Compound Planetary Speed Reducer.

-A compound

planetary speed reducer, designed to give a large reduction

in a unit of small size, is shown in Fig. 4. The gearing
consists of a stationary gear F, doweled to housing D; a
low-speed gear R, fastened to the low-speed shaft E planetary
pinions G and H, planetary gears L and M,. and a highspeed
pinion P, fastened to high-speed shaft Q.
Pinions G and gears M are carried on shafts J, while
gears L and pinions H are carried on the sleeves K, the two
assemblies being held on the planetary arm N. Pinions
G and H, and gears F and R, have the same number of teeth;
but gears L and M, although they are de same
pitch diameter, do not have the same number of teeth. In
this case, L is a normal gear, while M has one tooth more
than L, but is cut on the same pitch diameter.
The fact that gears M and L are both driven by the single
pinion P makes possible the large speed ratio between the
driver and driven shaft. It may be well to point out here
that the ratio will be greatly decreased if pinion P is made
with two sets of teeth in which one set is larger by a tooth
than the other, and the gears Land M are made normalthat
is, M is made to correspond with the lower half of the
divided pinion P.
Calculating the Speed Ratio.- The method of calculating
the ratio of this kind of reducer is not very different
from any other, although the fact that the movement goes
through two sets of gears may make it confusing. An
example will make the method clear.
Referring to the illustration, the number of teeth in the
different gears of the mechanism are as follows: F = 50,
G = 20, H =20, R = 50, L = 80, M = 81, and P = 32.
First, assume that all the gears are locked tight and that
the entire mechanism, case and all, is given one revolution.
Thus, both shafts E and Q are given one revolution. Next,
assume that arm N is held stationary, and that the case
D is turned back one revolution. As this, one revolution is
made, we analyze the rotation of the various gears, noting
first what happens to shaft Q and then to shaft E. The
movement is added to or subtracted from the first revolution
in each case, and the two results are set up as the ratio.
Equations can now be written from this information.
Assuming that the first revolution was made In a clockwise
direction, the second revolution is made in a counter-clockwise
direction. It will be noted that when we turn the case
back one revolution, while holding the arm still, the shafts
revolve in a counter-clockwise direction; so we must subtract
the calculated movement from the first revolution of
both the driving and the driven shafts. Thus we have,
Movement of driver Q equals

and movement of driven shaft E equals

Thus we have the ratio between the driving and driven

shafts equals

It should be noticed that the equations for both Q and E are negative; hence their quotient is
positive, which means that the driven shaft E runs in the same direction as the driver Q. If the
positions of gears L and M are reversed, the same ratio is obtained, but with a negative sign, as will
be found by working out the example as in the first case.
The effect obtained by making P in two pieces, with 31
teeth for the lower half to match the 81-tooth gear M, and
32 teeth in the upper half to match L with 80 teeth, will
be to greatly reduce the ratio. Working out this example
by the same method as was used for the first example shows
the ratio to be 121.5 to l.
The general construction of the speed reducer is shown
quite clearly in the illustration. The low-speed shaft E
runs in a bronze-bushed bearing, and the drive can be taken
off to one side-that is, with a chain or gearing, if necessary.
The high-speed shaft Q, in this case, was designed
to be coupled directly to a motor. If it were necessary to

drive shaft Q with a chain or gears, the double-row ball

bearing would probably have to be split up into two bearings,
one being arranged as in this design, and the other
located close to the end of the shaft to take the radial load
of the chain or gear. The method of mounting will naturally
depend on conditions. In the application described,
the case D was fastened to two channels running parallel
with the shafts, legs S being provided for that purpose.