EEE 212: MECHANICS OF MACHINES Gears

CHAPTER THREE
3.0 INTRODUCTION TO GEARS
Throughout the evolution of machinery, gears have proven to be the most widely used method of
transmitting power from one shaft to another. In most applications the shafts are required to
rotate at varying speeds but the speed ratio must remain constant. Modern gears are made to high
precision standards. As a result they normally are purchased from gear manufacturers rather than
designed and machined at the user's plant. One must have a working knowledge of gear design
including design limitations in order to produce a satisfactory gear drive system.

Many types of gears have been developed for various applications. Some of these are; Spur,
Helical, Herringbone, Bevel and Worm and wheel. It is important to know their significant
features as well as their limitations so as to select the appropriate gear for a particular
application. One of the first considerations in gear selection is the geometrical relationship
between the centre-lines of the shafts. The size limitations, speed ratios and power requirements
should then be introduced.

3.0 TYPES OF GEARS

3.1 Spur Gears.
Spur gears are used to connect two parallel shafts and having straight teeth parallel to the axes of
the wheel. Spur gears are gears that have their teeth projecting radially from the axle like spokes
on a wheel. Spur gears will be considered first because they are the simplest and in general, the
definitions used for them apply to other types of gears.
One distinguishable feature of spur gears is that the teeth are formed on a cylindrical surface and
run parallel to the axis of the gear. As a result, spur gears are used for transmitting power
between parallel shafts.

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Figure 3.1: Spur Gears

As shown in figure 3.1a, the gears have external teeth on the outer surfaces and the two shafts
rotate in opposite direction.
Figure 3.1b; the internal teeth are formed over the outer wheel and external teeth are formed over
the inner wheel. The inner wheel having external gears (smaller gear) is known as pinion. In this
case, the two shafts will rotate in the same direction.
It should be noted that in spur gears, the contact occurs across a line. Hence spur gears have a
line contact.

3.2 Helical Gears

The gears are used to connect two parallel shafts and have their teeth inclined at an angle to the
gear axis or axis of the shafts. This angle is called helix angle and normally ranges between 7° to
23°. In Helical gears each teeth is helical in shape. The two mating gears have the same helix
angle, but have teeth of opposite hands. this means that if the pinion is left handed, the gear must
be right handed.

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(a) (b)
Figure 3.2: Helical Gears
Helical gears can transmit more power and operate at higher speeds than spur gears because they
run more smoothly and quietly.

Transmissions of automobiles are one of the very common places where helical gears are used.

The main disadvantage of helical gears is the resulting axial thrust forces produced due to the
helix angle. Bearings which support the general shafts must be designed to absorb these axial
thrust forces. Fig. 3.2.(c)

Helical gears can also be designed to transmit power between non-parallel shafts. Such gears are
usually used under relatively light situations because the teeth have only point contact. Example;
the drive between the camshaft and the distributor shaft of the automobile engine.

For Helical gears mounted on non-parallel shafts, the gears can either be of the same hand or of
opposite hand. Furthermore the helix angles don't have to be equal.

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(c)

3.2.1 Important Terms for Helical Gears.

1. Helix Angle. The angle to which the teeth are inclined to the axis of a gear. It is also known as
spiral angle of the teeth. It is denoted by ϕ. (see fig 3.2d)
2. Normal pitch. The shortest distance between similar faces of the adjacent teeth. It is denoted
by pn. The normal pitch of two mating gears must be same..
3. Circular pitch. The distance measured parallel to the axis between similar faces of adjacent
teeth. It is also known as axial pitch or transverse pitch. It is denoted by p or pc.

pn = pc cos ϕ
Fig. 2.2(d)

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3.3 Herringbone Gear (Double Helical Gears)

A pair of Helical Gears secured together, one having a right hand helix and the other a left-hand
helix is known as double helical gears. This pair is mounted on one shaft and the similar other
pair (having teeth of opposite hand) is mounted on other parallel shaft which is to be connected.

a) b)
Figure 3.3: Herringbone Gears.
See figure 3.3; Herringbone gears consisting of 2 rows of helical teeth cut into one gear.
One of the rows of each gear is right handed and the other is left handed to cancel out the axial
thrust force. The axial thrust force are cancelled by direct subtraction. see fig. (c)
Since the axial thrust force is eliminated, the herringbone gears are used for heavy and
continuous load applications.
They have all the advantages of helical gears without the undesirable feature of axial thrust
forces. One excellent application is for driving rolling mills in modern steel plants.

3.4 Bevel Gears.

Bevel gears are used to connect two intersecting shafts.
Bevel gears are characterized by their conical shape. Three basic types of conical gears are;
the straight bevel - the teeth on the gears are straight radial to the point of intersection of shaft
axes.
the spiral tooth (helical bevel) – the teeth are inclined
the hypoid gears – similar to spiral except for meshing the shaft centre lines are perpendicular
and offset from each other.

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Figure 3.4 (a); Straight Bevel Gear.

The straight tooth bevel gear is used for non-parallel shafts that intersect if extended. The teeth
are straight and are inclined to the gear axis by a conical angle called the pitch angle.
The speed ratio of two meshing bevel gears is the ratio of the number of teeth in each gear.
The speed ratio is also the ratio of their pitch diameters and the ratio of the sines of their pitch
angles.
If the shafts are perpendicular, the bevel gears are called miter gears. Miter gears have the same
number of teeth on each gear giving a 45° cone (pitch) angle. Since miter gears have the same
number of teeth on each gear, the speed ratios equals one. The sum of the two pitch angles equals
the angle between the centre lines of the two shafts.

Figure 3.4 (b); Helical bevel (Spiral bevel) Gears

The spiral bevel gear is also used for non-parallel shafts that would intersect if extended.
However, the teeth are not straight but are curved in the form of spirals around the conical
surface.

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Spiral bevel gears enjoy the same advantages over straight tooth bevel gears that helical gears
have over spur gears. Thus spiral bevel gears are used for high speed, high load applications.
They also produce large axial thrust loads and thus complicate the design of shaft bearings.

The hypoid gear is similar in appearance to the spiral bevel gear, except for meshing hypoid
gears the shaft centre-lines are perpendicular and offset from each other. The hypoid gear was
developed for the rear axles of automobiles and enables the drive shaft to pass below the level of
the floor.
Since the shaft centre lines do not intersect for hypoid gears, even if extended, bearings can be
mounted on both sides of either gear, promoting greater system stiffness and subsequent smooth
operation.

3.5 Worm and Wheel Gears.

A worm and wheel are used for large speed reductions between two perpendicular but non-
intersecting shafts. The driver, which is called the worm has a small diameter and a low helix
angle. In appearance it is similar to a threaded screw and thus the helical teeth are commonly
called threads. The follower is called the worm gear or worm wheel and has a face which is
made concave to match the curvature of the worm. Hence, the wheel is said to envelope the
worm, and their matching curvatures provide a large area of contact and reduce wear.

Figure 3.5; Worm and wheel Gear

Worms can be made with either right or left-hand threads similar to those used for threaded
fasteners such as screws and bolts. Also the worm can have a single, double, triple or quadruple
threads.

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Also note that the speed ratio does not depend upon diameter ratios or tooth ratios, as was the
case for spur gears.

Because of low helix angle of the worm, the worm gear cannot normally drive the worm. This is
a self-locking feature that is usually desirable.

3.6 RACK AND PINION.

A rack is a gear whose pitch diameter has become infinite in size thus resulting in a straight line
for the pitch circle which is called the pitch line.

Figure 3.6 (a); Rack

The straight line gear is called the rack and the circular wheel the pinion. The rack and pinion
combination converts rotary motion into linear motion or vice-versa.

Figure 3.6 (b); Rack & Pinion Gears

An involute of a very large base circle approaches a straight line .Therefore the surfaces of the
rack teeth are flat but mesh properly with the involute surfaces of the mating pinion.

When a pinion meshes with a rack, the rotary motion of the pinion is transformed into translation
motion of the rack or vice-versa.

The linear velocity of the rack equals the tangential velocity of the pitch circle of the pinion. The
teeth of the rack have the same values of addendum and dedendum as the mating pinion.

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Applications of rack and pinion drives are found virtually in all machine tools. For example a
motor can drive a rotating pinion, which in turn translates a rack mounted on the table of a
milling machine. Also, drill presses use rack and pinion to change the rotary motion of a hand-
wheel into linear motion of the spindle towards the workpiece.

3.7 Characteristics of Various Types of gear drives.

Table 1.
Gear Drive Advantages Disadvantages Shaft Relationship
External spur No axial thrust force Low contact ratio Parallel shafts

Rotary to linear motion or

Rack & Pinion Compact Low contact ratio vice-versa
Low speeds

Internal spur No axial thrust force Costly Parallel shafts

Large contact ratio
Compact

Helical Quiet & smooth operation Axial thrust force Parallel & non-parallel shafts
High speed

Herringbone No end thrust Costly Parallel shafts

Large contact ratio
Large load capacity

Axial thrust force on Perpendicular non-

Worm & wheel High speed reduction worm shaft intersecting shafts
Can be self locking

Bevel Gears
a) Straight Less expensive than spiral &
tooth hypoid Low medium speeds non-parallel shafts

b) Spiral large load capacity Costly non-parallel shafts

Large contact ratio

c) Hypoid Large load capacity Costly Perpendicular shafts

Very rigid support

3.8 Advantages and Disadvantages of Gear Drive.

Advantages.
i. It transmits exact velocity ratio
ii. It may be used to transmit large power

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iii. It has a high efficiency

iv. It has reliable service
v. It has compact layout.

Disadvantages.

i. The manufacture method of gears require special tools and equipment.

ii. The error in cutting teeth may cause vibrations and noise during operation.
iii. A gear tooth failure can be very costly since an entire machine must be shut down.
iv. Replacement of a gear is usually a complex job because it requires proper installation, as
well as the removal of other machine parts to get to the damaged gear.

3.7 GEAR TRAINS.

3.7.1 Introduction.
A combination of two or more gears, which are arranged in such a way that power is transmitted
from a driving shaft to a driven shaft, is known as a gear train. The term is generally applied to
mean more than two gears in mesh between the driving shaft and the driven shaft. It may consist
of spur, bevel or spiral gears.
3.8 Types of Gear Trains.
There are 4 types of gear trains:
i. Simple or Ordinary gear train.
ii. Compound gear train
iii. Reverted gear train
iv. Epicyclic gear train.

3.8.1 Simple Gear train.

Also known as ordinary gear train.
A simple gear train is one in which each shaft contains only one meshing gear.

Figure 3.7(a). Simple Gear Train – Two gears.

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As shown in fig. 3.7 (a), each gear is mounted on a separate shaft. If power is transmitted from
gear 1 to gear 2, then gear 1 is the driver whereas gear 2 is the driven or follower. These two
gears rotate in opposite direction.

Figure 3.7(b). Simple Gear Train – 3 Gears

As shown in Figure 3.7b, a simple gear train consisting of three gears. The middle gear is called
an idler because it does not affect the speed ratio. Its purpose is to give the output shaft the same
direction of rotation as the input shaft.

It also can be used to assist in providing the required center distance between the input and
output shafts.

3.8.2 Velocity Ratio/ Speed ratio of a simple Gear train.

Case I: Fig. 3.7 (a); The power is transmitted from gear 1 to gear 2.
The driver is moving in clockwise direction whereas the driven/follower is moving
anticlockwise.

Let; N1 = speed of driver

N2 = Speed of driven
T1 = No. of teeth on gear 1; and
T2 = No. of teeth on gear 2.

S p e e d o f d r iv e r N1
Speed ratio (or Velocity Ratio) = = ……………… (1)
S p e e d o f d r iv e n N 2

But the ratio of speeds of any pair of gears in mesh is the inverse of their number of teeth.
N1 T2
 
N2 T1

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N1 T2
 Speed Ratio =  ……………….. (2)
N2 T1

The reverse of the speed ratio is known as the train value of the gear train.

N2 T1
 Train value =  . …………….……. (3)
N1 T2

Case II: Fig 3.7b; When an idler on intermediate shaft is involved.

Let; T1 = No. of teeth on gear 1; i.e. the driver wheel
T2 = No. of teeth on gear 2/ intermediate gear/ idler
T3 = No. of teeth on gear 3; i.e. the follower/driven.
N1 , N2 and N3 = Speed of driver, intermediate and Speed of driven/follower in rpm
respectively.
When the driver and intermediate gears are in mesh, we get;
N2 T1
 . ……………… (i)
N1 T2

Similarly, when the intermediate gear and follower are in mesh, we get;

N3 T2
 ………… (ii)
N2 T3

Multiplying equation (i) and (ii), we get;

N N3 T1 T2
  
2

N1 N 2
T2 T3

N3 T1
 ……………………. (4)
N1 T3

S p e e d o f fo llo w e r N o . o f te e th o n d r iv e r
 =
S p e e d o f d r iv e r N o . o f te e th o n fo llo w e r

S p e e d o f d r iv e r N o . o f te e th o n fo llo w e r
Speed ratio = = ………… (5)
S p e e d o f fo llo w e r N o . o f te e th o n d r iv e r

Equation 5 shows that velocity ratio is independent of the no. of teeth on the intermediate wheel/
gear.

Having proven that the idler does not affect the speed ratio, we can now establish the following
rule; The speed ratio of a simple gear train equals the number of teeth on the input gear divided
by the number of teeth on the output gear regardless of the number of intermediate idler gears.

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Questions.
1. A simple gear train consists of two gears only, each gear mounted on separate shafts.
The shafts are parallel. The gear 1 is driving gear 2. The speed of the first gear is 1000
rpm. The number of teeth of gears 1 and 2 are 24 and 60 respectively. Determine;
i. speed ratio of the gear train.
ii. speed of the second gear.
iii. direction of rotation of the second gear if the first gear is rotating
clockwise.
[Ans.2.5; 0.4; 400; anticlockwise]
2. A simple gear train consists of 3 gears, each mounted on separate shafts (1 – 2 - 3)in that
order. The shafts are parallel. The gear 1 is the driver and gear 3 is the follower. The
gear is rotating clockwise at a speed of 750 rpm. The number of teeth on gears 1,2,3 are
30, 45 and 75 respectively. Find;
i. speed ratio of the gear train
ii. direction of rotation and speed of rotation of follower.
[2.5; 300 rpm; clockwise.]

3.9 Compound Gear Train.

In a compound gear train there are more than one gear on a shaft, generally intermediate shafts
have two gears rigidly fixed to the shaft so that these two gears have the same speed as they, are
mounted on the same shaft.

Figure 3.8: Compound gear train.

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Figure 3.2 above shows a compound gear train in which gear 1 (or the wheel 1) drives the gear 2
mounted on the intermediate shaft. On the intermediate shaft is mounted another gear 3 which
meshes with the gear 4 mounted on the driven shaft. Gears 2 and 3 rotate at the same speed as
they are mounted on the same shaft.

3.9.1 Velocity Ratio of a Compound Gear Train.

In a compound gear train, the intermediate shafts have two wheels (or gears) rigidly fixed to it so
that these two gears have the same speed. One of these two gears meshes with the driver and the
other with the follower.
The gear 1(or wheel) drives the gear 2 mounted on the intermediate shaft. On the intermediate
shaft is mounted another gear 3 which meshes with the gear 4 mounted on the driven ( or
follower) shaft. Gears 2 and 3 rotate at the same speed as they are mounted on the same
intermediate shaft.

Let T1 = No. of teeth on driver 1

T2, T3, and T4 = No. of teeth on gears 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
N1 = speed of driver 1.
N2, N3 and N4 = speed of gears 2, 3 and 4 respectively.
The gear 1 drives the gear 2, therefore,

Ν T1
2
 ……………….(i)
N1 T2

Gear 3 drives the gear 4, therefore,

Ν T3
4
 …………… (ii)
N 3
T4

Multiplying equations (i) and (ii), we get;

Ν Ν T1 T3
  
2 4

N1 N3 T2 T4

But N2 = N3 as gears 2 and 3 are mounted on the same shaft.

Hence the above equation becomes;
Ν T1  T 3
4
 ………………… (6)
N1 T2  T4

As gear 1 drives gear 2 whereas gear 3 drives gear 4 hence gears 1 and 3 becomes as drivers
whereas gears 2 and 4 becomes as followers. Hence equation (6) can be stated as;

S p e e d o f f o llo w e r P r o d u c t o f te e th o n th e d r iv e r s
 ……. (7)
S p e e d o f d r iv e r P r o d u c t o f te e th o n th e f o llo w e r s

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Questions.
1. In a compound gear train, the power is transmitted from a motor shaft to output shaft.
The motor shaft is connected to gear 1 whereas the output shaft is connected to gear 4.
The gears 2 and 3 are mounted on the same shaft. The motor shaft is rotating at 1250
rpm in the clockwise direction. Find the direction and speed of the output shaft. The no.
of teeth on each gear are given as;
Gear 1 2 3 4
No. of teeth 30 75 20 50
Hint; Gear 4 is in mesh with gear 3. Gears 1 & 3 are driving gears.
[Clockwise; N4 = 200 rpm]

2. In a compound gear train shown, the power is transmitted from a motor shaft to output
shaft. The motor shaft is connected to gear 1 whereas the output shaft is connected to
gear 6. The motor shaft is rotating at 1125 rpm in the clockwise direction. Find the
direction and speed of output shaft. The number of teeth on each gear are given as
follows;
Gear 1 2 3 4 5 6
No. of teeth 30 75 40 120 28 70

Figure Q2.

[Ans. Anti-clockwise; N6 = 60 rpm]

3.10 Reverted Gear Train

When the axes of the driver and driven shafts are co-axial, the compound gear train (Figure 3.2)
is called a reverted gear train or co-axial train.

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Figure 3.9 ; Reverted gear train

It should be noted that gears 1 and 4 are on the driver and driven shafts whose axis are collinear.
The gears 2 and 3 are connected on the intermediate shaft. In the reverted gear train shown, the
gear train can be only reverted if the sum of the pitch radii of gears 1 and 2 equals the sum of
pitch radii of gears 3 and 4  i .e . r1  r2  r3  r4  .
3.10.1 Velocity Ratio of Reverted Gear Train.
Consider a reverted gear train shown.

Figure 3.10a
Figure 3.10a shows a reverted gear train in which driver and driven shafts are having their axes
collinear.
The gear 1 is mounted on the driver shaft whereas gear 4 is mounted on driven shaft. The gears 2
and 3 are on the intermediate shaft and this is a compound wheel.

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In case of reverted gear train shown, the sum of the pitch radii of gears 1 and 2 should be equal
to the sum of the pitch radii of gears 3 and 4 (or the distance between the centers of shafts of
gears 1 and 2 as well as gears 3 and 4is same).

 r1  r2  r3  r4 .................... (8)

Where;
r1 = Radius of gear 1
r2

r3 = Radii of gears 2, 3 & 4 respectively.

r4

If the circular pitch of all the gears is assumed to be same, then the number of teeth on each
wheel will be proportional to its circumference or radius. Hence equation (10) can be written as;

T1  T 2  T 3  T 4 .................... (9)

Where;

T1 = No. of teeth on wheel 1

T2 , T3 and T4 = No. of teeth on wheel 2, 3 and 4 respectively.

The speed ratio is given by;

P r o d u c t o f n u m b e r o f te e th o n d r iv e n s
Speed ratio =
P r o d u c t o f n u m b e r o f te e th o n d r iv e r s

N1 T2  T4
 .................. (10)
N4 T1  T 3

The above 3 equations (all) are used for finding the number of teeth on each gear.

Questions.
Use Figure 3.10b to answer questions 1 and 2 that follow.

1. The figure shows a reverted epicyclic gear train in which arm F carries two gears A and D
and a compound gear B - C. The gear A meshes with gear B and the gear D meshes with gear C.
The number of teeth on gears A, D and C are 60, 36 and 54 respectively. Find the speed and
direction of gear D when gear A is fixed and arm F makes 150 r.p.m clockwise.

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[300 r.p.m; anticlockwise]

2. In a reverted epicyclic gear train, the arm F carries two wheels A and D and a compound
wheel B-C. The wheel A meshes with wheel B and the wheel D meshes with wheel C. The number
of teeth on wheels A, D and C are 80, 48 and 72 respectively. Find the speed and direction of
wheel D when wheel A is fixed and arm F, makes 200 r.p.m clockwise.
[400 r.p.m; anticlockwise]

Figure 3.10b

3.5 Epicyclic Gear Train.

If the axes of the shafts, over which the gears are mounted are moving relative to a fixed axis, the
gear train is known as an epicyclic gear train. Hence in an epicyclic gear train, at least one of the
gear axis is in motion relative to the frame.

Analysis of this type of gear train is beyond the level of this course.

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