Balancing of several masses rotating in the different planes:

When several masses revolve in different planes, they may be transferred to a reference plane and this reference
plane is a plane passing through a point on the axis of rotation perpendicular to it.

When revolving mass in one plane is transferred to a reference plane, its effort is to cause a force of same
magnitude to the centrifugal force of the revolving mass to act in the reference plane along with a couple of
magnitude equal to the product of the force and the distance between the two planes.

In order to have a complete balance of the several revolving masses in different planes,

1. The forces in the reference plane must balance, i.e., the resultant force must be zero.
2. The couples about the reference plane must balance, i.e., the resultant couple must be zero.

A mass placed in the reference plane may satisfy the satisfy the first condition but the couple balance is satisfied
only by two forces of equal magnitude in different planes. Thus, in general, two planes are needed to balance a
system of rotating masses.

In order to balance the several masses revolving in a different plane,

1. Sum of the centrifugal force must be equal to zero i.e., resultant force must be equal to zero.

Sum of horizontal component of centrifugal force,

Σ𝐻 = 𝑚 𝑟 cos 𝜃 + 𝑚 𝑟 cos 𝜃 + ⋯ … … = 0

Sum of vertical component of centrifugal force,

Σ𝑉 = 𝑚 𝑟 sin 𝜃 + 𝑚 𝑟 sin 𝜃 + ⋯ … … = 0

In other words, force polygon must close.

2. Sum of couple about any plane must be equal to zero i.e., resultant couple must be zero. i.e.,

Σ𝐻 = 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 cos 𝜃 + 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 cos 𝜃 + ⋯ … … = 0

Σ𝑉 = 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 sin 𝜃 + 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 sin 𝜃 + ⋯ … … = 0

In other words, the couple polygon must be closed.

Step to draw force polygon and couple polygon.

1. Represent four masses 𝑚 , 𝑚 , 𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚 revolving in plane 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively as shown in
the figure and relative angular position of these masses as shown in the figure.
1 2 3 4

q2
Wr W r A
22 11
q3
W r
q4 44

W r 15
33
30
x
2. Take any one of plane say L as reference plane (R.P). The distance of the other plane respect to other to
left of the R.P considered as negative (-) and those to the right as positive (+).
3. Tabular force and couple as shown in tabular column.

Mass Radius Force( m r) Distance Couple Angle 𝜃

SI. No. from R.P
(m)kg (r)cm kg.cm (mrl)

1 𝑚 𝑟 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝜃

0.5 17 8.5 0 0 0

2 𝑚 𝑟 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝜃

1 ? 10.0 15 15 190

3 𝑚 𝑟 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝜃

0.5 ? 5.2 30 15.6 125

4 𝑚 𝑟 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 𝜃

0.5 10 5 𝑥 =? 25.8 330

4. Draw the force polygon, such that vector ob represent the balanced force is proportional to 𝑚 𝑟
therefore,

𝑚 𝑟 = 𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 × 𝑠𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑒
𝑣𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟
𝑟=
𝑟
5. Now draw the couple polygon as shown in figure. The vector 𝑐4 represent the balanced couple.
Since the balanced couple 𝑐 is proportional to 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙 .

𝑐 = 𝑚 𝑟 𝑙

Balancing length in the plane, 𝑙 =

q3 F1 q4

F4
q2
F
3
q3 F2

Force Polygon