1. Base circle.

It is the smallest circle that can be drawn to the

cam profile.

2. Tracepoint. It is a reference point on the follower and is used to

generate the pitch curve. In case of knife edge follower, the knife
edge represents the trace point and the pitch curve corresponds to
the cam profile. In a roller follower, the centre of the roller
represents the trace point.
3. Pressure angle. It is the angle between the direction of the
follower motion and a normal to the pitch curve. This angle is very
important in designing a cam profile. If the pressure angle is too
large, a reciprocating follower will jam in its bearings.
4. Pitch point. It is a point on the pitch curve having the maximum
pressure angle.
5. Pitch circle. It is a circle drawn from the centre of the cam
through the pitch points.
6. Pitch curve. It is the curve generated by the trace point as the
follower moves relative to the cam. For a knife edge follower, the
pitch curve and the cam profile are same whereas for a roller
follower, they are separated by the radius of the roller.
7. Prime circle. It is the smallest circle that can be drawn from the
centre of the cam and tangent to the pitch curve. For a knife edge
and a flat face follower, the prime circle and the base circle are
identical. For a roller follower, the prime circle is larger than the
base circle by the radius of the roller.
8. Lift or stroke. It is the maximum travel of the follower from its
lowest position to the topmost position.
1. Pitch circle. It is an imaginary circle which by pure rolling
action, would give the same motion as the actual gear. Internal gears
* A straight line may also be defined as a wheel of infinite radius.

2. Pitch circle diameter. It is the diameter of the pitch circle. The

size of the gear is usually specified by the pitch circle diameter.
It is also known as pitch diameter.

3. Pitch point. It is a common point of contact between two pitch

circles.

4. Pitch surface. It is the surface of the rolling discs which the

meshing gears have replaced at the pitch circle.

5. Pressure angle or angle of obliquity. It is the angle between the

common normal to two gear teeth at the point of contact and the
common tangent at the pitch point. It is usually denoted by φ. The
standard pressure angles are 1 2 14 ° and 20°.

6. Addendum. It is the radial distance of a tooth from the pitch

circle to the top of the tooth.

7. Dedendum. It is the radial distance of a tooth from the pitch

circle to the bottom of the tooth.

8. Addendum circle. It is the circle drawn through the top of the

teeth and is concentric with the pitch circle.

9. Dedendum circle. It is the circle drawn through the bottom of the

teeth. It is also called root circle. Note : Root circle diameter =
Pitch circle diameter × cos φ, where φ is the pressure angle.
10. Circular pitch. It is the distance measured on the circumference
of the pitch circle from a point of one tooth to the corresponding
point on the next tooth. It is usually denoted by pc . Mathematically,

Circular pitch, pc = π D/T where D = Diameter of the pitch circle,

and T = Number of teeth on the wheel.
A little consideration will show that the two gears will mesh
together correctly, if the two wheels have the same circular pitch.
Note : If D1 and D2 are the diameters of the two meshing gears having
the teeth T1 and T2 respectively, then for them to mesh correctly,

Pc = pi*D1 / T1 = pi*D2/T2 or D1/D2 = T1/T2

11. Diametral pitch. It is the ratio of number of teeth to the pitch

circle diameter in millimetres. It is denoted by pd . Mathematically,
Diametral pitch,

Pd = T / D = pi*Pc T = no. Of teeth D = pitch circle diameter

12. Module. It is the ratio of the pitch circle diameter in

millimeters to the number of teeth. It is usually denoted by m.
Mathematically, Module, m = D /T Note :

13. Clearance. It is the radial distance from the top of the tooth to
the bottom of the tooth, in a meshing gear. A circle passing through
the top of the meshing gear is known as clearance circle.

14. Total depth. It is the radial distance between the addendum and
the dedendum circles of a gear. It is equal to the sum of the
addendum and dedendum.

15. Working depth. It is the radial distance from the addendum circle
to the clearance circle. It is equal to the sum of the addendum of
the two meshing gears.

16. Tooth thickness. It is the width of the tooth measured along the
pitch circle.

17. Tooth space . It is the width of space between the two adjacent
teeth measured along the pitch circle.

18. Backlash. It is the difference between the tooth space and the
tooth thickness, as mea sured along the pitch circle. Theoretically,
the backlash should be zero, but in actual practice some backlash
must be allowed to prevent jamming of the teeth due to tooth errors
and thermal expansion.

19. Face of tooth. It is the surface of the gear tooth above the
pitch surface.

20. Flank of tooth. It is the surface of the gear tooth below the
pitch surface.

21. Top land. It is the surface of the top of the tooth.

22. Face width. It is the width of the gear tooth measured parallel
to its axis.

23. Profile. It is the curve formed by the face and flank of the
tooth.

24. Fillet radius. It is the radius that connects the root circle to
the profile of the tooth.

25. Path of contact. It is the path traced by the point of contact of

two teeth from the beginning to the end of engagement.

26. *Length of the path of contact. It is the length of the common

normal cut-off by the addendum circles of the wheel and pinion.

27. ** Arc of contact. It is the path traced by a point on the pitch

circle from the beginning to the end of engagement of a given pair of
teeth. The arc of contact consists of two parts, i.e.
(a) Arc of approach. It is the portion of the path of contact
from the beginning of the engagement to the pitch point.
(b) Arc of recess. It is the portion of the path of contact
from the pitch point to the end of the engagement of a pair of
teeth. Note : The ratio of the length of arc of contact to the
circular pitch is known as contact ratio i.e. number of pairs
of teeth in contact.
Types of Gears

Spur Gears - teeth are parallel to the axis of the gear. Simplest and
least expensive form of gear. Can only be meshed if their axes is
parallel.

Helical Gears - teeth are at a helix angle with respect to the axis
of the gear. Their axis are parallel. Two crossed helical gears of
the same hand can be meshed with their axes at an angle. The helix
angles can be designed to accommodate any skew anngle between the non
intersecting shafts.
- expensive than spur gears
- quieter also because its smoother and more gradual between their
angled surfaces as the teeth come into mesh.

Herringbone gears - two helical gears of identical pitch and diameter

but opposite hand on the same shaft.
- often cut on the same gear blank.

Worm and worm gears - if the helix angle is increased sufficiently

- has only one tooth wrapped continuously around its circumference a
number of times, analogous to a screw thread.
- can be meshed with a special worm gear or worm wheel whose axis are
perpendicular

Rack And Pinion - diameter of the base is increased without limit,

the base circle become a straight line.
Rack - if the string wrapped around this base circle to generate the
involute were still in place after the base circle’s enlargement to
an infinite radius, the string would be pivoted at infinity and would
generate an involute that is a straight line

Bevel gears - for any angle betweeen the shafts including 90 deg
- straight bevel gear - if teeth are parallel to the axis of the
gear

- spiral bevel - if teeth are angled with respect to the axis

Hypoid gears - axes between the gears are non parallel and also
nonintersecting
Gear Train

SIMPLE GEAR TRAIN

- any collection of two or more meshing gears
- each shaft carries only one gear
mv = + _ (Nin/Nout)

Or

COMPOUND GEAR TRAIN : about 10 : 1 train ratio

- at least one shaft carries more than gear

Mv = +- product of number of teeth on driver gears / product of number of teeth on driven gears

BELTS - made of leather, rubber or woven fabrics are flat and thin
and requires pulley nearly cylindrical with smooth surfaces

Crossed belts
Open belts
Stepped Pulley

cHAINS- used as connectors between parallel axes and also for

conveying and hoisting machinery and for similar purposes.

Hoisting chains
Conveyor chains
Power transmission chains
Block chains
Roller chain
Wire rope - for transmission of large powers to great distances as
for instance in cable and inclined railways.
Average speed is 4000 fpm
- will not support without injury into lateral crushing caused by the
v-shaped groove

CAM - a rotating machine element which gives reciprocating or

oscillating motion to another element known as follower.
- The cam and the follower have a line contact and constitute a
higher pair.
- The cams are usually rotated at uniform speed by a shaft, but the
follower motion is predetermined and will be according to the shape
of the cam.

CLASSIFICATION OF FOLLOWERS

1. According to the surface in contact.

(a) Knife edge follower. When the contacting end of the

follower has a sharp knife edge, it is called a knife edge follower,
- The sliding motion takes place between the contacting surfaces (i.e.
the knife edge and the cam surface).
(b) Roller follower. When the contacting end of the follower is
a roller, it is called a roller follower, Since the rolling motion
takes place between the contacting surfaces (i.e. the roller and the
cam), therefore the rate of wear is greatly reduced. In roller
followers also the side thrust exists between the follower and the
guide.
(c) Flat faced or mushroom follower. When the contacting end of
the follower is a perfectly flat face, it is called a flat-faced
follower It may be noted that the side thrust between the follower
and the guide is much reduced in case of flat faced followers. The
only side thrust is due to friction between the contact surfaces of
the follower and the cam. The relative motion between these surfaces
is largely of sliding nature but wear may be reduced by off-setting
the axis of the follower,
(d) Spherical faced follower. When the contacting end of the
follower is of spherical shape, it is called a spherical faced
follower
2. According to the motion of the follower.

(a) Reciprocating or translating follower. When the follower

reciprocates in guides as the cam rotates uniformly, it is known as
reciprocating or translating follower. T

(b) Oscillating or rotating follower. When the uniform rotary motion

of the cam is converted into predetermined oscillatory motion of the
follower, it is called oscillating or rotating follower.

3. According to the path of motion of the follower.

(a) Radial follower. When the motion of the follower is along an axis
passing through the centre of the cam, it is known as radial follower.

(b) Off-set follower. When the motion of the follower is along an

axis away from the axis of the cam centre, it is called off-set
follower.

CLASSIFICATION OF CAMS
1. Radial or disc cam - the follower reciprocates or oscillates in a
direction perpendicular to the cam axis.
2. Cylindrical Cam- the follower reciprocates or oscillates in a
direction parallel to the cam axis. The follower rides in a groove at
its cylindrical surface