GEAR TRAINS Gear and belt drive as equivalent four bar linkage

GEAR TRAINS are widely used whenever a change in

speed or torque of a rotating device is needed.
A change in speed or torque of a rotating device can also
be achieved through using BELT or CHAIN drive. But
Belt can not be used where slip is not allowed. Chain has
problems like noise and vibration.

Gear train Belt drive

Rolling Cylinders
Smaller one is the
pinion and the larger
Belt drive one is Gear

Velocity and Torque ratio THE INVOLUTE TOOTH FORM

Gear trains are
ω out v / rout r d
mv = =± = ± in = ± in used to reduce
* The string is always tangent to
ω in v / rin rout d out velocity and
the cylinder also known as Base
increase torque
T P / ω out ω d or vice versa. circle.
mT = out = ± = ± in = ± out The ± accounts
Tin P / ω in ω out d in for the internal * The center of curvature of the
& external gear involute is always at the point of
THE INVOLUTE TOOTH tangency of the string with the
FORM cylinder.
Involute is a curve which * A tangent to the involute is
can be generated by always normal to the string, the
unwrapping a taut string length of the string is the
from a cylinder. instantaneous radius of curvature
of the involute curve.
BASE CIRCLE, PITCH CIRCLE, ADDENDUM, LINE Expanded
OF ACTION/COMMON NORNAL PRESSURE ANGLE View
BASE CIRCLE,
PITCH CIRCLE,
ADDENDUM,
LINE OF
ACTION OR
COMMON
NORNAL
PRESSURE
ANGLE

Fundamental law of gearing: The common normal of the Pressure Angle: standard values are 20 & 25 degrees. The
tooth profiles, at all contact points within the mesh, must mating gears must be of same pressure angle.
pass through a point on the line of centers called the pitch Variation
2 2 2 2
point. Z = ( r + a ) − ( r cos φ) + ( r + a ) − ( r cos φ) − c sin φ
p p p g g g
of center
distance-
involute
gears
may be
due to
tolerance
limitations
The common Back lash:Clearance between mating teeth measured along
normal still pitch circle. Backlash is no problem if the gear doesn’t change
passes through direction.
the pitch point GEAR TOOTH NOMENCLATURE
and is a
common
tangent to the
two base
circles. Hence
the velocity
ratio remains
the same.
The pitch circle radius changes but proportionately keeping
the velocity ratio same. The pressure angle increases with the
increase of center distance. For involute tooth gears, once the
base circles are fixed, the velocity ratio is fixed

Nomenclature: Circular pitch, Diametral pitch & Module STANDARD GEAR TEETH
πd The standard tooth dimensions are defined in terms of
Circular pitch, p c = , d = pitch dia., N = no. of teeth
N MODUE in millimeters or DIAMETRAL PITCH in inches.
Base pitch, p b = p c Cosφ , φ = pressure angle The relationship between the two are given by: m=25.4/pd.
N π Table 9-1(page 441) shows the specification of standard gears:
Diametral pitch, p d = , therefore p d =
d pc
Parameter coarse pitch(pd<20) fine pitch (pd>20)
d
Module m = Pressure angle φ 20-25deg 20 deg
N
ω d N Addendum a 1.0 m 1.0 m
Using the above
mv = out = ± in = ± in Dedendum b 1.25 m 1.25 m
ω in d out N out
definitions, the
T d N Working depth 2.0 m 2.0 m
velocity ratio and the
torque ratio becomes:
mT = out = ± out = ± out Whole depth 2.25 m 2.2 m + 0.05 mm
Tin d in N in
Circular tooth thickness 1.571 m 1.571 m
Table 9-1(page 441) (Cont.) Actual tooth sizes for various diametral pitches
Parameter coarse pitch(pd<20) fine pitch (pd
20) Standard Metric
Fillet radius-basic rack 0.3 m Not Standardized Modules (Table9-3)

Minimum basic clearance 0.25 m 0.2 +0.05 mm. m(mm) pd/(in)

Minimum width of top land 0.25 m Not Standardized 0.3 84.67

Clearance 0.35 m 0.35 m +0.05mm 0.5 50.8

1 25.4
Tooth
1.5 16.93
profiles for
three 3 8.47
pressure
5 5.08
angles
25 1.02

Interference and Undercutting Interference and Undercutting

Interference is avoided by undercutting, which weakens the
tooth.
Interference and the resulting undercutting can be prevented
by avoiding the use of too few teeth.

Minimum number of pinion Minimum number of pinion

teeth as a function of φ(Table teeth as a function of mating
9-4) gear size(Table 9-5)
When there are too few teeth, the dedendum becomes large
φ Min. no of teeth Min. Pinion Min. Gear
enough to extend below base circle.
14.5 32 17 1309
The portion below the base circle is not be an involute and will
interfere with the tip of the tooth of the mating gear which is 20 18 15 45
involute. 13 16
25 12
Unequal-addendum tooth forms: To avoid interference on Ex-9.1 Find Gear ratio, circular pitch, base pitch, pitch
small pinions, the standard full depth teeth are changed to diameters, pitch radii, center distance, addendum, dedendum,
have longer addendum on the pinion and equally shorter whole depth, clerance, outside diameters and contact ratio.
addendum on the Gear.
If the center distance is increased by 2% what is the new
pressure angle and increase in backlash?
Base circle of pinion
Given: A 4.23m (6 pd ) 20 deg. Pressure angle, 19 tooth pinion
is meshed with a 37 tooth gear.
Pitch Circles
Soln: Gear ratio= mG = Ng/ Np =37/19=1.947
Base circle of gear
circular pitch=pc=π/ pd = πm =13.29 mm
Contact Ratio: Is the no. of tooth in contact at any time, given pb=pccosφ =13.29cos20=12.49mm.
by Z/pb where: Z = ( r + a ) − ( r cos φ) + ( r + a ) − ( r cos φ) − c sin φ
p p
2
p
2
g g
2
g
2

dp = Np/ pd = Npm=19x4.23=80.37mm; dG =NGm=156.5mm

Recommended value is 1.4 to 2 for spur gears.

Center distance= (dp+dG)/2=118.4 mm Gear Types

addendum=1.0m=4.23mm; dedendum=1.25m=5.29mm
Spur Gear: Teeth are parallel to the axis
Whole depth=addendum+dedendum=9.52mm of the Gear. This is the simplest and
least expensive gear.
clearance=dedendum- addendum=1.0575mm

Pinion outside dia.= dp +2 addendum=88.83mm Helical Gear: Teeth

are at an helix angle
Gear outside dia.= dG +2 addendum=164.96mm with respect to the
2 2 2 2
axis. These are quieter
Z= (r
p
+ a p ) − ( rp cos φ) + (r g
+ a g ) − ( rg cos φ) − c sin φ =20.27mm and stronger and the
gear shafts can be
Contact ratio=Z/ pb=1.62
parallel or at an angle
φ new = cos−1 ( rbase circle , pinion / 1.02rp ) = ( rp cos φ / 102
. rp ) = 2289
. 0 with the each other.
Parallel At an angle
 Herringbone
Gear: Formed by
joining two
helical gears of
same diamater
and pitch but of
opposite hand on
Rack &pinion: If the diameter of the base circle is increased
the same shaft.
beyond limit, the result is a rack. It is used to convert the
Worms & Worm Gear: If the helix angle is rotary motion to linear or vice versa.
increased sufficiently the result is a worm
which has only one tooth wrapped
continuously around its circumference like a Bevel
screw thread. The worm meshes with worm Gears
gear. The worm set gives high gear ratio and
can not be back driven.

Bevel Gear: Just

as the spur gears
are based on
rolling cylinders,
Bevel Gears are
Based on rolling
cones. Used for
any angle between
the shafts.
Spiral Bevel Gear:
Teeth are not
parallel to the axis Hypoid Gear: For non-parallel & non-intersecting shafts.
of the cone but are These are developed from hyperboloids. The tooth form is not
spiral. Teeth are an involute.
non involute
Spiral Non-Spiral
Vee belt drive: Vee belts are made Simple gear train: A gear train in which each shaft carries
of rubber reinforced with synthetic only one gear. The velocity ratio is given by: Simple train
or metallic cords. The pulleys have  N  N  N  N   N   N 
mv =  − 2   − 3   − 4   − 5  =  2  = ± − in 
a matching vee-groove. Main  N 3   N 4   N5   N 6   N 6   N out 
disadvantage is slip..
Compound
Synchronous (Timing) belts:
gear train:
Synchronous belts do not suffer from At least one
slip problem. Can transmit high shaft carries
torque and less expensive. more than one
gear. Usually
Chain drive: Are used for S used for gear
Synchronous transmission when p
ratios of more
r
the input and out shafts are far o than 10:1.
apart. Problems-vibration and c
k  N  N  Pr oduct of input gear no.
fluctuating output velocity. Made e mv =  − 2   − 4  = ±
 N 3   N5  Pr oduct of output gear no
up of Sprocket and chain drive. t Chain-Sprocket

Ex-9.2 Design a compound gear train for a train ratio of Gear tooth number has to be an integer. The nearest integer is
180:1. Find a combination of gears which will give the ratio 79. Now a three stages of 79/14=5.642 each will give an
overall ratio of 179.68. If this gear train is not used in a timing
Soln: Try with two stage. If we take square root of 180, it is device, this is acceptable.
13.416. So a two stage, with a ratio of 13.416 in each stage
will do the job. But 13.416 is greater than 10. So we have to But, if we want 180: 1 exactly. We first round up the cube
look for three stages. root, 5.646, to an integer 6.

The cube root of 180 is 5.646. So we can use three stages with Two stages of six gives 36. Now divide 180 by 36 to give 5.
5.646 in each stage to give 180:1. The possibilities are: So two stages of six and one stage of 5 will give the solution.
Gear set ratio Pinion teeth Gear teeth Gear set ratio Pinion teeth Gear teeth

5.646 x 12 (min. allowed) 67.75 6 x 14 84

5.646 x 13 73.4 6 x 14 84

5.646 x 14 79.05 5 x 14 70

5.646 x 15 84.69
Reverted compound trains: Is a compound gear train with Gear set ratio Pinion teeth Gear teeth
input and output shafts concentric. Center distances of the 4.2426 x 12 (min. allowed) 50.91
stages are equal. r2+r3=r4+r5 or d2+d3=d4+d5 or N2+N3=N4+N5
4.2426 x 13 55.15
Ex. 9-3 Design 4.2426 x 14 59.40
a reverted
compound 4.2426 x 15 63.64
train for an It is clear that, this approach will not
exact ratio of produce exact solution (gear teeth
18:1 fraction)
Now, let us factorize the ratio 18=9x2
or 18=6x3 and let us try 6x3.

Soln: Square root of 18 is 4.2426, which is under 10, so two Let N2+N3=N4+N5 =K……..(1)
stages will be sufficient. Now let us see if we can solve the
N2/N3=1/6 N4/N5 =1/3…..(2)
problem

Substituting (2) into (1) we get N2+6N2=7N2=K Epicylic or planetary gear trains

N4+3N4=4N4=K, Now K has to be at least 28 to ensure N2 and If one end of arm-1 of a conventional gearset is released, the
N4 to be integer. resulting set is an Epicyclic gearset. It has two degrees of
freedom and needs two inputs
With K=28 we get N2=4 and N4=7 which are below 12 and
hence unacceptable.

Now we try K=28x3=84 , so that N2 becomes 4x3=12

Results are: N2=12; N3=72; N4=21; N5=63

This is a viable solution.

Conventional Epicyclic
N2/N3 x N4/N5 =12/72 x 21/63= 1/18
To obtain output from the epicyclic gearset, a ring gear is put Levai’s 12 possible epicyclic trains are given below:
around the set.

Ex-9.5 Epicyclic gear train analysis using tabular method. Ex-9.6 Ferguson’s paradox using tabular method.

Sun gear--N2=40 tooth external gear Sun gear2--N2=100 Sun gear3--N3=99

Planet gear--N3=20 tooth external gear Sun gear4--N4=101 Planet gear--N5=20

Ring gear--N4=80 tooth internal gear Input to arm--100 rpm c. clockwise Input to sun2--0 rpm

input to arm --200 rpm clockwise

input to sun--100 rpm clockwise

Gear ωgear = ωarm + ωgear/arm Gear ratio

2 -100 -200 +100 -40/20

3 -400 -200 -200

4 -250 -200 -50 +20/80

 Gear ωgear = ωarm + ωgear/arm Gear ratio ωL/arm / ωF/arm =(ωL−ωarm)/(ωF−ωarm) (As if the arm is not rotating)
2 0 100 -100 -100/20 =Product of no. of driver teeth/Product of no. of driven teeth
(This was proved for compound or simple gear train )
5 600 100 500
3 -1.01 100 -101.01 -20/99 Ex-9.7 Ferguson’s paradox by formula method.

5 600 100 500 Sun gear2--N2=100 Sun gear3--N3=99

4 0.99 100 -99.01 -20/101 Sun gear4--N4=101 Planet gear--N5=20

Input to arm--100 rpm c. clockwise Input to sun2--0 rpm
Formula method: ωgear= ωarm +ωgear/arm Soln: Taking gear 2 as first gear and gear 3 as last gear
For the first gear ωF/arm= ωF−ωarm ωL/arm / ωF/arm =(ωL−ωarm)/(ωF−ωarm)=(− N2 / N5) )(− N5 / N3)
For the last gear ωL/arm= ωL−ωarm ω3=-1.01 similarly ω4=0.99
Hence ωL/arm / ωF/arm =(ωL−ωarm)/(ωF−ωarm)

Efficiency of gear trains ωL/arm / ωF/arm =(ωL−ωarm)/(ωF−ωarm)=R…….(3)

Efficiency of a conventional gear train (internal or external) is Substitution of Eq. (3) in Eq. (2) gives:
very high 98% to 99%
T1= Tarm /(ρE0-1) T2= Tarm /(ρE0-1)
The efficiency of an epicyclic gear train can be very high if
where ρ = R if R ≥ 1 else ρ = 1 / R
properly designed, but it can be very low if improperly
designed. Let us think of epicyclic gear train as a black box,
having with three shafts representing the sun, planet and the
arm. Any two of these can be input and the third one output.
T1+T2+Tarm =0….(1)
Let power flow from
shaft 1 to shaft 2.The
sum of the power is
zero: E0T1(ω1−ωarm)+
T2(ω2−ωarm) =0….(2)