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Mechanisms and Machine Science 43

Philippe Wenger
Paulo Flores Editors

New Trends in
Mechanism
and Machine
Science
Theory and Industrial Applications
Mechanisms and Machine Science

Volume 43

Series editor
Marco Ceccarelli
LARM: Laboratory of Robotics and Mechatronics
DICeM; University of Cassino and South Latium
Via Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino (Fr), Italy
ceccarelli@unicas.it
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/8779
Philippe Wenger ⋅ Paulo Flores
Editors

New Trends in Mechanism

and Machine Science
Theory and Industrial Applications

123
Editors
Philippe Wenger Paulo Flores
CNRS University of Minho
Ecole Centrale de Nantes Guimarães
Nantes Portugal
France

ISSN 2211-0984 ISSN 2211-0992 (electronic)

Mechanisms and Machine Science
ISBN 978-3-319-44155-9 ISBN 978-3-319-44156-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-44156-6

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016947475

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017

This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part
of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
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or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar
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The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
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The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this
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Printed on acid-free paper

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The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland
Preface

EUCOMES 2016 is the sixth event in a series that was started in 2006 under the
patronage of International Federation for the Promotion of Mechanism and Machine
Science (IFToMM). The aim of the conference is to bring together European
researchers, industry professionals, and students from the broad range of disciplines
referring to mechanism science, in an intimate, collegial, and stimulating
environment.
The first edition of EUCOMES was held in February 2006 in Obergurgl
(Austria) and has continued subsequently in Cassino (Italy) in September 2008,
Cluj-Napoca (Romania) in September 2010, Santander (Spain) in September 2012,
and Guimarães (Portugal) in September 2014. The 2016 edition takes place in
Nantes, France, from 20 to 23 September 2016.
This book compiles the most recent research results in mechanism science,
intended to reinforce and improve mechanical systems in a variety of applications
in daily life and industry. It is published under the Machine and Mechanism Science
series and addresses issues related to: mechanism design an synthesis, mechanics of
robots, mechanism analysis, parallel manipulators, tensegrity mechanisms, cable
mechanisms, control issues, history of mechanisms, mechanisms for biomechanics
and surgery, and Industrial and nonindustrial applications. This book offers a
valuable addition to existing literature.
We are grateful to IFToMM, CNRS, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, Région-Pays-
de-la-Loire, and Atlanstic, which have supported EUCOMES 2016. We express our
grateful thanks to the staff of IRCCyN who helped in the organization of the
conference and to the members of the scientific committee for their valuable
support.
We also want to express our gratitude to all the authors for their interest in
participating in EUCOMES 2016 and for writing their manuscripts in a timely
manner.

v
vi Preface

We thank all anonymous and volunteer reviewers for their outstanding work,
which allowed the authors to get valuable feedback, and the Conference Springer
Book to be published as scheduled.

Nantes Philippe Wenger

Guimarães Paulo Flores
June 2016
Contents

Part I Mechanics of Robots 1

Calculation of the Ball Raceway Interferences Due to Manufacturing
Errors and Their Influence on the Friction Moment
in Four-Contact-Point Slewing Bearings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Iker Heras, Josu Aguirrebeitia and Mikel Abasolo
Meshing Analysis for TA Worm Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Yaping Zhao
Trade-Off for Space Mechanisms Actuator Technology
via a General Purpose Language and Domain Specific Simulations
Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Manolo Omiciuolo, Kristin Paetzold, Matthias Baader, Markus Thiel
and Klaus Peter Förster
Tolerance Analysis of Planar Serial Manipulators with Decoupled
and Non-decoupled Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Jiali Xu, Jean-Paul Le Baron and Vigen Arakelian

Part II Mechanism Analysis 1

Coupler-Link Mobility Analysis of Planar Four-Bar Linkages . . . . . . . . 41
Shaoping Bai
On the Dynamic Equivalence of Planar Mechanisms,
an Inertia Decomposition Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Jan de Jong, Johannes van Dijk and Just Herder
Determination of a Rigid Body Orientation by Means of Indirect
Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Irina Gavrilovich, Sébastien Krut, Marc Gouttefarde
and François Pierrot

vii
viii Contents

Algebraic Analysis of a New Variable-DOF 7R Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . 71

Martin Pfurner and Xianwen Kong
Overconstrained Single Loop Four Link Mechanisms
with Revolute and Prismatic Joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Martin Pfurner, Thomas Stigger and Manfred L. Husty

Part III Parallel Manipulators 1

Planar Stewart Gough Platforms with Quadratic
Singularity Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Bernd Aigner and Georg Nawratil
Forward Kinematic Analysis of the 3-RPRS Parallel Manipulator . . . . . 103
Anirban Nag, Santhakumar Mohan and Sandipan Bandyopadhyay
Computing the Safe Working Zone of a 3-RRS
Parallel Manipulator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dhruvesh Patel, Rohit Kalla, Halil Tetik, Gökhan Kiper
and Sandipan Bandyopadhyay
Comparison of 3-RPS and 3-SPR Parallel Manipulators
Based on Their Maximum Inscribed Singularity-Free Circle . . . . . . . . . 121
Abhilash Nayak, Latifah Nurahmi, Philippe Wenger
and Stéphane Caro
On the Workspace Representation and Determination of Spherical
Parallel Robotic Manipulators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Khaled Arrouk, Belhassen-Chedli Bouzgarrou and Grigore Gogu

Part IV Tensegrity Mechanisms

Compliant Gripper Based on a Multistable Tensegrity Structure . . . . . . 143
S. Sumi, V. Böhm, F. Schale and K. Zimmermann
Compliant Multistable Tensegrity Structures
with Simple Topologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Valter Böhm, Susanne Sumi, Tobias Kaufhold
and Klaus Zimmermann
Towards the Control of Tensegrity Mechanisms for Variable Stiffness
Applications: A Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Quentin Boehler, Salih Abdelaziz, Marc Vedrines, Philippe Poignet
and Pierre Renaud
Kinematic Analysis of a Continuum Parallel Robot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Oscar Altuzarra, Mikel Diez, Javier Corral, Gennaro Teoli
and Marco Ceccarelli
Contents ix

Part V Mechanics of Robots 2

3D Formulation for Revolute Clearance Joints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Filipe Marques, Fernando Isaac, Nuno Dourado and Paulo Flores
Efficiency Assessment in Spur Gears with Shifting
and Profile Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Alberto Diez-Ibarbia, Alfonso Fernandez-del-Rincon, Miguel Iglesias,
Ana De-Juan, Pablo Garcia and Fernando Viadero
Motion Design Considering Moment of Inertia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Sören Schulze, Carsten Teichgräber and Maik Berger
Recent Developments on Cylindrical Contact Force Models
with Realistic Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Fernando Isaac, Filipe Marques, Nuno Dourado and Paulo Flores
On the Determination of the Meshing Stiffness
and the Load Sharing of Spur Gears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
José I. Pedrero, Miguel Pleguezuelos and Miryam B. Sánchez

Part VI Industrial and Non-industrial Applications 1

WinMecC: Software for the Analysis and Synthesis of Planar
Mechanisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Alex Bataller, Antonio Ortiz, Juan Antonio Cabrera
and Fernando Nadal
Manipulator Motion Planning in Redundant Robotic System
for Fiber Placement Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Jiuchun Gao, Anatol Pashkevich and Stéphane Caro
Free and Open Source Software Applications for Education
of TMM Discipline in Bauman University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Andrei Vukolov
A Novel One-DoF Gravity Balancer Based on Cardan Gear
Mechanism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Yu-Chun Hung and Chin-Hsing Kuo
Galvanometer Laser Scanning: Custom-Made Input Signals
for Maximum Duty Cycles in High-End Imaging Applications . . . . . . . . 269
Virgil-Florin Duma

Part VII Control Issues

Optimal Motion of Flexible Objects with Oscillations Elimination
at the Final Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Natalia Varminska and Damien Chablat
x Contents

Alternating Error Effects on Decomposition Method in Function

Generation Synthesis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Omar W. Maaroof, Mehmet İsmet Can Dede and Gökhan Kiper
Control-Based Design of a Five-Bar Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Lila Kaci, Sébastien Briot, Clément Boudaud and Philippe Martinet

Part VIII History of Mechanisms

F. Reuleaux, F. Wittenbauer: Their Influence on Evolution
of Applied Mechanics in Russia at the Beginnings of XXth Century . . . 315
Andrei Vukolov
Applying Modern CAD Systems to Reconstruction of Old Design . . . . . 323
Gennady Timofeev, Olga Egorova and Ilya Grigorev

Part IX Cable Mechanisms

Increase of Position Accuracy for Cable-Driven Parallel Robots
Using a Model for Elongation of Plastic Fiber Ropes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Valentin Schmidt and Andreas Pott
Pose-Independent Counterweighting of Cable-Suspended Payloads
with Application to Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Carl Nelson, Raphaël Thienpont and Ashish Shinde
Preliminaries of a New Approach for the Direct Kinematics
of Suspended Cable-Driven Parallel Robot with Deformable
Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355
Jean-Pierre Merlet
Static Analysis of Planar 3-DOF Cable-Suspended Parallel Robots
Carrying a Serial Manipulator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
Marc Gouttefarde

Part X Mechanism Design and Synthesis 1

Structural Synthesis, Mobility Analysis and Creation of Complete
Atlas of Multiloop Planar Multiple-Jointed Kinematic Chains
on Base All Possible Sets of Color Multiple Joints
for Industrial Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Ekaterina Ermoshina and Vladimir Pozhbelko
Design and Development of a Triggered Type Underactuated
Grasping Mechanism and Its Application
to an Experimental Test Bed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Steven Grech and Michael Saliba
Contents xi

Solving the Minimum Distance Problem for the Synthesis

of Mechanisms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
Igor Fernández de Bustos, Vaness García Marina and Gorka Urkullu
Mobile Robot with Multiple Modes Based on 4-URU Parallel
Mechanism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 399
Zhihuai Miao, Jieyu Wang and Bing Li

Part XI Mechanisms for Biomechanics and Surgery

An Experimental Characterization of Human Knee Joint Motion
Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
Michał Olinski, Marco Ceccarelli, Daniele Cafolla and Antoni Gronowicz
An Innovative Parallel Robotic System for Transperineal Prostate
Biopsy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
Bogdan Gherman, Nicolae Plitea and Doina Pisla
A 2PRP-2PPR Planar Parallel Manipulator for the Purpose of Lower
Limb Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
Jayant Kumar Mohanta, Santhakumar Mohan, Sharad K. Pradhan
and Burkhard Corves
Singularity Analysis of a Wall-Mounted Parallel Robot with SCARA
MotionsLower Limb Exoskeleton with Hybrid Pneumaticaly Assisted
Electric Drive for Neuroreabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
Anton Aliseychik, Elena Kolesnichenko, Victor Glazunov, Igor Orlov,
Vladimir Pavlovsky and Natalia Petrovskaya

Part XII Mechanism Design and Synthesis 2

An Adjustable Constant Force Mechanism Using Pin Joints
and Springs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453
Patrice Lambert and Just L. Herder
Synthesis and Optimisation of Large Stroke Flexure Hinges . . . . . . . . . . 463
Martijn Grootens, Ronald Aarts and Dannis Brouwer
On the Grand 4R Four-Bar Based Inherently Balanced Linkage
Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
Volkert van der Wijk

Part XIII Mechanism Analysis 2

A Workspace Analysis of 4R Manipulators
via Level-Set Formulation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Matteo Russo and Marco Ceccarelli
xii Contents

A Constructive Method for the Approximation

of the Multiple Inverse Kinematics Solutions
of Noncuspidal 6 DoF Manipulators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 493
Vassilis Moulianitis, Dimitrios Vogiatzief and Nikos Aspragathos
Single-Loop Foldable 8R Mechanisms with Multiple Modes . . . . . . . . . . 503
Jieyu Wang, Guochao Bai and Xianwen Kong
Calibration of TCP-Fixed Bevel Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
Carsten Teichgräber, Jörg Müglitz and Maik Berger

Part XIV Industrial and Non-industrial Applications 2

Mechanism Type Synthesis Approach for Automated Handling
and Multiaxial Draping of Reinforcing Textiles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
Jan Brinker, Jascha Paris, Mario Müller, Mathias Hüsing
and Burkhard Corves
Design of a Reciprocal Hip Mechanism with Adjustable
Flexion-Extension Coupling Ratios for Prosthetic Applications . . . . . . . . 533
Kuan-Han Chen and Jyh-Jone Lee
Wind Turbine Based on Antiparallel Link Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543
Marat Dosaev, Lyubov Klimina and Yury Selyutskiy
Model and Analysis of a Novel Piezo-Electric Rotational Motor
Based on Deformation Wave Precession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Marco Leonesio, Nicola Cau, Giacomo Bianchi and Paolo Bonfiglio
Estimating Characteristics of a Contact Between Sensing Element
of Medical Robot and Soft Tissue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 561
Anastasya Yakovenko, Irina Goryacheva and Marat Dosaev

Part XV Parallel Manipulators 2

A Coordinate-Free Dynamical Model for Cable-Driven Parallel
Robots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573
Georges Le Vey
Path Generation Synthesis of Planar Double-Slider
Linkages via the Elliptic Coupler Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 581
Gökhan Kiper, Almina Akbalçık and Zehra Betül Şen
A Controller for Avoiding Dynamic Model Degeneracy of Parallel
Robots During Type 2 Singularity Crossing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
Damien Six, Sébastien Briot, Abdelhamid Chriette
and Philippe Martinet
Contents xiii

Singularity Analysis of a Wall-Mounted Parallel Robot

with SCARA Motions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 599
Guanglei Wu and Shaoping Bai
Design of a Cable-Driven Four-Bar Mechanism
for Arm Rehabilitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 609
Talha Eraz and Gökhan Kiper
 Part I
Mechanics of Robots 1
Calculation of the Ball Raceway
Interferences Due to Manufacturing
Errors and Their Influence on the Friction
Moment in Four-Contact-Point Slewing
Bearings

Iker Heras, Josu Aguirrebeitia and Mikel Abasolo

Abstract This work proposes a procedure for the determination of the interfer-
ences between balls and raceways in four-contact-point slewing bearings due to
manufacturing errors. The procedure is applied to a particular case and finite ele-
ment analyses are performed for the friction moment calculation, considering dif-
ferent preloads. The results are used to evaluate the influence of manufacturing
errors in the friction torque of the bearing.

Keywords Four-contact-point bearing ⋅ Slewing bearing ⋅ Manufacturing

errors ⋅
Friction moment

1 Introduction

Friction moment is a very relevant parameter when designing slewing bearings.

This type of bearing is used for orientation purposes in applications like tower
cranes or wind turbines, where large loads are involved (Fig. 1). In most cases, the
rotation is engine driven, so the friction moment must be estimated in order to
dimension it. With this aim, Leblanc and Nelias [9, 10] solved the ball kinematics
problem, which was later simplified for low-speed applications by Joshi et al. [7],
and then used for the analytical formulation of the friction torque. This model
assumes full sliding in the ball-raceway contacts, so the effects of the stick-slip
regime are not considered. Recently, a Finite Element (FE) model has been

I. Heras (✉) ⋅ J. Aguirrebeitia ⋅ M. Abasolo

University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
e-mail: iker.heras@ehu.eus
J. Aguirrebeitia
e-mail: josu.aguirrebeitia@ehu.eus
M. Abasolo
e-mail: mikel.abasolo@ehu.eus

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 3

P. Wenger and P. Flores (eds.), New Trends in Mechanism and Machine Science,
Mechanisms and Machine Science 43, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-44156-6_1
4 I. Heras et al.

Fig. 1 Loads acting on a

slewing bearing

developed by Aguirrebeitia et al. [4] for the calculation of the friction moment,
where these effects are taken into account.
Slewing bearings are usually preloaded by introducing slightly oversized balls,
avoiding thus the possible clearances due to the manufacturing tolerances. The
purpose of the preload is to improve the behavior of the bearing, reducing the
vibratory and runout phenomena in the assembly and increasing its stiffness [8].
However, the preload also carries an increment on the friction moment, so a bal-
anced solution has to be found.
The manufacturing errors are also a factor to be considered. This was studied by
Aithal et al. [5], who established that manufacturing tolerances affect the load
distribution among the balls.
The main goal of this paper is to explain a method to calculate the interferences
between the ball and the raceways of the bearing due to the manufacturing errors.
These errors are obtained for a particular case, and their effect in the friction
moment is evaluated by means of FE calculations.

2 Interferences Calculation Procedure

In this section, a procedure for the determination of the interferences between the
ball and the different raceways due to the manufacturing errors is proposed. For this
purpose, an analytical model has been developed. This model needs the real shape
of the raceways as input, so some experimental measurements must be taken as a
first step.

2.1 Measurement of the Raceways Geometry

To determine the real shape of a raceway in a certain circumferential position, a

minimum set of three points is required. Thus, the circumference that defines the
center and the radius of the raceway can be calculated. For a double arched ring,
Calculation of the Ball Raceway Interferences Due … 5

Contact point

C
N
R O

Reported point

Fig. 2 Coordinate-measuring machine (left), measured points (centre) and graphical representa-
tion of the probe in contact with the raceway (right)

Table 1 Nominal dimensions of the measured bearing

Bearing mean diam. Ball diameter Raceway radius Initial contact angle
541.000 mm 25.000 mm 13.250 mm 45°

6 points would be needed at least per each circumferential position (see Fig. 2). To
obtain the general shape of a ring, these measurements must be taken for several
circumferential positions.
Since the measurements are taken for each ring separately, the relative position
between them once the bearing is assembled is unknown. The analytical model
described in the following subsection aims to determine this position, from which
the ball-raceway interferences will be calculated.
For the measurements, a coordinate-measuring machine (CMM) was used. As it
is shown in Fig. 2, especial attention must be taken when measuring surfaces are
not flat and perpendicular to the approximation direction of the sensor probe. For
the particular case to which concerns this work, the CMM was programmed to
report the point R according to Fig. 2. From the reported coordinates, it is
straightforward to place the location of the center of the probe (point O), from
which the coordinates of each raceway centre can be obtained, as well as its radius.
The results shown in this paper were obtained for a bearing with nominal
dimensions reported in Table 1. In order to check the repeatability, the measures
were taken twice for each ring. It was also checked that the different measures from
the same raceway were coherent between them.

2.2 Analytical Model for Interference Calculation

Once the coordinates of the centres and the radii of the raceways are known for the
different circumferential positions, the next step in order to calculate the
ball-raceway interferences is to determine the relative position between the inner
and the outer ring. In this regard, the final spatial configuration will be the one with
6 I. Heras et al.

Fig. 3 Graphical representation of the analytical model

the minimum associated energy. The key of the proposed method lies on the
formulation and the minimization of the potential elastic energy of the system.
For this purpose, the ball-raceway contact model developed and validated by
Daidié et al. [6] is used. Taking advantage of this technique, the centres of the
raceways are linked each other by traction-only springs that simulate the stiffness of
the contacts, as shown in Fig. 3. This way, each pair of springs represents the four
contacts in each ball of the bearing.
For the formulation of the potential energy, the outer ring is fixed, while the
position of the inner ring will be a function of the relative displacements and
rotations between them.
Since manufacturing errors are being taken into account, the natural lengths of
the springs can be different from each other. For a given circumferential position,
and according to the numbering used in Fig. 3, the natural length of spring i is
given by:

liN = RiC + RiC+ 2 − Dw where i = 1, 2 ð1Þ

On the other hand, the real length ðlÞ will be a function of the position of the
inner ring. Having both natural and real lengths, the summation of the interferences
corresponding to each contact pair linked by each spring will be calculated
according to the next expression:

δ = l − lN ð2Þ

Regarding the stiffness of each contact, it can be expressed as follows [6]:

(
105283 ⋅ Dw1 ̸ 2
if δ>0
K= ð1 − sÞ0.2919 ð3Þ
0 if δ≤0

where s = Dw ð̸ 2RC Þ is the osculation ratio of the contact. In the ball-raceway

hertzian-type contact the relationship between the ball load (Q) and its deformation
ðδÞ is formulated as:
Calculation of the Ball Raceway Interferences Due … 7

Fig. 4 Interferences in the measured bearing with the nominal ball

̸2
Q = Kδ3 ð4Þ

This formula is applicable when no truncation of the contact ellipse exists and
only elastic deformations are involved, which is assumable with the load rates
involved in the studied case. From this expression, the total stiffness of the spring
i that links the raceway centres i and ði + 2Þ is obtained:

1 1 1
2 ̸3
= + ð5Þ
ðKTot
i
Þ ðK i Þ2 ̸ 3 ðK i + 2 Þ2 ̸ 3

Finally, the potential energy for the entire system formed by B balls will be
given by:

2 B h 1b  1b 5 ̸2  2b 5 ̸ 2 i
EP = ∑ K δ 2b
+ KTot δ ð6Þ
3 b = 1 Tot

Inasmuch as the interferences are functions of the five parameters that define the
final position of the inner ring, so will be the potential energy.
The proposed formulation was implemented in Octave and the minimization of
the potential energy was performed by means of a gradient based algorithm. For the
particular case studied in the present work, the results for the interferences can be
seen in Fig. 4.

3 Finite Element Model for Friction Moment Calculation

As it has been mentioned before, the friction moment is an especially relevant

magnitude in slewing bearings. Therefore, it would be interesting to evaluate the
influence of the manufacturing errors in the friction moment. With this aim, dif-
ferent FE calculations were performed, which results are given and compared in the
next section.
The model used for the friction moment calculation is based on the one
developed previously by the authors in [4], which is shown in Fig. 5. For the
8 I. Heras et al.

Fig. 5 Finite element model: mesh and applied loads

modelization, only the sector corresponding to one ball is considered. Note that the
mesh was built putting special care to the contact region. Applied loads and
boundary conditions are detailed below:
• Outer ring: external surfaces fixed to the ground.
• Ball preload: simulated by imposing a specific thermal condition.
• Manufacturing tolerances: simulated by introducing an offset to the contacting
surfaces of the raceway, as done by Aithal et al. [5]. This supposes an
improvement over the previous model [4].
• Inner ring: external surfaces fixed while applying the preload and manufacturing
errors. Then, the rotation of the ring is applied.
In the contact surfaces, a typical value of 0.1 was taken for the friction coeffi-
cient, supposed that it is lubricated with grease [7].
In order to calculate the friction moment for the entire system, as many calcu-
lations as balls inside the bearing would be needed. For simplification purposes and
to avoid high computational costs, a Design Of Experiments (DOE) was planed
considering the 3 parameters related with the tolerances: the interferences in each
contact pair (two interferences) and the raceways radii. Taking pick and valley
values for these parameters, full factorial DOE was performed considering 3 levels
for the conformity ratio and 4 levels for the interferences. Based on (4) and [6], the
next functional approximation is proposed, where the given values for the constants
have been obtained by the least squares fitting with the points from the DOE:
8
( >
> n = 2.10
ð
C1 δn1 Þ + C2 ðδ1 + δ2 Þ
+ δn2 n <
Mf = ð1 − sÞm
if δ1 ⋅ δ2 ≠ 0 where
m = 0.73
ð7Þ
0 if δ1 ⋅ δ2 = 0 >
> C = 351
: 1
C2 = 131

where Mf is in (Nm) and δ in (mm). For the given values in (7), the proposed
formula shows an average error of 3.8 % for a single ball among the studied design
points of the DOE. This expression was used to calculate the results for every ball.
Calculation of the Ball Raceway Interferences Due … 9

Fig. 6 Friction moment VS ball preload, with (solid line) and without (dotted line) the effect of
the manufacturing errors

Table 2 Discrepancies in the friction moment due to manufacturing tolerances

Discrepancy Nominal ball +5 μm +10 μm +15 μm +20 μm
Total (Nm) 13.68 43.44 68.93 91.80 103.53
Relative (%) – 336 118 67 40

4 Results and Discussion

The model described in Sect. 2.2 was used to obtain the values of the interferences
for the case of nominal ball and balls with four different preloads, from +5 to
+20 μm. Feeding (7) with these values of the interferences, the contribution of
every ball to the friction moment in each case was obtained. The results are shown
in Fig. 6.
In order to evaluate the effect of the manufacturing errors in the friction moment,
four more FE calculations were performed, one per each preload case, considering
the nominal geometry. These results are given together with the previous ones in
the Fig. 6.
Table 2 shows the numerical values for the discrepancies between both cases
from Fig. 6. Here it can be seen that the effect of the manufacturing errors have a
great influence in the friction moment, ergo they must be considered when accurate
results are required.

5 Conclusions and Future Work

This work presents a procedure for the calculation of the ball-raceway interferences
due to manufacturing errors in four-contact-point bearings. This procedure has been
applied to a particular case and the values of the interferences have been obtained.
The results have been used to perform FE analyses for the friction moment
10 I. Heras et al.

calculation, which prove that the manufacturing tolerances can have a significant
effect in the friction torque. Thus, not considering them can lead to underestimated
results.
The described analytical model can also be used to determine the load distri-
bution for a given external load. It would allow the inclusion of the stiffness of the
rings as well. The stiffness of each ring could be calculated by FE modelling via
superelemet techniques, reducing the elastic behaviour of the bearing to the centres
of the raceways. In comparison with the analytical models developed previously by
the authors [1–3], this model would be able to consider both manufacturing tol-
erances and the stiffness of the rings. Future research will develop these aspects.
For the final validation, some experimental tests are required for correlation
purposes. This way, two different test campaigns have been planned: one for the
determination of the friction moment using different preloads but no external loads,
and a second one for the friction coefficient calculation, which is needed to feed the
analytical model.

Acknowledgments The authors wish to acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of
Economy and Competitiveness through project number DPI2013-41091-R, and also the support of
the University of the Basque Country through project number UFI 11/29.

References

1. Aguirrebeitia, J., Plaza, J., Abasolo, M., Vallejo, J.: General static load-carrying capacity of
four-contact-point slewing bearings for wind turbine generator actuation systems. Wind
Energy 16(5), 759–774 (2012)
2. Aguirrebeitia, J., Abasolo, M., Avilés, R., Fernández de Bustos, I.: General static load-carrying
capacity for the design and selection of four contact point slewing bearings: finite element
calculations and theoretical model validation. Finite Elem. Anal. Des. 55, 23–30 (2012)
3. Aguirrebeitia, J., Plaza, J., Abasolo, M., Vallejo, J.: Effect of the preload in the general static
load-carrying capacity of four-contact-point slewing bearings for wind turbine generators
theoretical model and fin. Wind Energy 17(10), 1605–1621 (2013)
4. Aguirrebeitia, J., Abasolo, M., Plaza, J., Heras, I.: FEM model for friction moment
calculations in ball-raceway contacts for applications in four contact point slewing bearings.
In: 14th World Congress in Mechanism and Machine Science, Taipei, Taiwan, 25–30 Oct
2015
5. Aithal, S., Siva Prasad, N., Shunmugam, M.S., Chellapandi, P.: Effect of manufacturing errors
on load distribution in large diameter slewing bearings of fast breeder reactor rotatable plugs.
In: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical
Engineering Science, pp. 1–12 (2015)
6. Daidié, A., Chaib, Z., Ghosn, A.: 3D simplified finite elements analysis of load and contact
angle in a slewing ball bearing. J. Mech. Des. 082601–1–8 (2008)
7. Joshi, A., Kachhia, B., Kikkari, H., Sridhar, M., Nelias, D.: Running torque of slow speed
two-point and four-point contact bearings. Lubricants 3(2), 181–196 (2015)
8. Kang, S.H., Tesar, D.: An analytical comparison between ball and crossed roller bearings for
utilization in actuator modules for precision modular robots. In: ASME 2003 Design
Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering
Conference, Chicago, pp. 1221–1230, 2–6 Sept 2003
Calculation of the Ball Raceway Interferences Due … 11

9. Leblanc, A., Nelias, D.: Ball motion and sliding friction in a four-contact-point ball bearing.
J. Tribol. 129(4), 801–808 (2007)
10. Leblanc, A., Nelias, D.: Analysis of ball bearings with 2, 3 or 4 contact points. Tribol. Trans.
51(3), 372–380 (2008)
Meshing Analysis for TA Worm Drive

Yaping Zhao

Abstract The meshing analysis for the TA worm is performed. The formulae to
determine the key points on the boundary of the contact zone are proposed. Based
on this, the strategy to obtain the contact lines and the instantaneous contact points
is put forward. The existence of the constant contact line is proved and verified
numerically. The numerical consequences manifest that the local meshing quality is
relatively good. The meshing analysis makes clear that the way to improve the
meshing behaviour further is to remove the constant contact line by the
modification.

Keywords TA worm drive ⋅ Meshing analysis ⋅ Conjugate zone ⋅ Instanta-

neous contact line

1 Introduction

The TA worm drive is also called the Hindley worm drive or the globoidal worm
drive, which was initially invented by Henry Hindley in 1765 [1, 2]. Afterwards,
Cone greatly boosted the Hindley worm drive and got his related patent in 1932
[3, 11]. The basic design and manufacture methods of the TA worm drive were
preliminarily summarized in Ref. [6].
Starting from the 1950s, Litvin made the fitful researches on the meshing prin-
ciple of the TA worm drive on the basis of the strict meshing analysis [9, 10, 12].
Nevertheless, his work only includes the development of the equations of the tooth
surfaces of the worm pair and excludes the computations of the meshing limit
functions, the normal vector of the instantaneous contact line, the induced normal
curvature, etc.

Y. Zhao (✉)
Northeastern University, Shenyang, China
e-mail: zhyp_neu@163.com

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 13

P. Wenger and P. Flores (eds.), New Trends in Mechanism and Machine Science,
Mechanisms and Machine Science 43, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-44156-6_2
14 Y. Zhao

Beginning from the 1980s, some authors [7, 8, 13, 14] performed the meshing
analysis for the TA worm drive. Among them, merely Hu [8] provided the
numerical results but his results are lack of reliability.
In the investigations of Dong [5], the meshing analysis for the TA worm gearing
was made more completely and plenty of numerical examples were supplied.
Nonetheless, he calculated the curvature parameters of the worm surface in line
with the theory of locus surface.
Recently, Zhao [15] laconically figured down the curvature parameters for the
helicoidal surface of a TA worm by means of a direct method whereas his work did
not contain the meshing analysis.
Besides, a common deficiency of the preceding studies is that it fails to explain
the process of the meshing analysis clearly. For example, how to determine the key
points on the boundary of the contact zone of the worm pair was not interpreted
obviously in the literature. This work well surmounts such shortcomings in this
aspect.

2 Meshing Geometry of TA Worm Drive

As illustrated in Fig. 1, by right

n of the machining
o principle
n of the TA wormodrive, two
fixed coordinate systems, σ o1 O1 ; i⃗o1 , j⃗o1 , ko⃗ 1 and σ o2 O2 ; i⃗o2 , jo⃗ 2 , ko⃗ 2 , are used
to indicate the initial positions of the worm blank and the tool post, respectively.
Herein the two unit vectors, ko⃗ 1 and ko⃗ 2 , lie along their axial lines. Such two vectors
are mutually perpendicular and the shortest distance between them is the distance from
the point O1 to O2 , and jO1 O2 j = a. Therein a is the center distance n of the wormopair.
Over and above that, two rotatable coordinate systems, σ 1 O1 ; i⃗1 , j1⃗ , k1⃗ and
n o
σ 2 O2 ; i⃗2 , j⃗2 , k2⃗ , are linked to the worm roughcast and the cutter frame,
respectively. When the rotation angle of the worm roughcast is φ, the intercon-
nected rotating angle of the tool apron is φd and φd = φ ̸i12 , in which i12 is the
transmitting ratio of the worm drive.
In σ 2 , the vector equation of the straight cutting edge can be represented as

ð r⃗d Þ2 = − u i⃗2 + rb j⃗2 , ð1Þ

where rb is the main basic circle radius of the worm gear.

Via the coordinate transformation, it is possible to attain the equation for the
helicoidal surface, Σ 1 , of the TA worm in σ 1 , which can be expressed as
 h πi 
ð r1⃗ Þ1 = R½ k1⃗ , − φ R i⃗o1 , R½ k⃗o2 , φd ð r⃗d Þ2 + a i⃗o1
2 ð2Þ
= ðxod + aÞ cos φ i1⃗ − ðxod + aÞ sin φ j⃗1 + yod k1⃗ = r1⃗ ðu, φÞ,
Meshing Analysis for TA Worm Drive 15

Fig. 1 Drawings to account O1

for formation of TA worm ko1=k1
pair. a Schematic diagram for
machining TA worm,
b Position relation among a io1
coordinate systems u

O2 j2

d
jo2
rb

io2 i2

(a) Schematic diagram for machining TA worm.

ko1=k1
ko2=k2
a
io1
j1
i1
jo1 r1
j2
O2
rd r2
jo2
d 2
io2
i2

(b) Position relation among coordinate systems.

where xod = − u cos φd − rb sin φd , yod = − u sin φd + rb cos  φd , and u and φ are the
two parameters of Σ 1 . The symbols, R½ ko⃗ 2 , φd , R io⃗ 1 , π2 , and R½ k1⃗ , − φ denote
the rotation transformation matrices [4].
A unit vector αξ⃗ is set up to be along the tangential orientation of the parameter
u-line of Σ 1 , namely

ð αξ⃗ Þ1 = − cos φd cos φ i⃗1 + cos φd sin φ j⃗1 − sin φd k1⃗ , ð3Þ

such that
 
αη⃗ 1
= ð n⃗1 Þ1 × ð α⃗ξ Þ1 = αηx i⃗1 + αηy j⃗1 + αηz k1⃗ , ð4Þ
qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi2
−1
where αηx = i12 D ½i12 ðxod + aÞ sin φ − u sin φd cos φ, D= ðxod + aÞ2 + iu2 ,
12

αηy = i12− D1 ½i12 ðxod + aÞ cos φ + u sin φd sin φ, αηz = − i12uD cos φd .
During the engagement of a TA worm drive, also as shown in Fig. 1, two
rotatable coordinate systems, σ 1 and σ 2 , are linked to the worm and the worm gear,
respectively. When the rotation angle of the worm is φ1 , the interconnected rotating
angle of the worm gear is φ2 and φ2 = φ1 ̸ i12 .
16 Y. Zhao

If assuming that the worm rotates around k⃗o1 with the angle velocity
j ω1⃗ j = 1 rad ̸ s, the relative angle velocity and the relative velocity of the worm pair
can be worked out as

1 yod xo1 − a
ð ω1⃗ 2 Þo1 = ⃗o1 + ko⃗ 1 , ð V ⃗12 Þo1 = − yo1 i⃗o1 + xo1 j⃗o1 − o⃗ 1 , ð5Þ
i12 j i12 i12 k

where xo1 = ðxod + aÞ cosðφ1 − φÞ, yo1 = ðxod + aÞ sinðφ1 − φÞ.

By definition, the meshing function of a TA worm pair, Φ, can be attained as

2 φ −φ φ −φ φ − φ
Φðu, φ, φ1 Þ = sin 1 Aϕ cos 1 + Bϕ sin 1 , ð6Þ
i12 D 2 2 2

rb u
where Aϕ = u
, Bϕ = ðxod + aÞða cos φd − uÞ.
sin φd cos φd
i12

From Eq. (2) and with the aid of Eq. (6), the tooth surface equation of the TA
worm gear can be achieved in σ 2 as

ð r2⃗ Þ2 = x2 i2⃗ + y2 j⃗2 − yo1 k2⃗ , Φðu, φ, φ1 Þ = 0, ð7Þ

where x2 = ðxo1 − aÞ cos iφ121 + yod sin iφ121 , y2 = − ðxo1 − aÞ sin iφ121 + yod cos iφ121 .
From Eq. (6), it is uncomplicated to acquire the meshing limit function and the
outcome is

1  
Φφ1 = Aϕ cosðφ1 − φÞ + Bϕ sinðφ1 − φÞ . ð8Þ
i12 D

The normal vector of the instantaneous contact line can be represented as

 
ð N ⃗Þo1 = Nξ ð α⃗ξ Þo1 + Nη α⃗η o1 , ð9Þ

where !   
ð1Þ  
Nξ = τξ V 12 ∙ α⃗η o1 + ð ω⃗12 Þo1 ∙ αη⃗ o1 ,
 o1
!   
ð1Þ !
Nη = τξ V 12 ∙ð α⃗ξ Þo1 + 2H ð1Þ V 12 ∙ αη⃗ o1 − ð ω⃗12 Þo1 ∙ð αξ⃗ Þo1 .
o1 o1
ð1Þ
In Eq. (9), τξ is the geodesic torsion of Σ 1 along αξ⃗ and H ð1Þ is its mean
curvature.
The curvature interference limit function can be acquired as
!  !   
Ψ = Nξ V 12 ∙ð αξ⃗ Þo1 + Nη V 12 ∙ α⃗η o1 + Φφ1 . ð10Þ
o1 o1
Meshing Analysis for TA Worm Drive 17

The induced principal curvature and the sliding angle can be figured out as
0 1
ð12Þ Nξ2 + Nη2 B Ψ − Φφ 1 C
kN = , θvt = arcsin@ !  qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi A. ð11Þ
Ψ V 12 2
Nξ + Nη2
o1

3 Numerical Example and Discussion

The basic parameters of the TA worm pair under consideration are a = 250 mm,
i12 = 40, and Z1 = 1, where Z1 is the number of worm thread. The geometrical
design computation in this study is performed in accordance with the approach
proposed in Ref. [5].
The contact zone and the instantaneous contact lines of the worm drive are shown
in Fig. 2. The contact zone A′B′EF is denoted by symbol Σ 2B , which corresponds to
the second factor of the meshing equation Φ = 0 (See Eq. (6)). On the worm gear
tooth surface, the lines AB, CD, and EF match together and constitute the constant
contact line, which corresponds to the first factor of the meshing equation, namely
φ1 = φ. On the other hand, the lines AB and CD are the representatives of the inlet and
outlet portions of the worm, so that the parameters of points A and C can be attained as
rffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ðAÞ )
1 2 φd 2rb Lw
uA = uC = da2 − rb2 , = arctan pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
ffi ∓ arcsin pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi , ð12Þ
4 ðCÞ 2 − 4r 2 2da2
φd d a2 b

(a) worm (b) worm gear

Fig. 2 Conjugate zone and contact lines of worm drive. a worm, b worm gear
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Nightmare on
the nose
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
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you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Nightmare on the nose

Author: Evelyn E. Smith

Release date: December 23, 2023 [eBook #72489]

Language: English

Original publication: New York, NY: King-Size Publications, Inc, 1953

Credits: Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NIGHTMARE

ON THE NOSE ***
nightmare on the nose

By Evelyn E. Smith

Incubus won every race but one. Yet though

in this respect she matched Man o' War's
record she wasn't actually a horse at all.

The gifting of animals with

human speech is scarcely an
unique idea—see Dal Stivens'
THE UNDOING OF CARNEY
JIMMY in this issue should you
have doubts—the idea of a
talking horse goes back at least
to the siege of Troy, for
certainly there must have been
some dialogue amongst the
Greek warriors enclosed in the
wooden horse's belly. But we
think you'll agree that Miss
Smith's filly has something
special.
 [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Fantastic Universe October-November 1953.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Every time he lost money at the track Phil Watson had a nightmare.
They grew increasingly frequent as his bankroll dwindled and his
hopes of getting rich dwindled accordingly.
The night after he had dropped two hundred dollars at Jamaica, the
nightmare grew particularly oppressive. In the darkness he could see
her red eyes glowing at him as she sat on his chest.
"Would you mind not turning over so much?" she asked, seeing that
he was awake. "It makes me uncomfortable."
"It makes you uncomfortable!" he moaned. "How would you like to
have a couple of tons of horse sitting on you?"
"I do not weigh a couple of tons!" she snapped. "And furthermore I
assure you I'm sitting on your chest out of duty, certainly not out of
pleasure. If you don't think I have lots better things to do with my
nights than go around sitting on people...." Her large white teeth
gleamed in a significant leer.
He sighed and squirmed again. A sharp hoof kicked him in the side.
"That'll learn you not to wiggle, Watson. Since you're not sleeping,"
she added, "how about a couple of games of Canasta?"
"I've been losing enough on the races—I'm not going to start
gambling with a supernatural card shark."
"Listen here." The nightmare bristled. "I can beat you at any game
without the use of supernatural powers. You're known as the
number-one sucker at all the tracks."
"That's right. That's right. Kick a man when he's down."
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to be unsporting. But you
get me so mad!"
"Unsporting ..." he mused—then sat up as a terrific idea hit him.
"Watch your step, Watson," the nightmare warned when the sudden
movement nearly threw her off the bed. "I've been standing for a lot
from you but—"
"Listen, can you run?"
"Run? Whaddya mean run?"
"How fast can you go?"
"Well, I'll be honest with you. Down—where I come from I'm known
as 'Old Slow Poke.' I can't move much faster than speed of sound
while all the other girls have the velocity of light. But that's the way it
is—some are born with brains and some with speed."
"The velocity of sound is good enough," Watson decided. "Look
here, Nightmare, how'd you like to run in a race?"
"A race?" Then the nightmare chuckled evilly to herself. "Oho, I see
what you mean! But that wouldn't be cricket, would it?"
"Cricket and horse-racing are two distinct sports!" Watson stated.
Then, alluringly, "How'd you like to run down the track five lengths
ahead of all the other horses, with the band playing and the crowd
cheering? You'd be led into the winner's circle and they'd drape
flowers all over you. People would yell 'Nightmare, Nightmare!' You'd
be a popular figure, a celebrity. This way nobody knows you. You
work at night, alone—unappreciated and unsung...."
"That's so true," the nightmare murmured. "I really haven't received
the adulation I deserve. Here I've done my job faithfully for years,
scared thousands of people into fits—and what thanks do I get?
None!" She sobbed. "Other people get all the credit and glory. I just
work, work, work like a horse."
"If you work for me," Watson said, "you'll only run a mile or so two or
three times a week, get the finest of care and"—he pointed out
significantly—"your nights will be your own."
"Watson," the nightmare assured him, "I'm sold. When do we start?"
"It isn't as easy as all that." Watson rose and paced up and down the
room. "First of all you're not in the stud book. We'll have to forge
some papers and pass you off as an Argentinian horse."
"Si, si, señor," said the nightmare, wriggling with pleasure. "Hablo
muy bien el español. El estrivo de mi padre es en el establo de mi
madre. Yo soy del Rancho Grande. Olé!"
"It isn't necessary for you to speak Spanish. As a matter of fact you
won't get to do any talking at all. Horses don't talk."
"But I do," she said, wounded. "Where I come from I am known as a
witty and distinguished raconteur. You know the one about the two
geldings?"
"Never you mind," he told her. "From now on you don't talk—except
to me. Get it?"
"Yeah," the nightmare agreed. "All right, Watson, I'll give it a whirl.
I've always wanted to be in the public eye."
For the sake of expediency Watson decided to give the nightmare,
now officially registered as Incubus, her preliminary workouts himself
—although he was no trainer. But then Incubus really needed no
workouts. It merely looked well to take her around the track a few
times.
"Remember, Inky," he whispered, "not too fast. We want to give 'em
a big surprise at the meet."
"I dig you," she whispered back.
Reuben Godlove, the well-known trainer, sauntered past and looked
at Incubus. "My God," he told Watson, "what kind of a monster are
you running! She's got a face like a gargoyle and a rear like a
hippopotamus."
"You want I should clout him in the crupper?" Incubus whispered.
"No, no!" he whispered back. "I'm glad he doesn't take to you,
because if he thought you were any good he might claim you."
"Claim me? Whaddya mean?"
"Well, you see," he explained, "since you're unknown and have no
record I've had to enter you in a claiming race. That means anybody
who's running another horse in the same race can put in a claim for
you before the race, for the price I set on you, and become your
owner."
"What's the price you set on me?"
Watson hemmed and hawed. "Three thousand dollars," he admitted.
Incubus cocked an eye at him. "You selling me down the river for a
mess of pottage, Watson?"
"No, no," he assured her, "I can't help it—this is some goddam silly
racing rule. You have no reputation so I've got to enter you in a
maiden claimer."
Incubus raised an eyebrow. "A maiden claimer?"
"A maiden horse," he explained austerely, "is one which has never
won a race."
"Oh-h-h-h," she said. "Sorry."
"Now, if the worst comes to the worst and you do get claimed we can
figure out ways and means of getting you back. Can't we, Inky?"
Incubus laughed richly. "Clout him in the crupper!" she chortled. "Oh,
man!"

The day dawned when Incubus was to make her debut at Belmont.
The odds on her were a hundred to one. Laughing softly to himself,
Watson put five hundred dollars on her nose.
"You crazy, fella?" the seller said to him. "The horse to bet on is
Godlove's Pamplemousse. He's a natural to win."
"Incubus is my own horse," Watson explained patiently.
"Oh, I guess it's like my kid. He plays the pianner and stinks but I
gotta clap for him all the same."
"Why didn't you give her some hip reducing exercises," Godlove
sneered as the jockey led Incubus out into the paddock. "She'll never
get through the starting gate with that spread."
"Take it easy," Watson told her, as she reared. "Now, listen," he said
to the jockey, a sullen young apprentice—all he could get—"she
responds to direction very well. Talk to her. She practically
understands."
"Oh, sure," the jockey jeered. "Is snookums gonna win the race for
daddykins?"
"Ess," replied Incubus.
The jockey stared at her and at Watson. Watson laughed, a trifle too
hard. "I'm a great ventriloquist," he explained. "Can't break myself of
the habit."
"Well, you better begin now," the jockey said, "because I'm
temperamental and when I'm emotionally disturbed the horse senses
it."
"The horses," the announcer declaimed through the loudspeaker,
"are at the post.... They're off!... All of them, that is, except Incubus.
She can't get through the starting gate. She's stuck."
"Yah, wear a girdle!" the crowd called derisively.
With a wrench of sheer rage Incubus pulled herself through the gate
and dashed after the other horses. "In the backstretch it's
Pamplemousse in the lead with Disestablishmentarianism and
Epigram running half a length behind and.... But who's this coming
up from the rear? It's Incubus! She's ahead by a length.... By two
lengths.... By three lengths! What a horse! What a jockey! He's
giving her the whip!... Oh, oh, something's wrong. Incubus has lost
her rider! Too bad, Incubus."
The horses raced up the stretch, with Incubus keeping five lengths
ahead of Pamplemousse as per direction. She was much annoyed to
discover that he had won the race.
"But I won it!" she kept whispering to Watson as he led her off. "I was
first. This is a frame-up. I'm going right to the judges and raise an
objection."
"It doesn't count if you don't have the jockey on you," he told her.
"That's the rule."
"Flap the rules!" she said. "You mean without that pee-wee it doesn't
count? A fine thing! I hate the rules, I hate the rules, I hate the rules!"
She stamped her foot. "He hit me with a whip, the little bastard, so I
gave him the old heave-ho."
"Aw, come on now, Incubus, we'll get another jockey who won't whip
you. You see how easy you can win a race?"
She tossed her head. "I'm not so sure I want to run again."
"You know you want to run, Incubus. You've made a big impression, I
could see that."
"Who cares what people think?"
"I saw Pamplemousse giving you the eye," Watson murmured.
"Good-looking horse, isn't he? Any filly'd be glad to have him
interested in her."
"Oh, I dunno," Incubus said. "He's all right, I guess, if you like them
tall and dark. But, okay, I'll try it again for you, Watson."
Godlove accosted them again as Watson led Incubus into her stall. "I
take back what I said about your horse, Watson," he apologized.
"She looks like a fiend, but she runs like one too. With the proper
handling, she might be a stake horse." He looked speculatively at
Incubus. "Give you five thousand for her, big rump and all."
"Not on your life."
Godlove shrugged. "Suit yourself. But she'll have to run in another
claimer, you know." He left, laughing softly.
After two weeks of steady diet and vigorous massage, during which
her hip measurements were considerably reduced, Incubus was
entered in a four-thousand-dollar claimer. Even though she was still
a maiden she was favored next to Pamplemousse by the players, for
her unusual first start had not passed unnoticed. Watson bet another
five hundred, to obtain which he had mortgaged the old homestead.
But this time he could get only even money.
"Remember, Incubus," he instructed her as he buckled her saddle, "if
Godlove claims you you know what to do."
"Sure do. Shall I let him live afterward?"
"Yeah, let him live. Just make it uncomfortable for him.... Now look
here, sonny." This to the new jockey. "She doesn't like the whip. You
saw what she did to her last boy?"
The jockey nodded and gulped.
"All you have to do is sit on her and let her go where she wants.
Then you'll be all right."
"I wooden even get near her," the boy said, "if I didn't have an aged
mother to support."

The starter waved the yellow flag and the horses were off. Incubus
raced neck and neck with Pamplemousse until they were a furlong
from the finish line. Then she surged ahead to win by five lengths.
When she rode into the winner's circle the crowd booed, as is their
pleasant custom with winning horses and jockeys.
"A popular figure, eh?" Incubus sneered. "Tcha!"
"Y'know, Mr. Watson," the jockey said as he was assisted from the
horse with a dazed but beatific smile on his face, "I'm so steamed up
over this win I even thought Incubus was talking to me."
The men standing around laughed. "You've let excitement go to your
head," Godlove remarked. "Personally I would never hire a jockey
who has no emotional equilibrium."
The jockey reached a tentative finger toward Incubus' nose. "Good
horse," he said. "Good Incubus."
"I think you're pretty nice yourself," Incubus murmured out of the side
of her mouth. There was a stricken silence.
Reuben Godlove's eyes narrowed. "That jockey who rode her the
other day told me about your ventriloquism," he informed Watson.
"Seems like a pretty cheap trick if you ask me." The others
murmured agreement, color flowing back into their faces.
"Anyhow, now that she's my horse," Godlove went on, taking
possession of Incubus' bridle. "She's going to be trained serious."
"Now?" Incubus asked Watson.
"Later," he whispered back.
"That ain't funny, Watson," Godlove assured him. As he led Incubus
off she looked back over her shoulder and winked.
"Mr. Watson," the jockey said, following him off the field, "you're not
really a ventriloquist, are you? That horse talks, doesn't she?"
Watson nodded.
"You gonna let Godlove get away with her?" The boy's voice rose to
a shrill squeak.
"I'll claim her back in the next race."
"Yeah, but you can't claim her back less'n you've entered another
horse in the same race and you don't have another horse, do you,
Mr. Watson?"
Watson's jaw dropped. "I never thought of that! What'll I do?"
"You've got to get another horse, Mr. Watson. Do you have enough
money?"
"Well, the purse from this race is almost two thousand, and I made
another thousand betting on Incubus. And, of course, Godlove gave
me four thousand for her. But that won't be enough to buy a decent
horse and maintain him—expenses are terrific."
The jockey chewed his lower lip thoughtfully. "I know what you can
do," he said at length, "you can buy Prunella. She's set at a price of
five thousand dollars but her owner's pretty disgusted with her—she
has good lines but she finished last in twenty-seven starts—and I
think you could have her for four thousand in cash."
Prunella, a meek-looking chestnut filly with big brown eyes and a
vicious temper, was enthusiastically disposed of for four thousand
and installed in Incubus' vacant stall. Watson shed a silent tear to
see Incubus' second-best saddle hanging there on the wall.
In the dead of night he slipped into Godlove's stable. Incubus was
awake, reading the Morning Telegraph. "Look at the picture they
have of me," she snapped. "Obviously taken by an enemy. Next time
Watson, remember—my right profile is the best."
"I'll remember," he promised and told her what had happened.
"You're sure this Prunella isn't taking my place in your affections?"
she demanded severely. "That all this isn't a subterfuge?"
"My God, no! She quits before she starts."
"All right," Incubus said. "Now, I am reliably informed by the stable
grapevine that Godlove's entering me in a six-thousand-dollar
claimer. You spent almost all your money on Prunella—how're you
going to claim me?"
There was dead silence in the stable.
"These men," she sighed. "Without us females to think for them
they'd be lost. The answer is simple. Prunella's got to win that race.
Then you'll have the purse, plus whatever you can bet on her, and
you'll get good odds."
"Prunella win the race! She couldn't beat a speedy snail."
"She'll win the race." Incubus grinned happily.

The weather was clear and the track fast. Incubus was running at
three to five—Prunella ninety-eight to one. Reuben Godlove
appeared with his arm in a sling and a bandage on his forehead and
glowered at Watson. "A fine trainer you are," he snarled.
"Let's see how well you've done with her," Watson suggested,
smiling amiably.
The starting gate opened and all the horses dashed out—all except
Prunella, who sauntered forth and stood admiring the view. Incubus
turned, ran back and nipped Prunella viciously in the forequarters.
With a whinny of rage Prunella proceeded to chase Incubus, who
was showing a fleet pair of heels along the track. But there were six
horses between Prunella and her attacker.
With a thrust of her powerful shoulders, Incubus sent Dernier Cri
staggering into the geraniums that bordered the field. She thrust a
hoof into the path of Kropotkin and sent him and his rider sprawling
on the track. She murmured something into Epigram's ear and that
black colt turned light grey and refused to budge another step.
There were now three horses between Incubus and Prunella.
Polyhymnia suddenly started to run backward. Sir Bleoberis buried
his head in the sand and pretended he didn't notice the race was still
going on. Cachucha—who had hitherto not been known as a jumper
—hurdled the rail and dashed into the crowd of astonished players.
Still Incubus ran lightly before Prunella, half a length ahead, kicking
dust in her face and making irritating remarks, while the enraged filly
laid her ears back and bared white teeth to snap at her rival. One
length before the finish line Incubus suddenly stopped short, leaving
momentum to carry Prunella over the line to victory!
Prunella had won the race. Incubus was second but was disqualified
for conduct unbecoming a horse and a lady. It was never determined
who had run third.
"Together again at last, Watson," Incubus said during the joyful
reunion in the paddock. "Ah, but it's been a long, long time...."
"Two weeks," commented the jockey, who had ridden Prunella.
"Listen, pipsqueak," Incubus told him irately. "I've spent the whole
two weeks cooking up this speech and I don't want a half-pint like
you spoiling it. It's been a long, long time, Watson...."
Prunella nickered.
"None of your lip, either," Incubus said. "Where would you have been
if I hadn't won your race for you? Oh, you can run if you want to, can
you? Ha! Ha! Plater!"
Prunella neighed angrily.
"Okay, Watson'll enter you in a claimer without me and we'll see what
you can do." She turned toward her owner. "And now, Watson, I trust
you have a hot tub prepared. I'm so-o-o-o tired...."

The racing secretary entered Incubus for an allowance with some

misgivings. "But if she behaves again this time the way she did last
she's out, Watson. Suspended—disqualified! Can't have that sort of
thing going on, you know."
"She's actually the most tractable of horses, sir," Watson assured
him. "It's merely that Mr. Godlove didn't know how to handle her."
"Oh—ah," the racing secretary said.
"And I'd like to enter Prunella in the five-thousand-dollar claimer."
The racing secretary smiled. "Well, Mr. Watson, you don't have to be
afraid that anybody'll claim her. Godlove has spread the word
around. Now everybody's afraid to claim a Watson horse."
Prunella won handily in her claimer and Incubus breezed to victory in
her allowance. "Bet on Watson horses," the word went round the
tracks. Incubus won a Class C, Class B and Class A handicap in
swift progression, Prunella came in first in two seven-thousand-dollar
claimers and second in a ten-thousand-dollar one.
And then Incubus came in last in a stake race at Aqueduct.
"What's the matter with you, Incubus?" Watson demanded. "You can
run ten times around the track before any of these nags could reach
the quarter-mile pole."
Incubus lay on her back in the hay and chewed reflectively on a
straw. "You know, Watson," she said, "there are finer things in life
than racing."
"What, for instance?"
She simpered. "I've been talking to Pamplemousse—you know,
Godlove's horse—and he says it isn't ethical what I'm doing, that I'm
competing with horses way below my class, that it isn't fair."
"But there aren't any horses in your class."
"I know," she sighed. "Sometimes superiority can have its
disadvantages. That's what Pamplemousse says—he says it isn't fair
for me to run at all. Says woman's place is in the home. Do you think
woman's place is in the home, Watson?"
Prunella neighed in the adjoining stall.
"That's a dirty lie!" Incubus shrieked, getting up. "I double dare you to
say it once more." Prunella kept silence.
"You're in love, Incubus?" Watson asked gently.
She bowed her head. "I didn't know I could be—I thought I was too
tough. But you're never too tough. Oh, I know I'm a stake horse and
he's still only a claimer but I love him just the same."
"Well, if that's the way you feel about it, Inky, I guess you have a right
to. Only"—he gulped—"I'd entered you in the Belmont Futurity and it
means ... so much to me."
Incubus wiped away a tear with a wisp of hay. "All right, Watson, I'll
win the Futurity for you. After all you have first claim on my loyalty.
Who brought me out of obscurity? You! Who recognized my
potentialities? You! Who made a horse out of me? You!"
Incubus won the Belmont Futurity and was carried off the track on
the shoulders of a cheering crowd. Retouched photographs of the
big black horse hit not only the sport pages but the front page of
every newspaper in the country.
But the question of her racing again was shelved for the nonce.
Shortly after the Futurity, Watson discovered that Incubus was
pregnant. "Pamplemousse?" he asked.
She nodded shyly.
"But how could you do it? You two were in separate stalls."
Incubus snickered. "I have my methods, Watson."
"He's a low cad," said Watson.
"I knew what I was doing. I went into it with my eyes open."
He wondered just how he was going to enter the foal in the stud
book. Although it would be of impeccable ancestry its escutcheon
would be marred by a bend sinister.
Some months later, Incubus called Watson to her stall.
"What is it, Inky?"
"I don't know how to tell you this, Watson. I've got to go back."
"Back! Back where, Inky girl?"
"Back where I came from. Oh, I might have known it was never to
be, that you can't wipe out the past. Still I'd hoped that somehow—
some way.... But the Big Bookie says no. I've got to go back where I
came from—I don't belong here. He says I was sent as a
punishment, not as a reward."
She extended a hoof toward Watson's hand. "I had my baby tonight,
Watson. Take good care of her—she's half equine, so she can stay
here—and she'll be the fastest thing on earth when she grows up.
Prunella'll help you raise her and support the family."
Watson wiped his streaming eyes. "I'll take care of your baby,
Incubus," he vowed. "I'll call her Incubus Two and I'll treat her as if
she were my own daughter."
"I knew I could count on you, Watson. Well—this is goodbye."
Incubus slowly vanished.
It was hard losing Incubus. He'd grown attached to her, looking on
her not only as a horse but a friend. Still, at least he had the colt. In
two years she would take up where her mother had left off and again
the Watson name would reverberate through the racetracks.
He went inside the stall, looked down at Incubus' daughter, who
reposed on the hay looking up at him with big blue eyes. He gasped.
He had forgotten. Incubus was not a real horse, she was merely a
demon in the shape of a horse.
Incubus Two was not in the shape of a horse.
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