Article
Article
Gear train
Article By:
Zimmerman, John R. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.
Anglin, Donald L. Consultant, Automotive and Technical Writing, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Last reviewed:November 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.283500
A combination of two or more gears used to transmit motion between two rotating shafts or between a shaft and a slide. In theory two gears can provide any speed ratio in connecting shafts at any center distance, but it is often not practical to use only two gears. If the ratio is large or if the center distance is relatively great, the larger of the two gears may be excessively large. Moreover, an additional gear may be necessary simply to give the proper direction to the output gear. Belt, rope, and chain drives are frequently used in conjunction with gear trains. See also: Belt drive; Chain drive; Planetary gear train
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