F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o

PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

BEVEL GEARS

Bevel gears are used to transmit power between two intersecting shafts. There are two common
types of bevel gears—straight and spiral. The elements of the teeth of the straight bevel gears are
straight lines, which converge into a common apex point. The elements of the teeth of the spiral
bevel gears are spiral curves, which also converge into a common apex point. Involute pro le is
used for the form of the teeth for both types of gears. Straight bevel gears are easy to design and
manufacture and give reasonably good service when properly mounted on shafts. However, they
create noise at high-speed conditions. Spiral bevel gears, on the other hand, are dif cult to design
and costly to manufacture, because require specialized and sophisticated machinery for their
manufacture. Spiral bevel gears have smooth teeth engagement, which results in quiet operation,
even at high speeds. They have better strength and are thus used for high speed–high power
transmission. In some cases, bevel gears are classi ed on the basis of pitch angle. Three types of
bevel gears that are based on pitch angle are as follows: (i) When the pitch angle is less than
90°, it is called external bevel gear. (ii) When the pitch angle is equal to 90°, it is called crown
bevel gear. (iii) When the pitch angle is more than 90°, it is called internal bevel gear.

There are certain speci c categories of bevel gears. They are as follows: (i) Miter Gears: When
two identical bevel gears are mounted on shafts, which are intersecting at right angles, they are
called ‘miter’ gears. (ii) Crown Gear: In a pair of bevel gears, when one of the gears has a pitch
angle of 90° then that gear is called ‘crown’ gear. Such bevel gears are mounted on shafts, which
are intersecting at an angle that is more than 90°. The bevel pinion and crown gear are always
mounted on shafts, which are intersecting at angle more than 90°.
(vi) Zerol Gears: Zerol bevel gears are spiral bevel gears in which the spiral angle is
zero at the middle of the face width. They have the combination of advantages of
straight and spiral bevel gears
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

TERMINOLOGY OF BEVEL GEARS

A bevel gear is in the form of the frustum of a cone. The following terms are important in
terminology of bevel gears:

(i) Pitch Cone: Pitch cone is an imaginary cone, the surface of which contains the pitch
lines of all teeth in the bevel gear
(ii) Cone Centre: The apex of the pitch cone is called the cone centre. It is denoted by O.
(iii) Cone Distance: Cone distance is the length of the pitch-cone element. It is also called
pitch-cone radius. It is denoted by A0.
(iv) Pitch Angle: The angle that the pitch line makes with the axis of the gear, is called the
pitch angle. IThe pitch angle is also called centre angle.
(v) Back Cone: The back cone is an imaginary cone and its elements are perpendicular to
the elements of the pitch cone.
(vi) Back Cone Distance: It is the length of the back cone element. It is also called back
cone radius. It is denoted by rb. It is observed from the gure that the crosssection of
the tooth decreases in size as it approaches towards the apex point O. Therefore, the
pitch circle diameter, module, addendum, and dedendum decreases and there is no
single value for these parameters. In practice, these dimensions are measured at the
largest tooth section called the large end of the tooth. The dimensions of the bevel
gear are always speci ed and measured at the large end of the tooth. The addendum,
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

dedendum and the pitch circle diameter are speci ed at the large end of the tooth.

Therefore, the back cone can be developed as a plane surface for constructing a spur gear. As
shown in Fig. 19.7(b), an imaginary spur gear is considered in a plane perpendicular to the tooth
at the large end. rb is the pitch circle radius of this imaginary spur gear and z¢ is the number of
teeth on this gear. The gear is called the formative gear and the number of teeth z¢ on this gear is
called the virtual or the formative number of teeth. The formative number of teeth is given by

m = dp/zp----------------------(1)

m=d ep/zep----------------------(2)

from equation (1) and (2)

dp/zp = dep/zep

zep = d ep*zp/dp-----------------(3)

from triangle ABC

sin(90- p) = cos( p) = rp/rep =dp/dep, put this value in equation (3)

zep = zp/cos( p)

FORCE ANALYSIS

In force analysis, it is assumed that the resultant tooth force between two meshing teeth of a pair
of bevel gears is concentrated at the midpoint along the face width of the tooth.
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

Pt = tangential or useful component (N)

Pr = radial component (N)

Pa = axial or thrust component (N)

 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

As seen in Fig.19.10(c), the radial component on the gear is equal to the axial component
(Pa) on the pinion. Similarly, the axial component on the gear is equal to the radia1
component (Pr) on the pinion.
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

D-18: A pair of bevel gears transmitting 10 kW at 400 rpm is shown in figure. The pressure
angle is 20. Determine the components of the resultant gear tooth force, and draw a free
body diagram of forces acting on the pinion and the gear.

Solution Given P = 10 kW, Np = 400 rpm, d p =150 mm, d g =200 mm, = 20°, b = 40 mm
Step I: Components of gear tooth force
Mt = P/ = 60*P*106/2*3.14* Np = 238853.5 N-mm
Pinion pitch angle

tan( p)= d p/dg =150/200 = 0.75

p = 36.87°
rm = dp/2 – b*sin( p)/2 = 63 mm
Ft = Mt/rm = 3791 N

Fr = Ft*tan( )*cos( p) = 1103.5 N

Fa = Ft*tan( )*sin( p) = 827 N

Step II: free body diagram
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

D-15: A pair of cast iron bevel gears connects two shafts at right angles. The pitch
diameters of the pinion and gear are 85 mm and 105 mm respectively. The tooth profiles of
the gears are of 14.5º composite form. The allowable static stress for both the gears is 60
MPa. If the pinion transmits 3 kW at 1200 r.p.m., find the module and number of teeth on
each gear from the stand point of strength and check the design from the standpoint of
wear. Take surface endurance limit as 620 MPa and modulus of elasticity for cast iron as
80 kN/mm2.

Given :dP = 85 mm, dg = 105 mm, = 14.5°, g= p=60MPa, P = 3000 W ; NP = 1200 r.p.m., es
= 620 MPa = 620 N/mm2, EP = EG = 80 kN/mm2 = 80 × 10 3N/mm2
1. Module:
Let m = Module in mm.
Since the shafts are at right angles, therefore pitch angle for the pinion,
p = tan–1 (dp /dg) = 38.9º
and pitch angle for the gear,
g = 90º – 38.9º = 51.1º
Since both the gears are made of the same material, therefore pinion is the weaker. Thus
the design should be based upon the pinion.
Pitch line velocity,
v = d P*NP /60 = *85* 1200/60= 5.3 m/s
Taking velocity factor,
Cv=6.1/(6.1+v)= 0.53
We know that length of the pitch cone element or slant height of the pitch cone,
L = {(dp/2)2 +( dg /2)2} 1/2 =67 .54 mm
Assuming the face width (b) as 1/3rd of the slant height of the pitch cone (L), therefore
b = L / 3 = 67.54 / 3 = 22.5 say 23 mm
Tangential load on the pinion,
Fteff = P*Cs/v*C v = 1054N
Assume lewis form factor,Y = 3.14*0.117 = 0.36 (table 19.14 for 26 teeth)
We also know that tangential load on the pinion,
Fteff = .b. .m. yP.(L-b)/L
From above equation, we get
Module (m) = 3.1 mm say 4 mm
Number of teeth on each gear
We know that number of teeth on the pinion,
zp= dp/m = 22
and number of teeth on the gear,
zg= dg/m = 27
2. Checking the gears for dynamic and wear load

Beam strength Fb = .b. .m. yP.(L-b)/L = 1140 N

Zep = 28.3
yp = 0.124 – 0.686/Zep =0.099
Dynamic load
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c

C= 55.2 (CI-CI, table 19.12)

Ft = P/v = 562 N
Fd = 1881 N
Fb/Fd =0.71, hence design is unsafe
Use m = 8 mm
Number of teeth on each gear
We know that number of teeth on the pinion,
zp= dp/m = 11
and number of teeth on the gear,
zg= dg/m = 14
Beam strength Fb = .b. .m. yP.(L-b)/L =2674 N
Zep = 14.1
yp = 0.124 – 0.686/Zep =0.23
Fd = 1881 N
Fb/Fd =1.42, hence design is safe

Wear strength

We know that the load-stress factor,

K =( es)2sin ( )/1.4 [1/E p + 1/E g ]
K = (620)2sin (14.5)/1.4 [1/80000 + 1/80000] = 1.71
zep = 19.2
zeg = 28.5
Ratio factor,Q = 2* zeg /( zeg + zep ) = 1.19
Maximum or limiting load for wear,
Fw = dp*b*Q*K/cos( p) = 85”*23*1.2*1.71/0.77 = 5158 N
Since the wear strength is much more than the dynamic load (Fd), therefore the design is
satisfactory from the consideration of wear. Ans.

Ex: A pair of straight bevel gears is mounted on shafts, which are intersecting at right
angles. The number of teeth on the pinion and gear are 21 and 28 respectively. The
pressure angle is 20°. The pinion shaft is connected to an electric motor developing 5 kW
rated power at 1440 rpm. The service factor can be taken as 1.5. The pinion and the gear
are made of steel (Sut = 750 N/mm2) and heat-treated to a surface hardness of 380 BHN.
The gears are machined by a manufacturing process, which limits the error between the
meshing teeth to 10 mm. The module and face width are 4 mm and 20 mm respectively.
Determine the factor of safety against bending as well as against pitting failure.
 F T ra n sf o F T ra n sf o
PD rm PD rm
Y Y
Y

Y
er

er
ABB

ABB
y

y
bu

bu
2.0

2.0
to

to
re

re
he

he
k

k
lic

lic
C

C
w om w om
w

w
w. w.
A B B Y Y.c A B B Y Y.c