Bevel Gears

Derived from pitch surfaces which are

frustums of cones

Elements of the pitch cones intersect at the

point of intersection of the axes of rotation

This is the condition for proper rolling

(a) Cones can roll together

without sliding

(b) Pure rolling possible at

one point only
Must have sliding at all
other points of contact

Bevel Gears (Contd)

Bevel gears are commonly used to connect shafts intersecting at 90

Miter gears have equal pitch cone angles ( = 45)

Cones are identical in this case

A crown gear has its pitch angle 90

Crown gear corresponds to a rack in spur gearing

(a) Miter Gears

(b) Bevel Gears with = 90

Crown Gears

Bevel Gears (Contd)

Involute teeth for a spur gear can be generated by the edge of a plane
as it rolls on a base cylinder

Similar analysis for a bevel gear shows that a true section of the
resulting involute lies on the surface of a sphere

Cannot be accurately represented on a plane surface

In practice, most bevel gears are generated so that they are conjugate to
crown gear teeth with flat sides

Tredgolds Approximation is used to represent the tooth profiles

approximately

It is based on the fact that a cone tangent to the sphere at the pitch point
will closely approximate the surface of the sphere for a short distance
either side of the pitch point

This cone, known as the back cone can then be developed as a plane
surface and an equivalent spur gear tooth system can be drawn

Tredgolds Approximation

The form of teeth formed based on

Tredgolds Approximation depends upon
the slant height of the back cone (not on
the radius R)

Equivalent pitch radius, Re

= R / cos

The equivalent number of teeth ze is,

2 Re
2R
z
ze =
=
=
m
m cos cos

The action of the bevel gears will be the

same as that of the equivalent spur gears

Since the equivalent number of teeth is

always greater than the actual number of
teeth, a given pair of bevel gears will have a
larger contact ratio and will run more
smoothly than a pair of spur gears with the
same number of teeth

Equivalent Spur Gears

Bevel Gear Nomenclature

Bevel gears are not

interchangeable.

They are made in pairs.

Pitch diameters are

measured at the large, or
heel ends of the teeth.

20 teeth are most widely

used.

Cone distance = L ; Face = b ; Pitch diameter = d2 or d3

Min. number of teeth13.

Pitch and root cones intersect

at the pitch apex, or shaft
intersection, while the face
cone does not.

Face cone of each gear is

turned parallel to the root
cone of the other. This gives
a constant clearance.

tan 2 = z2 / z3
3 = 2

Force Analysis of Bevel Gears

Tangential force, Wt , is
assumed to act at the
mean pitch diameter

Radial force is given by,

Wr = Wt tan cos

Axial force is,

Wa = Wt tan sin

Design of Bevel Gears

Design is based on Lewis equation for beam strength modified

as,
L b

Fb = 0b y

L
L
Face width is generally taken as,
b
4
3
b is usually taken close to but not greater than L/3
The factor Cv is taken as,

6
6+ V

m
L

for cut teeth, and

The general design rule is,

Fb Cv Wt

5.6
5.6 + V

for generated teeth