MECHANICAL DRIVES

Belt, Chain and Gear drives are often called

mechanical drives, designed to transmit mechanical
power over a certain distance, usually involving a
change in speed and torque.
In general mechanical drive is required between prime
mover and the part of operating machine.

Mechanical drives are classified into two

groups based on the principle of operation as
follows:
1.Drives that transmit power by means of friction,
e.g., belt drive and rope drive

1.Drives that transmit power by means of

engagement, e.g., chain drives and gear drives

SELECTION
Centre Distance
Velocity
Ratio
Shifting Arrangement
Maintenance considerations
and cost

BELT DRIVES
Belt , chain and rope drives are called Flexible.
The rotary motion of the driving shaft is first
converted into translatory motion of the belt and
then again converted into rotary motion of the
driven shaft.
Transmit power over a long distance
Absorbs load & damps vibration
Initial & maintenance costs are low.

CLASSIFICATION
1. Flat Belts:

Narrow rectangular cross section.

Cheap & easy to maintain.
Velocity ratio is not constant due to slip.
Can be used for long distances as such 15m.

2. V-Belts:
Trapezoidal cross-section.
Force of friction between belt and pulley is high
V-belts have short centre distance.
Permit high speed reduction

3. Round Belts
Round belts can operate over pulleys in
several different planes.
They are suitable for 90o twist, reverse
bends.
Round belts are limited to light duties like
sewing machines, vacuum cleaners, etc.

TERMINOLOGIES

GEAR DRIVES
Gear are toothed wheels or multilobed cams, which
transmit power and motion from one shaft to
another by means of successive engagement of
teeth

CLASSIFICATION
Broadly classified into four groups:
Spur Gears

Bevel Gears

Helical Gears

Worm Gears

SPUR GEARS
They have straight teeth and are mounted on
parallel shafts.
Spur gears can be really loud.
They impose radial load on the shafts.

HELICAL GEARS
The teeth of these gears are cut at an angle with the axis of
the shaft.
When two teeth on a helical gear system engage, the
contact starts at one end of the tooth and gradually spreads
as the gears rotate, until the two teeth are in full engagement.
The gradual engagement makes helical gears operate on
much more smoothly and quietly than spur gears.

BEVEL GEARS
Bevel gears are useful when the direction of a shafts
rotation needs to be changed.
The size of the gear tooth, including the thickness and
height, decreases towards the apex of the cone.
Bevel gears are normally used for shafts, which are at right
angles to each other. The teeth on bevel gears can be straight,
spiral or hypoid.

WORM GEARS
Worm gears drives are used for shafts, the axis of which do not
intersect and are perpendicular to each other.
Worm gears are used when large gear reductions are needed.
Unlike other gear set, the worm can easily turn the gear, but the
gear cannot turn the worm.
Useful for machines such as conveyor systems, Torsen differential.

RACK AND PINION GEARS

Rack and Pinion gears are used to convert rotation into
linear motion.
Are used in steering system of many cars.

GEAR NOMENCLATURE

GEAR TOOTH GEOMETRY

The involute curve can be generated by wrapping a
string around a circle.
Gear Tooth
Shape

GEAR TRAINS

n1
n5

N1
N2

)(

N3
N4

)(

N4
N5

Thank You