ENGINEERING CURVES

(Point undergoing two types of displacements)

CYCLOID INVOLUTE SPIRAL HELIX

1. Spiral of 1. On Cylinder
1. General Cycloid 1. Involute of a circle One Convolution.
a)String Length = D 2. On a Cone
2. Epi-Cycloid
2. Spiral of
b)String Length > D Two Convolutions.
3. Hypo-Cycloid
c)String Length < D

2. Pole having Composite

shape.

AND Methods of Drawing

Tangents & Normals
To These Curves.
 DEFINITIONS
CYCLOID:
IT IS A LOCUS OF A POINT ON THE
PERIPHERY OF A CIRCLE WHICH
EPI-CYCLOID
IF THE CIRCLE IS ROLLING ON
ROLLS ON A STRAIGHT LINE PATH.
ANOTHER CIRCLE FROM OUTSIDE

HYPO-CYCLOID.
INVOLUTE: IF THE CIRCLE IS ROLLING FROM
IT IS A LOCUS OF A FREE END OF A STRING INSIDE THE OTHER CIRCLE,
WHEN IT IS WOUND ROUND A CIRCULAR POLE

SPIRAL:
IT IS A CURVE GENERATED BY A POINT
WHICH REVOLVES AROUND A FIXED POINT
AND AT THE SAME TIME MOVES TOWARDS IT.

HELIX:
IT IS A CURVE GENERATED BY A POINT WHICH
MOVES AROUND THE SURFACE OF A RIGHT CIRCULAR
CYLINDER / CONE AND AT THE SAME TIME ADVANCES IN AXIAL DIRECTION
AT A SPEED BEARING A CONSTANT RATIO TO THE SPPED OF ROTATION.
PROBLEM 1: DRAW LOCUS OF A POINT ON THE PERIPHERY OF A CIRCLE
WHICH ROLLS ON STRAIGHT LINE PATH. Take Circle diameter as 50 mm CYCLOID
p4
4
p3 p5
3 5

C p2 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 p6 C
2 6 8

p1
1 p7
7
P p8

D

Solution Steps:
1)      From center C draw a horizontal line equal to D distance.
2)      Divide D distance into 8 number of equal parts and name them C1, C2, C3__ etc.
3)      Divide the circle also into 8 number of equal parts and in clock wise direction, after P name 1, 2, 3 up to 8.
4)      From all these points on circle draw horizontal lines. (parallel to locus of C)
5)      With a fixed distance C-P in compass, C1 as center, mark a point on horizontal line from 1. Name it P.
6)      Repeat this procedure from C2, C3, C4 upto C8 as centers. Mark points P2, P3, P4, P5 up to P8 on the
horizontal lines drawn from 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 respectively.
7)      Join all these points by curve. It is Cycloid.
 CYCLOID
STEPS:
DRAW CYCLOID AS USUAL. Method of Drawing
MARK POINT Q ON IT AS DIRECTED.
Tangent & Normal
WITH CP DISTANCE, FROM Q. CUT THE
POINT ON LOCUS OF C AND JOIN IT TO Q.

FROM THIS POINT DROP A PERPENDICULAR

ON GROUND LINE AND NAME IT N

JOIN N WITH Q.THIS WILL BE NORMAL TO

CYCLOID.

al
DRAW A LINE AT RIGHT ANGLE TO

Norm
THIS LINE FROM Q.

IT WILL BE TANGENT TO CYCLOID.

CYCLOID

Q
Tang
e nt

CP
C C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8

P N
D
PROBLEM 2: DRAW LOCUS OF A POINT ON THE PERIPHERY OF A CIRCLE
WHICH ROLLS ON A CURVED PATH. Take diameter of rolling Circle 50 mm
And radius of directing circle i.e. curved path, 75 mm.

Solution Steps:
1)  When smaller circle will roll on EPI CYCLOID :
larger circle for one revolution it will
cover  D distance on arc and it will be
decided by included arc angle .
2)  Calculate  by formula  = (r/R) x
Generating/
3600. Rolling Circle
3)  Construct angle  with radius OC 4 5
and draw an arc by taking O as center C2 C3
C1 C4
OC as radius and form sector of angle 3 6
. C C
5
4)  Divide this sector into 8 number of 7
equal angular parts. And from C 2

C6
onward name them C1, C2, C3 up to
C8.
1 P
r = CP

C7
5)  Divide smaller circle (Generating
circle) also in 8 number of equal parts.
And next to P in clockwise direction Directing Circle
name those 1, 2, 3, up to 8. R C
8
6)  With O as center, O-1 as radius
draw an arc in the sector. Take O-2, O- = r 3600
R
+

3, O-4, O-5 up to O-8 distances with

center O, draw all concentric arcs in O
sector. Take fixed distance C-P in
compass, C1 center, cut arc of 1 at P1.
Repeat procedure and locate P2, P3,
P4, P5 unto P8 (as in cycloid) and join
them by smooth curve. This is EPI –
CYCLOID.
 PROBLEM 3: DRAW LOCUS OF A POINT ON THE PERIPHERY OF A CIRCLE
WHICH ROLLS FROM THE INSIDE OF A CURVED PATH. Take diameter of
rolling circle 50 mm and radius of directing circle (curved path) 75 mm.
HYPO CYCLOID
Solution Steps:
1)  Smaller circle is rolling
here, inside the larger
circle. It has to rotate
anticlockwise to move P 7
ahead.
2)  Same steps should be P1
6
taken as in case of EPI –
CYCLOID. Only change is 1 P2 C2
C1 C3
in numbering direction of C4
8 number of equal parts C C
P3 5 5
on the smaller circle.
2 C
3)  From next to P in 6
anticlockwise direction,
4 P4 C
name 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8. 3 7
4)  Further all steps are P8
P5
that of epi – cycloid. This P6 P7
is called

C8
HYPO – CYCLOID.
r 3600
=
R
+

OP = R ( Radius of Directing Circle)

CP = r (Radius of Generating Circle)
 INVOLUTE OF A CIRCLE
Solution Steps: Problem No 1: Draw Involute of a circle.
1) Point or end P of string AP is
exactly D distance away from A. String length is equal to the circumference of circle.
Means if this string is wound round
the circle, it will completely cover P2
given circle. B will meet A after
winding.
2) Divide D (AP) distance into 8
number of equal parts. P3
P1
3)  Divide circle also into 8 number
of equal parts.

2 to p
4)  Name after A, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. up 3
to
to 8 on D line AP as well as on p
circle (in anticlockwise direction).

p
o
1t
5)  To radius C-1, C-2, C-3 up to C-8
draw tangents (from 1,2,3,4,etc to
circle). 4 to p
P4
6)  Take distance 1 to P in compass 4
and mark it on tangent from point 1 3
5
on circle (means one division less
than distance AP).
2
6
p

7)  Name this point P1

o
5t

8)  Take 2-B distance in compass 1

7
and mark it on the tangent from A 8
6 to p

7
point 2. Name it point P2. P5 to P
p P8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9)  Similarly take 3 to P, 4 to P, 5 to
P7
P up to 7 to P distance in compass
and mark on respective tangents
P6 
and locate P3, P4, P5 up to P8 (i.e. D
A) points and join them in smooth
curve it is an INVOLUTE of a given
circle.
 Involute
STEPS:
DRAW INVOLUTE AS USUAL. Method of Drawing
MARK POINT Q ON IT AS DIRECTED.
Tangent & Normal
JOIN Q TO THE CENTER OF CIRCLE C.
CONSIDERING CQ DIAMETER, DRAW
A SEMICIRCLE AS SHOWN. INVOLUTE OF A CIRCLE

al
rm
MARK POINT OF INTERSECTION OF

No
THIS SEMICIRCLE AND POLE CIRCLE Q
AND JOIN IT TO Q.

THIS WILL BE NORMAL TO INVOLUTE. Ta

ng
en
DRAW A LINE AT RIGHT ANGLE TO t
THIS LINE FROM Q.

IT WILL BE TANGENT TO INVOLUTE.

4
3
5
C 2
6
1
7
8
P
P8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


D
 Problem 2: Draw Involute of a circle.
INVOLUTE OF A CIRCLE
String length is MORE than the circumference of circle.
String length MORE than D
Solution Steps: P2
In this case string length is more
than  D.
But remember!
Whatever may be the length of P3 P1
string, mark  D distance

2 to p
horizontal i.e.along the string
and divide it in 8 number of 3
to
equal parts, and not any other p

op
distance. Rest all steps are same

1t
as previous INVOLUTE. Draw
the curve completely.

4 to p
P4 4
3
5
2
op

6
5t

1
P5 7
8
7 p8 1 P
6 to p

to
p
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
P7
165 mm
P6 (more than D)
D
Problem 3: Draw Involute of a circle.
String length is LESS than the circumference of circle. INVOLUTE OF A CIRCLE
Solution Steps: P2 String length LESS than D
In this case string length is Less
than  D.
But remember!
Whatever may be the length of P3
P1
string, mark  D distance
horizontal i.e.along the string
and divide it in 8 number of

2 to p
3
to
equal parts, and not any other p
distance. Rest all steps are same
as previous INVOLUTE. Draw

op
1t
the curve completely.
4 to p
P4 4
3
5
2
p
o

6
5t

1
6 to p

P5
7
to 7 P
p 8
P7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
P6
150 mm
(Less than D)

D
 PROBLEM 4 : A POLE IS OF A SHAPE OF HALF HEXABON AND SEMICIRCLE.
ASTRING IS TO BE WOUND HAVING LENGTH EQUAL TO THE POLE PERIMETER
DRAW PATH OF FREE END P OF STRING WHEN WOUND COMPLETELY. INVOLUTE
(Take hex 30 mm sides and semicircle of 60 mm diameter.) OF
COMPOSIT SHAPED POLE
SOLUTION STEPS:
Draw pole shape as per
dimensions. P1
Divide semicircle in 4
parts and name those
P
along with corners of
P2
hexagon.
Calculate perimeter
length.

1 to P
Show it as string AP.
On this line mark 30mm
2
to
from A

oP
Mark and name it 1

At
Mark D/2 distance on it
from 1
And dividing it in 4 parts P3
name 2,3,4,5. 3 to P 3
Mark point 6 on line 30 4
2
mm from 5
Now draw tangents from
5 1
all points of pole
oP

and proper lengths as

6 A
4t

done in all previous

5 to P

involute’s problems and 1 2 3 4 5 6 P

6t

complete the curve.

oP

P4 D/2
P6
P5
 Problem 1: Draw a spiral of one convolution. Take distance PO 40 mm.

IMPORTANT APPROACH FOR CONSTRUCTION!

FIND TOTAL ANGULAR AND TOTAL LINEAR DISPLACEMENT
AND DIVIDE BOTH IN TO SAME NUMBER OF EQUAL PARTS. SPIRAL
2

P2
Solution Steps 3 1
P1
1. With PO radius draw a circle
and divide it in EIGHT parts. P3
Name those 1,2,3,4, etc. up to 8
2 .Similarly divided line PO also in
EIGHT parts and name those
4 P4 O P
1,2,3,-- as shown. 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
3. Take o-1 distance from op line P7
and draw an arc up to O1 radius
P5 P6
vector. Name the point P1
4. Similarly mark points P2, P3, P4
up to P8
5 7
And join those in a smooth curve.
It is a SPIRAL of one convolution.
6
 IMPORTANT APPROACH FOR CONSTRUCTION!
FIND TOTAL ANGULAR AND TOTAL LINEAR DISPLACEMENT
AND DIVIDE BOTH IN TO SAME NUMBER OF EQUAL PARTS.

SPIRAL
Problem 2 of
Point P is 80 mm from point O. It starts moving towards O and reaches it in two
revolutions around.it Draw locus of point P (To draw a Spiral of TWO convolutions). two convolutions
2,10
P2

3,11 P1 1,9

SOLUTION STEPS: P3

Total angular displacement here

P10
is two revolutions And P9
Total Linear displacement here P11
is distance PO. 16 13 10 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 P
Just divide both in same parts i.e. 4,12
P4 P8 8,16
P12
Circle in EIGHT parts. P15

( means total angular displacement P13 P14

in SIXTEEN parts)
Divide PO also in SIXTEEN parts. P7
Rest steps are similar to the previous P5

problem.
P6
5,13 7,15

6,14
 Spiral.
Method of Drawing
SPIRAL (ONE CONVOLUSION.) Tangent & Normal
2 t
g en
No
n
Ta
rm

P2
al

3 1 Difference in length of any radius vectors

Q P1 Constant of the Curve =
Angle between the corresponding
radius vector in radian.
P3
OP – OP2 OP – OP2
= =
/2 1.57

4 P4 O P = 3.185 m.m.
7 6 5 4 3 2 1
P7 STEPS:
*DRAW SPIRAL AS USUAL.
P5 P6 DRAW A SMALL CIRCLE OF RADIUS EQUAL TO THE
CONSTANT OF CURVE CALCULATED ABOVE.

* LOCATE POINT Q AS DISCRIBED IN PROBLEM AND

5 7 THROUGH IT DRAW A TANGENTTO THIS SMALLER
CIRCLE.THIS IS A NORMAL TO THE SPIRAL.

*DRAW A LINE AT RIGHT ANGLE

6
*TO THIS LINE FROM Q.
IT WILL BE TANGENT TO CYCLOID.