Abstract: In this paper, a general formula for the meshing function for a kind of worm gearing has been given. It is applicable to the case when the tooth surface of the worm may be generated by a curve moving rigidly in spaces and what can be reduced to this kind of worm gearing. The general formula for the meshing function has been used to analyze, the possibility to express one of the parameters concerned in terms of the other one and the time parameter when the worm surface is generated by the moving edge curve of the cutting tool and how the possibility changes with the shape of the edge curve. As examples for the application of our general formula, the meshing equations for several important kinds of worm gearing in industrial production are obtained. These equations are at most of the fourth degree in one of the parameters, so they can be solved by radicals and treated more easily with the help of computers.

Key words: 啮合, 速度, 蜗杆传动