ME 301 THEORY OF MACHINES I

HOMEWORK 2

QUESTION 1.
In the planar mechanism given, the link numbers are shown in the figure.
a) Find the degree of freedom, the number of independent loops, and the total number of
required joint variables (position variables).
b) Choose a sufficient number of revolute joints which when disconnected yield an open-loop
system. Indicate those joints. Assign the joint variables and show them clearly.
c) Write the necessary number of independent loop closure equations using vectors described
⃗⃗⃗⃗ , RS
by directed lines such as SQ ⃗⃗⃗⃗ , etc.
d) Using complex numbers, re-write these loop closure equations in terms of the joint variables
and the fixed parameters of the mechanism.

AB = r2 , BC = r3 , AE = r1 , ED = a1 , ∡CBE = 𝛽3

Solution:
a) ℓ = 6, 𝑗 = 7 (5𝑅, 2𝑃) ⇒ 𝐹 = 3(6 − 7 − 1) + 7 = 1
𝐿 = 7 − 6 + 1 = 2, # of joint variables= 4 + 1 = 5

b) R joints at B and C are chosen for disconnecting.

 𝐵3

𝐵2 𝐶5

𝐶3

𝑠43 𝜃16
𝜃14 𝑠65
𝜃12

Joint variables for the remaining joints are 𝜃12 , 𝜃14 , 𝑠43 , 𝜃16 and 𝑠65 .

⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
c) LCE 1: 𝑃 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐵2 = 𝑃𝐵3 ⇒ 𝐴𝐵2 = 𝐴𝐸 + 𝐸𝐵3
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

LCE 2: ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑃𝐶5 ⇒ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

𝑃𝐶3 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐸 + 𝐸𝐵 𝐵𝐶3 = 𝐴𝐷⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ + ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐷𝐶5

d) 𝑟2 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12 = r1 + 𝑠43 𝑒 𝑖𝜃14

r1 + 𝑠43 𝑒 𝑖𝜃14 + 𝑟3 𝑒 𝑖(𝜃14 +𝜋+𝛽3 ) = (r1 + a1 ) + 𝑠65 𝑒 𝑖𝜃16

QUESTION 2.

An off-set slider-crank mechanism is shown. The fixed link lengths are 𝑟1 = 0.04m, 𝑟2 = 0.2m
and 𝑟3 = 0.5m. The joint variables are 𝜃12 , 𝑠14 and 𝜃13 . The input joint variable is 𝑠14 . Find
𝜃12 and 𝜃13 when 𝑠14 = 0.4m. Find the solutions for both assembly configurations. Sketch the
two assembly configurations.
Solution:
⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝐴𝐵 = ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗ + 𝐶𝐵
𝐴𝑄 + 𝑄𝐶 ⃗⃗⃗⃗⃗

𝑟2 𝑒 𝑖𝜃12 = 𝑖𝑟1 + 𝑠14 + 𝑟3 𝑒 𝑖𝜃13

𝑟2 cos 𝜃12 = 𝑠14 + 𝑟3 cos 𝜃13 (a)

𝑟2 sin 𝜃12 = 𝑟1 + 𝑟3 sin 𝜃13 (b)

To eliminate 𝜃12 , add squares of eqns (a) and (b):

𝑟22 = 𝑠14
2
+ 2𝑟3 𝑠14 cos 𝜃13 + 𝑟32 + 𝑟12 + 2𝑟1 𝑟3 sin 𝜃13

⇒ 𝐴 cos 𝜃13 + 𝐵 sin 𝜃13 = 𝐶 where 𝐴 = 2𝑟3 𝑠14 , 𝐵 = 2𝑟1 𝑟3 , 𝐶 = 𝑟22 − 𝑠14
2
− 𝑟32 − 𝑟12

𝜑 = 𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛2 (𝐵, 𝐴) , 𝐷 = √𝐴2 + 𝐵 2

𝐶
𝜃13 = 𝜑 ± cos−1 𝐷

𝑟1 +𝑟3 sin 𝜃13 𝑠14 +𝑟3 cos 𝜃13

𝜃12 = 𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛2 ( , )
𝑟2 𝑟2

Numerical values: = 0.4 , 𝐵 = 0.04 , 𝐶 = −0.372

𝐵
tan−1 𝐴 = tan−1 0.1 = 5.7𝑜 , 185.7𝑜 , 𝜑 = 𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛2 (𝐵, 𝐴) = 5.7𝑜

𝐷 = √𝐴2 + 𝐵 2 = 0.402
𝐶
𝜃13 = 𝜑 ± cos−1 𝐷 = 5.7𝑜 ± 157.7𝑜 = 163.4 𝑜 , −152. 0𝑜

Assembly configuration 1(shown with primes in the figure below):

𝑟 +𝑟 sin 𝜃 0.183
𝜃13 = 163.4 𝑜 ∶ tan−1 𝑠 1 +𝑟3 cos 𝜃13 = tan−1 −0.079 = −66.7𝑜 , 113.3𝑜 ⇒ 𝜃12 = 113.3𝑜
14 3 13

Assembly configuration 2 (shown with double primes in the figure below):

𝑟 +𝑟 sin 𝜃 −0.195
𝜃13 = −152. 0𝑜 ∶ tan−1 𝑠 1 +𝑟3 cos 𝜃13 = tan−1 −0.042 = 77.9𝑜 , 257.9𝑜 ⇒ 𝜃12 = 257.9𝑜
14 3 13