MENG450-Mechanical System I

Chapter 2
Kinematics Fundamentals
Week 3-part I

All figures taken from Design of Machinery, 3rd ed. Robert

Norton
1
 MENG450-Mechanical System I

Chapter 2
Kinematics Fundamentals
Week 3-Part I

All figures taken from Design of Machinery, 3rd ed. Robert

Norton
2
 2.9 Isomers
• Isomers in chemistry are compound that have the
same number and type of atoms but which are
interconnected differently and thus have different
physical properties.
• Linkage isomers are analogous to these chemical
compounds in that the links (like atoms) have various
nodes (electrons) available to connect to other links’
nodes.
• Depending on the particular connections of available
links, the assembly will have different motion
properties.
• A valid isomer must have all link moving during motion

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 2.9 Isomers
• Example

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 2.10 Linkage Transformation
• Different transformation techniques can be
applied to kinematic chains where revolute
joints will be substituted by other types, or
eliminating and shrinkage of links leading to a
wider variety of mechanisms.

• Six main rules and techniques:

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 2.10 Linkage Transformation
Rule 1
Revolute joints in any loop can be replaced by prismatic joints
with no change of DOF of the mechanism, provided at least two
revolute joints remain in the loop

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 2.10 Linkage Transformation
Rule 2
Any full joint can be replaced by a half joint, but this will
increase the DOF by one

DOF = M = 3(L –1)- 2J1 – J2

Rule 3
Removal of a link will reduce the DOF by one

Rule 4
The combination of rules 2 and 3 will keep the original DOF
unchanged.

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 2.10 Linkage Transformation
• Example Rule 4

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 2.10 Linkage Transformation
Rule 5
Any ternary or higher order link can be partially shrunk to a lower
order link by coalescing nodes. This will create multiple joint but will
not change the DOF of the mechanism
Rule 6
Complete shrinkage of a higher-order link is equivalent to its removal.
A multiple joint will be created, and the DOF will be reduced.

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 2.11 Intermittent Motion
• A sequence of motions
and dwells

• Dwell is a period in
which the output link
remains stationary
while the input link
continues to move.

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 2.12 Inversions
• An inversion is created by grounding a different
link in the kinematic chain.
• Thus there are as many inversions of a given
linkage as it has links.
• The motions resulting from each inversion can be
quite different, but some inversions of a linkage
may yield motions similar to other inversions of
the same linkage
• We will denote (count) the inversions that have
distinctly different motions as distinct inversions.
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 2.12 Inversions
Example (4 distinct inversions of slider crank)
• Inversion #1, is used for piston engines and piston pumps.
• Inversion #2 is obtained by grounding link 2 and gives the Whitworth or
crank-shaper quick-return mechanism,
• Inversion #3 is obtained by grounding link 3 and gives the slider block pure
rotation.
• Inversion #4 is obtained by grounding the slider link 4 and is used in hand
operated, well pump mechanisms

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Thank you

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