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SOLUTION: (To be discussed during the lecture period). Consider the Free Body Diagram of gear 3,

HELICAL GEARS

 A helical gear is an extension of a stepped gear. A stepped gear is made up of many spur gears
positioned side by side. Each subsequent gear rotates on its axis at a tiny angle relative to the
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previous gear. The surface of a helical gear resembles a helix rather than a straight line parallel
to the axis, as is the case with spur gears.
 Helical gears have teeth that are inclined to the axis of rotation, can be employed as spur gears
in some applications, and are less loud since the teeth contact more gradually during meshing.
The inclined tooth also generates thrust loads and bending couplings, which are not present in
spur gear. Helical gears are sometimes employed to convey motion between shafts that are not
parallel.
 Helical gears are classified as right-hand or left-hand, based on the direction in which the helix
slopes away from the spectator. The line of sight runs parallel to the axis of the gear.

HELICAL GEARS TERMINOLOGY AND GEOMETRY

 The terminology for helical gears and spur gears is extremely similar. The majority of the
correlations found for spur gears apply equally to helical gears on parallel shafts. Except for the
extra terms discussed below,

Figure 3.16. Helical Gear with Parallel Shaft

Right-Hand Left-Hand
Helical Gear Helical Gear

Nomenclature of Helical Gear with parallel Axes

Let, Pd = diametral pitch Pc = circular pitch or transverse circular pitch

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Pcn = normal circular pitch, measured on the pitch surface along a normal to a Helix

Pdn = normal diametral pitch Pa = axial pitch

Ψ = helix angle φ = pressure angle

φn = normal pressure angle T= number of teeth D= pitch diameter

Figure 3.17. Helical Gear Nomenclature

Figure 3.18. Helical Gear Pitches

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Left-Hand
Pitches of Helical GearHelical Gear

πD
Circular Pitch or Transverse Circular pitch, P c = Diametral Pitch or Transverse Diametral pitch P d =
T
T
D
πD Pd T
Normal Circular Pitch, Pcn = Pc cos Ψ = cos Ψ Normal Diametral Pitch, Pdn = =
T cos Ψ Dcos Ψ
Axial pitch – is the distance between corresponding points on adjacent teeth measured in axial
direction.

Pc πD
Pa = =
tan Ψ T tan Ψ
D Right-Hand
Module or Transverse Module, m = Normal Module, mn = m cos ΨHelical Gear
T
Pressure Angles, tan φn = tan φ cos Ψ

Speed Ratio or Velocity Ratio Helical Gears

Let, D1 = pitch diameter of pinion gear 1 D2 = pitch diameter of the gear or gear 2

T1 = number of teeth of pinion gear 1 T2 = number of teeth of the gear or gear 2

N1 = rpm of the pinion or gear 1 N2 = rpm of the gear or gear 2

ω1 = angular velocity of pinion or gear 1 ω2 = angular velocity of the gear or gear 2

Figure 3.19. Meshing Helical Gears

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Center distance

D1+ D 2 Pc (T 1+T 2) Pcn (T 1+T 2) m(T 1+T 2)

C= = = C = =
2 2π 2 πcos Ψ 2
ma(T 1+T 2)
2cos Ψ
N 1 ω 1 D2 T 2
Velocity Ratio or Speed Ratio: SR = = = =
N 2 ω 2 D1 T 1
HELICAL GEAR FORCES ANALYSIS

 As shown in the figure consider the following parameters:

Fn = normal or resultant load, KN, lbf Fa = axial load or thrust load, KN, lbf
Fr = Radial load, KN, lbf Ft = tangential load or transmitted load, KN, lbf

Figure 3.20. Helical Gear Load Analysis Figure 3.21. Helical Gear load components

33000 Hp 63000 Hp 2
Tangential Load or Transmitted Load (English): Ft = =( )( )
Vm N D
Where, Ft = tangential load, lb Vm = pitch live velocity, fpm

Hp = transmitted Horsepower D = pitch diameter, inches N = rpm

2Tq 60 P P
Tangential Load or Transmitted Load (S.I.): Ft = = =
D πDN V
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Where, Ft = tangential load, KN D = pitch diameter, m

Tq = transmitted torque, kN-m N = rpm

V = pitch line velocity, m/s P = transmitted power, kW

Ft = Fa cos φn cos Ψ

Axial Load, Fa = Fn cos φn sin Ψ Radial Load = Fr = Fn sin φn = Ft tan φ

Ft
cos φ n cos Ψ √
Resultant or Normal Load, Fn = = (F t)2+(F a)2 +(F r )2

Ex. # 1] A helical gear of 10 inches pitch diameter has a helix angle of 30°, and there are 30 teeth. Find
the value of the circular and diametral pitches measured both circumferentially and normal to the teeth.

Given: A helical gear

D = 10 inches
Ψ = 30°
T = 30 teeth

Left-Hand
Helical Gear
Required:

Find the value of the circular and diametral pitches measured both circumferentially and normal
to the teeth.
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Solution:

For circular pitch:

πD
Pc =
T
π (10)
Pc = = 1.04272 inch
30
Normal Circular Pitch:

Pcn = Pc cos Ψ

Pcn = (1.04272) cos 30 = 0.9069 inch

Diametral Pitch:

T
Pd =
D
30
Pd = = 3/inch
10
Normal Diametral Pitch:

Pd
Pdn =
cos Ψ
3
Pdn = = 3.464/inch
cos 30
Thus,

Circular pitch = 1.04272 inch

Normal Circular Pitch: 0.9069 inch
Diametral Pitch: 3/inch

Normal Diametral Pitch: 3.464/inch

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