Laboratory Exercise No.

4
MEASUREMENT OF SPEED AND TIME

OBJECTIVES

To calibrate a speed-measuring device.

DISCUSSIONS

Most instrument for measuring angular or rotational speed are

fitted with means for obtaining surface speeds. The simplest speed-
measuring device is the revolution counter (or speed counter), which
requires a separate time- measuring piece. The hand counter is
provided with a friction drive and used in connection with a time
piece. Use of the stroke counter is limited to engines whose speed
is slow to permit reading the counter at definite time.

The difficulty of simultaneously operating both the timer and

revolution has led to the development of units in which a single
motion serves to start or stop both mechanisms. A tachoscope
combines a stop watch and a revolution counter. The watch and the
revolution counter are started simultaneously by operation of a
trigger after the shaft has assumed the speed to be indicated. Both
counter and watch are stopped simultaneously by a second operation
of the trigger.

In a hand indicator, the speed is averaged over a short

interval of time. The device is operated by bringing the spindle
into contact with the shaft. The operation serves to wind the watch
and simultaneously engage the revolution counter with the starting
of the watch.

A tachometer is a device which gives directly a continuous

indication and recording of speed. Although many different methods
have been used to provide direct reading of angular velocity, the
ones commonly used today are those in which the actuating mechanism
is a centrifugal device, an electric device and a resonant vibrating
reed.

APPARATUS

Tachometer
PROCEDURE

1. Obtain a shaft of variable speed.

2. Start the first speed of the shaft.
3. Bring the spindle of the tachometer into contact with the
shaft. Press the operating button and then release it.
4. After the shaft has assumed the indicated speed, the counter
stops. Disengage the tachometer and record the speed.
5. Make trials by repeating steps 3 and 4.
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 using another speed of the shaft.
7. Repeat the procedures using another type of device.

8. Compute the average speed.

9. Compute the percent difference between the average speed and
the indicated speed.
%Difference=(IndicatedSpeed−AverageSp
eed)×100 Indicated
Speed

10. Plot an error curve showing the average speed against the
percent difference.

Indicated Tachometer Reading %

Speed (rpm)
Difference
(rpm)
Trial
Trial 2 Trial 3 Average
1

DATA SHEET
COMPUTATIONS:
OBSERVATIONS:

QUESTIONS:

1.A 36 mm solid shaft is to be used to transmit 50 kW. If the shaft

design is not to exceed 30 MPa, determine the angular speed of the
solid shaft in rpm and rad/s.
2.A motor drives 50 hp to a shafting 1 1/2 in. diameter and 3 ft.
long. If the maximum shearing stress produced by torsion is 39,628
psi and the total angle of twist in the shaft is 9.080, calculate
the torque (based on angle of twist and shearing) and angular speed
in rpm. G = 12 x 106 psi.

3.The shaft of a heavy-duty tractor transmits 120 kW at 600 rpm, and

at the same time supports a load just like a cantilever carrying 5.5
KN load located 610 mm from the support. If the allowable shear
stress is 138 MPa, calculate the minimum diameter required. Neglect
axi\