Gears

Drawing Gear Teeth

Spur Gears

Drawing Gear Teeth

The involute System
The curved surface of the gear tooth profile must be of a definite
geometric form if the gears are to operate smoothly with a minimum of
noise and vibration. The most common form in use today is the involute
profile.
In the involute system, the shape of the tooth depends basically upon the
pressure angle. The pressure angle is either 14 1/2 degrees or 20
degrees. The pressure angle determines the size of the base circle. The
involute curve is generated from the base circle.

Drawing Gear Teeth

Construction of the Base Circle
Draw the pitch circle, the addendum circle, and the root circle. Add the vertical and horizontal center lines.
Mark point (P) at the intersection of the vertical center line and the pitch circle.
Construct a line perpendicular to the pressure angle (14 1/2 degrees) from the center of the pitch circle to at least the
addendum circle.
Construct a line perpendicular to the pressure angle line just constructed and passing through point (P). Mark this
intersection as point (J).
The base circle is constructed with the center being the center of the pitch circle and the radius equal to the distance
from the center to point (J).

Drawing Gear Teeth

Construction of the tooth profile
Set off the tooth spacing along the pitch circle. You can use two methods to space the teeth; chordal thickness, or equal angles.
chordal thickness: tc = D x (sin(90 degrees/N))
equal angles: angle = 360 degrees/ (2 x N)
Draw the gear tooth face from point (P) to point (A) with a radius (R) derived from the Wellman's Involute Odontograph chart. The center of the
radius is on the base circle. Do not use the radius values given directly from the chart. Each value must be divided then the Diametral Pitch (P)
for the given gear.
Drawing Radius (r) = Given radius from chart (r)/P
Drawing Radius (R) = Given radius from chart (R)/P
Draw the flank portion from (P) to (O) with a radius of (r) derived from the Wellman's Involute Odontograph chart as described above. The
center of the radius is on the base circle.
The portion of the tooth below the base circle is a straight line drawn to the gear center.

Drawing Gear Teeth

Fillet the corners of the straight portion of the gear tooth and the root circle. The fillet radius can be
derived from the following formulas:

Fillet Radius = 1 1/2 x Clearance

Fillet Radius = 1.5 (.157/P)
Clearance = .157/P
Clearance = B A
The remaining tooth profiles can be constructed using the same process, constructing a tooth profile
through every other mark on the pitch circle. The opposite tooth profile can be drawn through the
remaining marks located on the pitch circle be mirroring the above construction process.

Drawing Gear Teeth

Wellman's Involute Odontograph Chart
Number of
Teeth
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36

14 1/2 degrees
R
2.87
3.02
3.17
3.31
3.46
3.60
3.74
3.88
4.02
4.16
4.29
4.43
4.57
4.70
4.84
4.97
5.11
5.24
5.37
5.51
5.64
5.77
5.90
6.03
6.17

r
.079
.088
.097
1.06
1.16
1.26
1.36
1.46
1.56
1.66
1.77
1.87
1.98
2.08
2.19
2.30
2.41
2.52
2.63
2.74
2.85
2.96
3.07
3.18
3.29

20 degrees
R
3.21
3.40
3.58
3.76
3.94
4.12
4.30
4.48
4.66
4.84
5.02
5.20
5.37
5.55
5.73
5.90
6.08
6.25
6.43
6.60
6.78
6.95
7.13
7.30
7.47

r
1.31
1.45
1.60
1.75
1.90
2.05
2.20
2.35
2.51
2.66
2.82
2.89
3.14
3.29
3.45
3.61
3.77
3.93
4.10
4.26
4.42
4.58
4.74
4.91
5.07