & +
120 P
− 2 − 3
P2 40 31
wheel A2 is given 0 +1
18
+1 revolution =−3 =−
31
Multiply by m 18
(A1 rotates through 0 +m − 3m − m
31
m revolution)
Add n revolutions 18
n n+ m n − 3m n− m
to all elements 31

18
When P makes 1000 rpm: n− m = 1000 (1)
31
and A2 makes – 500 rpm: n+ m = -500 (2)
18
from (1) and (2): − 500 − m − m = 1000
31
(31 1000) + (500  31) = − 49 m
 m = − 949 rpm
and n = 949 − 500 = 449 rpm

43
  NQ = n – 3 m = 449 – (3  -949) = 3296 rpm

Problem 6. An internal
C
wheel B with 80 teeth is
keyed to a shaft F. A fixed Arm
B C
internal wheel C with 82
E
teeth is concentric with B. A E D D B
Compound gears D-E
F A
meshed with the two
internal wheels. D has 28 A
teeth and meshes with
internal gear C while E B80
meshes with B. The C82
D28
compound wheels revolve N A =800rpm
freely on pin which projects
from a arm keyed to a shaft
A co-axial with F. if the
wheels have the same pitch
and the shaft A makes 800
rpm, what is the speed of the
shaft F? Sketch the
arrangement.

Data: tB = 80; tC = 82; D = 28; NA = 800 rpm

Solution: The pitch circle radius is proportional to the number of teeth:

rC − rD = rB − rE
tC − t D = t B − t E
82 − 28 = 80 − t E
t E = 26
− number of teeth on gear E

Compound Gear wheel

Operation Arm B (80) C (82)
E(26) D (28)
Arm is fixed & B 0 +1 80 80 80 28
is given ONE + + + 
revolution (CW) 26 26 26 82
Multiply by m
40 40 40 14
(B rotates
0 +m + m + m +  m
through m 13 13 13 41
revolution) 44
Add n 40 40 40 14
revolutions to all n m+n m+n m+n  m+n
Since the wheel C is fixed and the arm (shaft) A makes 800 rpm,

 n = 800rpm
40 14
 m+n =0
13 41
40 14
 m + 800 = 0
13 41
m = −761.42rpm
Speed of gear B = m + n = − 761.42 + 800 = 38.58rpm
Speed of gear B = Speed of shaft F = 38.58rpm

Problem 7: The fig shows an Epicyclic gear train. Wheel E is fixed and wheels C and D are
integrally cast and mounted on the same pin. If arm A makes one revolution per sec (Counter
clockwise) determine the speed and direction of rotation of the wheels B and F.

Arm

B20 D15
E20 F30
C35
Solution:

Data: tB = 20; tC = 35; tD = 15; tE = 20; tF = 30 NA = 1rps-(CCW)

Compound Gear
Operation Arm B (20) wheel E (20) F (30)
D (15) C (35)
Arm is fixed & 4 35
20 20 − − 7 20
B is given
ONE
0 +1 − − 3 20 −
15 15 7 3 30 45
revolution
=+
(CW) 3
Multiply by m
Since the wheel E is fixed and the arm A makes 1 rps-CCW
7
 n = −1rps and m+n =0
3
7 3
m −1 = 0  m = = 0.429
3 7
Speed of gear B = m + n = 0.429 − 1 = −0.571rps (CCW )
14 14
Speed of gear F = n − m = −1 − 0.429 = −1.667 (CCW )
9 9
Problem 7: In the gear train shown, the wheel C is fixed, the gear B, is keyed to the input shaft and
the gear F is keyed to the output shaft.

D60

Output
Shaft A E30

Input
Shaft
B20
F32

C80

The arm A, carrying the compound wheels D and E turns freely on the out put shaft. If the input
speed is 1000 rpm (ccw) when seen from the right, determine the speed of the output shaft. The

46
number of teeth on each gear is indicated in the figures. Find the output torque to keep the wheel C
fixed if the input power is 7.5 kW.

Solution:
Data :
tB = 20; tC = 80; tD = 60; tE = 30; tF = 32; NB = 1000 rpm (ccw) (input speed); P = 7.5 kW

Compound Gear
B (20) wheel
Operation Arm C (80) F (32)
Input
D (60) E (30)
1 60 1 30
20 1 1 − −
Arm is fixed &
B is given +1
0 +1 = 3 80 3 32
60 3 3 1 5
revolution
=− −
4 16
Multiply by m
1 1 1 5
(B rotates
0 m m m − m − m
through m
3 3 4 16
revolution)
Add n 1 1 1 5
revolutions to n m+n m+n m+n n− m n− m
all elements 3 3 4 16
Input shaft speed = 1000 rpm (ccw)
i.e., gear B rotates – 1000 rpm

m + n = −1000
1
Gear C is fixed ; n− m = 0
4
− 1000 − m − 0.25m = 0
1000
m=− = −800
1.25
n = − 1000 + 800 = − 200
5
Speed of F = n − m
16
5
= − 200 + 800
= 50
16
Speed of the output shaft F = +50rpm (CW )

47
 2    N BTB
Input power = P =
60
2    −1000  TB
7.5  1000 =
60
7500  60
TB = − = −71.59 Nm
2    1000
From the energy equation;
TB N B + TF N F + TC N C = 0
Since C is fixed : N C = 0
TB N B + TF N F = 0
− 71.59 1000 + TF  50 = 0
TF = +1431.8 Nm
From the torque equation :
TB + TF + TC = 0
− 71.59 + 1431.8 + TC = 0
 TC = −1360.21Nm
The Torque required to hold the wheel C = 1360.21 Nm in the same direction of wheel

Problem 8: Find the velocity ratio of two co- A1

axial shafts of the epicyclic gear train as shown
A2
in figure 6. S1 is the driver. The number of teeth
on the gears are S1 = 40, A1 = 120, S2 = 30, A2 =
100 and the sun wheel S2 is fixed. Determine P1 P2
also the magnitude and direction of the torque
required to fix S2, if a torque of 300 N-m is
applied in a clockwise direction to S1

Solution: Consider first the gear train S1, A1 and S1 S2

A2 for which A2 is the arm, in order to find the
speed ratio of S1 to A2, when A1 is fixed.

(a) Consider gear train S1, A1 and A2:

A2 A1
Operation
(100) (120)
S1 (40) Figure 6

48
 A2 is fixed & 120
wheel A1 is given 0 +1 − =−3
+1 revolution 40
Multiply by m
(A1 rotates through 0 +m − 3m
m revolution)
Add n revolutions n − 3m
n n+ m
to all elements

A1 is fixed: m = −n
N S1 n + 3n
= =4
N A2 n
 N S1 = 4 N A2
(b) Consider complete gear train:

Operation A1 (120) A2 (100) S1 (40) S2 (30)

A1 is fixed & wheel S2 is given 30 3 3 6

0 − =− −  4=− +1
+1 revolution 100 10 10 5
Multiply by m 3 6
0 =− m − m +m
(A1 rotates through m revolution) 10 5
3 6
Add n revolutions to all elements n n− m n− m n+ m
10 5

S2 is fixed  m=-n
6
n+ n
N S1 5 = 11  10 = 22
=
N A2 3 5 13 13
n+ n
10
Input torque on S1 = TS1 = 300 N-m, in the direction of rotation.

TA 2
 Resisting torque on A2;
22
T A 2 = 300  = 507.7 N − m
13
 A2
→ opposite to directiojn of rotation TS 2

 Referring to the figure:

TS 2 = 507.7 − 300 = 207.7 N − m (CW )

 S1
TS 1

49