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.
Construction of the Base Circle
 Construction of the Base Circle
Draw the pitch circle, the addendum circle, and the root circle (Dedendum).
Add the vertical and horizontal center lines.
 Construction of the Base Circle
Mark point (P) at the intersection of the vertical center line and the pitch circle.
 Construction of the Base Circle
Construct a line perpendicular to the pressure angle and passing through
point (P).
 Construction of the Base Circle
Mark this intersection as point (J).
 Construction of the Base Circle
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).
 Construction of the tooth profile
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 by the Diametral Pitch (P) for the
given gear.

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
Wellman's Involute Odontograph Chart

Number of 14 1/2 degrees 20 degrees

Teeth R r R r
12 2.87 .079 3.21 1.31
13 3.02 .088 3.40 1.45
14 3.17 .097 3.58 1.60
15 3.31 1.06 3.76 1.75
16 3.46 1.16 3.94 1.90
17 3.60 1.26 4.12 2.05
18 3.74 1.36 4.30 2.20
19 3.88 1.46 4.48 2.35
20 4.02 1.56 4.66 2.51
21 4.16 1.66 4.84 2.66
22 4.29 1.77 5.02 2.82
23 4.43 1.87 5.20 2.89
24 4.57 1.98 5.37 3.14
Construction of the tooth profile
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) = (4.02)/4 = 1.005
Construction of the tooth profile
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.
Drawing Radius (r) = Given radius from chart (r)/P
Drawing Radius (r) = (1.56)/4 = 0.3900
Construction of the tooth profile
The portion of the tooth below the base circle is a straight line drawn to the gear center.
Construction of the gear teeth
The opposite tooth profile can be
drawn through the remaining
marks located on the pitch circle
by mirroring the above
construction process.
Construction of the 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
Construction of the gear teeth
The remaining tooth profiles can be constructed using the same process,
constructing a tooth profile through every other mark on the pitch circle.