• Instantaneous centre of rotation(ICR):

The instantaneous centre is the point fixed to a body undergoing planar

movement that has zero velocity at a particular instant of time. Hence, the points on
the body are considered to have only a rotational motion with respect to ICR.

• Kennedy’s Theorem:
Kennedy's theorem identifies the fundamental property of three rigid
bodies in motion. The three instantaneous centres shared by three rigid
bodies in relative motion to one another all lie on the same straight line.

• How to identify the total number of Instantaneous centres?

Assume there are ‘n’ links, then the total number of instantaneous
centres ‘N’ is given by the following formula,
N=n(n+1)/2

Analysis of ICR by the experimental method

• How was the experimental method conducted?

Given a four-bar linkage, we have 6 ICR’s. Four ICR are already determined
by the revolute joints between links 2-1, 2-3, 3-4, 4-1. For the remaining 2 ICR’s we
have to follow Kennedy’s Theorem. Hence for calculating ICR between 1-3 we fix
link 1 and link 3 to two independent graph sheets. When in the reference position,
these graphs should overlap perfectly. When a small rotation is given to link 3 that
graph attached to link 3 rotates along with it. Hence we can locate such a point about
which all the gridlines are rotated. This point is the ICR for link 1-3. Similarly, ICR
for link 2-4 can be obtained by fixing link 2 and link 4 to two independent graph
sheets.

Reference Configuration and Rotated configuration

 Figure 1. ICR 2-4

Reference Configuration and Rotated configuration

Figure 2. ICR 1-3