LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

Experiment # 05
Objective:
To determine the relationship between crank and connecting rod movements.

Apparatus:
• Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

Diagram:
Connecting Rod

Crank

Theory:
Introduction:

The Crank and connecting rod Apparatus is capable of determining of relationship between
crank and connecting rod. This common mechanism is extensively used for converting rotary
to reciprocating motion and vice versa. It is, of course, the principal part of the internal
combustion engine in all cars, where in B is the piston gudgeon pin and A is the big end bearing
on the crankshaft. Alternatively, B can be driven by amotor on the shaft O, and could actuate
a power hacksaw, a blanking press or a pump.

Although OA may revolve at a constant speed the motion of B cannot be simple harmonic
motion because of the varying inclination of the connecting rod. Conversely a variable effort
at B is unlikely to produce uniform rotation at A, so one can expect to find a flywheel on the
shaft. This means that the inertia of all the moving parts needs to be evaluated, so it is important
to know the velocity and acceleration of each part of the mechanism and particularly the link
AB whosemidpoint is P.

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 LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism:

The arrangement of oscillating cylinder engine mechanism is used to convert reciprocating motion
into rotary motion. In this mechanism, the link3 forming the turning pair is fixed. The link 3
corresponds to the connecting rod of a reciprocating steam engine mechanism.

Links:
• Connecting Rod (link 3) fixed.
• Crank link 2
• Piston and Rod (link)
• Cylinder (link 4)

Pairs:
• Turning – Crank and Connecting rod
• Turning – Crank & piston rod
• Sliding – Piston rod & Cylinder.
• Turning – Cylinder and connecting rod

Construction:

This mechanism is an inversion of Single slider crank chain, which is obtained by fixing
connecting rod. It has three turning pairs & one Sliding pair. As shown in figure. Both rod
piston form one link.There is no relative motion between rod Piston. The cylinder is pivoted
to frame, due to which whole cylinder is free to oscillate about the frame.

Working:

When crank starts rotating it causes the piston to reciprocate inside the cylinder A piston while
reciprocating causes the cylinder oscillate about point ‘O’ because there is no relative motion
between connecting rod and piston.

Application:

• Reciprocating Engine
• Internal combustion Engine
• Rotary Engine
• Transport Industry
• Oscillating Cylinder Engine
• Scotch yoke
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 LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

Description of Mechanism:

The crank and connecting rod apparatus is capable of determining of the relationship between the
crank and connecting rod. This common mechanism is extensively used to converting rotary to
reciprocating motion and vice versa, It is of course the principal part of combustion engine in all
cars.

Reciprocating Engine:

The function of a reciprocating engine is to convert the reciprocating motion into rotary motion. It
is the simplest form of slider crank chain mechanism. In reciprocating engine there are three turning
pairs and the sliding pair form between the cross head and guide.

Rotary Engine:

The rotary engine is an early type of internal combustion engine, usually designed with an odd
number of cylinders per row in a radial configuration, in which the crankshaft remained stationary
in operation, with the entire crankcase and its attached cylinders rotating around it as a unit.

Advantages:

• No, valves required

• Compact system design
• Less mechanism applied

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LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

Procedure:
1. Adjust the reading on crank on zero position.

2. Rotate the crank and record readings from circular scale and linear scale by marking 30 o

intervals round the locus of A starting from the inner dead center.

3. Moving A successively 30o anticlockwise to the 360o crank angle, mark and number the
corresponding positions of B and P.

4. Here point B is the starting point of slider, point P is the mid-point of the connecting
rod, and point A is the center point where the big end bearing is attached .

5. Draw displacement diagram which is a graph between these two sets of readings with
circular scale readings on X-axis and linear scale readings on Y-axis.

6. Note down the motion of points B, P and A. This gives a linear (oscillating) motion
of point B, elliptical motion of point P and circular motion of point A.

7. Mark the positions of all the points i.e. the starting, mid and end positions and centers of
the geometrical figures formed.

8. With help of all these positions draw the loci of all the points A, B & P geometrically.

Observations and Calculations:

A. Initial Position @ 37 mm 0o crank angle = 74mm

Connecting Sr
Sr. Crank Position Crank Position Connecting Rod
Rod Position .
# (degrees) (degrees) Position (mm)
(mm) #
1 30o 43 2 60o 60
3 90o 79 4 120o 97
5 150o 107 6 180o 111
7 210o 107 8 240o 93
9 270o 78 10 300o 59
11 330o 42 12 360o 37

B. Initial Position @ 0o crank angle = 50 mm storke length= 74 mm

Connecting Sr
Sr. Crank Position Crank Position Connecting Rod
Rod Position .
# (degrees) (degrees) Position (mm)
(mm) #
1 30o 57 2 60o 74

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LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

3 90o 92 4 120o 105

5 150o 107 6 180o 124

7 210o 120 8 240o 108

9 270o 91 10 300o 72

11 330o 56 12 360o 50

Graphs:
➢ Draw displacement diagrams for all the two readings, which is a graph with
circular scale readings on X-axis and linear scale readings on Y-axis.

For 37mm

Initial Position @ 0o crank angle =50mm

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LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

➢ Draw velocity diagrams for all the two readings, which is a graph with time
intervals on X-axis and displacement gradients on Y-axis.

Initial Position @ 0o crank angle =37mm

Initial Position @ 0o crank angle =50mm

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LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

➢ Draw acceleration diagrams for all the two readings, which is a graph with time
intervals on X-axis and velocity gradients on Y-axis.

Initial Position @ 0o crank angle =37mm

Initial Position @ 0o crank angle =50mm

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 LAB 06 Oscillating Cylinder Mechanism

Conclusion:
A connecting rod is the part of a piston engine which connects the piston to the crankshaft.
Together with the crank, the connecting rod converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into
the rotation of the crankshaft. The connecting rod is required to transmit the compressive and
tensile forces from the piston.

Assignment Questions:

• Give the applications of the oscillating cylinder mechanism.

Oscillating cylinder steam engines are now mainly used in toys and models but, in the past, have
been used in full-size working engines, mainly on ships and small stationary engines. They have
the advantage of simplicity and, therefore, low manufacturing costs.

• What is the benefit of an oscillating cylinder mechanism?

Advantages:

• No, valves required

• Compact system design
• Less mechanism applied

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