INTRODUCTION TO MECHANICAL DRIVES: The mechanical power produced by prime mover is used to drive various machines in
the workshops and factories. The transmission of power from prime mover to machine can be
obtained by two systems.
1) Individual Drive
2) Group Drive
1) Individual Drive: This drive is known as self-contained drive because there is separate prime mover for
each machine. Generally motor and starter are provided for individual machine.
Applications: -
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
2) Group Drive: A single motor or prime motor of large capacity drives a common overhead main shaft
located from one end of the workshop. This shaft has many pulleys. The motion is
transmitted from this shaft to individual machines by flat belt and pulley systems.
Applications: -
i)
Process industries.
ii)
CLASSIFICATIONS OF POWER TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS: The mechanical power from prime-mover to machine or from one shaft to the other can
be transmitted by following methods.
i)
Shaft Drive.
ii)
Friction Drive.
iii)
Coupling.
iv)
Belt Drive.
v)
Rope Drive.
vi)
Cultch Drive.
vii)
Gear Drive.
viii)
Chain Drive
The important types are discussed below:
1)
Belt Drive: -
i)
This is the most commonly used method of power transmission in which the
two shaft are rotated by an endless, thin belt running over the two pulleys on the
shafts.
ii)
The pulley on driving shaft is known as driver where as pulley on the other
shaft, to which power is transmitted is known as driven pulley or follower.
Belt Shapes :
The cross-section of the belts is commonly of three types
i)
FLAT BELT :-
This belt is flat with small thickness. The pulley surface is also flat and the width of pulley is
th greater than the belt width.
ii)
V BELT :-
iii)
ROUND BELT: -
It is a rope cord and this drive is called as rope drive. The cross-section of this belt is round.
These ropes are passed in the grooves of the pulleys. It is suitable for moderate distances and
separate drives can be taken from one driving pulley.
i)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
Types of Pulleys :The pulleys are made of cast iron wrought iron, pressed steel and wood.
i) Fast and loose pulleys.
ii) Speed cones or stepped pulleys.
iii) Guide pulleys.
iv) Grooved pulleys.
v) Jockey pulleys or Rider pulleys.
vi) Wrought iron pulleys.
2)
Chain Drive :-
i)
In this drive, rigid links are hinged together to form a chain as shown in
fig.
ii) The chain links provide flexibility for wrapping the chain over the special toothed
wheels.
iii)
These wheels are known as chain sprockets. They are very similar to spur
gears.
iv)
Sufficient lubrication is required for this drive to avoid wear and tear also
noise.
v)
Chain drives are replacing belt or rope drives and wheel gearing.
ii)
Used for short distance for transmitting hung power up to 4000 kw with large
transmission numbers (up to 15).
ii)
They are used in agricultural and sugar machinery where the centre distance is
moderate or large up to 8m.
3) Gear Drive :i) Gears are toothed wheels the teeth of gear engage in the teeth of follower gear for power
transmission.
ii) For obtaining desired speed and direction of rotation gear trains of many gear wheels are
used.
iii) Different types of gears are used for connecting parallel, non-parallel, intersecting and
non intersecting shaft.
iv) Center distance between the shaft should be very small.
i) Spur Gear
I) SPUR GEAR:-
Spur Gears are used when the axis of two shafts are parallel to each other. These gears
have teeth parallel to the axis of shaft.
Advantages:
Simple in manufacturing.
Interchangeability is possible.
Disadvantages:
Applications:
Used in automobile gearbox, machine tools and all low power transmission application.
In helical gears, teeth are at some angle called helix angle with respect to axes of the
shaft.
Helical gears run quieter as compared to spur gears since the contact between teeth is
gradual. Therefore transmission of load is gradual which results in low impact stresses
and reduction in noise. For this reason the helical gears are used for high-speed
transmission.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Cost is high.
Worm gear is used when the two shafts are non intersecting at right
WORM AND WORM WHEEL
Worm and worm wheel are used to transmit power from one shaft to another shaft which
are non-intersecting and their axis are normally right angles to each other. Worm and
worm wheel are used for large speed reduction up to 100:1.
Advantages:
Quieter in operation.
Disadvantages:
Cost is high.
Application:
Used in materials handling equipment, lifting equipments, cranes and all applications
where high-speed reduction is required.
It convert rotary motion into straight line motion and vice versa.
Advantages :
Disadvantages :
It is very costly.
2)
3)
ASSIGNMENTS:
1)
2)
3)
Trains.
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