ME 358 Homework Solution 1

Problem 1

The links of a planar four-bar linkage are 1, 3, 5 and 5 in long.

a) Do these linkages satisfy Grashof’s law?
b) Assemble them in all possible combinations and sketch the four inversions of each. Describe
each inversion by name, e.g., crank-rocker mechanism or drag-link mechanism.

Solution

a)

s = 1, l = 5, p = 3, q = 5
s + l = 1+ 5 = 6 < 8 = 3+ 5 = p + q

b)
Problem 2

A crank-rocker linkage has a 100 mm frame, a 25 mm crank, a 90 mm coupler and a 75 mm

rocker. Draw the linkage and find the maximum and minimum values of the transmission angle.
Locate both toggle positions and record the corresponding crank angles and transmission angles.

Solution

a) First position (toggle position)

 ⎡ r12 + (r2 + r3 )2 − r4 2 ⎤
−1 −1 ⎡100 mm + (25mm + 90mm ) − 75 mm ⎤
2 2 2 2 2
θ 2 = cos ⎢ ⎥ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = 40.07
o

⎣ 2 r (r
1 2 + r3 ) ⎦ ⎣ 2 100 mm (25mm + 90 mm ) ⎦
⎡ r4 2 + (r2 + r3 )2 − r12 ⎤
−1 −1 ⎡ 75 mm + (25mm + 90mm ) − 100 mm ⎤
2 2 2 2 2
γ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = 59.13
o

⎣ 2 r (r
4 2 + r3 ) ⎦ ⎣ 2 75 mm (25mm + 90 mm ) ⎦

b) Second position (minimum transmission angle)

θ2 = 0o
⎡ r3 2 + r4 2 − (r1 − r2 )2 ⎤
−1 −1 ⎡ 90 mm + 75 mm − (100mm − 25mm ) ⎤
2 2 2 2 2
γ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = 53.13
o

⎣ 2 r r
3 4 ⎦ ⎣ 2 90 mm 75mm ⎦

c) Third position (maximum transmission angle)

θ2 = 180o
⎡ r 2 + r4 2 − (r1 + r2 )2 ⎤ −1 ⎡ 90 mm + 75 mm − (100mm + 25mm ) ⎤
2 2 2 2 2
γ = cos −1 ⎢ 3 ⎥ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = 98.09
o

⎣ 2r3 r4 ⎦ ⎣ 2 90mm 75mm ⎦

d) Fourth position (toggle position)

⎡ r12 + (r3 − r2 )2 − r4 2 ⎤
−1 −1 ⎡100 mm + (90mm − 25mm ) − 75 mm ⎤
2 2 2 2 2
θ 2 = cos ⎢ ⎥ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = 228.58
o

⎣ 2r1 (r3 − r2 ) ⎦ ⎣ 2 100mm(90mm − 25mm ) ⎦

⎡ (r3 − r2 )2 + r4 2 − r12 ⎤
−1 −1 ⎡ (90mm − 25mm ) + 75 mm − 100 mm ⎤
2 2 2 2 2
γ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = cos ⎢ ⎥ = 90.88
o

⎣ 2 (r3 − r )
2 4r ⎦ ⎣ 2 (90 mm − 25mm )75 mm ⎦

Problem 3

Find the mobility of each of the mechanisms shown in the figure.

Solution

a)
n = 6, j1 = 7, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(6 − 1) − 2 7 − 0 = 1
j 7
m = 6, j = 7, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(6 − 7 − 1) + ∑1 = 1
i =1 i =1

b)

n = 8, j1 = 10, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(8 − 1) − 2 10 − 0 = 1

j 10
m = 8, j = 10, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(8 − 10 − 1) + ∑1 = 1
i =1 i =1

c)
n = 7, j1 = 9, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(7 − 1) − 2 9 − 0 = 0
j 9
m = 7, j = 9, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(7 − 9 − 1) + ∑1 = 0
i =1 i =1

Note that the Kutzbach and Gruber criteria fail in this case; the true mobility is M=1. The
exception is due to a redundant constraint. The assumption that the rolling contact joint will not
allow links 2 and 3 to separate duplicates the constraint of the fixed link length O2O3.

d)
n = 4, j1 = 3, j2 = 2, m = 3(4 − 1) − 2 3 − 2 = 1
m = 4, j = 5, f1 = f 2 = f 3 = 1, f 4 = f 5 = 2,
j
M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(4 − 5 − 1) + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 1
i =1

Note that each coaxial set of sliding joints was counted as only a single prismatic pair.

Problem 4

Find the mobility of each of the mechanisms shown in the figure.

Solution

a)
n = 4, j1 = 4, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(4 − 1) − 2 4 − 0 = 1
j
m = 4, j = 4, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(4 − 4 − 1) + 4 = 1
i =1

b)

n = 4, j1 = 4, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(4 − 1) − 2 4 − 0 = 1
j
m = 4, j = 4, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(4 − 4 − 1) + 4 = 1
i =1

c)
n = 4, j1 = 4, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(4 − 1) − 2 4 − 0 = 1
j
m = 4, j = 4, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(4 − 4 − 1) + 4 = 1
i =1

d)

n = 3, j1 = 2, j2 = 1, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(3 − 1) − 2 2 − 1 = 1
j j
m = 3, j = 3, ∑ f i = 2 1 + 1 2 = 4, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(3 − 3 − 1) + 4 = 1
i =1 i =1

Problem 5

Find the mobility of each of the mechanisms shown in the figure.

Solution

a)

n = 4, j1 = 4, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(4 − 1) − 2 4 − 0 = 1
j
m = 4, j = 4, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(4 − 4 − 1) + 4 = 1
i =1

b)
n = 4, j1 = 4, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(4 − 1) − 2 4 − 0 = 1
j
m = 4, j = 4, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(4 − 4 − 1) + 4 = 1
i =1

c)

n = 6, j1 = 7, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(6 − 1) − 2 7 − 0 = 1
j
m = 6, j = 7, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(6 − 7 − 1) + 7 = 1
i =1

d)
n = 6, j1 = 7, j2 = 0, m = 3(n − 1) − 2 j1 − j2 = 3(6 − 1) − 2 7 − 0 = 1
j
m = 6, j = 7, f i = 1, M = 3(m − j − 1) + ∑ f i = 3(6 − 7 − 1) + 7 = 1
i =1