Homework 6 Instant Centers

Problem 6.12 Find all the instant centers of the linkages shown in
Figure 6-5.

I13
I24

I23

I12
I34

I14

I14

I14

a) This problem is relatively straightforward it is the same as the slidercrank linkage. Since it has four links, it has six instant centers. The
instant center I14 lies at infinity.

I34

I13

I23

I12, I24, I14

b) This problem is a little trickier. The instant center between two gears is
the point of contact between the two gears, since the point where the
teeth mesh must have the same velocity. The instant center I13 is located
where gear 3 makes rolling contact with the internal gear (body 1). The
instant center between links 2 and 4 (the center gear and the bar) is at
1

the ground pivot, since the center gear and the bar have the same
velocity at that point. Finally, the center gear and the bar are pinned to
ground at the ground pivot, so instant centers I12 and I14 are located
there as well. Interestingly, all six instant centers lie on the same
straight line.
I13 at infinity

I13 at infinity

I23

I24 at infinity

I34

I12

I24 at infinity

I14

c) The lines connecting instant centers I23-I34 and I12-I14 are parallel, since
the heights of the pins on the wheels are equal. Since these lines are
parallel, they intersect at infinity. Thus, instant center I24 exists on a
horizontal line at infinity. Similarly, the lines between the contact points
and the pins of each wheel are parallel, so the instant center I13 is also at
infinity.

I34

I12
I23
I24

I14 at infinity

I13

I14 at infinity

d) The instant center I14 is at infinity along a line perpendicular to the slider.
Since the cam and follower make rolling contact, their point of contact is
the instant center I23. The other two can be found using Kennedys rule.
I13
I12

I23

e) The two cams slide past each other at their point of contact. The instant
center between them must lie along a line perpendicular to the direction
of sliding, as shown in the figure above. Using Kennedys rule, we can
find the exact location of I23 by finding the intersection between the
perpendicular and the line between I12 and I13.
I14 at infinity

I34
I13

I23

I24 at infinity
I12 at infinty

f) The location of five of the six instant centers is relatively straightforward,

but the sixth (I24) is a challenge. The textbook solution claims that it lies
at infinity along the line between I34 and I23, but it is unclear how this
would intersect the line between I14 and I12 (both of which also lie at
infinity. Extra credit, anyone?

6-16: The linkage in Figure P6-5 has O2A = 0.8, AB = 1.93, AC = 1.33, and
offset = 0.38in. The crank angle in the position shown is 34.3 and angle
BAC = 38.6. Find 3, VA, VB and VC for the position shown for 2 = 15 rad/s
in the direction shown.

VA

VC

VB

V A =15

rad
0.8 12
s
s

2.118=5.666
12
s
3 =

rad
s

V C =5.666

rad
1.014 5.745
s
s

V B =5.666

rad
2.045 11.587
s
s

6.18b: The linkage in Figure 6-5f has AB = 1.8 and AC = 1.44in. The angle
of AB in the position shown is 128 and angle BAC = 49. The slider at B is
at an angle of 59. Find 3, VA, VB, and VC for the position shown for VA =
10in/sec in the direction shown.

VC

VB

I13

VA

0.753=13.28
10
s
3=

rad
s

V C =13.28

rad
1.293 17.17
s
s

V B =13.28

rad
0.716 9.51
s
s

6.21b: The linkage in Figure P6-6b has L1 = 61.9, L2 = 15, L3 = 45.8, L4 =

18.1, L5 = 23.1mm. 2 is 68.3 in the xy coordinate system, which is at
-23.3 in the XY coordinate system. The X component of O2C is 59.2mm.
For the position shown, find the velocity ratio VI56/VI23 and the mechanical
advantage from link 2 to link 6.

First, find the needed instant centers, as shown in the diagram above. Well
choose an arbitrary velocity for point A, and use this to find the angular
velocity of link 3.

Let us arbitrarily assume that

V A =1

mm
s

The distance between instant center I13 and point A is 44.679mm. Thus
mm
s
rad
3 =
=0.0224
44.679 mm
s
1

And the distance between instant center I13 and point B is 50.175mm. The
speed at point B is
V B =0.0224

rad
mm
50.175mm=1.123
s
s

The figure above shows a magnified view of link 5, with the dimensions
between instant center I15 and points B and C. We can use the velocity at
point B to find the angular velocity of link 5.
mm
s
rad
5 =
=0.0493
22.774 mm
s
1.123

Finally, the velocity at point C is

V C =0.0493

rad
mm
11.12 mm=0.5483
s
s

Thus, the velocity ratio between point A and point C is

7

V I 56
=
V I 23

mm
s
=0.548
mm
1
s

0.5483

For the second part of the problem, we will use equations 6.12 and 6.13 to
find the mechanical advantage between links 2 and 6. The definition of
mechanical advantage is
F out
F

m A=

The input power is

P =T =F r 2=F L2 2
Thus,
F =

P
L2 2

The output power is

Pout =F out V out =F out V C
Thus
Fout =

P out
VC

Substituting these into the expression for mechanical advantage gives

m A=

P V C

L2 2 Pout

If we assume that input and output powers are equal (100% efficiency) then

m A=

VC
V
= C =1.82
L2 2 V A