CHAPTER1: SIMPLE MECHANISM

1.1 Basic Definitions:

Resistant Body: A body is said to be resistant if it is capable of transmitting the required force
with negligible deformation. Bodies which do not suffer appreciable distortion or change in
physical form due to forces acting on them are resistant bodies. Apart from rigid bodies, there are
some semi-rigid bodies which are normally flexible, but under certain loading conditions act as
rigid bodies for the limited perposes. Eg belt, fluids in hydraulic press, springs.

Kinematic Link or Element: A kinematic link is a resistant body or an assembly of resistant

bodies which go to make a part or parts of a machine connecting other parts which have motion
relative to it. Each link or element may consist of several parts which are manufactured as a
separate unit.

A link need not necessarily be a rigid body i.e. it must be capable of transmitting the required
force with negligible deformation.

1.2 Types of Link: Links can be classified as

(a) Binary Link

(b) Ternary Link
(c) Quarternary

1.3 Classification of link:

(i) Rigid: which does not undergo any deformation while transmitting motion e. g. crank,
connecting rod

(ii) Flexible: Which while transmitting motion is partly deformed e.g. belt, ropes, chain, springs
etc.

(iii) Fluid: Which deformed by having fluid in a closed vessel and the motion is transmitted
through the fluid by pressure

1.4 Difference between Machine and Structure

Machine Structure
The parts of a machine move relative to The members of a structure do not
one another move relative to each other.
Machine converts the available energy In a structure no energy is converts into
into some useful work, useful work
The links of a machine may transmit both The members of a structure transmit
power and motion forces only
Machine can have more than one It does not have any mechanism
mechanism

1.5 Kinematic pair: Two links or elements of a machine when in contact with each other in such
a way that their relative motion is completely constrained formed a kinematic pair. It may be
classified according to the following:

(i) Type of relative motion

(ii) Type of contact

(iii) Type of mechanical constraint

(i) According to relative motion

(a) Sliding pair
(b) Turning pair

(c) Rolling pair

(d) Screw pair

(e) Spherical pair

(ii) According to type of contact

(a) Lower pair: The two elements have surface contact and when relative motion takes
place, the surface of one slide over the surface of the other element. Eg. Nut turning on a
screw
(b) Higher pair: They have line or point contact and the pair must be forced closed in order
to provide completely constrained motion. Eg. Cam and follower, ball and roller bearing.

(iii)According to nature of Mechanical constrained

(a) Closed Pair: When the elements of a pair are held together mechanically, it is known as
closed pair. All the lower pair and some of the higher pairs are closed pairs
(b) Unclosed Pair: When two links of a pair are in contact either due to force of gravity or
some spring action, they constitute an unclosed pair.

1.6 Types of Constrained Motion:

(i) Completely Constrained Motion: When the motion between pair takes place in a definite
direction irrespective of the direction of force applied, the motion is said to be a completely
constrained motion. E.g. square bar in a square hole or shaft with collars at each end of a circular
hole.

(ii) Successfully Constrained Motion: When the constrained motion between a pair is not
completed by itself but by some other means, it is said to be successfully constrained motion.

(iii) Incompletely Constrained Motion: When the motion between pair can take place in more
than one direction, it is said to be incompletely constrained motion. Eg. Circular shaft in a
circular hole.
Kinematic Chain: A kinematic chain is a combination of kinematic pairs in which each element
or links form a part of two pairs and in which the relative motion is completely constrained.
2
The general equation is 𝑙 = 2𝑝 − 4 𝑙= (𝑗 + 2)
3

When a number of links are connected in space such that the relative motion of any point on a
link with respect to any point on the other link follows a law, the chain is called a kinematic
chain

An infinite number of positions of the other links are possible if the link 2 is moved

Types of Joints:

(i) Binary Joint (J): If two Links are joined at the same connection
(ii) Ternary Joint(T): If three links are joined by same connection.
 J = T(n-1) where J = no. of binary joint, T = no. of ternary joints, n = no. of links in a
joint
For any ternary joint J = 1(3-1) =2
Therefore one ternary joint is equivalent to 2 binary joints.
(iii) Quaternary Joint (Q): If four links are joined
J = Q(n-1) where Q = no. of quaternary joint
J = 1(4-1) = 3
Therefore one quaternary joint is equivalent to 3 binary joints

If n numbers of links are connected at a joint it is equivalent to (n-1) binary joints.

Mechanism: When one element or link of a kinematic chain is fixed, the result is a mechanism.
If a different link of the same chain is made the fixed link, the result is a different mechanism.
The mechanisms are of the following types:

(i) Simple Mechanism: A mechanism which has four links.

(ii) Compound Mechanism: A mechanism which has more than four links.
(iii) Complex Mechanism: It is formed by the inclusion of ternary or higher order link to
a simple mechanism.
(iv) Planar Mechanism: When all the links of the mechanism lie in the same plane.
(v) Spatial Mechanism: When the links of the mechanism lie in different planes

Machine: When a mechanism is required to transmit power or to do some particular kind of

work, the various elements or links have tobe designed so as to carry with safety the forces to
which they are subjected. The arrangement then becomes a machine.
1.10 Difference between Machine and Mechanism:

Mechanism Machine
Mechanism is a combination of various links Machine is the combination of number of such
which are capable of having relative motion mechanism used to carry out a particular task
with respect to one another.
It is related to the motion only It is related to the energy

1.11 Degrees of freedom (DOF) : DOF also called the mobility of the device is one of the first
concerns in either design or the analysis of the mechanism. The mobility of a mechanism is the
number of input parameters which must be controlled independently in order to bring the device
into a particular position. The mobility of the mechanism can be determined from the number of
links and the no of joints which it includes.

An unconstrained rigid body moving in space can describe the following independent motions

(i) Translational motion along any three mutually perpendicular axes x, y and z.
(ii) Rotational motions about these axes

Thus a rigid body possesses six degrees of freedom.

1.12 Grubler's condition for a mechanism: Let n be the no. of links in a mechanism out of
which, one is fixed and let j be the number of joints. Now, as the (n-1) links move in a plane in
the absence of any connection, each has a 3 DOF, 2 co-ordinates are required to specify the
location of any reference point in a link and 1 to specify the orientation of the link. When the
links are connected, there cannot be any relative translation between them and only one co-
ordinate is necessary to specify their relative orientation. Thus two translational DOF are lost and
only one rotational DOF is left.

So, the no. of DOF is 𝐹 = 3(𝑛 − 1) − 2𝑗

This equation is known as Kutzbach equation.

Most mechanisms are constrained i.e. F = 1. Therefore the above relation becomes
1 = 3(n-1) – 2j

3n – 2j -4 = 0. This is called Grubler ‘s Criterion for planar mechanism. Thus Grubler’s criterion
is applied to a mechanism with single DOF. The planar mechanism satisfying the condition
cannot have odd number of links. The simplest possible mechanism of this type is a four bar
mechanism and a slider crank mechanism.

1.13 Four Bar Chain and Grashoff’s Law: A very important consideration when designing a
mechanism to be driven by a motor, obviously is to ensure that the input crank can make a
complete revolution. Mechanism in which no link makes a complete revolution would not be
useful in such application.

Grashof’s law states that for planar four bar linkage, the sum of the shortest and the longest link
lengths cannot be greater than the sum of the remaining two link lengths if there is to be
continuous relative motion between two members.

Let l1, l2 , l3 and l4 be the length of the link where 2 and 3 represents the longest and shortest link

𝑙2 + 𝑙3 ≤ (𝑙1 + 𝑙4 )

If this inequality is not satisfied no link will make a complete revolution relative to other.

Test for Four Bar mechanism by Grashof’s law

Inversion: If the number of links in a kinematic chain is l, then in general, l different
mechanisms may be obtained by fixing each of the links in turn. The mechanism obtained in this
way may be very diferent in appearance and the purposes for which they are used. Each
mechanism is termed as inversion of the original kinematic chain.

1.17 Inversions of 3R-1P kinematic chain or Slider-Crank chain and its inversions: The
slider crank chain consists of three turning pairs and one sliding pair. Different inversions are
(a) Reciprocating Engine Mechanism, reciprocating compressor:

(c) Oscillating Cylinder Engine Mechanism: It is derived from the slider-crank chain by
fixing the link CP which in the reciprocating engine mechanism forms the connecting
rod. As the crank OC revolves about the axis through C, the slotted link OQ slides over
the block which is pivoted to the fixed link at P.
(d) Whitworth quick-return Mechanism: It is used in slotted and shaping machine. It is
obtained by fixing the link OC which in the reciprocating engine mechanism forms the
crank. CP is the driving crank and rotate at uniform speed, the block attached to the crank
pin P slides along the slotted link OQ and causes this link to revolve about O with a
variable angular velocity. From the pin Q on the slotted link a connecting rod passes to a
pin R on the ram which carries the tool box and R reciprocates. The two extreme
positions of the ram will correspond to the two positions OQ1 and OQ2 and if CP rotates
anticlockwise, the time taken to turn from CP1 to CP2 will be greater than the time taken
to turn from CP2 to CP1. Movement of the ram from left to right is therefore the cutting
stroke.

𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑢𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑂𝑏𝑡𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑃1 𝐶𝑃2 𝑎𝑡 𝐶 𝛽

= =
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝐴𝑐𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑃2 𝐶𝑃1 𝑎𝑡 𝐶 𝛼
Another example is rotary engine.
(d) Pendulum pump or Bull engine Mechanism: It is obtained by fixing the die block. Here
the link OQ to reciprocate along a vertical straight line. At the same time OC will rotate and the
line CP will oscillate about the pin P attached to the fixed block.

Inversions of Four Bar Mechanism:

(a) Beam Engine (crank and lever Mechanism): It consists of four links. In this
mechanism when the crank rotates about the fixed centre O. The lever oscillates about a
fixed centre C. The end of the lever is connected to a piston rod which reciprocates due to
the rotation of the crank.

(b) Coupling rod of a Locomotive (Double crank mechanism) : In this mechanism, the
links AB and DC having equal length acts as a crank and are connected to the respective
wheels. The link BC acts as a coupling rod. This mechanism is meant for transmitting
rotary motion from one wheel to the other wheel.
(c) Ackermann Steering Gear: In this mechanism the two short links are equal in length
while the long links are unequal in length. When the car is moving along a straight path
the two long links are parallel. When the car moves along a curved path the mechanism
takes up the position as shown and the proportions of the link are so fixed that the axes of
all four wheels intersect at the same point.

(d) Watt’s Indicator Mechanism (Double lever Mechanism): It consists of four links. These
are fixed links at A, link AB, Link BC and link DEF. The displacement of the link DEF is
directly proportional to the pressure of the gas or steam which acts on the indicator
plunger. On any small displacement of the mechanism, the tracing point C at the end of
the link BC traces out approximately a straight line.
Inversions of Double slider-crank Mechanism: A four bar chain having two turning and two
sliding pairs. Two die blocks slides along two slots at 900 in a frame and the pins P and Q on the
die blocks are connected by the link PQ. The following are its inversions-
(a) Elliptical Trammel: The fixed link 1 is in the form of a guides for sliders 2 and 4. With
the movement of the sliders, any point S on the link PQ except the midpoint will trace an
ellipse. This inversion is known as the elliptical trammel.
Let any instant link make angle  with the x-axis.
x = QS Cos 
y = PS Sin 
QS and PS represents the semi-major and semi-minor axes of the ellipse

𝑥 2 𝑦 2
(𝑄𝑆) + (𝑃𝑆) = 1 represents the equation of ellipse.
(b) Scotch Yoke Mechanism: Here one of the two block is fixed say 4, so that link 3 can
rotate about P as centre and thus cause the frame 1 to reciprocate. The scotch yoke
mechanism is used for connecting rotary motion into reciprocating motion.
 (c) Oldham’s Coupling: In this inversions link PQ(3) of the original mechanism is fixed
and the link (1) is free to move. It is used for transmitting constant angular velocity
between two parallel but eccentric shaft.

Example 1

Number of links, n = 6
Number of ternary joints, T = 4
Number of equivalent binary joints, j = 4(3-1) = 8
F = 3(n-1) -2j = 3(6-1) -2x8 =-1
When F(DOF) = -1 or less, then there are redundant constraints in the chain and it forms a
statically indeterminate structure.