Gear Boxes

View A Video on Gear Boxes - A Quick Introduction

Gear Boxes

Gear boxes are considered the simplest version of a transmission, and the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The basic construction of this speed reducer is a set of gears in addition to input and output shafts. Gears and shafts work together to convert engine speed into torque, which is what allows a machine to move independently of manual labor. Gear boxes are referred to as gear heads when they are mounted directly onto a motor instead of just a shaft.  During equipment operation, the motor transmits power to the input shaft of the reducer, also known as the driveshaft. The speed reducer then converts this power into lower output speed, which the reducer then transmits to the connected load through the output shaft. Gear boxes are often used in the agricultural industry, for applications such as tractors, forage spreaders, manure spreaders and snow blowers. Larger and more complicated gear box designs are also used for wind turbines, utilizing wind energy and translating it into electricity, which can power a food and processing plant, an industrial manufacturing company or a city.

The essential concept that fuels function in gear boxes is the gear ratios. How many gears as well as how many teeth are on each gear effects the amount of torque a gear box is able to convert from the engine. The input gear is the one attached directly to the engine, while the output gear is the one attached to the part of the machine that will be moving, be it a blade or a set of wheels. The number of teeth on the input gear effects how many times it will have to turn to turn the output gear once, which basically serves to appropriately gauge the amount of energy necessary to properly run the machine. The ratio of turns and teeth on the input gear compared to the output gear is the gear ratio. This industrial tool, which is vital to the mechanical processes that produce most goods and services in modern society, is continuing to improve. The first shafts and gears were made of wood, while the current product is now able to work with less fuel and energy to better preserve our environment. The industry has already come far, and will continue to do so.

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