Machine Elements 2

Gear Train

Engr. JUANITO N. RAMOS, JR., RME

Lecturer - Mechanical Engineering Dept.
University of Batangas
02.13.14
 What is a Gear Train?
 Gear Train is
combination of
two or more
gears when they
are made to
mesh each other
to transmit
power from one
shaft to another.
Types of Gear Train

1. Simple Gear Train

2. Compound Gear Train
3. Reverted Gear train
4. Epicycle Gear Train
 Simple Gear Train
When there is only one gear on each shaft.
 Compound Gear Train
 When there are more than one gear on a shaft.
 Reverted Gear Train
 When the axes of
the first driver and
the last driven are
co-axial.

 In a reverted gear
train, the motion
of the first gear
and the last gear is
same.
 Epicyclic Gear Train

 Epicyclic means
one gear is
revolving upon
and around
another. The
design involves
planet and sun
gears as one
orbits the other
like a planet
around the sun.
 Epicyclic Gear Train
 A small gear at
the center called
the sun, several
medium sized
gears called the
planets and a
large external
gear called the
ring gear.
Planetary Gear Trains

Illustration of planetary gear train. (a)

With three planets; (b) with one planet
(for analysis only).
 Trains
In general,
 Trains – are series of rolling
cylinders or cones, gears,
pulleys and similar devices
serving to transmit power
from one shaft to another.
 Driver - by its rotation,
causes the other gears to
turn, called Driven Gears
(sometimes called
follower).

Train value, e – is the ratio of the absolute angular speed of the last gear/wheel
(or Driven) to the absolute angular speed of the first gear/wheel (or Driver). It is the
reciprocal of Speed Ratio.
e = Nlast / Nfirst = 1/ Speed ratio
 Why we use idler gear ?
 The function of
the idler gear is
to change the
direction of
rotation.

 It has no affect on
the gear ratio.

 Idler – is both
driver and driven
gear.
 Calculation of Speed
e = Nlast / Nfirst = 1/ Speed ratio

Speed of last shaft = Speed of first shaft X Product of teeth of drivers

Product of teeth of drivens

Speed of last shaft = Speed of first shaft X Product of diameter of drivers

Product of diameter of drivens

Speed of last shaft = e x Speed of first shaft

 Input speed
The gear ratio is defined as GR 
Output speed
If gear A is the input and gear C is the output;
N A tC
GR   also called as Speed ratio/Speed value
NC tA
NC Speed of driven gear
If  is called the Train value
NA Speed of driver gear
 Power Transmission
The Power transmitted by a torque is given by
2 N T
P 
60
 In an ideal gear box, the input and output powers
are the same, therefore:

2 N1 T1 2 N 2 T2
P 
60 60
T2 N1
N1 T1  N 2 T2    GR
T1 N2
 Compound Gear Train
• For large velocities Input
ratios, compound gear
train arrangement is B
D
preferred.
A Output
• The velocity of each
C
tooth on A and B are the
same so: Compound Gears
GEAR 'B'
NaTa = NbTb
as they are simple gears.
GEAR 'A'
GEAR 'D'
• Likewise for C and D,
NcTc = NdTd GEAR 'C'
Since gear B and C are on the same shaft
 B  C Input
 A tB tD
   GR
 D t A tC
B
D

Since   2    N A Output
C
The gear ratio may be
Compound Gears
written as : GEAR 'B'

N In  t B t D
   GR
N Out  t A tC GEAR 'A'
GEAR 'D'

GEAR 'C'
 Velocity ratio of
Epicyclic Gear Train

 Velocity Ratio of epicyclic gear train is

the ratio of the speed of the driver to the
speed of the driven (or follower).
Advantages of Simple Gear Train

 to connect gears where a large center

distance is required

 to obtain desired direction of motion of the

driven gear (CW or CCW)

 to obtain high speed ratio

 Advantages of
Compound Gear Train
 A much larger speed reduction from
the first shaft to the last shaft can be
obtained with small gear.

 If a simple gear trains used to give a

large speed reduction, the last gear has
to be very large.
 Advantages of
Reverted Gear Train
The reverted gear trains are used in:
automotive transmissions
 lathe back gears
industrial speed reducers
 and in clocks (where the minute and hour
hand shafts are co-axial).
 Essential Terminology
• Driver – gear with applied force
• Follower – gear doing useful work
• Idler – gear turned by driver & turns follower
• Gear Train – many gears in a row
• Geared Up – large driver, small follower to
speed gear train up.
• Geared Down – small driver, large follower to
increase torque (turning force)
• Compound gears – combination of gears and
axles where one axle has 2 gears often of
different sizes. 21
 Basic Gear Properties
• When 2 gears mesh, driver makes follower turn
in opposite direction
• Need odd number of idler gears to make driver
and follower turn in same direction.
• Even number of idlers to make driver and
follower turn in opposite direction
• When large driver turns small follower, its called
gearing up and speeds up gear train
• When small driver turns large follower, its called
gearing down and increases torque (turning
force). 22
What happens with improper mesh?

• When 2 gears are meshed, there is a certain

amount of built in “play” between them called
backlash.

• When 2 gears are not meshed properly i.e.

within specification you get too much backlash
called slop OR too little backlash and they are
jammed together and this creates friction.
What is the best type of gear teeth?
• Gears need to have teeth that mesh properly
otherwise they will not work.

• Best is a curve on the teeth that provides for

constant velocity when gear turning

• Involute curves modeled on the teeth provides

this advantage and is the basis for most modern
gears.
Extra
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Extra
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Any question?

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