MECH 331

Chapter 3
Graphical Linkage Synthesis

All figures taken from Design of Machinery, 3rd ed. Robert Norton 2003

1
 Introduction
• Synthesis: to design or create a
mechanism to give a certain motion
• Analysis: to determine the motion
characteristics of a given mechanism

2
 Function, Path, & Motion Generation
• Function Generation: correlation of an input motion
with an output motion in a mechanism
• Path Generation: control of a point in a plane such
that it follows some prescribed path
• Motion Generation: the control of a line in a plane
such that it assumes some prescribed set of
sequential positions
• Planar vs. Spatial Mechanisms: many spatial
mechanisms duplicate planar mechanisms

3
 Limiting Conditions (Toggle)
• Toggle: a point where
the link cannot rotate
anymore. Determined
by the colinearity of
two moving links.
• Need to check when
making a design
(either by making a
cardboard model or
working model).

4
 Limiting Conditions
• Transmission angle (m): the absolute value of
the acute angle of the pair of angles at the
intersection of the two links (output and
coupler).
• Want the force in link 3 to rotate link 4
• Optimum value of 90°
• Try to keep the minimum
value above 40°

5
Transmission Angle

Fcos(m)
F
Fsin(m)

6
Preliminaries: 4-bar linkage

Point A: Point B:
pure rotation pure rotation

A 3 B
4
2

7
Preliminaries: Center Point Construction
Given point A, known to move in a circle
from A1 to A2. Determine the center of
rotation.
A1 A2
1. Draw line connecting A1 A2
2. Bisect, draw perpendicular line
3. Choose center

8
 3.4 Dimensional Synthesis
• Dimensional Synthesis: the determination of
the proportions (lengths) of the links
necessary to accomplish the desired motions.
• Types of synthesis: Rocker output (pure
rotation) (function generation) and coupler
output (complex motion) (motion generation)

9
Rocker Output -Two Positions with
Angular Displacement (Function)
Required: design a 4-bar Grashof crank-rocker to give 45°
of rocker rotation with equal time forward and back.

10
 Rocker Output
• Draw O4B in two
extreme positions
• Draw chord B1B2 in
either direction
• Select point O2
• Bisect B1B2 and draw
circle of that radius at
O2
• Check Grashof, if NOT 45°
repeat above steps with
O2 further from O4
• Crank-O2A, Coupler
AB, Rocker O4B,
Ground O2O4
11
Rocker Output

12
 Rocker Output – Two positions with
Complex Displacement (Motion)
• Want to move from
C1D1 to C2D2
• Construct perpendicular
bisectors C1C2 and D1D2
• Intersection of the
bisectors is the rotopole
(the ground location)
• The output link is shown
in its two positions

13
Rocker Output – Two positions with
Complex Displacement.
• Repeat steps before

14
Coupler Output – Two Positions with
Complex Displacement.
• Want to move from C1D1
to C2D2
• Construct ^ bisectors of
C1C2 and D1D2.
• Any point of bisector of
C1C2 can be O2 and any Pick
point on bisector of D1D2
can be O4 Pick

• Links are O2C1, C1D1,

D1O4, and ground O2O4
15
 Three Position Motion Synthesis
• Want the coupler to go from C1D1 to C2D2 to C3D3

D1
C1
D2
C2
D3

C3

16
 Three Position Motion Synthesis
• Construct ^ bisector of
C1C2 and C2C3. Where
they intersect is O2.
• Construct ^ bisector of
D1D2 and D2D3. Where
they intersect is O4.
• Links are O2C1, C1D1, and
D1O4, and ground is O2O4

17
 Three position synthesis with alternate
attachment points and driving dyad
• The given points do not have
to be used as the D1
attachment points C1 C2 D3
D2
• Draw points E and F
relative to C and D C3
at each position
• Solve to move
from E1F1 to
E2F2 to E3F3
• Can add a driver dyad
18
 Quick Return Fourbar Mechanism
• Quick return: goes quicker in one direction (a)
than the other (b)
• Time Ratio
TR=a/b
• a+b=360
b
• b=360/(1+TR)
a
• Max TR of 1:1.5
(Beyond that value, the transmission angles
become poor)
19
 Quick Return Fourbar Mechanism
Problem: Design a 4-bar linkage to provide a TR of
1:1.25 with 45° output rocker motion
Draw output link in extreme
positions (45° apart)
Calculate a, b and d, where d
d=|b-180|=|180-a|
a =160°, b =200°, d =20°
Draw a construction line thru B1
at any convenient angle
Draw a construction line thru B2
at an angle d from 1st line
20
 Quick Return Fourbar Mechanism
• Intersection is O2
• Extend arc from B1 to find
twice driver length
d
• Return is a, going is b

21
 Crank Shaper Quick Return
• Can be used for larger time ratios
• Has disadvantage of a slider joint

22
 Crank Shaper Quick Return
• Locate ground on vertical line passing thru O2.
Draw a line at angle a/2. Pick length for link 2.
• Draw line ^ to first at slider. same length
• B
• Where this line
intersects vertical
line is the ground
a/2
• Length of output
motion can be chosen by moving
attachment point (B) up or down
23
Crank Shaper Quick Return - Animation

24