CHAPTER: 2.

GEAR TRAINS
“THIS IS CHAPTER 6 IN YOUR PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK”.
Course Outline:
In this chapter the student is suppose to:
 Know the applications of gear trains.
 Be able to use the speed ratio of gears.
 Understand the operation of Epicyclic gears.
 Be able to apply the TABULAR method to obtain gear speeds and gear teeth.
 Be able to calculate the torque of a set gear.

Introduction
In power transmission mechanisms, a gear is an important component. It is one of the most
convenient ways to obtain reliable power transmission without slippage. For a gearing system
to operate, two or more gears are made to mesh with each other from one shaft to the other. A
gear train is thus a combination of gears which are in mesh. For power to be transmitted, the
motion of gears occurs by means of a “driver and follower” relationship with the direction of
motion being opposite to each other. Its nature depends on the following factors:
 Velocity ratio.
 Relative positioning of the shaft axes.

Figure 1 shows the type of gear trains and the applications.

GEAR TRAINS (EPICYCLIC TRAINS) CHAPTER 2 [EMMOM3A] Page 1

 Figure 1: Types of gear trains

Operational principle:
When the distance between two shafts is found to be small, as shown in figure 2, the gears 1
and 2 are made to mesh with each other for the transmission of motion from one shaft to the
other shaft. With reference to figure 2 (a), as gear 1 drives gear 2, gear 1 is called the driver
and gear 2 is called the follower. By analysis it is noted that the motion of the follower is
opposite in direction to the motion of the driver.

Figure 2: Operational principle of gear trains.

Formula (1) is used to understand the relationship of speed and the number of teeth.

(1)

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 It often happens that the distance between the gears is too big; than intermediate gears are
included as shown in figure 2(b) gear 2. By applying the intermediate gears, it can be
observed that if the intermediate gears are odd, the motion of both the driver and follower
gear is in the same direction and if the number of intermediate gears are even, the motion of
both gears, driver and follower, are in the opposite direction.
From figure 2 and knowledge of the speed ratios the speed ratio of gear 1 and 2 is written as,
= . By analysis the speed ratio of the gears setup in figure 2 (b) is ∗ = ∗ .

 From the above formulae it is understood that the speed ratio is inversely proportional to the
teeth ratio.
 In this chapter, this ratio is applied to epicyclic gearing systems to calculate the speed of a
certain gear in a complex epicyclic gearing system.
 The same formula is used in the chain of gears of any complex system by application of
multiplication. This is shown below:

Figure: 3: compound gears

In a compound train of gears, as shown in Fig. 3, the gear 1 is the driving gear mounted on shaft A,
gears 2 and 3 are compound gears which are mounted on shaft B. The gears 4 and 5 are also
compound gears which are mounted on shaft C and the gear 6 is the driven gear mounted on shaft
D.

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Let:

N1 = Speed of driving gear 1

T1 = Number of teeth on driving gear 1
N2 ,N3 ..., N6 = Speed of respective gears in r.p.m., and
T2 ,T3..., T6 = Number of teeth on respective gears

Since gear 1 is in mesh with gear 2, therefore its speed ratio is

=

Similarly, for gear 3 and 4, the speed ratio is:

And for gears 5 and 6, speed ratio is:

=

The speed ratio of a compound gear train is obtained by multiplying the above equations:

× × = × × OR = × ×

NB: Since gears 2 and 3 are mounted on the same shaft, shaft B, N2=N3. Similarly gears 4 and 5
are mounted on shaft C, therefore N4 = N5.

By using the Tabular method, always give your first gear and anticlockwise motion as standardized
in the table form. Always give the most outer or most inner gear motion, than following the concept
of meshing gears till the last gear. Never give initial motion to a compound gear (gears on same
shaft).

For the understanding of this method we will use the tabular method for obtaining the speed of a set
gearing system. The following concept describes the analysis of the tabular method.

Figure 4: Epicyclic gear train.

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Figure 4 shows a gearing system known as an epicyclic gear train. Let us suppose that the arm is
fixed ( as with all calculations). Therefore the axes of both the gears are also fixed relative to each
other. When the gear A makes one revolution anticlockwise, the gear B will make TA / TB
revolutions (We know that NB / NA = TA / TB. Since NA = 1 revolution, therefore NB = TA / TB),
clockwise. Assuming the anticlockwise rotation as positive and clockwise as negative, we may say
that when gear A makes + 1 revolution, then the gear B will make (– TA / TB) revolutions. This
statement of relative motion is entered in the first row of the table. Secondly, if the gear A makes +
x revolutions, then the gear B will make – x × TA / TB revolutions. This statement is entered in the
second row of the table. In other words, multiply the each motion (entered in the first row) by x.
thirdly, each element of an epicyclic train is given + y revolutions and entered in the third row.
Finally, the motion of each element of the gear train is added up and entered in the fourth row.

A little consideration will show that when two conditions about the motion of rotation of any two
elements are known, then the unknown speed of the third element may be obtained by substituting
the given data in the third column of the fourth row.

Table 1: Table of motions

STEP CONDITIONS OF MOTION REVOLUTIONS OF ELEMENTS
NO.
ARM C GEAR A GEAR B

1. Arm fixed-gear A rotates through +1 0 +1 – TA / TB

revolution (counter-clockwise)

2. Arm fixed-gear A rotates through +x 0 +x – x(TA / TB)

revolutions

3. Add +y revolutions +y +y +y
4. Total Motion +y x+y y-x(TA / TB)
NB: We always take anti-clockwise as our positive motion and clockwise as our negative motion.
This is represented by the sign convention (+ or _). Meaning if the driver rotates 1 revolution in
the anti-clockwise direction (+), its mating gear (the gear that it meshes with) will rotate 1
revolution clockwise (-).

Example:
STEPS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE SOLVING METHOD OF GEAR TRAINS.
1. Read and understand the problem statement. Point out and analyse which gears mesh with
one another.
2. In the statement, identify which gears are compound and which are simple.
3. Set-up your table “as standardized”.

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4. Derive your velocity ratio formulae with respect to the sign convention discussed and then
arrange the revolution of elements from the gear given motion of meshing until the last gear.
5. After having set your table and derived your velocity ratio, take the information in the
question, which serves as a guideline, and equate that to the “total motion” row.
6. From the “total motion” row solve the problem.

DETAILED APPROACH OF THE ABOVE STEPS.

STEPS 1&2:

Question:

In an epicyclic gear train, the internal wheels A and B and compound wheels C and D rotate
independently about axis O. The wheels E and F rotate on pins fixed to the arm G. E gears with A
and C and F gears with B and D. All the wheels have the same module and the number of teeth is:
TC = 28; TD = 26; TE = TF = 18.

1. Sketch the arrangement;

2. Find the number of teeth on A and B;
3. If the arm G makes 100 r.p.m. clockwise and A is fixed, find the speed of B.
4. If the arm G makes 100 r.p.m. clockwise and wheel A makes 10 r.p.m. counter clockwise; find
the speed of wheel B.

In the problem statement we are told that gear D-E are compound and that gear B meshes with gear
E and gear C with gear D.

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STEP 3:

 For the transmission of motion, it is advisable not to give a compound gear, which is inside
an internal meshing arrangement, motion. In such instances give either the most inner or far outer
gear motion, this will make the simplification of the problem easier.
 Since no information is given about gear B and C in this problem, giving motion to the
compound gear as it meshes externally makes the simplification easier regarding the sign
convention and direction of motion.
 As agreed, our positive direction of motion will be counter-clockwise, thus always carry the
sign convention into each column

STEP 4
As we derived the velocity ratio in class, you now apply that technique to complete the table.
Remember that in gear trains the relationship of “driver and driven” is of importance because this
relationship will guide you in deriving your velocity ratio sequence. After each motion is
completed the columns under the “Revolutions of Elements” is completed. You multiply “x” into
the separate columns but you add “y” in the similar manner.
With the above problem, the completed table is as follows:

The negative sign in column 5&6 is representing the direction of motion.

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It often happens that not all information regarding the number of teeth is given, in such cases we
apply the concept of symmetry. In this concept the number of teeth on each gear for the same
module is proportional to the pitch circle diameter or radius of the gear’s geometry. From this
question’s analysed geometry it is noted that + = + . This is derived from the
relationship of “driver and driven” from the centre of the shaft to the tip of the gear of interest.
Gear B drives E and Gear D drives C. The radius’ is thus proportional to the teeth, therefore
= = + −

The diagram below shows the approach used to obtain the number of teeth on GEAR A and GEAR
B in an internal meshing arrangement

Internal Meshing Arrangement.

STEP 5:
From the question, the guideline states that gear B is fixed and the arm makes 100 rpms clockwise.
You than use this information and equate the details hereof to the total motion of each column.
From the table in step 4 we see that the total motion of the arm is equal to “y” and that of Gear B is
equal to − .
THUS “y” = 0 and − = −100

AGAIN THE NEGATIVE SIGN IS USED TO DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OF MOTION

STEP 6
As you completed the table and equated the guidelines to the correct columns you can now apply
mathematics to solve the question, as follows:
 You know the number of teeth of gear E and gear B and you know that “y” is equal to zero,
you now can solve for “x”. By manipulation it is found that “x” is -166.667.
 Now use the values of “x” and “y” and substitute it into the total motion of gear C which is
− .
 After having substituted all the values into the above equation, the answer obtained is equal
to the speed of gear c represented as .
 If your answer is negative, it only shows that your motion is clockwise and if your answer is
positive it tells that your motion is counter-clockwise.

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TUTORIAL SHEET:
Do example 6.1. in prescribed textbook (Compound trains).
1
In a gear train, as shown in Figure 1, gear B is connected to the input shaft and gear F is connected
to the output shaft. The arm A carrying the compound wheels D and E, turns freely on the output
shaft. If the input speed is 1000 r.p.m. counter- clockwise when seen from the right, determine the
speed of the output shaft under the following conditions :
1. When gear C is fixed, and
2. When gear C is rotated at 10 r.p.m. counter clockwise.
(12.5rpm counter-clockwise, 22.4rpm counter-clockwise)

2
Figure 2 shows diagrammatically a compound epicyclic gear train. Wheels A , D and E are free to
rotate independently on spindle O, while B and C are compound and rotate together on spindle P,
on the end of arm OP. All the teeth on different wheels have the same module. A has 12 teeth, B
has 30 teeth and C has 14 teeth cut externally. Find the number of teeth on wheels D and E which
are cut internally.
If the wheel A is driven clockwise at 1 r.p.s. while D is driven counter clockwise at 5 r.p.s.,
determine the magnitude and direction of the angular velocities of arm OP and wheel E.
(27.964r/s counter-clockwise, 33.68r/s counterclockwise)

3
Two shafts A and B are co-axial. A gear C (50 teeth) is rigidly mounted on shaft A. A compound
gear D-E gears with C and an internal gear G. D has 20 teeth and gears with C and E has 35 teeth
and gears with an internal gear G. The gear G is fixed and is concentric with the shaft axis. The
compound gear D-E is mounted on a pin which projects from an arm keyed to the shaft B. Sketch
the arrangement and find the number of teeth on internal gear G assuming that all gears have the
same module. If the shaft A rotates at 110 r.p.m., find the speed of shaft B.

In an epicyclic gear train, the internal wheels A and B and compound wheels C and D rotate
independently about axis O. The wheels E and F rotate on pins fixed to the arm G. E gears with A
and C and F gears with B and D. All the wheels have the same module and the number of teeth are
: TC= 28; TD= 26; TE= TF= 18.
1. Sketch the arrangement ;
2. Find the number of teeth on A and B ;
3. If the arm G makes 100 r.p.m. clockwise and A is fixed, find the speed of B ; and
4. If the arm G makes 100 r.p.m. clockwise and wheel A makes 10 r.p.m. counter clockwise ; find
the speed of wheel B.
Done in example.
5
An epicyclic gear consists of three gears A, B and C as shown in Figure 4. The gear A has 72
internal teeth and gear C has 32 external teeth. The gear B meshes with both A and C and is carried
on an arm EF which rotates about the centre of A at 18 r.p.m.. If the gear A is fixed, determine the
speed of gears B and C.
(58.5rpm in direction of arm, 46.8rpm in opposite direction to arm)
6
Figure 5 shows a reverted epicyclic gear train. The arm A carries two gears B and C and a
compound gear D- E. The gear B meshes with gear E and the gear C meshes with gear D. The

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number of teeth on gears B, C and D are 75, 30 and 90 respectively. Find the speed and direction of
gear C when gear B is fixed and the arm A makes 100 r.p.m. clockwise.
(400rpm counterclockwise)
7
In an epicyclic gear train, an arm carries two gears A and B having 36 and 45 teeth respectively as
shown in figure 6. If the arm rotates at 150 r.p.m. in the anticlockwise direction about the centre of
the gear A which is fixed, determine the speed of gear B. If the gear A instead of being fixed,
makes 300 r.p.m. in the clockwise direction, what will be the speed of gear B?
(270rpm counterclockwise, 510rpm counterclockwise)

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An internal wheel B with 80 teeth is keyed to a shaft F. A fixed internal wheel C with 82 teeth is
concentric with B. A compound wheel D-E gears with the two internal wheels; D has 28 teeth and
gears with C while E gears with B. The compound wheels revolve freely on a pin which projects
from a disc keyed to a shaft A co-axial with F. If the wheels have the same pitch and the shaft A
makes 800 r.p.m., what is the speed of the shaft F?

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you participate by posting areas where you got stuck and I will assist.

(We do not have a tutor as yet)

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