Middle East Technical University

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Exploration of Solution of Loop Closure Equations for RRRP (Slider-Crank and

Inversions) Mechanisms
Based on Lecture Notes of Prof. Dr. M. Kemal ÖZGÖREN
1. Slider-Crank Mechanism
A

a3
13
a2

B
A0 12 a1

s14

→ → →
Loop closure equation in vector form: A 0 A 2 = A 0 B+ BA3

Loop closure equation in complex numbers: a 2ei12 = s14 + ia1 + a 3ei13

Real part of loop closure equation: a 2 cos 12 = s14 + a3 cos 13 (1.1)

Imaginary part of loop closure equation: a 2 sin 12 = a1 + a3 sin 13 (1.2)

i. Let 12 be input

a. First solve for s14 then 13:
Rearrange (1.1) and (1.2) as:
a 2 cos 12 − s14 = a3 cos 13

a 2 sin 12 − a1 = a3 sin 13

Squaring the equations and adding them yields:

( a 2 cos 12 − s14 )2 + ( a 2 sin 12 − a1 )2 = a 32

Expansion and refactoring yields:

( )
s142 − ( 2a 2 cos 12 ) s14 + a 22 + a12 − a 32 − 2a1a 2 sin 12 = 0 which is a quadratic in s14,
solution yields:

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
Middle East Technical University
Department of Mechanical Engineering

s14 = a 2 cos 12  ( a 2 cos 12 )2 − ( a 22 + a12 − a32 − 2a1a 2 sin 12 )
2
(
s14 has a real solution only for ( a 2 cos 12 ) − a 22 + a12 − a 32 − 2a1a 2 sin 12  0 )
Let s14 = a 2 cos 12 +  ( a 2 cos 12 )2 − ( a 22 + a12 − a 32 − 2a1a 2 sin 12 ) where  = 1
corresponds to the two different closures of the mechanism as:

A
a3 a3
 = -1
 = +1 13,1
a2
B’ 13,2
B
A0 12 a1

s14,1
s14,2

After finding two possible solutions for s14, the corresponding 13 to each of the two possible
s14 can be found by rearranging (1) and (2) as:
a cos 12 − s14
cos 13 = 2 = x3
a3

a sin 12 − a1
sin 13 = 2 = y3
a3

Therefore 13 = a tan 2 ( x 3 , y3 )

Please notice that for a selected closure (i.e. ) there is one s14 and only one corresponding 13.
b. First solve for 13 then s14:
(1.2) does not contain s14 so rearranging (1.2) yields:
a sin 12 − a1
sin 13 = 2 = y3
a3

Recall sin 2 13 + cos 2 13 = 1 therefore cos 13 =  1 − sin 2 13 =  1 − y32 where  = 1
corresponds to the two different closures of the mechanism and 13 = a tan 2 ( x 3 , y3 ) .

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
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Rearranging (1.1) as s14 = a 2 cos 12 − a3 cos 13 yields the corresponding s14 of the selected
closure.

ii. Let s14 be the input

a. First solve 12 then 13:
Rearrange (1.1) and (1.2) as:
a 2 cos 12 − s14 = a3 cos 13

a 2 sin 12 − a1 = a3 sin 13

Squaring both and adding them yields:

( a 2 cos 12 − s14 )2 + ( a 2 sin 12 − a1 )2 = a 32

Expansion and refactoring yields:

( )
2a 2s14 cos 12 + 2a1a 2 sin 12 − a 22 + a12 − a 32 + s142 = 0 where 12 is to be determined.

One way is to use half-tangent method as

  1 − t122 2t12
Let t12 = tan  12  then cos 12 = and sin 12 = .
2
 2  1 + t12 1 + t122

Substitution yields

1 − t122
2a 2s14
1 + t12 2
+ 2a1a 2
2t12
1 + t12 2 ( )
− a 22 + a12 − a 32 + s142 = 0

Rearranging yields:

( a 22 + a12 − a32 + s142 − 2a 2s14 ) t122 + 4a1a 2t12 + (a 22 + a12 − a32 + s142 + 2a 2s14 ) = 0
which is in the form At122 + Bt12 + C = 0 where

A = a 22 + a12 − a 32 + s142 − 2a 2s14

B = 4a1a 2 t12
C = a 22 + a12 − a 32 + s142 + 2a 2s14

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
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−B +  B2 + 4AC
t12 = where  = 1 corresponds to the two different closures of the mechanism
2A
and 12 = 2 tan −1 ( t12 ) . Please note that half tangent is single valued (therefore we can use inverse
tangent function here)!

Other alternative to solve this equation is phase angle method. Rearranging yields:

a 2 + a12 − a 32 + s142
s14 cos 12 + a1 sin 12 = 2 or a cos 12 + bsin 12 = c
2a 2

For r  0 let a = r cos  and b = r sin  then r = a 2 + b 2 and  = a tan 2 ( a, b ) .

Substitution yields
r cos  cos 12 + r sin  sin 12 = c

which boils down to

r cos (  − 12 ) = c

c
The solution yields 12 =  +  cos −1   where  = 1 corresponds to the two different closures
r
of the mechanism.
After finding two possible solutions for 12, for two possible closures of the mechanism, the
corresponding 13 to each of the two possible 12 can be found by rearranging (1.1) and (1.2) as:
a cos 12 − s14
cos 13 = 2 = x3
a3

a sin 12 − a1
sin 13 = 2 = y3
a3

Therefore 13 = a tan 2 ( x 3 , y3 )

The two closures of the mechanism are:

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
Middle East Technical University
Department of Mechanical Engineering

a3
13,1
a2

13,2 B
A0 12,1 a1

12,2 s14

A’

b. First solve 13 then 12

Squaring (1.1) and (1.2) and adding them eliminates 12 as
2 2
a 22 = ( s14 + a 3 cos 13 ) + ( a1 + a 3 sin 13 )

and simplification yields

a 2 − s142 − a12 − a 32
s14 cos 13 + a1 sin 13 = 2
2a 3

this equation can be solved either by half-tangent or phase angle method as presented before to find
two 13 values corresponding to two closures of the mechanism. Then
a cos 13 + s14
cos 12 = 3 = x2
a2

a sin 13 + a1
sin 12 = 3 = y2
a2

and 12 = a tan 2 ( x 2 , y 2 )

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
Middle East Technical University
Department of Mechanical Engineering

2. Inverted Slider-Crank Mechanism

A
s23 a3

B
a4
12 14

a1
A0 B0

→ → → →
Loop closure equation in vector form: A0 A + AB3 = A 0 B0 + B0 B4

Loop closure equation in complex numbers: a 2ei12 + a 3e

(
i 12 − 2 ) =a i14
1 + a 4e

which boils down to a 2ei12 − ia 3ei12 = a1 + a 4ei14

Real part of loop closure equation: s23 cos 12 + a3 sin 12 = a1 + a 4 cos 14 (2.1)

Imaginary part of loop closure equation: s23 sin 12 − a3 cos 12 = a 4 sin 14 (2.2)

i. Let 14 be input

a. First solve for s23 then 12:
Square (2.1) and (2.2) and add:

s 232 + a 32 = a12 + 2a1a 4 cos 14 + a 42

yielding s 23 =  a12 − a 32 + a 42 + 2a1a 4 cos 14 where  = 1 corresponds to the two different
closures of the mechanism.
To find 12 let cos 12 = x 2 and sin 12 = y 2 , substituting (1) and (2) into matrix form:

s23 −a 3   y3   a 4 sin 14 

a  =  from which 12 = a tan 2 ( x 2 , y 2 )
 3 s23   x3  a1 + a 4 cos 14 

The two closures of the mechanism are

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
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A
s23 a3
B
a4
12 14

A’
12’
A0 s23’ B0

b. First solve for 12 then s23

Using equations (2.1) and (2.2), ( 2.1) sin 12 − ( 2.2 ) cos 12 yields

a 3 = a1 sin 12 + a 4 ( cos 14 sin 12 − sin 14 cos 12 )

rearranging yields ( a1 + a 4 cos 14 ) sin 12 − ( a 4 sin 14 ) cos 12 − a 3 = 0 which can
either be solved by half-tangent substitution or phase angle method as presented before
where the two solutions correspond to two closures of the mechanism.
To determine s23 corresponding to the selected closure (i.e. 12) rearrange (2.1) and (2.2)
as:
s23 cos 12 = a1 + a 4 cos 14 − a3 sin 12 = x3

s23 sin 12 = a 4 sin 14 + a3 cos 12 = y3

Multiply x3 by cos12 and y3 by sin12 to obtain:

s23 = x3 cos 12 + y3 sin 12

Please note that this final equation will be free of singularities of sin12 or cos12 being
zero during full cycle analysis which are false singularities.
ii. Let 12 be input
a. First solve for 14 then s23:
Using equations (2.1) and (2.2), ( 2.1) sin 12 − ( 2.2 ) cos 12 yields
a 3 = a1 sin 12 + a 4 ( cos 14 sin 12 − sin 14 cos 12 )

rearranging yields ( a 4 cos 12 ) sin 14 − ( a 4 sin 12 ) cos 14 + a 3 − a1 sin 12 = 0 which
can either be solved by half-tangent substitution or phase angle method as presented

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
Middle East Technical University
Department of Mechanical Engineering

before where the two solutions correspond to two closures of the mechanism.
Corresponding s23 can be found as presented in section 2.i.b to avoid mentioned false
singularities.
b. First solve for s23 then 14:
Sum of squares of (2.1) and (2.2) yields:
( )
s 232 − ( 2a1 cos 12 ) s23 + a12 + a 32 − a 42 − 2a1a 3 sin 12 = 0 which is a quadratic in
s23 whose two solutions correspond to two closures of the mechanism. To determine the
corresponding 14 to the selected closure (2.1) and (2.2) can be rearranged as:
s cos 12 + a 3 sin 12 − a1
cos 14 = 23 = x4
a4
s sin 12 − a 3 cos 12
sin 14 = 23 = y4
a4
so 14 = a tan 2 ( x 4 , y 4 )
The two closures are:

A’

s23’ a3
B’

A
a4
a3
s23

B a4
14 14’
12

a1
A0 B0

iii. Let s23 be input (can be a piston or linear actuator)

a. First solve for 12 then 14:
Rearrange (2.1) and (2.2) as:
s23 cos 12 + a3 sin 12 − a1 = a 4 cos 14

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20
Middle East Technical University
Department of Mechanical Engineering

s23 sin 12 − a3 cos 12 = a 4 sin 14

Square these equations and add to obtain

s 2 +a 2 +a 2 −a 2 
( s23 ) cos 12 + ( a 3 ) sin 12 −  23 3 1 4  = 0 which can either be solved by
 2a1 
half-tangent substitution or phase angle method as presented before where the two
solutions correspond to two closures of the mechanism. To determine the corresponding
14 to the selected closure (2.1) and (2.2) can be rearranged as:
s cos 12 + a 3 sin 12 − a1
cos 14 = 23 = x4
a4
s sin 12 − a 3 cos 12
sin 14 = 23 = y4
a4
so 14 = a tan 2 ( x 4 , y 4 )
The two closures are:

A
s23
a3
B
a4 14
12
14’

a1 A’
A0 B0
a3 a4
B’

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ME 301 Theory of Machines I, Fall 2019-20