Gears, Pulley Drives, and

Sprockets

Principles of Engineering © 2012 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

Gears, Pulleys, & Sprockets
These three power train elements transfer
energy through rotary motion.
Gears:
• Change the speed of rotation
• Change the direction of rotation
• Change the amount of torque available
to do work
Gears
A gear train is a mechanism used for
transmitting rotary motion and torque through
interlocking teeth.
A gear train is made when two or more gears
are meshed
Driver gear causes motion
Motion is transferred to the driven gear
Gears
Mating gears always
turn in opposite
directions.
An Idler Gear allows the
driver and driven gears
to rotate in the same
direction.
Mating gears always
have the same size
teeth (diametric pitch).
Gears

The rpm of the larger gear

is always slower than the
rpm of the smaller gear.
Gears locked together on
the same shaft will always
turn in the same direction
and at the same rpm.
Finding Gear Ratios
Variables to know 4”

n = number of teeth on gear

d = diameter of gear
w = angular velocity (speed) of gear
t = torque of gear
Subscripts in and out are used to distinguish between gears.
Gear Ratios
For the gears at the right, find 4”

the gear ratio.

nin= 6 nout = 12
din = 2 in. dout = 4 in.
win = 40 rpm wout = 20 rpm
40 ft-lb tout = 80 ft-lb
tin =
Gear Ratios

𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝐺𝑅 = Verify that you get the same
𝑛𝑖𝑛
answer with the other
12 equations.
𝐺𝑅=
6
𝐺𝑅=2 :1
Gear Ratios

𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑡
What is the gear ratio 𝐺𝑅 =
𝑛𝑖𝑛
between gears A and B?
12
𝐺𝑅 =
20

𝐺𝑅=0.6 :1
Gear Ratios

𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑡
What is the gear ratio 𝐺𝑅 =
𝑛𝑖𝑛
between gears B and C?
5
𝐺𝑅 =
12

𝐺𝑅=0.42 :1
Gear Ratios

𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑡
What is the gear ratio 𝐺𝑅 =
𝑛𝑖𝑛
between gears C and D?
20
𝐺𝑅 =
5

1
Gear Ratios
Idler gears don’t
affect GR!

What is the TOTAL gear 0.6 0.42 4 1

  
train gear ratio? 1 1 1 1
If gears A and D were directly GR n out 20 1
connected to each other, what   
1 n in 20 1
would the resulting gear ratio be?

If the last gear had 40 teeth, what would be the total

gear ratio?
0.6 0.42 8 2 GR n out 40 2
   or   
1 1 1 1 1 n in 20 1
Gear Ratios—Compound Machines
• Are used similarly to MA
• Apply to torque instead of force

• In a compound machine, total MA and GR are

products of components

• MA is used only to calculate forces, not torques.

• GR is used only to calculate torques, not forces.
Example Compound Machine
Here are three mechanisms in series:
1. Wheel–axle
2. Gear train
3. Wheel–axle
 Example Compound Machine
Mechanism #1: Wheel–axle
 Example Compound Machine
Mechanism #2: Gear train
 Example Compound Machine
Mechanism #3: Wheel–axle
Example Compound Machine
Example Compound Machine
Compound Gear Train

Driver

The two middle gears share

a common axle, so they
rotate at the same speed.
This allows the final gear to
rotate slower and produce
more torque than if it were
connected only to the driver
gear.
Compound Gear Ratios
D
B
C A

10 T
20 T
40 T What is the gear ratio
50 T
between gears A and B?
What is the gear ratio GR nout 40 4
  
between gears C and D? 1 nin 10 1
GR nout 50 2.5
  
1 nin 20 1
What is the gear ratio of the entire gear train?
4 2.5 10
 
1 1 1
Belt and Pulley Systems

out
2in.
in
Equations
d out in out
 
d in out in

6in. 30rpm 55 ft  lb
2in. 10rpm 1
18 ft  lb
3

d = diameter ω = angular velocity (speed) t = torque

Sprocket and Chain Systems

1.5in. 3in.
in out

n out d out in out

  
n in d in out in

22 3in. 90rpm 120 ft  lb

11 1.5in. 45rpm 60 ft  lb

n = number of teeth d = diameter ω = angular velocity (speed) τ = torque

Comparing Pulleys and Sprockets

Pulley Sprocket
Method of
Transmitting Belt Chain
Force
Quiet, no lubrication No slip, greater
Advantages
needed, inexpensive strength
Higher cost,
Disadvantages Can slip needs lubrication,
noisy