Gear Trains 1

11.8 SUN AND PLANET GEAR

When an annular wheel A is added to the epicyclic
gear train of Fig. 11.4, the combination is usually,
referred to as sun and planet gear (Fig. 11.14). The
annular wheel gears with the wheel P which can ro-
tate freely on the arm a. The wheels S and P are
generally called the sun and the planet wheels respec-
tively due to analogy of motion of a planet around the
sun.
In general, S, A and a are free to rotate indepen-
dently of each other. It is also possible that either S or
A are fixed. If A is fixed, S will be the driving mem- Fig. 11.14
ber and if S is fixed, A will be the driving member. In
each case the driven member is the arm a.
Let NS = speed of the sun wheel S
NA = speed of the annular wheel A
Na = speed of the arm a
TS = number of teeth on S
TA = number of teeth on A
Then the table can be prepared as usual.

Table 11.9
Action Arm a S P A

TS TS TP TS
a fixed, S + 1 rev. 0 1
TP - T T = - T
P A A

TS TS
a fixed, S + x rev. 0 x x x
TP TA

TS TS
All given y rev. (add y) y y+x y x y x
TP TP

\ x + y = NS (i)
TS
and y x = NA (ii)
TA
Subtracting (ii) from (i),
T T + TS
x 1 + S = NS NA or x A = NS NA
TA TA

N - NA
or x= S T
TA + TS A
2 Theory of Machines

N S TA - N ATA
and y = NS x = NS
TA + TS

N S TA + N S TS - N S TA + N ATA
=
TA + TS

N S TS + N ATA
Na = y = (11.11)
TS + TA
If the sun wheel S is fixed, NS = 0,
N ATA Na 1
Speed of the arm, Na = or =
TS + TA N A TS /TA + 1
If the annular wheel A is fixed, NA = 0,
N S TS Na T /T
Speed of the arm, Na = or = S A
TS + TA N S 1 + TS /TA
The number of teeth on the sun wheel can vary from 0 to TA, i.e. from zero
to the number of teeth on the annular wheel. Therefore, the ratio of the number
of teeth on the sun wheel to that on the annular wheel, i.e., TS / TA can vary
from 0 to 1. If a graph TS / TA vs. Na /NA (S is fixed) is plotted, the curve C1 is
obtained (Fig. 11.15) which shows that the sun and the planet gear always acts
as a reduction gear. The speed of the arm decreases from NA to 1/2 NA as the
number of teeth of the sun wheel increases from zero to TA. Similarly, if A is
fixed TS / TA vs. Na /NS is plotted, the curve C2 is obtained. This shows that it
again acts as a reduction gear in which the speed of the arm varies from zero to
1/2NS.

TS
TA

Fig. 11.15

In both cases, the direction of the arm is the same as that of the driving
member.
 Gear Trains 3

Horizontal dotted lines l1 and l2 show the practical limits of the ratio of
TS /TA and of the corresponding speeds of the arm, where middle portion shows
the range.
Example 11.8 Determine the velocity ratio of the two shafts B and C of the
compound gear shown in Fig. 11.16(a) in which the sun wheel S2 is fixed. The
numbers of teeth on different gears are mentioned alongside the respective gear.
Also, find the torque required to fix the gear S2 when a clockwise torque of 160 N.m
is applied to the gear S1.

Fig. 11.16

Solution
For the first sun and planet gear [Fig. 11.16(b)]
N A1TA1 + N S1TS1 60 N A1 + 20 N S1 3 N A1 + N S1
Na1 = = = (i)
TA1 + TS1 60 + 20 4
For the second sun and planet gear (S2 is fixed),
50 N A2 + 0 10 N A2
Na2 = = or Na2 = 0.769 NA2 (ii)
50 + 15 13
From the figure of the gear, it can be seen that
l Annular wheel A1 is the arm a2 of the second sun and planet gear.
Thus, NA1 = Na2
l Annular wheel A2 is the arm a1 of the first sun and planet gear.
Thus NA2 = Na1
l Also NB = NS1 and Nc = NA2
From (ii), NA1 = 0.769NA2
3N A1 + N S1 3 0.769 N A2 + N S1
From (i), NA2 = =
4 4
or 1.693 NA2 = NS1
N S1 N B
or = = 1.693
N A 2 NC
4 Theory of Machines

If T denotes the torque,

TS1NS1 + TS2NS2 + TA2NA2 = 0
or TS1NS1 + 0 + TA2NA2 = 0
N S1
or TA2 = TS1 = 1.693 160 = 270.9 N.m
N A2
Also TS1 + TS2 + TA2 = 0
or 160 + TS2 270.9 = 0
or Torque required to fix the wheel S2, TS2 = 110.9 N.m clockwise
Example 11.9 Figure 11.17 shows a compound gear in which an input torque of
150 N.m is given to shaft B at 1000 rpm. The sun and planet gears are all of the
same diameter and pitch. What will be the speed and the torque at the output shaft C
assuming an efficiency of 97%?
Also, find the torque required to hold stationary the annulus A1.
Solution
NA2 = Na1, NS1 = NS2 = 1000 rpm
N A1TA1 + N S1TS1 N S1TS1
Speed of arm a1, Na1 = = (NA1 = 0)
TA1 + TS1 TA1 + TA1

N A2TA2 + N S 2TS 2
Similarly, Na2 =
TA2 + TS 2
All the sun and the planet gears are of the same
diameter and pitch,
TS1 T
\ TA1 = 2 + TP1 = 2 S1 + TS1 = 3TS1
2 2
Thus, TA1 = TA2 = 3TS1 = 3TS2 = 3TP1 = 3TP2
N S 1TS 1 N S 1TS 1 N
Then Na1 = = = S1
TA1 + TS 1 3TS 1 + TS 1 4
3N A2 + N S 2
and Na2 = Fig. 11.17
4
3N a1 + N S1
= (NA2 = Na1)
4
3N S1 /4 + N S1
=
4
7
or Na2 = 1000 = 437.5 rpm, Speed of shaft C = 437.5 rpm
16
If T denotes the torque,
T N
TSNS + a 2 a 2 = 0
h
Ta 2 437.5
150 1000 + = 0, Ta2 = 332.6.m
0.97
Also TS1 + Ta2 + TA1 = 0
150 332.6 + TA1 = 0
or Holding torque, TA1 = 182.6 N.m in the same direction as the input torque.