372 Mechanical Engineer’s Pocket Book

5.1.17 Worm and worm wheel nomenclature

da
dr
Worm Clearance

Da Dt Dr

Worm wheel

C
centre distance Da
worm wheel tip diameter

Dr
worm wheel root diameter da
worm tip diameter
Dt
worm wheel throat diameter dr
worm root diameter

rev/min worm number of teeth on worm wheel

rev/min worm wheel number of starts on worm

Example
Calculate the speed of the worm wheel in rev/min, given that the worm rotates at
500 rev/min, that the worm wheel has 50 teeth and that the worm has a two-start
helix.

500 rev/min 50 teeth

rev/min worm wheel 2 starts

500  2
rev/min worm wheel

20 rev /min
50