Beginners Guide

Definition:

A simple definition of the purpose of a gearbox may be stated as:

" A Gearbox is a unit which receives the primary input speed - driving speed source and alters it to a different output speed - driven speed source using a series of gears.

When a gearbox alters the driving speed, it is said to create a "mechanical advantage"

Thus the fundamental purpose of a geardrive is to transmit uniform motion between two shafts at a constant ratio.
The basic law of gearing states that to acheive this, the common normal to the tooth profiles at all points must pass through a fixed point called the " Pitch Point"

The various types of gears that are used are:

Spur - the axes of the shafts connected by the gears are PARALELL.

Bevel - the axes of the shafts INTERSECT.

Spiral - the axes of the shafts are NON-PARALELL and NON-INTERSECTING.

Helical - A type of spur gear in which although the axes of the shafts are paralell the teeth are cut on helices instaed of paralell to the axis(i.e. straight across the wheel).

Worm - basically a form of spiral gearing in which the axes of the driving and driven shafts are usually, though not invariably, at right angles and the velocity ratio is high, the driving wheel being of a small diameter.

Gearbox ratios and Gear Ratios:

Gearbox ratio definition:

The ratio of the number of revolutions per minute of the input source in relation to the number of revolutions per minute of the output source is known as the ratio of the gearbox

In the Materials Handling environment, the main driving source is usually a standard electric motor, and the gearbox is utilised to reduce the input speed of the electric motor to produce a lower output speed from the gearbox.

This reduction ratio of output speed vs. input speed is known as the reduction ratio of the gearbox.

Gear ratio definition:

Gearboxes generally contain a series of toothed gears connected together as previously explained.
Bevel and spiral bevel gears are used as a pair of gears and the ratio of the gears can be obtained by dividing the number of teeth in the smaller gear into the number of teeth in the larger gear.

e.g. 48/17 = 2.82:1 Ratio

Spur gears can be used as a single pair or more than one pair and the overall ratio of this latter arrangement can be obtained as follows:

Graphic Under Construction

e.g. 27/12 X 36/15 X 44/17 = 13.98:1 Ratio

This overall ratio of all the gears contained within a gearbox is known as the gearbox ratio.

The same comments apply to helical gears,whether they be single or double helicals.

A combination of bevel or spiral bevel gears can be used in conjunction with spurs or helicals in a gearbox.

This provides a right-angled drive.

Wormgears are usually used as a single reduction gearbox, but a gearbox can utilise two sets of worms and wheels, or, withone pair of gears with either spur, helical or bevel helical gears to provide a double reduction and a right angled drive.

It should be noted that ratio's given for wormgear units are usually nominal and not exact.
to obtain the exact gearbox ratio , divide the number of starts in the worm into the number of teeth in the wheel

e.g. 481/8 = 5.125:1 or 5:1 Nominal Ratio