Laboratory in Cinderella

Session #1 : Creating 4-bar mechanism (2 weeks).

1. Draw a coordinate system and a grid using . Can

increase/decrease the grid resolution.

2. Draw two points A and B on the X axis using

3. Draw a circle with a fixed radius using with a center and point A. define

the circle radius using the information window

4. Add a point on the circle circumference.
5. Go to “Move” mode and try and move the point. The point can move only on the circle’s
circumference.
6. Draw another circle with a fixed radius with a center at point C.
7. Move the circle using the “move” mode.
8. Draw a 3rd circle with a fixed radius around Point B.

9. Define the intersection points between Circle B and Circle C using .

10. Make Point E invisible by unmarking the Visible option in the information window of point E

using and .
11. Move point C and check the effects.
 12. Draw the links AC CD BD using the .
13. Right click on each kink for specific color and size using the information window.
14. Go to Move mode and play with the mechanism. Check extreme positions.
15. Add a line between points A and B.

16. Measure the angles between all links using .

17. Move point C and check the changes in the angles.

18. Construct various formations of four-bar linkages and analyze their performance. In
particular, construct a Grashof mechanism.

Exercises
Session #2 : Creating a crank slider mechanism (2 weeks).

1. Add a coordinate system.

2. Add point A at the origin.
3. Add a circle with a fixed radius of 10 around Point A.
4. Add point B on the circumference of circle A.
5. Add the crank link AB.

6. Add a line through point A using .

7. In the information window of the line specify the

o o
angle of the line (in this case use 0 or 180 ).
8. Draw a circle with a fixed radius of 20 around Point B. Move point B to check the effects.
9. Add point C which is the intersection between Circle B and the line.

10. Create a segment using between Point B and Point C.

11. Move Point B and check the effects.

Session #3 : Elliptical Tremal mechanism.

1. Add a coordinate system.

2. Add point A on the X axis.
3. Add a horizontal line through Point A.

4. Draw a perpendicular line going through Point A using .

5. Add Point B on the horizontal line.
6. Draw a circle with a fixed radius centered at Point B with a radius that crosses the vertical
line at Point C.
7. Add a link BC.
8. Draw a circle with a fixed radius centered at Point B with a radius that crosses BC at Point D.
9. In Mode menu select Special and Loci click on Point and then Pont C.
Exercises
Session #4: Watt walking mechanism (1 week).

1. Add a coordinate system.

2. Add point A the origin [0,0].
3. Add a horizontal line through Point A.
4. Add Point B on the horizontal line 5 units to the left of Point A [-5,0].
5. Add a perpendicular line through Point B.
6. Add Point C on the horizontal line 7 units to the right of Point A [7,0].
7. Draw a circle centered at Point C with a radius of 2.
8. Add Point D on an arbitrary position on line b.
9. Draw a circle centered at Point D with a radius of 5.25.
10. Draw a circle centered at Point A with a radius of 7.
11. Add Point E on the intersection between Circle D and circle A (if needed, move Point D).
12. Add a segment AE.
13. Draw a circle centered at Point D with a radius of 11.9.
14. Add a segment DE.

15. Add a line through Point D at an angle of 25o from DE using .

16. To ensure the angle click on .

17. Add a Point F on the intersection between the line and the circumference on the external
circle centered at D.

18. Clip the line using creating segment DF.

19. Draw a circle centered at Point F with a radius of 8.5.
20. Add Point G on the intersection between Circle F and circle C (if needed, move Point D).
21. Add a segment CG.
22. Add a segment GF.

23. Create a polygon DEF using .

24. Move Point D to simulate the walking mechanism.

Exercises

1. Modify the Watt walking mechanism for different step sizes.

2. Modify the Watt walking mechanism for two legs.
Session #5: Transformation tools (1 week).

1. Add a coordinate system.

2. Add point A the origin [0,0].
3. Add a circle with fixed radius of 5 anywhere on the plane centered at point B.
4. Add a circle with fixed radius of 5 anywhere on the plane centered at point C (away from B).
5. Add Point D on the circumference of Circle B.
6. Add Point E on the circumference of Circle C.
7. Create segments DB and EC.
8. Create a polygon ACE.
9. Select Modes->Transformation->Translation.
10. Click on C and then B.

11. A translation button is opened .

12. Select Modes->Move
13. Click on polygon ACE and press the translation button.
14. Similarly, translate segment CE to point B.
15. Select Modes->Transformation->Rotation LL.
16. Click on the translated segment and then on segment BD.

17. A rotation button is opened .

18. Select Modes->Move
19. Click on polygon the translated ACE and press the Rotation button.
20. Move point E and check the effects.

Exercises

1. Draw a polygon (e.g. square) with knows vertices and perform 4 transformations: 2
translations (T1 and T2) and 2 rotations (R1 and R2).
2. Perform the following sequence of transformations:
a. T1->R1-> T2-> R2
b. T2->R2-> T1-> R1
c. R1->T1-> R2-> T2
d. T1->R2-> T2-> R1
3. For each sequence determine the final location of one vertex of the polygon. Compare the
results with Excell results of these transformations.

Note: Use “easy” transformation values.

Session #6: Synthesis of a 4 – bar mechanism by two positions (2 week).

Exercise 1: Construct a 4 bar mechanism based on two positions using the graphic method:

Knowns: the frame pivots A* and B*, the length of the output link, B*B, θ, ϕ.

1. Draw rays corresponding to A*A1 and A*A2 (a).

2. Draw the line A*B2 and rotate it by the angle −θ about the pivot A*. This will locate B’2,
which is where B2 would appear to be if the observer were on link 2.

3. Relative to the input link in position 1, point B appears to rotate on a circular arc about A 1 as
B travels from B1 to B’2.

4. A1 must lie on the perpendicular bisector of the line segment. Also, A1 will lie on the ray
through A* (b).

5. Once A1 is determined, the lengths of the input rocker A*A1 and of the coupler A1B1 are
known. The input rocker length is A*A1 and the coupler length is A1B1 (c).

6. If we wanted to specify the input-crank length rather than the output-link length, we could
use the same procedure by inverting onto the output link, rather than the input link.
Exercise 2: Construct a 4 bar mechanism based on two positions using the numerical method:

State 1 State 2

Exercise 3: Construct a 4 bar crank rocker mechanism using the graphical method:
Session #7: Synthesis of a 4 – bar mechanism by three positions (2 week).

1. Create the following 3 states representing the 3 states of connector of a 4 bar mechanism.

2. Create the first 4 bar mechanism AEGB (Points A and B are located arbitrary).

3. Transform AEGB by transferring is to Point C and rotating it the angle between EG and CD to
create LCDM

4. Repeat the process for AFHB creating OCDN.

5. Create two circles from 3 points: Circle 1 from points O,L,A and circle 2 from points NMB.
 6. Locate the centers of these circles (U and R). They are the pivots of the two cranks. The
cranks’ length are UC and RD (or any other lengths).

7. Create a new 4 bar mechanism UCDR and move the mechanism to ferify it moves through
the three required positions.

Exercise

1. Design a four-bar linkage whose coupler moves through the three positions indicated by the
line segment AB. Point A is the moving pivot, and point X* is the fixed pivot. The three
positions are defined by the following where θ is measured in the counterclockwise direction
from a horizontal line, and A in position 1 is the origin of the coordinate system.

2. Construct the mechanism to ferify the desing.