Gears

Dr. Anil Kumar Gillawat

Adhoc Faculty (ME)
NIT Andhra Pradesh
• Gear mechanisms are widely used in all kinds of machines to transmit motion and
power between rotating shafts.
• Circular gears have constant transmission ratio whereas, for non-circular gears, the
ratio varies as the gears rotate.
• Depending upon the relative shafts positions, circular gear mechanisms can be divided
into planar gear mechanisms and spatial gear mechanisms.
• In this unit, only circular gears are considered.
Gear Transmission
• Gears are toothed wheels used for transmitting power and motion from one shaft to another
• Design of gears is highly standardized by the organizations concerned
• Gears represent a product of excellence in engineering design

Advantages Disadvantages
• Transmits large power • High requirements in manufacturing and
• High efficiency assembling
• Stable speed ratio • Expensive
• Long life • Unsuitable for long distance transmission
• Reliable
Gear Design Issues
• Design of gears requires the study and objective understanding of the following subjects
• Kinematics and geometrical shapes
• Analysis of forces produced in gears and in gear trains
• Design of gears against breakage
• Design of gears against deterioration and wear
Types of gears
Rack and pinion
Spur Gears: Terminology and Definitions
• Pinion: When two gears are in mesh, it is customary to call the smaller as the pinion.
• The larger is often called gear or wheel
• Pitch Circle: The theoretical circle on which all calculations are usually based
• Pitch curves are the loci of relative ICs (also called as centrodes) between the mating gears.
• Pitch circles of a pair of mating gears are tangent to each other
• Addendum Circle: The circle drawn through the top of the gear tooth, its centre being the gear centre.
• Root or Dedendum Circle: The circle drawn through the bottom of the gear tooth, its centre being the
gear centre
• Addendum: The radial distance from the pitch circle to the addendum circle
• Dedendum: The radial distance from the pitch circle to the dedendum circle
• Clearance Circle: Largest circle centred at the gear centre, which is not penetrated by the teeth of the
mating gear
• Clearance: Radial distance from the clearance circle to the dedendum circle
• Whole Depth: The radial distance between the addendum and the dedendum circle
• Working Depth: Radial distance between the addendum and the clearance circle
• Circular Pitch pc: Distance measured along the pitch circle, from a point on one tooth to the
corresponding point on the adjacent tooth of the gear.
• , where d is the diameter of the pitch circle, z is the number of teeth of the gear
• For two gears to mesh, they must have the same circular pitch
• Diametral Pitch pd: Number of teeth of a gear divided by the diameter of the pitch circle (in inches
only).
• ; d is in inches
• To relate pc and pd, we have
• Module m: Reciprocal of the diametral pitch, in SI units
• ; m is in mm
• For two gears to mesh, they must have the same module
• Backlash: Difference between tooth space and tooth thickness of the meshing teeth
• Measured on the pitch circle
• Avoids interference in gear motion and resulting jams
• Too large a backlash can produce large shock loads resulting in excessive wear, noise and
inaccurate gear motion
Action of a pair of teeth
• Contact must take place along the pressure
line (i.e. line of action)
• Contact begins where the addendum circle of
the driven gear crosses the line of action
• Initial contact is on the tip of the gear
tooth and on the flank of the pinion
tooth
• Contact ends at a point where the addendum
circle of the pinion cuts the line of action
• Last point of contact occurs at the tip of
the pinion tooth and on the flank of the
gear tooth
• Approach phase: Period between initial
contact and the pitch point
• Flank of the pinion slides over the face of
the gear towards the pitch circle
• Recess phase: Period between the pitch point
and final contact
• Face of the pinion slides over the flank of
the gear away from the pitch circle
• Tooth action is pure rolling only at the pitch
point
• Arc of action (qt): Arc of the pitch circle through which a tooth profile moves from
the beginning to the end of contact with a mating profile
• Arc of approach (qa): Arc of the pitch circle through which a tooth profile moves
from the beginning of contact until the point of contact arrives at the pitch point
• Arc of recess (qr): Arc of the pitch circle through which a tooth profile moves from
the pitch point until the contact ends
• Contact of portions of tooth profiles which are not conjugate is called interference
Conjugate surfaces
• The action of mating gear teeth resembles a cam-follower system
• When the tooth profiles are shaped so as to produce a constant
angular velocity ratio during meshing, the surfaces are said to be
conjugate
• It is possible to specify any profile for one tooth and to find a profile
for the mating tooth so that the two surfaces are conjugate
• One such solution is the involute profile
• Involute profile is almost universally used for gear teeth
Angular velocity ratio theorem
• Angular velocity ratio of any mechanism is inversely
proportional to the segments into which the common instant
centre cuts the line of centres

• Angular velocity ratio theorem for gear teeth

• In the figure, common normal BC to the profiles 2 and 3,
intersects the line of centres at the instant centre P
• In gearing, P is called the pitch point and BC, the line of
action
• If r2 and r3 are the pitch circle radii, then
Summary
• Pitch curve/circle: An imaginary circle/curve, along which gear rolls (without slipping) on
corresponding pitch curve of other gear for transmitting equivalent motion.
• Pitch circles are the loci of relative ICs (centroids) between mating gears
• Ratio of angular velocities of two mating gears is proportional to the radius vectors of the
pitch curves at the point of contact
• If constant angular velocity ratio is to be maintained, the pitch curve becomes circle (if the
centre distance of the gears remains constant) also known as pitch circle
• Pitch point: The point of contact of the pitch curves/circles of mating gears
• The relative velocity between the mating gears is zero
• Pitch circle diameter (dp): Diameter of pitch circle
• Rack: if the pitch circle diameter of the pitch circle is infinite (i.e. pitch curve is a straight line), the
gear is called a rack
• It transmits only translatory motion
• Circular pitch (pc): the distance measured along the pitch circle from one point on one tooth to
the corresponding point on the adjacent tooth

Where dp = pitch circle diameter, and T = number of teach on the gear

• Diametral pitch (pd): Number of teeth per unit length of pitch circle diameter

Note:
• Module (m): Inverse of diametral pitch

Unit is in mm
• Addendum circle: The circle which passes through the top of the teeth

• Addendum (a): Radial distance between the pitch circle and the top land of the gear

• Dedendum (d): The radial distance between the pitch circle and the bottom land of gear

Note: d>a
• Dedendum circle: The circle which passes through the bottom of the teeth

• Clearance (c): Amount by which the dedendum of gear exceeds the addendum of the matting gear.

• Clearance Circle: Largest circle centred at the gear centre, which is not penetrated by the teeth of the mating
gear
• Pressure line (Line of action): Common normal at the point of contact of the two teeth of mating
gears
• Or, Line joining pitch point to the point of contact of the two teeth of mating gears
• The force is transmitted from driving tooth to the driven tooth along this line
• Pressure angle (φ): Angle between pressure line and the common tangent to the two pitch circle
(i.e. at the pitch point)
• Face of tooth: Part of tooth surface above pitch circle
• Flank of tooth: Part of tooth surface below pitch circle
• Profile: The curve forming face and flank of tooth
• Path of contact: The curve traced by the point of contact of two mating teeth from the beginning
to the end of engagement of the two teeth.
• Path of approach: Path of contact from the beginning of the engagement to the pitch point of the
two teeth of mating gears
• Path of recess: Path of contact from pitch point to the end of engagement of the two teeth of
mating gears
• Fillet: fillet to connect to the body of the blank of the gear.
• Space width: distance between two adjacent teeth along pitch circle
• Face width: width of tooth along axis of the axis of gear
• Circular thickness: thickness of the tooth along the pitch circle
• Working depth: radial distance between the addendum of the two mating gears
• Backlash: Difference between tooth space and tooth thickness of the meshing teeth along the
pitch circle
• Avoids interference in gear motion and resulting jams
• Too large a backlash can produce large shock loads resulting in excessive wear, noise and
inaccurate gear motion
• Gear ratio (G): ratio of number of tooth on gear to the number of tooth on pinion

• Velocity ratio (V.R.): Ratio of angular velocity of the driven gear to the angular velocity of the
driven gear

-ve sign for external gearing (opposite direction rotation)

+ve sign for internal gearing (same direction rotation)
Fundamental Law of Toothed Gearing
• In order for a pair of gears to transmit a
constant angular velocity ratio, the
shape of the contacting profiles must be
such that the common normal passes
through a fixed point (pitch point) on
the line of centres.
Velocity of sliding
Involute Properties
• If mating tooth profiles have the shape of
involute curves, the fundamental law of
gearing is satisfied
• An involute is the path generated by a
tracing point on a cord as the cord is
unwrapped from a cylinder called the base
cylinder
• The radius of curvature of the involute
curve varies continuously from zero at T0
and greatest at T1
• Line AT is the normal to the involute at T
• Distance AT is the instantaneous radius of
curvature at T
• In the figure a cord is tightly wound around
the two base circles so that AB forms a
common tangent
• Take T as an arbitrary tracing point on
AB
• Generate involutes on cylinders 2 and 3
with the portions of the cord AT and BT
respectively
• The involutes CD and EF are conjugate
profiles
• AB is the common normal to the two
profiles at the point of contact T
• Assume that plates are cut along the above
profiles and are attached to the corresponding
base circles
• If gear 2 rotates clockwise, gear 3 is made to
move counter-clockwise
• Path of contact will be line AB, formerly
occupied by the cord
• Line AB is normal to both profiles at all points
of contact
• Also, line AB occupies the same position,
being tangent to both the base cylinders
• Point P, therefore, is the pitch point which is
always fixed
• Thus, the involute profile satisfies the
fundamental law of gearing
Interchangeable gears
• A tooth system is a standard which specifies the relationships between addendum,
dedendum, working depth, tooth thickness and pressure angle
• Pressure angle is the angle between the pressure line and the tangent to the
pitch circle
• Interchangeability of gears of all tooth numbers is possible in a particular tooth
system
• Standard tooth systems are:
• 14½° full depth - almost obsolete
• 20° full depth
• 20° stub
• 22½° full depth
• 25° full depth
Layout of a Pair of Spur Gears
• Eg: A 20 teeth, 2.5 mm module pinion driving a 50-
tooth gear
• Calculate the pitch diameters and draw the pitch
circles tangent to each other
• Pitch point is the point of tangency of the pitch
circles
• Draw the pressure line at the given pressure angle.
• Pressure angle is the angle between the
pressure line and the tangent to the pitch circle
• Get the diameters of the base circles and draw each
base circle
• Generate the involute curve on each base circle
• Construct a template for each involute
• Calculate the circular pitch and
mark the width of tooth and width
of space on the pitch circles
• Draw the addendum and
dedendum circles for the pinion
and gear
• Addendum = 1m m: module
• Dedendum = 1.25m
• Complete the drawing using the
template
Involute Rack
• Rack is a spur gear having infinitely
large pitch diameter
• Infinite number of teeth
• Base circle is infinitely away from the
pitch point
• Sides of the teeth are straight lines
making angle φ (pressure angle) with
the line of centres
• Base pitch (pb) is the constant distance
between the corresponding sides of
the teeth
Pb = p cos φ
Internal Gear

• Both centres are on the same side of the pitch point

• Addendum circle of the internal gear lies inside the pitch circle
• Dedendum circle lies outside the pitch circle
• Base circle lies inside the pitch circle near the addendum circle
Centre Distance (C)
Length of path of contact (U)
Contact ratio (MC)
Revision
• Measurement of arc of action is difficult, in
effect
• Contact ratio can be expressed in terms of
the length of path of contact and base
pitch

• Base pitch is the distance between

corresponding tooth profiles measured on
the line of action

• (a – approach; r – recess)
• The above equation for contact ratio is
valid only for the conditions

because, contact cannot begin before point A

or end after point D
• The largest possible contact ratio is
obtained by adjusting the addendum of
each gear so as to utilize the entire distance
AD
• Therefore, from triangles O2AC and O3BD,
the addendums a2 and a3, respectively for
gears 2 and 3, are given by

• If either or both of these addendums is

exceeded, undercutting will occur during
generation of the profiles
Contact Ratio
Zone of action of meshing gear teeth

• If the arc of action is exactly equal to the circular pitch, one tooth and its space will occupy the
entire arc cd
• When a tooth is just beginning contact at C, the previous tooth is ending its contact at D
simultaneously
• There will be exactly one pair of teeth in contact throughout
• If the arc of action is slightly greater than circular pitch, for a short interval, there will be two pairs
of teeth in contact.
• Contact ratio is a number which indicates the average number of teeth in contact
• i.e.
Interference and undercutting
• Points of tangency of pressure line with base circles
(C&D) are located inside of the initial and final points of
contact (A&B)
• Interference is present
• Contact begins when the tip of the driven tooth contacts
the flank of the driving tooth
• Here, contact occurs over the non-involute portion of
the driving tooth (i.e. inside the base circle)
• The actual effect is that the involute tip or face of the
driven gear tends to dig out the non-involute flank of
the driver
• When gear teeth are produced by a generating process,
interference is eliminated, since the cutting tool removes
the interfering portion of the flank.
• This effect is called undercutting
1. Undercutting eliminates interference, but the
tooth is much weakened
2. Interference can also be eliminated by
increasing the number of teeth
• Not recommended, since the size has to be
increased, for the same amount of power
transmitted
• Pitch-line velocity also is increased; gears
become noisier
3. Interference can be avoided by employing a
larger pressure angle
• Base circle becomes smaller; greater
portion of the profile is involute
• Fewer teeth can be used; gears become
smaller in size
Minimum number of teeth to avoid interference
Minimum number of teeth to avoid
interference (pinion meshing with rack)
• For the limiting case of a pinion
meshing with a rack just avoiding
interference,

• Also,
• Multiplying (1) & (2),
• Since, , we have
Varying the Centre Distance
• When the pair of gears are separated by increasing the centre distance slightly
• Backlash is increased
• Pitch circle radii are increased
• Pressure angle is increased (since the base circle diameter is constant)
• Law of gearing is still satisfied (i.e. speed ratio remains the same)
• Path of contact is shortened (i.e. contact ratio is reduced)
• Contact ratio cannot be less than 1 (i.e. centre distance change is limited)
• So, when involute profiles are used, slight adjustments in centre distance will not change
the tooth action
Problems
1. Find the module and the pitch diameter of a gear whose circular pitch is 40 mm/tooth if the gear
has 36 teeth.

2. Determine the module of a pair of gears having 18 and 40 teeth, respectively, whose center
distance is 58 mm.

3. Two gears having an angular velocity ratio of 3:1 are mounted on shafts whose centers are 136
mm apart. If the module of the gears is 4 mm/tooth, how many teeth are there on each gear?

4. A gear set with a module of 5 mm has involute teeth with 22½° pressure angle, and has 19 and
31 teeth, respectively. They have 1.0m for the addendum and 1.25m for the dedendum.
Tabulate the addendum, dedendum, clearance, circular pitch, base pitch, tooth thickness, base
circle radii, and contact ratio.
5. A gear with a module of 8 mm and 22 teeth is in mesh with a rack; the pressure angle is 25°. The
addendum and dedendum are 1.0m and 1.25m, respectively. Find the lengths of the paths of
approach and recess and determine the contact ratio.

6. The pitch radii of two involute spur gears in mesh are 51.5 mm and 64.2 mm. The outer circle radii are
57.5 mm and 71.2 mm, respectively, the operating pressure angle being 20°. Determine (i) the length
of the path of contact, and the contact ratio if the number of teeth on the larger gear is 20.

7. A pinion of 62 mm pitch circle radius is in mesh with a rack, the operating pressure angle being 20°. If
the module is 4 mm and the rack and pinion addendum is 4 mm, determine the contact ratio.

8. The center distance of two 24 tooth, 20⁰ pressure angle, full depth involute spur gears with module of
12 mm is increased by 3 mm over the standard distance. At what pressure angle do the gears operate?
9. A pair of mating gears have 1 mm module and are generated on the 20⁰ full-depth involute
system. If the tooth numbers are 15 and 50, what maximum addendums may they have if
interference is not to occur?
10. A pair of spur gear has 16 teeth and 18 teeth, a module 12.5 mm, an addendum 12.5 mm and a
pressure angle 14.5°. Prove that the gears have interference. Determine the minimum number
of teeth and the velocity ratio to avoid interreference.
11. Find out the minimum number of teeth a pinion meshing with a rack having a 20° pressure
angle and an addendum equal to the module should have to avoid interference.
Forming of Gear Teeth
• Different ways of forming
• Sand casting
• Shell moulding
• Investment casting etc…
• Steel gears are made by
• Form cutters
• Generating cutters
• Milling - the oldest method Manufacture of gear teeth by a form cutter
• Cutter has the shape of the tooth space
• One tooth space is cut at a time, after which the gear blank is indexed through one circular
pitch to the next position
• Theoretically, a different cutter is required for each gear to be cut. But, with a reasonable
accuracy, a set of gears can be cut with one cutter.
• 8 cutters can be used to cut any gear in the range of 12 teeth to a rack
 • Shaping is a gear generation method
• The cutting tool may be either a rack cutter or a
pinion cutter
• The reciprocating rack cutter is first fed into the Fig. Shaping of involute teeth with a rack cutter
blank until the pitch circles are tangent
• After each cutting stroke, the gear blank and
cutter roll slightly on their pitch circles
• When the blank and the cutter have rolled
through one circular pitch, the cutter is returned
to the starting point and the process is repeated
• Hobbing is another gear generation process
• After the cutting process, finishing processes such as
grinding, lapping etc. are also done

Fig. Shaping of an internal gear with a pinion cutter

A variety of involute gear hobs.

The hobbing of a gear.

 Gear Trains

Dr. Anil Kumar Gillawat

Adhoc Faculty (ME)
NIT Andhra Pradesh
Mechanism trains
• Mechanisms arranged in various series and parallel combinations so that the driven member of one
mechanism is the driver for another, are called mechanism trains. Or
• A combination of two or more gears, that is used for transmitting motion (power) from a driving shaft to a
driven shaft, is know as gear train.
• First-order kinematic coefficient is the term used to describe the ratio of the angular velocity of the driven
member to that of the driving member.
• First-order kinematic coefficient, called the speed ratio or the train value.
• If link 2 and 4 are the driver and driven members in a four-bar linkage, the angular velocity ratio is given by
• Second subscript to explicitly indicate the number of the driving or input member.
• Second subscript is important, since many mechanism trains have more than one degree of freedom.
• For serially connected gear trains, we prefer to write where ω L is the angular velocity of the last gear and ω F
is the angular velocity of the first gear in the train, since, usually, the last gear is the output and is the driven
gear, and the first is the input and driving gear.
• If pinion 2 drives gear 3, and N and d are the number of teeth and pitch diameter respectively, the speed of
the driven gear is
Parallel-Axis Gear Trains

• For parallel-shaft gearing, the directions can be tracked by following the vector sense—i.e. by
specifying that angular velocity is positive when counterclockwise as seen from a chosen side.
• Sign convention for θ’LF :
• If the last gear rotates in the same direction as the first gear, θ’LF is positive
• If the last gear rotates in the opposite direction as the first gear, θ’LF is negative
• This sign convention approach is not as easy, however, when the gear shafts are not parallel, as in
bevel, crossed-helical, or worm gearing. In such cases, it is often simpler to track the directions by
visually inspecting a sketch of the train.
• The gear train shown in Fig. is made up of five gears in series. The speed of gear 6 is

Note that gear 5 is an idler; i.e., its tooth numbers cancel in Eq., and hence the only purpose served by
gear 5 is to change the direction of rotation of gear 6.
A Transmission for small- and medium-sized trucks (4 forward A gear train composed of bevel, crossed-
speeds and 1 reverse) helical and spur gears
• Note that gears 5, 4, and 2 are drivers, whereas gears 6, 5, and 3 are driven members. Thus, Eq.
can also be written

• A simple gear train has only one gear on each axis

• A compound gear train has two or more gears on one or more axes
• In reverted gear trains, the first and last gears are on the same axis
• The arrangement produces compactness
• Used in speed reducers, clocks and machine tools
• In Planetary or Epicyclic Gear Trains, there exists at least one gear which not only rotates about
its own centre, but at the same time, the centre of the gear rotates about another centre.
• In epicyclic gear trains, one gear rolls on another, causing an epicyclic path
• Large speed reductions can be attained
• If the fixed gear is an annular one, a compact unit results
Gear 2 is the sun gear
Gear 4 is the planet gear
Crank 3 is called the planet carrier
Epicyclic Gear train
• The axes of the shaft (on which gears are mounted) are moving
relative to a fixed axis.
• Atleast one gear axis is in relative motion to frame
• If arm is fixed → The axes of shafts, on which Gear1 and Gear2 are
mounted, are fixed → results into simple gear train
• If wheel (Gear1) is fixed and arm is rotated about O2 → Gear2 will be
rotating about Gear1 → results in epicyclic gear train
• Epicyclic gear train be simple or compound.
Equal gears connected by an arm
• When arm A is rotated one-fourth turn
clockwise, gear 3 revolves one-half turn
• When the arm rotates once, gear 3
revolves twice
• Train value θ’LF for the gears is 1
• Gear 3 makes one turn due to the train
value and another turn due to its own axis
turning
Solution of Planetary Trains by Algebraic
method
• Using apparent angular velocity equations, the
velocity of gear-2 relative to the arm is

• Similarly, speed of gear-5 relative to the arm is

Therefore,
• This ratio is the same and is proportional to the
tooth numbers, whether the arm is rotating or not
• Train value can be conveniently written as
Where
ωF is the speed of first gear
ωL is the speed of last gear
Solution of Planetary Trains by Tabular
method
• This method uses superposition
• The process consists of
• Finding the rotations relative to the arm or planet carrier
• Fixing all the gears relative to the arm
• Summing all the above rotations
• Steps for carrying out the analysis:
1. Lock all the gears to the arm and rotate the arm. Tabulate the resulting turns of
the arm and of each gear.
2. Fix the arm and rotate one or more of the sun gears. Tabulate the resulting turns
of each gear.
3. Add the turns of each gear in steps 1 and 2 so that the given conditions are
satisfied.
Problem
• Speed of the sun gear, 2 = 100 rpm (positive)
• Speed of the arm, 3 = 200 rpm (positive)
• Find the speeds of Gear 4 and Gear 5
Tabular Analysis : Generalized steps
1. Lock the arm and assume the other wheels free to rotate.
2. Turn any convenient gear through one revolution in the counterclockwise
direction and record the number of revolutions made by each of the other wheels.
3. Multiply all the above recordings by x and write the same in the second row. This
is equivalent to the statement that the chosen wheel is given x revolutions in the
counter-clockwise direction keeping the arm fixed.
4. Add y to all the quantities in the second row and make the recordings in the third
row. This amounts to the fact that by locking the whole system, it is turned
through y revolutions in the counter-clockwise direction. Thus, the arm makes y
revolutions, the chosen wheel (y + x) revolutions, and so on.
5. Apply the given conditions and find the values of x and y. Having known x and y,
the revolutions made by any of the wheels can be known.
Step Acton Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of Gear 4 Rotation of Gear 5
No. arm Gear2

1 Arm fixed, Gear2 is given 0 +1

+1 rotation

2 Arm fixed, Gear2 is given 0 +x

+x rotations

3 Mechanism (all gears) +y +x+y

locked, Arm is turned
through +y rotations

Result
Problem
• The planetary gear train shown in Fig. is
called Ferguson’s paradox.∗ Gear 2 is fixed to
the frame. Arm 3 and gears 4, 5, and 6 are
free to turn upon their shafts. Find the
angular rotations of gears 4 and 5 when arm
3 is given one counterclockwise turn.
Step No. Acton Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of
arm (3) Gear2 Gear 4 Gear 5 Gear 6
1 Arm fixed, 0 +1
Gear2 is given
+1 rotation
2 Arm fixed, 0 +x
Gear2 is given
+x rotations
3 Mechanism +y +x+y
(all gears)
locked, Arm is
turned
through +y
rotations
Result
Step No. Acton Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of
arm (3) Gear2 Gear 4 Gear 5 Gear 6
1 Arm fixed, 0 +1
Gear2 is given
+1 rotation
2 Arm fixed, 0 +x
Gear2 is given
+x rotations
3 Mechanism +y +x+y
(all gears)
locked, Arm is
turned
through +y
rotations
Result
Practice Problem
• The overdrive unit shown in Fig. is
sometimes used following a standard
automotive transmission to further
reduce engine speed. The engine
speed (after the transmission)
corresponds to the speed of planet
carrier 3, and the drive shaft speed
corresponds to that of gear 5; sun gear
2 is held stationary. Determine the
percentage additional reduction in
engine speed obtained when the
overdrive is active.
Differential Gearbox
Step No. Acton Rotation of arm Rotation of Rotation of Rotation of
(B) Gear C Gear D Gear E
1 Arm fixed, Gear2 0 +1
is given +1
rotation
2 Arm fixed, Gear2 0 +x
is given +x
rotations
3 Mechanism (all +y +x+y
gears) locked,
Arm is turned
through +y
rotations

Result
• Note: When the arm (B) is fixed, Gears C, D & E act as simple gear train with Gear C as idler.
• Now, when Gear D is rotated by ‘y’ → Gear E rotates with same of revolutions (y) but in
opposite direction
• Note: Gear D and Gear E are of same dimensions and same number of teeth
• Speed of casing or arm (B) is or

• When car is moving in straight path →no relative motion between Gear C and arm (B) →no
epicyclic action →Arm just drives Gear D and Gear E with same speed and Gear C does not rotate
→NB=ND=NE → Gear C acts as a key
• While taking turn, planet gears rotate about their own axes and the train becomes epicyclic,
giving output speeds (for gears D and E) with one input speed (for gear B).
• In the gear train shown in fig., A is the driving
shaft which rotates at 270 rpm in CCW direction
(viewed from left). The casing (which is an
annular wheel) is fixed. The gears E and H are
keyed to the vertical shaft on which F is free to
rotate. The compound gears K and L are rigidly
connected to the pin carried by F. The number of
teeth on each gear is indicated in the figure.
Determine the speed of output shaft.

Ans. (90 rpm CCW, viewed from right)

• In the gear train shown in fig., the shaft rotates at 500 rpm in the direction indicated. Determine
NB/ND if the shaft E rotates at 5 rpm as shown. What would be the value of N B/ND if the rotation of
the shaft E is reversed? The number of teeth on each gear is indicated in figure.

(Ans. 7/3 and 3/5)

Practice
• A vehicle, with differential shown in fig., takes a turn
to the left so that the right wheel becomes the outer
wheel. The speed of the vehicle is 45 kmph and the
radius of the turn is 30 m (at the centre of
differential). The distance between the centres of the
wheel is 1.65 m and the tyres are 40 cm in diameter.
Calculate the speed of rotation of the wheels and of
the ring gear B.

Ans. (613.6 rpm, 581 rpm, 597.3 rpm)