CHAPTER 26

Helical Gears
Chapter Objectives
1. Descri be the vari ous parameters of a hel i cal gear.
2. Desi gn a hel i cal gear after taki ng i nto account the
vi rtual number of teeth, the tooth l oad and the
di fferent strengths.
26-1 INTRODUCTION
Moti on through hel i cal gears can be transmi tted between paral l el
shafts, non-paral l el shafts, and noni ntersecti ng shafts. A pai r of
paral l el hel i cal gears i s used on paral l el shaft and crossed hel i cal
gears are used on non-paral l el shafts. For the generati on of a spur-
gear tooth, a pl ane rol l s on a base ci rcl e, and the edge of the pl ane i s
a strai ght l i ne paral l el to the axi s of the cyl i nder, when thi s pl ane
rol l s or unwraps from the cyl i nder edge and a poi nt on edge traces
an i nvol ute. In the case of hel i cal gear, the edge of the pl ane i s
i ncl i ned to the axi s of the base cyl i nder. As the generati ng pl ane
unwraps and becomes taut, the hori zontal pl ane edge becomes a
strai ght l i ne, curved surface bounded i s an i nvol ute hel i coi d, and
i t forms the surface of the tooth of a hel i cal gear (See Fi g. 26-1).
When a pai r of paral l el hel i cal gears mesh, the fol l owi ng
condi ti ons must be sati sfi ed for proper meshi ng and runni ng of the
set:
1. Gears must have hel i x angl es of equal val ue.
2. Gear teeth of each member, that i s, pi ni on and gear,
must have the same modul e.
3. Gear teeth of each member must have opposi te hel i ces; If
one gear has ri ght-handed hel i cal teeth, then other gear
must have l eft-handed hel i cal teeth.


Fi gure 26-1 Surface of the tooth of a hel i cal gear

In a hel i cal gear, i ni ti al contact i s a poi nt whi ch gradual l y
changes i nto a l i ne as engagement proceeds. This line of contact is a
diagonal across the face and flank of the tooth.
Fi gure 26-2 shows a hel i cal gear wi th hel i x angl e . Hel i x angl e
i s the angl e whi ch the tooth trace of a hel i cal gear i n the pi tch
pl ane makes wi th the gear axi s. Thi s i ncl i nati on to the gear axi s
vari es al ong wi th the i nvol ute, as i t ori gi nates from the base
cyl i nder and devel ops outwards. In general , hel i x angl e refers onl y
to the hel i x angl e at the pi tch cyl i nder.

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Fi gure 26-2 Hel i cal angl e
Spur gears make noi se duri ng operati on due to sudden contact
between gear teeth at the ti me of engagement, but hel i cal gears
devel ops gradual contact between gear teeth extendi ng from one
edge of the tooth to the other edge, on the opposi te si de of face wi dth.
Thi s gradual engagement provi des smooth and noiseless operation
wi th hi gher effi ci ency than spur gears.
Hel i cal gears offer consi derabl e advantage for hi gh-speed and
heavy-duty gear dri ves.
A meshi ng hel i cal gear pai r has greater contact rati o than a
correspondi ng spur-gear pai r. Fri cti onal forces, whi ch are
generated due to mutual sl i di ng of teeth surfaces before and after
the pi tch poi nt, are consi derabl y reduced. Due to greater contact
ratio, l esser fri cti onal forces are devel oped. The deteri mental effects
are comparati vel y smal l er i n case of reversi bl e dri ve and i mpact-
type servi ce condi ti ons. The basi c rack for spur and hel i cal gears i s
the same. For normal appl i cati ons, hel i x angl e l i es between 8 to
20 degrees.
Hel i x angl e shoul d not cross 20 to avoi d a l arge resul tant axi al
thrust. On the l ower si de, shoul d not be l ess then 8 as otherwi se
the advantages offered by hel i cal gears become margi nal .
26-2 PARAMETERS OF AHELICAL GEAR
Fi gure 26-3 shows a hel i cal gear wi th hel i x angl e , transverse
pi tch, AB = .
Secti on al ong transverse pl ane TT shows transverse pressure angl e,
.
Transverse pi tch = P


Secti on al ong normal pl ane (normal to tooth surface) shows:


In the tri angl e ABC, AB = transverse pi tch
AC = normal pi tch,
= cos


n
n

Fi gure 26-3 Secti on at TT

Normal modul e, m = mcos, where m i s transverse modul e.
In tri angl e ABD:


There are two pressure angl es, transverse pressure angl e and
normal pressure angl e, .


Normal pressure angl e i s usual l y 20.


Centre di stance between pi ni on and gear:


Speed rati o between hel i cal gears i s gi ven by:


For smooth operati on of hel i cal gears, l eadi ng edge of the tooth
shoul d be advanced ahead of the trai l i ng edge by a di stance greater
than the ci rcul ar pi tch or the transverse pi tch. In Fi g. 26-3:


For tooth i n hel i cal gear, di mensi ons are:

n
n

Addendum ci rcl e di ameter:


Dedendum ci rcl e di ameter:


Normal modul es are sel ected from standards. The fi rst
preference val ues of normal modul e are 1 mm, 1.25, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 4,
5, 6, 8 and 10 mm.
SOLVED EXAMPLES
Exampl e 26-1 A pai r of hel i cal gears consi sts of a pi ni on of 20
teeth and gear of 50 teeth. Hel i x angl e for gears i s 15 and normal
pressure angl e i s 20. If the normal modul e of gear teeth i s 4 mm,
cal cul ate: (a) transverse modul e, (b) transverse pressure angl e, (c)
addendum and dedendum ci rcl e di ameters of both pi ni on and gear,
and (d) mi ni mum wi dths of gears for smooth operati on.
Sol uti on:
Number of teeth on pi ni on, Z = 20
Number of teeth as gear, Z = 50
Pressure angl e = 20
Hel i x angl e = 15
Normal modul e, m = 4 mm
1. Transverse modul es, m =
2. Transverse pressure angl e, :


3. Pi tch ci rcl e di ameter of pi ni on:
d = Z m
= 20 4.14 = 82.8mm
Pi tch ci rcl e di ameter of gear, d = Z m
= 50 4.14 = 207 mm
Normal modul e m = 4 mm
Addendum, h = 4 mm
Dedendum, h = 1.25m = 1.25 4 = 5 mm
Pi ni on
Addendum ci rcl e di ameter = 82.8 + 2 m
= 82.8 + 8 = 90.8mm
Dedendum ci rcl e di ameter = 82.8 2.5m
= 82.8 10 = 72.8
Gear
Addendum ci rcl e di ameter = 207 + 2m = 207 + 8 = 215 mm
Dedendum ci rcl e di ameter = 207 2.5m = 197mm
Mi ni mum wi dth of gear:


26-3 VIRTUAL NUMBER OF TEETH ONHELICAL GEARS
Fi gure 26-4 shows a hel i cal gear of pi tch ci rcl e di ameter, d, and
axi al breadth, b. Hel i x angl e i s . A hel i cal tooth at O i s al so shown.
A pl ane, NN, cuts the gear al ong a di recti on normal to the tooth.
p
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a
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Projected vi ew of the pl ane i s an el l i pse of mi nor di ameter, b = d/2,

and major di ameter, a = (d/2) (1/cos) where i s hel i x angl e.
Compl ete the rectangl e OABC, wi th di mensi ons a b. Joi n
di agonal CA. To obtai n centre of equi val ent spur gear, draw a
perpendi cul ar from B to di agonal CA and extend thi s to meet CO at
O', where O' gi ves the centre of equi val ent formati ve spur gear wi th
radi us of the gear R = O'C. From si mi l ar tri angl es, CBO' and CAB, we
get:


Fi gure 26-4Hel i cal gear


Radi us of equi val ent spur gear:



Therefore,


Or,
But,


Vi rtual number of teeth:


26-4 FORCE COMPONENTS ONATOOTH OF HELICAL GEAR
A hel i cal gear i n mesh wi th another gear exerts pressure on the
tooth of the other gear when i n operati on. General l y, pi ni on (a gear
wi th l esser number of teeth) i s the dri vi ng gear exerti ng dri vi ng
force on the tooth of the dri ven gear. Fi gure 26-5 shows the tooth
l oad P on the gear tooth i n a hel i cal gear. Hel i x angl e of teeth are
and normal pressure angl e of tooth i s P i s the resul tant tooth
l oad wi th components i n axi al , tangenti al , and radi al di recti ons,
P , P , and P , respecti vel y.


From the di agram of forces on tooth.



Fi gure 26-5 Tooth l oad on the gear tooth of a hel i cal gear


where, tan = costan
= transverse pressure angl e
= normal pressure angl e
The onl y di sadvantage i n a pai r of hel i cal gear operati on i.e.,
devel opment of axi al thrust due to hel i x angl e and axi s of shaft
carryi ng hel i cal gear i s subjected to axi al thrust whi ch
necessi tates the provi si on of thrust beari ngs at the ends of the
shaft. The si de thrust can be el i mi nated by usi ng the hel i cal gears
i n pai rsone wi th the ri ght hel i x and the other wi th the l eft hel i x.
These gears are mounted on the shaft si de by si de, and end thrust
produced by one gear i s cancel l ed by the other. If both the gears are
formed on one bl ank, as shown i n Fi g. 26-6, the resul ti ng gear i s
cal l ed Herri ngbone gear.


Fi gure 26-6 Doubl e hel i cal Herri ngbone gear

Mi ni mum face wi dth of Herri ngbone gear:


where, b = Ci rcul ar pi tch


Si nce there i s no end thrust, hel i x angl e can be taken as hi gh as
45.
SOLVED EXAMPLES
Exampl e 26-2 A pai r of hel i cal gears transmi ts 5 kW. The
fol l owi ng are i ts detai l s:
Teeth on pi ni on, Z = 25
Teeth on gear, Z = 50
Normal modul e, m = 4 mm
Hel i x angl e, = 20
Normal pressure angl e, = 20
n
a t r
n
n
p
g
n
n
Determi ne P , P , and P components of tooth l oad i f rpm of pi ni on
are 1,200.
Sol uti on:
Number of teeth on pi ni on, Z = 25
Normal modul e, m = 4 mm
Hel i x angl e, = 20
Transverse modul e, m=
= 4.2567 mm
Pi tch ci rcl e di ameter of pi ni on, d = m Z = 4.2567 25
= 106.42 mm
Pi tch l i ne vel oci ty,
Tangenti al tooth l oad
Axi al l oad,
Radi al l oad,
26-5 DIFFERENT STRENGTHS OF HELICAL GEAR TOOTH
In previ ous arti cl es we have di scussed equi val ent spur gear of a
hel i cal gear, where we have determi ned that for equi val ent spur
gear, the number of teeth on gear i s equal to Z / cos , and di ameter
i s equal to d/ cos . We know about the vari ous strengths, such as
beam strength, wear strength and dynami c l oad, due to Spotts's
equati on of spur gear. The same can be appl i ed for an equi val ent
spur gear.
Beam strength normal to the tooth as shown i n Fi g. 26-7.


Fi gure 26-7 Beam Strength normal to tooth

(S ) = b'm Y
where, b' = face wi dth of equi val ent spur gear


where, = hel i xangl e
m = normal modul eof gear
= , al l owabl ebendi ng stress
where, = ul ti mate tensi l e strength
Z' = , vi rtual number of teeth or teeth on an equi val ent spur gear
Y = Lewi s form factor dependi ng on Z', vi rtual number of teeth


Si mi l arl y, wear strength of hel i cal gear tooth can be obtai ned.


b' = face wi dth of equi val ent spur gear


d' = pi tch ci rcl e di ameter of pi ni on for equi val ent spur gear



Fi gure 26-8 Wear strength of hel i cal gear tooth

t a r
p
n
p p
b n n b
n
b
ut
p
3
2

For 20 normal pressure angl e and both pi ni on and gear made of
steel .


So, (S ) = wear strength i n normal di recti on


Say, the power transmi tted by gears i s P kW, then:
P = N, tangenti al tooth l oad


v = pi tch l i ne vel oci ty of gears i n m/s
C = servi ce factor
C = vel oci ty factor to account for dynami c l oad


P = effecti ve tooth l oad =
To desi gn the tooth for normal modul e:
S = FOS P
or, S = FOS P , dependi ng upon the requi rement
26-5-1Dynamic Load as per Spotts's Equation
As per Spotts's equati on:


For equi val ent spur gear, thi s dynami c l oad i s assumed to be
i ncl i ned at an angl e to the tangent pl ane.
Tangenti al component of the dynami c l oad i s P cos cos.


r , r , are pi tch-ci rcl e radi i of pi ni on and gears
Error, e = e + e = error i n pi ni on + error i n gear (i n mi crons).
Errors i n pi ni on and gear are cal cul ated based on the grade of
machi ni ng accuracy.
SOLVED EXAMPLES
Exampl e 26-3 A pai r of hel i cal gears consi sts of 24 teeth pi ni on
meshi ng wi th 72 teeth gear. Normal pressure angl e i s 20, and
hel i x angl e i s 24. The pi ni on rotates at 720 rpm. Normal modul e of
gear i s 5 mm and face wi dth i s 50 mm. Both, pi ni on and gear are
made of steel wi th = 600 Mpa. Gears are heat treated to a surface
hardness of 360 BHN.
What power can be transmi tted by gears i f servi ce factor i s 1.4 and
factor of safety i s 2? Assume that vel oci ty factor accounts for the
dynami c l oad.
Sol uti on:
Normal modul e, m = 5 mm
Face wi dth, b = 50 mm
Hel i x ampl e, = 24, cos = 0.9135
Beam strength, S = bm Y
Al l owabl e bendi ng stress,
Vi rtual number of teeth on pi ni on:

w n
t
S
v
eff
b eff
w eff
n
d n
1 2
p g
ut
n
b n b
b


Fi gure 26-9


(i n transverse di recti on)


(i n transverse di recti on)


Power transmi ssi on wi l l depend upon beam strength, S .
Servi ce factor C = 1.5
Factor of safety, FOS = 2
Vel oci ty factor, C =


Power = P vNm
= 4,324.6 4.95W
= 21406.7 = 21.406 kW
Exampl e 26-4 A pai r of hel i cal gears wi th pi ni ons 26 teeth and
gear 100 teeth suppl i es power 5 kW at 2,000 rpm of pi ni on. Normal
pressure angl e i s 20 and hel i x angl e of teeth i s 15. Both the gears
are made of hardened steel wi th = 660 N / mm . Gears are
fi ni shed to the accuracy of grade 8. Assumi ng servi ce factor = 1.5,
factor of safety 1.8, and pi tch l i ne vel oci ty of gears as 10 m/s,
determi ne normal modul e of gear teeth as per beam strength.
Speci fy the hardness of the surface of gears i f S = S b = 12 m
where b = face wi dth. Check the safety of desi gn as per Spotts's
equati on for accuracy of grade 8. Gi ven:
Error, e (mi crons) = 16.00 + 1.25, where = m + 0.25 .
Sol uti on:
Z = 25
Z = 100
Hel i x angl e, = 15
Vi rtual number of teeth,
Lewi s form factor, Y = 0.348 + 0.74 0.004
= 0.351
Beam strength, S = bm Y


Transverse modul e,
d for pi ni on = 25 m = 25 x 1.035m
= 25.88m
RPM of pi ni on = 2,000
Pi tch l i ne vel oci ty,
Tangenti al tooth l oad,


Vel oci ty factor, (assumi ng v = 10m/s)
Servi ce factor, C = 1.5
Effecti ve tooth l oad,
b
s
v
t
ut
w b n
n
p
g
b n b
p n
n
s
2
Beam strength, S = (FOS) x P


or, m = 8.41
m = 2.032 mm
Normal modul e can be safel y taken as 2.5 mm.
Wi th m = 2.5:
v = 2.71 m = 2.71 2.5 = 8.775 m/s < 10 m/s (assumed)
Surface hardness


where, b = 12m = 12 2.5 = 30 mm


Therefore, 926.64m = 12m 25.88m 1.6 K


Spotts's equati on:
Taki ng m = 2.5 mm
d = 25.88 2.5 = 64.7 mm
d = 4 64.7 = 258.8mm
Grade 8 accuracy e = 16 + 1.25
= m + 0.25
Pi ni on


Gear


Dynami c l oad,
Total l oad = Stati c + dynami c l oads
Tangenti al component
whereas, S = beam strength
= 926.64m = 926.64 2.5
= 5,791.5 N
Desi gn i s safer agai nst Spotts's theory al so.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
For noi sel ess operati ons and hi gh effi ci ency, hel i cal
gears are commonl y used i n gear boxes of
automobi l es.
Hel i cal gears are used as operati onal gears i n
machi nes, such as l athe, mi l l i ng machi nes, and
earth movi ng machi nes.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Moti on through hel i cal gears can be transmi tted
between paral l el shafts, non-paral l el shafts and
noni ntersecti ng shafts.
2. An i nvol ute hel i coi d surface forms the surface of the
tooth of a hel i cal gear.
3. In hel i cal gear, the l i ne of contact i s a di agonal across
the face and the fl ank of the tooth.
4. In hel i cal gears, gradual engagement between the
meshi ng teeth provi des smooth and noi sel ess operati on
wi th hi gher effi ci ency than spur gears.
5. There i s greater contact rati o i n hel i cal gears than i n
b eff
n
n
n
n
n n n
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spur gears, l esser fri cti onal forces are devel oped.
6. The hel i x angl e l i es between 820, for normal
appl i cati ons.
7. For smooth operati on of hel i cal gears, l eadi ng edge of
the tooth shoul d be advanced ahead of the trai l i ng edge
by a di stance greater than the ci rcul ar or transverse
pi tch.
8. For the anal ysi s of stresses i n hel i cal gears, an
equi val ent spur gear i s consi dered for whi ch vi rtual
number of teeth and di ameter of equi val ent spur gear
are cal cul ated. In expressi on for beam strength, Lewi s
form factor corresponds to vi rtual number of teeth.
9. There are 3 components of a tooth l oad i n hel i cal gear, i n
radi al , axi al and tangenti al di recti ons.
10. The onl y di sadvantage of hel i cal gears i s the
devel opment of axi al thrust whi ch necessi tates the use
of thrust beari ngs at the ends of a shaft.
11. Herri ngbone gears i s a pai r of hel i cal gears wi th hel i x
angl es i n opposi te di recti ons. The axi al thrust i s
cancel l ed out.
12. Dynami c l oad i n hel i cal gears as per Spotts's equati on i s
determi ned on the basi s of equi val ent spur gear.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What i s a hel i cal gear? In what respects a hel i cal gear i s
di fferent than a spur gear?
2. What are meri ts and demeri ts of hel i cal gears over spur
gears?
3. Make a si mpl e sketch of a hel i cal gear tooth and show
the fol l owi ng:
1. Transverse pi tch
2. Normal pi tch
3. Axi al pi tch
4. Deri ve expressi on for vi rtual number of teeth i n a
hel i cal gear.
5. Make a neat sketch of forces acti ng on a hel i cal gear
tooth. What are the rel ati onshi ps, between tangenti al
l oad, axi al l oad and radi al l oad?
6. Deri ve expressi on for S = beam strength of hel i cal gear
tooth.
7. What i s l oad stress factor, and how i t i s reduced to for
20 pressure angl e steel gears?
PRACTICE PROBLEMS
1. A pai r of hel i cal gears on paral l el shafts consi sts of a
pi ni on of 25 teeth and gear of 60 teeth. Normal modul e
of gears i s 3 mm. Determi ne the fol l owi ng, i f hel i x angl e
i s 22.
1. Transverse modul e
2. Ci rcul ar pi tch
3. Addendum and dedendum
4. Mi ni mum wi dth of gears
5. Transverse pressure angl e i f normal pressure
angl e i s 20
6. Centre di stance between shafts
2. A pai r of hel i cal gears wi th Z = 20, Z = 60, hel i x
angl e 25, = normal pressure angl e 20 transmi ts 7.5
kW when pi ni on rotates at 800 rpm. If pi tch ci rcl e
di ameter of pi ni on i s 80 mm, determi ne 3 components of
tooth l oad.
3. A pai r of hel i cal gears wi th Z = 20, speed rati o 2.6 i s to
be desi gned. Fol l owi ng data i s gi ven:
Speed of pi ni on = 520 rpm.
Power to be transmi tted = 8 kW
Hel i x angl e i s 25
Face wi dth = 10 mm
Gear surfaces are heat treated to 400 BHN
Servi ce factor = 1.5
Factor of safety = 2
of materi al = 600 MPa
Determi ne normal modul e of gears i f normal pressure
angl e i s 20.
Dynami c l oad i s accounted by vel oci ty factor.
4. Fol l owi ng data i s gi ven for a pai r of paral l el hel i cal
gears 24 teeth on pi ni on and 60 teeth on gear.
Speed of pi ni on = 750 rpm
Centre di stance between gears = 217 to 218 mm
Normal modul e = 5 mm
Normal pressure angl e = 20
Ul ti mate tensi l e strength of gear materi al = 600 MPa
Surface hardness of gears = 320 BHN
Grade of machi ni ng accuracy = 8
Factor of safety = 1.8
Servi ce factor = 1.3
Face wi dth = 10 mm
Determi ne how much power can be transmi tter by the
gears. Determi ne beam strength, wear strength and
dynami c l oad as per Spotts's equati on.
INTERACTIVE LEARNING
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