Poles : case I

N1 N2
B2

A2 B1
A1

O4 Consider A1P12 B1 and A2 P12 B2

A1B1  A2 B2 , A1P12  A2 P12 , B1P12  B2 P12
O2
 A2 P12 B2  A1P12 B1
 A2 P12 B2  A1P12 B1
 A2 P12 A1  A1P12 B2  A1P12 B2  B2 P12 B1
 A2 P12 A1  B2 P12 B1   3
12

12
Hence A2 P12 B2  A2 P12 A1  A1P12 B2  A1P12 B2  θ3
and
12
A1P12 B1  A1P12 B2  B2 P12 B1  A1P12 B2  θ3

Now
P12 ΔA1 P12 A2 and ΔB1 P12 B2 are isoceles with P12 N1 and P12 N 2
being the perpendicular bisectors of their respective bases
 A1P12 N1  A2 P12 N1 and B1P12 N 2  B2 P12 N 2
 312
 A1P12 N1  A2 P12 N1  B1P12 N 2  B2 P12 N 2 
2
12
Hence A1P12 N1  A1P12 B2  B2 P12 N2  A1P12 B2  θ3
12
 N1P12 N2  O1P12O2  A1P12 B2  θ3
Hence

Frame and coupler subtend equal angles at the pole P12

 Poles : case II

N1 N2
B2

A2 B1
A1

O2 Consider A1P12 B1 and A2 P12 B2

A1B1  A2 B2 , A1P12  A2 P12 , B1P12  B2 P12
 A2 P12 B2  A1P12 B1
 A2 P12 B2  A1P12 B1
 A2 P12 A1  A1P12 B2  A1P12 B2  B2 P12 B1
 A2 P12 A1  B2 P12 B1   3
12

12
Hence A2 P12 B2  A2 P12 A1  A1P12 B2  A1P12 B2  θ3
and
12
A1P12 B1  A1P12 B2  B2 P12 B1  A1P12 B2  θ3
Now
ΔA1 P12 A2 and ΔB1 P12 B2 are isoceles with P12 N1 and P12 N 2
being the perpendicular bisectors of their respective bases
P12
 A1P12 N1  A2 P12 N1 and B1P12 N 2  B2 P12 N 2
 312
 A1P12 N1  A2 P12 N1  B1P12 N 2  B2 P12 N 2 
2
12
Hence A1P12 N1  A1P12 B2  B2 P12 N2  A1P12 B2  θ3
12
 N1P12 N2  A1P12 B2  θ3
O4
Hence

 O1P12O2  π  N1P12 N2  π  A1P12 B2  θ3
12


Frame and coupler subtend complementary angles at the pole P12

P12 is an absolute pole

 Relative Poles

A2 B2
B1
A1  12

12

O4
O2

How can the pole of the crank and the follower be found?
Both are moving links. The solution lies in the principle of
inversion which states that the relative motion between the
links of a 4 bar linkage are unchanged irrespective of which
link is grounded.
The erstwhile crank is now grounded. The new coupler
(erstwhile frame) is given two rotations

• about O2 by - . New position of O2O4 after rotation is

12

O2’O4’ .

• about O4’ by  .
12

A1 B1

Step 1

O4
O2
 Relative Poles

A1 B1

Step 1
O4
O2

A1 B1

O4 B1’
Step 2
O2 12

O42

A1 B1

Step 3
B2 B1’ Full motion
12
of inversion
O2 12 O4

O42
 Relative Poles

A1 B1

Step 1
O4
O2

A1 B1

O4 B1’
Step 2
O2 12

O42

A1 B1

Step 3
B2 B1’ Full motion
12
of inversion
O2 12 O4

O42
 Relative Poles
A1 B1

B2
B1’ R12
O41 
12

12
O2 O42

Consider B1R12O41 and B2 R12O42

O41B1  O42 B2 , B1R12  B2 R12 , O41R12  O42 R12
 B2 R12O42  B1R12O41
 O42 R12 B2  O41R12 B1
 O42 R12O41  O41R12 B2  B1R12 B2  O41R12 B2
 O42 R12O41  B2 R12 B1  312
Hence O42 R12 B2  O42 R12O41  O41R12 B2  O41R12 B2  θ312 and
O41R12 B1  B1R12 B2  O41R12 B2  O41R12 B2  θ312
Now
ΔO42 R12O41 and ΔB1 R12 B2 are isoceles with R12 A1 and R12O2
being the perpendicular bisectors of their respective bases
 B1R12 A1  B2 R12 A1 and O41R12O2  O42 R12O2
 312
 B1R12 A1  B2 R12 A1  O41R12O2  O42 R12O2 
2
 312  312
Hence A1R12O2  A1R12 B2  B2 R12O41  O41R12O2   B2 R12O41 
2 2
12
 A1R12O2  O41R12 B2  θ3

Hence
Crank and Follower subtend equal (or supplementary) angles at the
pole R12.

This kind of pole is called a relative pole