LOCI OF POINTS AND STRAIGHT LINES

LOCUS

The path of a point which moves according to mathematically defined conditions is known as its Locus. The plural of word Locus is Loci. For example, a point P moving in a plane, so that it is always at a constant distance from another fixed point O traces out a circle as its locus. Many important geometrical curves (ellipse, parabola, hyperbola, cycloidal curves) may be considered as Loci e.g, conic curves, helices, and screw threads, involutes and spiral curves.

Locus of point on a mechanism

The locus of a point in a mechanism is the path which is traced by the point when the mechanism moves through a complete cycle of operation. The method of drawing the locus of a particular point in a mechanism is to construct the mechanism in several positions. The point is potted for each position and its locus is obtained by drawing a smooth curve through these plotted points. The mechanism in successive positions may be drawn with drawing instruments geometrically or with a paper trammel. The use of computer aided drafting renders the procedure very handy and fast.

CYCLOIDAL AND SPIRAL CURVES

ROULETTES Those curves which are generated by a fixed point on a rolling curve that rolls without slipping along fixed base curve. The rolling curve is called generating curve and the fixed curve is called the directing curve. Some important roulettes are cycloid, epicycloid, hypocycloid, trochoids, and involute.

APPLICATION OF ROULETTES

CYCLOID
The curve is the locus of a point on the circumference of a circle which rolls, without slipping, along a fixed straight line. PROBLEM Draw a cycloid, given the diameter of a generating circle as 50 mm. also draw a tangent and normal at any given point T on the curve.

Solution - Cycloid

Solution - Steps

With center Co draw the rolling circle of 50 mm. draw a straight line, the path along which it is to roll, tangent to the circle. Fix the initial position of point which is to trace the required locus while the rolling circle make sone revolution along the base line. Let it be Po. Mark a length Po Po equal to the circuferece of the rolling circle, along the base line, and divide it into a number of equal parts, 12 here. Divide the circumference of the rolling circle also into the same number of equal parts.

Solution - Steps

Through division points on the rolling circle, draw lines parallel to fixed line and at the points on the fixed line erect perpendiculars to cut the horizontal center line of the rolling circle at points C1, C2, C3 etc. As the circle rolls through 1/12th of a complete revolution, the center Co will move to the position C1 and the point P will move from initial position Po to P1 and so on. Therefore, the points Po, P2, P3 etc. are plotted by the intersection of lines drawn division points 1, 2, 3 etc on the circle and the corresponding circle arcs drawn with centers C1, C2 etc, as illustrated for P4 and P5. A smooth curve joining all the 12 points plotted thus, gives the required cycloid.

Solution - Steps
Tangent and normal at a point on the cycloid Draw the rolling circle in such a position that It passes through T, by chain line. The normal is given by the line TN, where N is the point of contact between the rolling circle, and the fixed line. The tangent T1, T2 is perpendicular to TN at T.

Trochoids

When a circle rolls, without slipping along a fixed straight line, the locus of the fixed point P not lying on the rolling circle is a trochoid. When the point P which traces the locus is outside the rolling circle, the locus produced is superior trochoid. When the point P is inside the rolling circle the locus is inferior trochoid. The construction of both trochoids is very similar to that used for cycloid.

Problem

Draw trochoids, given the diameter of the rolling circle as 40 mm and the fixed point P, tracing the locus, is 8 mm away from the rolling circle.

Solution - Superior Trochoid

Solution - Inferior Trochoid

Solution

The construction of both trochoids is very similar to that used for cycloid. It should be noted however, that in each case the circumference of the rolling circle is laid out along the fixed line and divided into 12 equal parts, and the circle through the given point P is divided into 12 equal parts, not the reverse.

Epicycloid
When a circle rolls, without slipping, around the outside of a fixed circle, the locus of a point on the circumference of the rolling circle is called the epicycloid. The rolling circle is called generating circle and the fixed circle is called the directing circle.

Problem

Draw an epicycloid, given the radii of rolling and directing circles as r = 30 mm and R = 120 mm, respectively. Also draw a normal and a tangent at any point Q on the curve.

Solution - Epicycloid

Involute
When a straight line rolls, without slipping, on a curve, the locus of any point on the straight line is an involute to the curve. The involute to a circle is the locus of the end of a taut string as it is unwound from the surface of a cylinder or base circle.

Problem

Draw an involute to a circle of 50 mm. Also draw a tangent and normal to it, at any given point on it.

Solution Involute to a circle

Problem

Draw the involute of a circular arc which subtends an angle (90 degrees here) at the center of the circle of 120 mm.

Involute to a circular arc

Problem

Draw an involute to an equilateral traingel of 20 mm side.

Involute of a triangle

Archimedean Spiral

It is the locus of a point P which moves at a steady rate along a line, while the line rotates at uniform speed about center, O , such that for each angular displacement of the line, the linear displacement of the point is constant.

Problem

Construct an Archimedean spiral of two convolutions, given the greatest and the shortest radii as 84 mm and 12 mm, respectively.

Archimedean Spiral ( Two Convolutions )

Problem

Construct an Archimedean spiral of one convolution , given the radial movement of the point P during one convolution as 60mm and the initial position of P as pole O.