Addis Ababa Science and Technology University Mechanisms of Machinery

(MEng3071)
Mechanisms of Machinery
Work Sheet 1 (Chapter 1 and Chapter 2)

Part I: Conceptual Problems

1) Explain with suitable sketches ‘inversions of slider crank chain’.

2) Sketch at least six different examples of the use of a planar four bar linkage in practice. They can be found
in the workshop, in domestic appliances, on vehicles, on agricultural machines, etc. (Assignment)
3) The link lengths of a planar four bar linkage are 26, 76, 127, 127 mm. Assemble them in all possible
combinations and sketch the four inversions of each. Do these linkages satisfy Grashof’s law? Describe
each inversion by name, e.g. a crank rocker mechanism or a drag link mechanism.
4) How many DOF do you have in your wrist and hand combined?
5) How many DOF do the following joints have?
a. Your knee b. Your ankle c. Your shoulder d. Your hip e. Your knuckle
6) Describe the motion of the following items as pure rotation, pure translation, or complex planar motion.
a. A windmill b. A bicycle (in the vertical plane, not turning) c. A conventional "double-hung"
window d. The keys on a computer keyboard e. The hand of a clock
7) Calculate the Grashof condition of the fourbar mechanisms defined below. Build
models of the linkages (If you can get materials like card board, wood strip or with any materials possible
to cut and shape easily) and describe the motions of each inversion. Link
lengths are in millimeters. (Assignment)

a 51 45 178 229
b 51 35 178 229
c 51 40 153 203
8) Describe the difference between a cam-follower (half) joint and a pin joint.
9) Define the term ‘Degrees of freedom’.
10) Define the term Inversion. What are the properties of Inversion? Explain advantages arising out of the
concept of inversion.
11) Explain the practical use of the Toggle Mechanism, Slider Crank Mechanism, and the Quick Return
Mechanism.

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Part II: Workout problems

1) Find out degrees of freedom of mechanisms shown in Fig. below. (Assignment)

b c
a

d e
2) Find the DOF, and the Grashof’s condition of the mechanism (Crimping tool) shown below.
(Assignment)

3) In a slider crank mechanism shown in Fig. 1 offset by a perpendicular distance of 50 mm from the
center C. AB and BC are 750 mm and 200 mm long respectively crank BC is rotating at a uniform
speed of 200 rpm. Draw the velocity vector diagram and determine velocity of slider A and angular
velocity of link AB.
Also check your answer with instantaneous velocity method. Locate all the instant centers.
(Assignment)

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

4) Link 2 of the mechanism shown in the figure 2 has an angular velocity of 56 rad/s CCW. Lengths of the
links are R BA=R BO =250 mm , RO O =100 mm , RCA =300 mm
4 4 2

Use instant center method to find the velocity of point C. Locate all the instant centers and use those to
find the velocity of the point C.
5) The figure 3 shows a variation of the Scotch-yoke mechanism. It is driven by crank 2 at

ω 2=36 rad / s CCW . Find the velocity of the crosshead, link 4.

6) Fig. 4 below shows a toggle mechanism in which link D is constrained to move in horizontal direction.
For the given configuration, find out :
a) velocities of points band D
b) Angular velocities of links AB, BC, and BD. The rank OA rotates at 60 r.p.m. in anticlockwise
direction. Use instant center method.
(Assignment)

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Figure 4 Figure 5

7) A toggle mechanism is shown in figure 5 along with the diagrams of the links in mm. find the velocities
of the points B and C and the angular velocities of links AB, BQ and BC. The crank rotates at 50 rpm
in the clockwise direction.
8) A mechanism, as shown in Fig. 6 below, has the following dimensions: OA = 200 mm; AB = 1.5 m;
BC = 600 mm; CD = 500 mm and BE = 400 mm. If crank OA rotates uniformly at 120 r.p.m.
clockwise,
a) Locate all the instantaneous centers.
b) The velocity of B, C and D,
c) The angular velocity of the links AB, BC and CD.

Figure 6

9) Find all the instant centers of the linkages shown in Fig. below. (Assignment)

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Figure 7

10) The linkage shown in Question 7, Fig. 7a above has O 2A=0.8, AB=1.93, AC=1.33, and offset=0.38 in.
The crank angle in the position shown is 34.30 and the angle BAC=38.60. Find ω 3 , V A , V B ∧V C for the
position shown for ω 2=15 rad /sec in the direction shown.
a) Using instant center method.
b) Using graphical method. (Assignment)
11) Fig 8. below shows a mechanism in which the crank OA, 100 mm long rotates clockwise about O at
130 r.p.m. The connecting rod A B is 400 mm long. The rod CE, 350 mm long, is attached to A B at C,
150 mm from A . This rod slides in a slot in a trunnion at D. The end E is connected by a link EF, 300
mm long, to the horizontally moving slider F.
Determine, for the given configuration:
a) velocity of F
b) velocity of sliding of CE in the trunnion
c) angular velocity of CE
d) Angular Acceleration of CE, Acceleration of sliding of CE in the trunnion, acceleration of slider
F Notice Point O is fixed. Use Vector Mathematics and Check it with Graphical method.
(Assignment)

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Figure 8
Figure 9

12) In the mechanism shown in Fig. 9 above, the crank OA rotates at 60 rpm. Determine
a) The linear acceleration of the slider at B
b) The angular accelerations of the links AC, CQD and BD.
13) In combined four bar chain and slider crank mechanism of Fig. 10 below, the angular velocity of the
crank OA is 600 rpm. Determine the linear velocity and acceleration of slider 6 as also the angular
velocity and acceleration of link 5, when the crank is inclined at an angle of 750 to the vertical. The
dimensions of various links are: OA=28 mm; AB=44 cm; BC=49mm; BD=46 mm and the center
distance between the centers of rotation O and C is 65 mm. Path of travel of the slider is 11 mm
vertically below fixed point C. (Assignment)

Figure 11

Figure 10

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14) For the mechanism shown in Fig. 11 above, lengths of the various links are OE=15 cm; AB=40cm;
BC=60 cm; CD=20 cm. The crank OE rotates at 70 rpm. For the configuration shown in figure,
determine
a) Velocity of the die-block in the slot of lever AB.
b) Linear acceleration of point B.
c) Linear acceleration of point C.
d) Coriolis acceleration of link BC.
e) Angular acceleration of link BC
15) In the pump mechanism shown in Fig. 12 below, OC=32 cm, AP=68 cm and OA= 65 cm. For the
given configuration, determine
a) Angular velocity of the cylinder; the sliding velocity of the plunges and absolute velocity of the
plunger,
b) Linear (slider) acceleration of the slider P and
c) Angular acceleration of the piston rod. The crank OC rotates at 20 rad/s clockwise.
Solve by Complex number method.

Figure 12

16) In the mechanism shown in Fig.13 below, the crank OC rotates at 1 revolutions/ sec. Determine
a) Linear acceleration of the slider P;
b) Angular acceleration of the links CA, AQB and PB. (Assignment)

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Figure 14

Figure 13

17) In the mechanism shown in Fig. 14 above, crank OA=10 cm and rotates in clockwise direction at a
speed of 100 rpm. The straight rod BCD rocks on a fixed pivot at C. BC and CD are each 20 cm long
and the link AB=30 cm long. The slider E is driven by the rod DE which is 25 cm long. Find the
velocity of point E.
18) The dimensions of the various links of a mechanism, as shown in Fig. 15, are as follows: OA = 80 mm ;
AC = CB = CD = 120 mm If the crank OA rotates at 150 r.p.m. in the anticlockwise direction, find, for
the given configuration:
a) Velocity and acceleration of B and D
b) Angular acceleration of the links A B and CD.
[Ans. 1.1 m/s ; 0.37 m/s ; 20.2 m/s2, 16.3 m/s2 ; 0.15 m/s ; 34.6 rad/s2; 172.5 rad/s2]

Figure 15

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