Abstract
The development background to two early epicyclic gear trains is described. These gears are of power transmission type and convert the linear stroke of a steam engine to rotary motion. General expressions for speed ratio and efficiency of the gear trains are developed. The earliest design, by Murdock and Watt, dates from about 1781. This gear train proved successful on over three hundred engines; but its unusual construction prevented wide application. An inversion of the gear train is seen in the hoists of modern aircraft. In contrast, the hypocycloidal gear devised by White in 1801 and applied by Murray offered simplicity but proved to have structural limitations. Many variants and modern uses of this gear train can be identified.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
