Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Full Ebook of Compliant Mechanisms Design of Flexure Hinges 2Nd Edition Nicolae Lobontiu Online PDF All Chapter
Full Ebook of Compliant Mechanisms Design of Flexure Hinges 2Nd Edition Nicolae Lobontiu Online PDF All Chapter
https://ebookmeta.com/product/primary-mathematics-3a-hoerst/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/regulation-of-energy-markets-
economic-mechanisms-and-policy-evaluation-2nd-2nd-edition-
machiel-mulder/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/regulation-of-energy-markets-
economic-mechanisms-and-policy-evaluation-2nd-2nd-edition-
machiel-mulder-2/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/the-behavior-of-animals-mechanisms-
function-and-evolution-2nd-edition-johan-bolhuis/
Software Product Management: The ISPMA®-Compliant Study
Guide and Handbook 2nd edition Hans-Bernd Kittlaus
https://ebookmeta.com/product/software-product-management-the-
ispma-compliant-study-guide-and-handbook-2nd-edition-hans-bernd-
kittlaus/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/design-of-machinery-an-
introduction-to-the-synthesis-and-analysis-of-mechanisms-and-
machines-sixth-edition-robert-l-norton/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/impact-investing-instruments-
mechanisms-and-actors-2nd-2nd-edition-wolfgang-spiess-knafl/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/organic-reactions-and-their-
mechanisms-2nd-edition-v-k-ahluwalia/
https://ebookmeta.com/product/organic-reaction-mechanisms-
selected-problems-and-solutions-2nd-edition-groutas-w-c/
Compliant Mechanisms
Compliant Mechanisms
Design of Flexure Hinges
Second Edition
Nicolae Lobontiu
Second edition published 2021
by CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
Reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and
publisher cannot assume responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of
their use. The authors and publishers have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material
reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this
form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write
and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint.
Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted,
reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers.
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, access www.
copyright.com or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive,
Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. For works that are not available on CCC please contact
mpkbookspermissions@tandf.co.uk
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and
are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Typeset in Times
by codeMantra
To my parents, Ana and Nicolae
Contents
Preface to the Second Edition ............................................................................xiii
Author ................................................................................................................. xv
vii
viii Contents
xiii
xiv Preface to the Second Edition
xv
1 Introduction
This introductory chapter gives a brief description of flexible hinges and flexure-
based compliant mechanisms for macro- and micro-scale applications by high-
lighting the main traits of these mechanical members/devices. An outline of the
subject matter and the associated approach in this book is also sketched here in
order to identify and possibly locate the work in the context of similar dedicated
information that has already been published.
Derived from the term compliance, utilized by Paros and Weisbord [1] to
identify the reciprocal of stiffness, the compliant qualifier is utilized in this book
to identify any mechanical device that comprises at least one elastically deform-
able joint, called flexible (or flexure) hinge. Such a mechanism usually includes
other rigid links, which ensure the necessary rigidity and serve as input/output
ports. The flexible-hinge mechanisms employ their mobility to perform conver-
sions between electric, thermal, magnetic, etc. and mechanical energies. Many of
these mechanisms, which are typically of monolithic architecture, are designed to
undergo relatively low levels of rotation/deformation in order to generate accurate,
quasi-continuous output motion. This work covers the flexure-based compliant
mechanisms possessing all these traits.
Figure 1.1 shows the schematic representation of two microaccelerometers –
sensing microdevices used to evaluate external acceleration. Both devices have a
planar structure and comprise rigid links (fixed or movable) that are connected by
Rigid link
Flexible hinges
Anchor
Flexible hinges
Rigid link
Rigid link
In-plane motion
Out-of-plane
motion
Anchor
(a) (b)
FIGURE 1.1 Flexible-hinge microaccelerometers with: (a) in-plane motion; (b) out-of-
the-plane motion.
1
2 Compliant Mechanisms
Rigid links
Flexible hinge
Rotation joint
(a) (b)
FIGURE 1.2 Joints enabling relative rotation in mechanisms: (a) conventional rotation
joint; (b) skeleton representation of a generic flexible hinge.
Stops
Fixed shaft Mobile link
Fixed link
(a) (b)
FIGURE 1.3 Functional similarity between rotary bearings and flexible hinges: (a) col-
located (concentric) rotation produced by a rotary bearing; (b) non-collocated rotation
produced by a flexible hinge.
Figure 1.3. In a classical rotary bearing, the relative rotation takes place between
a shaft and its housing, these mating parts are concentrically located, and the
rotation can be limited to a specific angular sector, as indicated in Figure 1.3a. A
flexible hinge can provide a similar limited rotary output, and the only difference
is attributable to the fact that the “centers” of the two adjacent members undergo-
ing the relative rotation are no longer collocated, as shown in Figure 1.3b.
Physically, a flexible hinge can mainly be achieved in two different ways:
Among the benefits provided by the flexible hinges, the most notable are:
• No friction losses;
• No need of lubrication;
4 Compliant Mechanisms
• No hysteresis;
• Compactness;
• Capacity to be utilized in small-scale applications;
• Ease of fabrication;
• Virtually no maintenance needed;
• No need of repair since the mechanism will operate until something will
fail (usually the hinges) because of fatigue or overloading;
• Producing small-increment, quasi-continuous and very precise motion.
• The hinges, particularly the notch ones, provide relatively low levels of
rotations due to stress limitations;
• The rotation is not pure because the deformation of a flexible hinge is
complex as it is produced by axial loading, shear and torsion in addition
to bending;
• The flexible hinge is usually sensitive to temperature variations, and
therefore, its dimensions change as a result of thermal expansion/contrac-
tion, which leads to modifications in the original hinge elastic properties.
Bending-sensitive
Bending-sensitive
Flexible hinge axis
axis
Bending-sensitive
axis
Rigid link
Rigid link
(a) (b) (c)
FIGURE 1.4 (a) Straight-axis flexible hinge of rectangular cross-section; (b) straight-
axis flexible hinge of circular cross-section; (c) curvilinear-axis flexible hinge of rectan-
gular cross-section.
Straight segment
(a) (b) (c)
FIGURE 1.5 Skeleton representation of: (a) straight-axis flexible hinge; (b) curvilinear-
axis flexible hinge; (c) flexible hinge with straight- and curvilinear-axis segments.
Oftentimes, it is convenient to use a simplified, skeleton representation of
flexible hinges by just drawing the longitudinal axis of the hinge, as illustrated in
Figure 1.5.
A considerable number of compliant mechanisms utilize a reduced pool
of flexible-hinge configurations. Apart from the constant cross-section (either
rectangular or circular) designs that present the inconvenience of high stress
concentration at the areas joining the rigid links, two other geometries – the
circular design (Paros and Weisbord [1]) and the right circularly corner-filleted
configuration (Lobontiu et al. [4]) (these basic configurations are sketched in
Figure 1.6) – occupy an ample space of choices for flexible-hinge applications.
The simplicity of their geometry and the relative ease of fabrication are two
main reasons that prompted the widespread use of these two types of hinges. In
addition, both configurations come with the advantage of being able to reduce
the stress concentration levels through the filleted regions at their corners (ends).
A thorough analytical presentation of single-axis and two-axis circular flexure
hinges is provided in Paros and Weisbord [1]. The authors of this paper inter-
changeably utilized the terms flexure hinge and flexure to denote a mechani-
cal member, which is “compliant in bending about one axis but rigid about the
cross-axes”, and mentioned that flexure hinges are incorporated in applications
where angular motion is required about an axis – the compliant axis. The key
merit of this seminal work consisted in the clear mathematical definition of a
flexure hinge as a spring element, which displays two distinct behaviors: it is
compliant about one axis, in order to produce the desired rotation, and stiff (as
much as possible) in all other motions about the other axes in order to prevent/
minimize the respective parasitic motions. This paper provided analytical equa-
tions, both exact and approximate, for the spring rates (reciprocal to compliances)
of single-axis and two-axis circular symmetric flexures in terms of the motions
generated through the consideration of bending and axial effects. The alterna-
tive terminology of flexural pivot has also been utilized over the years in refer-
ring to the same mechanical member. The notch hinge has also been employed
by several authors; see Smith [5], for instance, especially for single-axis flexible
hinges. While the term flexure aptly depicts the primary function and operation
mode of an elastic joint to flex (bend), there are also hinge configurations whose
main intended/functional deformation is torsional. In order to cover all possible
deformation modes, the terminology flexible hinge is used throughout this book.
The term compliance (also known as flexibility) is utilized here in the original
definition given in Paros and Weisbord [1] such that the term refers to the quantity
which is the reciprocal of one flexure’s spring rate (or stiffness). As a terminology
extension from compliance – see also previous mention at the beginning of this
chapter – the qualifier compliant is used in this book to denote the behavior of a
mechanical device/mechanism that moves by the elastic deformation of its flex-
ible hinges in order to realize a design objective (actuation or sensing).
Expanding the flexible-hinge design domain with new geometries and con-
figurations is prompted by practical need. The compliant behavior of flexible
hinges and flexure-based mechanisms largely depend on the specific geometry
of the hinge for a given material. Slight alterations in geometry and dimensions
can sensibly modify the elastic response. This aspect is particularly important in
mechanisms where precision is a key performance parameter or where a finely
tuned, quasi-continuous output is expected in terms of displacement, force or fre-
quency (resonant) response. This book provides compliance equations for a large
variety of flexible-hinge configurations that have been developed and reported in
the specialty literature over the past years or which are new. It also qualifies and
compares the flexible hinges in terms of level and precision of the output motion,
sensitivity to parasitic (undesired) loading and stress levels.
The book essentially develops not only a process of discretization through
which the compliance (stiffness) is primarily derived, but also studies the inertia
and damping characteristics that are derived for a large variety of flexible hinges
Introduction 7
fx, ux O
fz, uz
fy, uy
FIGURE 1.7 Skeleton fixed-free flexible hinge with six DOF at the free end.
both analytically and by means of the finite element technique. With the analytical
approach, a distributed-parameter flexible hinge is equivalently transformed into
a discrete one with properties defined individually and independently in terms of
its degrees of freedom (DOF). For a three-dimensional flexible hinge, one of its
ends can move with respect to the other one (presumed fixed) by three translations
and three rotations, respectively, as sketched in Figure 1.7. Consequently, a flexible
hinge can be modeled as a six-DOF member in the three-dimensional space when
only the position of one end relative to the opposite one is of interest.
Planar flexible hinges of rectangular cross-sections can be designed to operate
in their original plane, as the microaccelerometer of Figure 1.1a does, or out of
their plane, as the case is with the mechanism of Figure 1.1b.
For in-plane operation, a planar flexible hinge, like the curvilinear-axis one
shown in Figure 1.8a, has its in-plane dimension thinner than its (constant) out-of-
plane dimension w. As a result, the free end O can translate along the x and y axes
and rotate around the z axis. The quasi-static behavior of such a hinge, as shown in
Chapters 2–4, is characterized by an in-plane compliance matrix connecting the
load vector formed of the forces fx and f y and the moment mz to the corresponding
z z
my, θy
mz, θz x mx, θx x
y y
Shallow flexible hinge
Deep flexible hinge
w O
O fz, uz
fx, ux w
fy, uy
FIGURE 1.8 Curvilinear-axis flexible hinges for: (a) in-plane operation; (b) out-of-plane
operation.
8 Compliant Mechanisms
displacement vector defined by the translations ux and uy and the rotation θz.
The hinge deformation includes bending around the z axis, axial deformation along
the x axis and shear along the y axis. Out-of-plane deformations produced by the
other three loads, namely, mx, my and fz, are undesired and therefore parasitic.
Conversely, the flexible hinge shown in Figure 1.8b, with an out-of-plane
dimension w smaller than the in-plane thickness, can easily deform out of its orig-
inal structural plane; as such, an out-of-plane compliance matrix can be derived
to connect the load vector defined by the moments m x and my and the force fz to the
resulting displacement vector formed of the rotations θx and θy and displacement
uz. This particular hinge mainly deforms in bending around the y axis, torsion
around the x axis and shear along the z axis. All other deformations resulting from
the in-plane loads fx, f y and mz are undesired (parasitic).
It should be noted again that flexible hinges are approached in this book as
members that are subjected to small deformations. This assumption stems from
the reality that in numerous engineering applications the flexible hinges actu-
ally behave according to this model, which enables utilization of the linear (or
first-order) bending theory and derivation of the spring rates for various hinge
configurations.
In addition to the compliance-based approach utilized to model the static and
dynamic behaviors of flexible-hinge mechanisms, which is a variant of the force
(or flexibility matrix) method, this book also studies the flexible hinges and their
mechanisms by means of the finite element technique using the classical dis-
placement (stiffness matrix) method. A flexible hinge of either straight or cur-
vilinear/circular axis is modeled as a two- or three-node line element with six
DOF per node. A generic finite element formulation is developed by defining the
elemental stiffness, mass and damping matrices. Explicit forms of these elemen-
tal matrices are derived for a few flexible-hinge configurations. These equations
are subsequently utilized to characterize the static or dynamic response of various
flexible-hinge mechanism examples.
Several other related topics, including stress concentration, combined stresses and
theories of failure, flexible-hinge precision of rotation, layered flexible hinges, tem-
perature effects and piezoelectric actuation/sensing, are also studied in this book.
REFERENCES
1. Paros, J.M. and Weisbord, L., How to design flexure hinges, Machine Design,
November, 151, 1965.
2. Bhushan, B. (editor), Springer Handbook of Nanotechnology, 3rd ed., Springer,
Berlin, 2010.
3. Tudor, M.J. et al., Silicon resonator sensors: interrogation techniques and character-
istics, IEEE Proceedings on Control Theory and Applications, 135 (5), 364, 1988.
4. Lobontiu, N. et al., Corner-filleted flexure hinges, ASME Journal of Mechanical
Design, 123, 346, 2001.
5. Smith, S.T., Flexures – Elements of Elastic Mechanisms, Gordon and Breach
Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 2000.
2 Compliances of
Basic Flexible-
Hinge Segments
Using the strain-energy Castigliano’s second theorem, this chapter derives and
studies the compliances (flexibilities) of various basic planar segments with
either straight or curvilinear longitudinal (centroidal) axis, which are used to
build flexible hinges of more complex geometry in Chapters 3 and 4. Each basic
(or primitive) segment has its longitudinal profile defined by a planar analytical
curve, such as a straight line or another curve. Individual compliances are sub-
sequently arranged in compliance matrices that model the in-plane and out-of-
plane elastic behavior of the basic flexible-hinge segments. The Appendix at this
chapter’s end offers a compliance database for some of the common straight-axis
and curvilinear-axis hinge segments.
y(x) y(x)
t t(x) = 2y(x)
O x
−y(x)
x
l
FIGURE 2.1 Front view of generic axially symmetric hinge segment whose variable
thickness t(x) is defined by an analytical curve y(x).
9
10 Compliant Mechanisms
θy, my
Flexible hinge
ux, fx uz, fz
θx, mx
O P x
uy, fy
Fixed support
x
θz, mz l
z
For a rectangular cross-section hinge, the end thickness is t = 2y and the variable
thickness t(x) is equal to 2y(x) at an arbitrary distance x. A circular cross-section
hinge segment with the same longitudinal profile of Figure 2.1 has an end diam-
eter d = 2y and a variable-position diameter d(x) = 2y(x). In order to keep the
notation simple, this section utilizes t and t(x) for both rectangular and circular
cross-section hinge segments.
fi i mj, θj
ui j
Deformable body
External support
FIGURE 2.3 Spatially constrained, elastically deformable body under external load.
The fixed-free elastic flexible hinge is mainly deformed by the normal (axial) force,
torsion moment and bending moments about the y and z axes. As detailed in Richards
[2], Cook and Young [6] or Den Hartog [7], the total strain energy is expressed as:
l l
1 N ( x )2 1 M t ( x )2
U = U a + Ut + U b, z + U b, y =
2E
⋅
∫0
A( x )
dx +
2G
⋅
∫0
It (x)
dx
l l
1 M b , z ( x )2 1 M b , y ( x )2
+
2E
⋅
∫
0
I z (x)
dx +
2E
⋅
∫
0
I y (x)
dx , (2.3)
12 Compliant Mechanisms
where “a”, “t” and “b” stand for axial, torsion and bending, respectively. The axial
force N(x), torsion moment Mt(x), z-axis bending moment Mb,z(x) and y-axis bend-
ing moment Mb,y(x) are defined at the generic point P of Figure 2.2 as:
1
l
N (x) ∂N (x)
u x = ⋅
E
0
∫ ⋅
A( x ) ∂ f x
dx = Cux − fx ⋅ f x
l
1 M b, z ( x ) ∂ M b, z ( x )
uy = ⋅
E
0
∫ I z (x)
⋅
∂ fy
dx = Cuy − f y ⋅ f y + Cuy − mz ⋅ mz
l
1 M b, y ( x ) ∂ M b, y ( x )
z
u =
E
⋅
0
∫ I y (x)
⋅
∂ fz
dx = Cuz − fz ⋅ fz + Cuz − my ⋅ m y
. (2.5)
l
1 Mt (x) ∂ Mt (x)
θ x = ⋅
G
0
∫ It (x)
⋅
∂m x
dx = Cθx − mx ⋅ mx
l
1 M b, y ( x ) ∂ M b, y ( x )
θ
y E
= ⋅
0
∫ I y (x)
⋅
∂m y
dx = Cθ y − fz ⋅ fz + Cθ y − my ⋅ m y
l
1 M b,z ( x ) ∂ M b,z ( x )
θ z = E ⋅
0
∫ I z (x)
⋅
∂mz
dx = Cθz − f y ⋅ f y + Cθz − mz ⋅ mz
The necessary partial derivatives are calculated based on Eqs. (2.4). The following
compliances (denoted by C) are used in Eqs. (2.5):
1
l
dx 1
l
dx
Cux − fx = ⋅
E ∫A( x )
; Cθ x − m x = ⋅
G ∫ It (x)
0 0
1
l
x 2 dx 1
l
xdx 1
l
dx
C
uy − f y =
E
⋅
0
∫I z ( x )
; Cu y − mz = Cθz − f y = −
E
⋅
0
∫ I z ( x )
; C θ z − mz =
E
⋅
∫
0
I z (x)
l l l
1 x 2 dx 1 xdx 1 dx
∫
0
y
∫
Cuz − fz = E ⋅ I ( x ) ; Cuz − my = Cθ y − fz = E ⋅ I ( x ) ; Cθ y − my = E ⋅ I ( x )
0
y
∫ 0
y
(2.6)
Basic Flexible-Hinge Segments 13
l
α S y ( x )2
Us, y = s ⋅
2G ∫
0
A( x )
dx with S y ( x ) = f y , (2.7)
where Sy(x) is the shear force along the y direction at the generic point P of
the flexible hinge shown in Figure 2.2 and α s is a shear correction factor that
depends on the shape of the cross-section. For rectangular cross-sections,
Cowper [9] suggests using α s = (12 + 11µ)/10/(1 + µ), where μ is Poisson’s ratio.
By applying Castigliano’s second theorem, the shear-generated extra deflection
is calculated as:
∂U s , y α s
l
Sy ( x) ∂Sy ( x) α l
dx
uy,s =
∂ fy
=
G
⋅
∫
0
A( x )
⋅
∂ fy
dx = s
G
⋅
∫
0
⋅ fy
A( x )
(2.8)
α ⋅E
= s ⋅ Cux − fx ⋅ f y = 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cux − fx ⋅ f y
G
14 Compliant Mechanisms
where the first Eq. (2.6) has been used. As a consequence, the total deflection
about the y axis (that sums up bending and shear effects) is:
αs ⋅ E
u y = Cu y − f y ⋅ f y + Cu y − m z ⋅ m z + ⋅ Cu x − f x ⋅ f y
G
(2.9)
( )
= Cuy − f y + 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cux − fx ⋅ f y + Cuy − mz ⋅ mz ,
αs ⋅ E
Cu y − f y , s = Cu y − f y + ⋅ Cux − fx = Cuy − f y + 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cux − fx . (2.10)
G
Equations (2.8)–(2.10) used the relationship between the shear modulus G and
Young’s modulus E: E = 2(1 + μ)·G.
Considering now the shear effects along the z axis, the direct-bending compli-
ance corresponding to this axis, similar to Eq. (2.10), changes to:
αs ⋅ E
Cu z − f z , s = Cu z − f z + ⋅ Cux − fx = Cuz − fz + 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cux − fx . (2.11)
G
T T
fip = f x fy mz ; uip = ux uy θz . (2.12)
The first, second and sixth Eqs. (2.5) can therefore be written as:
C 0 0
ux − f x
uip = Cip fip ; Cip = 0 Cu y − f y Cu y − m z , (2.13)
0 Cu y − m z Cθ z − m z
where [Cip] is the in-plane compliance matrix. For relatively short hinges, when
shear effects are considered, the compliance matrix of Eqs. (2.13) uses Eqs. (2.10)
and becomes:
Cu − f 0 0
x x
Cip = 0 Cuy − f y + 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cux − fx Cu y − m z . (2.14)
0 Cu y − m z Cθ z − m z
Basic Flexible-Hinge Segments 15
C 0 0
θ x − mx
uop = Cop fop ; Cop = 0 Cθ y − m y Cθ y − f z , (2.16)
0 Cθ y − f z Cu z − f z
where [Cop] is the out-of-plane compliance matrix. When shear effects need to
be considered in the case of short hinges, the compliance matrix of Eq. (2.16)
combines with Eq. (2.11) and changes to:
Cθ x − mx 0 0
Cop = 0 Cθ y − my Cθ y − fz . (2.17)
0 Cθ y − fz Cuz − fz + 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cux − fx
y y* y* y*
y(x)
O t(x) z*
O* x, x* O* z* O*
x
–y(x) w/2
l w d(x)
FIGURE 2.4 Planar geometry of variable cross-section flexible-hinge segment: (a) front
view; (b) rectangular cross-section of constant width w and variable thickness t(x) at
an arbitrary position; (c) circular cross-section of variable diameter d(x) at an arbitrary
position.
16 Compliant Mechanisms
where the torsional moment of area It(x) becomes the polar moment of area Ip(x).
Because of that, the following compliance relationships result from Eqs. (2.6):
C E
θ x − mx = 2G ⋅ Cθ y − my = (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cθ y − my
. (2.19)
Cu − f = Cu − f ; Cu − m = −Cθ − f ; Cθ − m = Cθ − m
y y z z y z y z y y z z
Rectangular cross-section
For a rectangular cross-section hinge segment with w constant and t(x) variable,
the area and the moments of area are: A(x) = w·t(x), Iz(x) = w·t(x)3/12 and Iy(x)
= w3·t(x)/12. Note that the two moments of area are calculated in the reference
frame O *x*y*z* in Figure 2.4b. The torsion moment of area of this cross-section
can be expressed in three different ways depending on the dimensional relation-
ship between w and t(x) as discussed here. One equation for the torsion moment
of area in Eq. (2.16) is suggested in Young et al. [8] as:
w 3 ⋅ t ( x ) 16 w 1 w4
I t ,1w ( x ) = ⋅ − 3.36 ⋅ ⋅ 1 − ⋅ for w < t ( x )
16 3 t ( x ) 12 t ( x )4
I t ,1 ( x ) = .
w ⋅ t(x) 3
16 t(x) 1 t(x)
4
I t ,1t ( x ) = ⋅ − 3.36 ⋅ ⋅ 1 − ⋅ 4 for w > t ( x )
16 3 w 12 w
(2.20)
For either w < t(x) or w > t(x), the ratio formed of the two cross-section variables
(t(x) and w) to the power of 5 is a very small quantity, which can be ignored and
results in the simplified torsion moment of area:
Basic Flexible-Hinge Segments 17
w 3 ⋅ t ( x ) 16 w
I t ,2 w ( x ) = ⋅ − 3.36 ⋅ for w < t(x)
16 3 t ( x )
I t ,2 ( x ) = . (2.21)
I ( x ) = w ⋅ t ( x ) ⋅ 16 − 3.36 ⋅ t ( x )
3
When the differences between the two cross-section dimensions w and t(x) are
very large, the torsion moments of area provided in Eqs. (2.21) can be further
simplified to:
w3 ⋅ t ( x )
I t ,3 w ( x ) = for w << t ( x )
3
I t ,3 ( x ) = . (2.22)
I (x) = w ⋅ t ( x )3
for w >> t ( x )
t ,3t
3
There are situations where t(x) < w for a length portion [0, x1], but as a result of
increasing t(x), t(x) > w for the remaining length interval [x1, l]. The torsional com-
pliance in this case needs to be evaluated as:
x1 l
1 dx dx
Cθ x − m x = ⋅
∫
G I t ,it
0
+
x1
∫ , i = 1,2 or 3.
I t ,iw
(2.23)
E 1+ µ
4G ⋅ Cθ y − my = 2 ⋅ Cθ y − my for w << t ( x )
Cθx − mx ,3 = . (2.24)
E ⋅C 1+ µ
= ⋅ Cθ z − m z for w >> t ( x )
4G θz − mz 2
where “3” has been added to the torsional compliance to indicate that model 3 of
the torsional moment of area – Eq. (2.22) – has been utilized.
Because the torsion moment of area can be expressed by one of the three
expressions given in Eqs. (2.20)–(2.22), the torsion compliances can be expressed
in three different ways by means of Eq. (2.6). A simple method identifying the
18 Compliant Mechanisms
proper torsional compliance (and corresponding moment of area) studies the fol-
lowing relative compliance ratios:
Cθx − mx ,1 − Cθx − mx ,2
r12 =
Cθx − mx ,1
. (2.25)
Cθx − mx ,1 − Cθx − mx ,3
r13 =
Cθx − mx ,1
Should, for instance, the compliance ratio r13 (which compares the torsional
compliances resulting from the torsion moment Cθx − mx ,1 of Eq. (2.20), to the most
simplified moment Cθx − mx ,3 of Eq. (2.22)) be smaller than an acceptable error
level, then the most simplified compliance Cθx − mx ,3 can be used with sufficient
accuracy. If the errors resulting from Cθx − mx ,3 are not acceptable, then the ratio
r12 is calculated (which compares the compliance Cθx − mx ,1 with the intermediate-
complexity compliance Cθx − mx ,2 of Eq. (2.21)) and its value is compared to the
tolerable error. If that error is acceptable, then Cθx − mx ,2 will be used. If the error
is too large, then Cθx − mx ,1 needs to be utilized to evaluate the torsion compliance.
Example 2.1 studies these options in the next section.
t O
x
FIGURE 2.5 Front view with planar geometry of constant cross-section flexible
segment.
Rectangular cross-section:
A rectangular cross-section member has the following in-plane compliances:
l 4l 3
Cu x − f x = ; Cu y − f y = ;
E ⋅ w ⋅t E ⋅ w ⋅ t3
(2.26)
6l 2 12l
Cu y − m z =− ; Cθ z − m z =
E ⋅ w ⋅t 3
E ⋅ w ⋅ t3
4l 3 6l 2 12l l
Cu z − f z = ; Cuz − m y = ; Cθ y − m y = ; Cθ x − m x = .
E ⋅ w ⋅t
3
E ⋅ w3 ⋅ t E ⋅ w3 ⋅ t G ⋅ It
(2.27)
Both Eqs. (2.26) and (2.27) result from the generic Eqs. (2.6) by using t(x) = t.
When t(x) = t, the torsion moment of area given in Eq. (2.20) becomes:
w3 ⋅ t 16 w 1 w4
⋅ − 3.36 ⋅ ⋅ 1 − ⋅ 4 for w<t
16 3 t 12 t
I t ,1 = . (2.28)
w ⋅ t 3 16 t 1 t4
⋅ − 3.36 ⋅ ⋅ 1 − ⋅ 4 for w>t
16 3 w 12 w
w3 ⋅ t 16 w
16 ⋅ 3 − 3.36 ⋅ t for w<t
I t ,2 = . (2.29)
w ⋅ t 3 16 t
16 ⋅ 3 − 3.36 ⋅ w for w>t
20 Compliant Mechanisms
Eventually, the torsion moments of areas formulated in Eqs. (2.22) simplify to:
w3 ⋅ t
3 for w << t
I t ,3 = . (2.30)
w ⋅ t3
3 for w >> t
Example 2.1
Solution:
The second compliance ratio of Eq. (2.25) becomes for this design:
Cθ x − mx ,1 − Cθ x − mx ,3 I t ,3 − I t ,1
r13 ( w /t ) = = . (2.31)
Cθ x − mx ,1 I t ,1
The plot of r13 in terms of the cross-sectional ratio w/t is shown in Figure 2.6.
For w/t ratios smaller than 0.7, the errors in the torsional compliance are less
than 10% when using the most simplified torsional moment of inertia instead
of the most complex one, as seen in Figure 2.6. Imposing certain threshold
values to this relative difference in compliance, the limit values of w/t given in
Table 2.1 are obtained, which indicate that the simplified compliances based
on It3 of Eq. (2.30) can be used safely up to that limit with the corresponding
error listed in the same row of the table.
Cθx–mx,1 –Cθx–mx,3
[%]
Cθx–mx,1
w/t
FIGURE 2.6 Plot of the relative errors between the torsional compliances defined
by It1 and It3.
Basic Flexible-Hinge Segments 21
TABLE 2.1
Upper Limits of the w/t Ratio for Allowable Percentage
Relative Compliance Errors Based on It1 and It3
Cθ x − mx ,1 − Cθ x − mx ,3 w/t
(%)
Cθ x − mx ,1
1 0.4
2 0.47
5 0.58
10 0.68
If the errors resulting from using the most simplified torsional moment of
inertia are unacceptable, the first compliance ratio introduced in Eq. (2.25)
needs to be utilized instead; for the constant cross-section, this ratio is:
Cθ x − mx ,1 − Cθ x − mx ,2 I t ,2 − I t ,1
r12 ( w /t ) = = , (2.32)
Cθ x − mx ,1 I t ,2
which used the torsion moments of areas of Eqs. (2.28) and (2.29) corresponding
to w < t.
As seen in the plot of Figure 2.7, the percentage of the relative compliance
difference of Eq. (2.32) increases with the increasing ratio w/t; for an upper limit
of w/t = 1, the percentage is slightly more than 12%, which might be unaccept-
able. However, when a maximum (acceptable) value is associated with the
relative compliance difference of Eq. (2.32), the same equation can be solved
for w/t and Table 2.2 includes a few pairs of acceptable percentage differences
and their related dimensional ratios. Provided a relative compliance difference
is selected, values of the w/t ratio up to the threshold value of Table 2.2 can
be utilized in conjunction with the simplified torsion compliances given in
Eqs. (2.29).
Cθx–mx ,1 –Cθx–mx, 2
[%]
Cθx–mx ,1
w/t
FIGURE 2.7 Plot of the relative errors between the torsional compliances defined
by It1 and It2.
22 Compliant Mechanisms
TABLE 2.2
Upper Limits of the w/t Ratio for Allowable Percentage
Relative Compliance Errors Based on It1 and It2
Cθ x − mx ,1 − Cθ x − mx ,2 w/t
(%)
Cθ x − mx ,1
1 0.65
2 0.73
5 0.86
10 0.96
Circular cross-section:
For a circular cross-section of constant diameter d, the compliances that result
from Eqs. (2.6) are:
4l 64l 3 32l 2
Cu x − f x = ; C u − f = C u − f = ; C u − m = − C u − m = − ;
πEd 2 3πEd 4 πEd 4
y y z z y z z y
(2.33)
64l 32l
Cθ z − m z = Cθ y − m y = ; Cθ x − m x = .
πGd 4 πGd 4
Example 2.2
The shear deflection uy,s and the bending deflection uy for a cantilever beam
under the action of a tip force fy are obtained from Eqs. (2.8) and (2.26):
Basic Flexible-Hinge Segments 23
αs ⋅ l l3
uy,s = ⋅ fy ; uy = ⋅ f y. (2.34)
G⋅A 3E ⋅ I z
By considering the relationship between the shear modulus G and the Young’s
modulus E: G = E/[2·(1 + µ)], the ratio of the shear deflection to the bending
deflection of Eq. (2.34) becomes:
u y , s 6α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ I z
= . (2.35)
uy A ⋅l2
The cross-sectional properties of Eq. (2.35) are the following ones for the rect-
angular and circular cross-sections:
w ⋅ t3
I z = 12 ; A = w ⋅ t
. (2.36)
π ⋅d4 π ⋅d2
I z = 64 ; A = 4
l α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) uy, s
= / . (2.37)
t 2 uy
l 3α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) uy, s
= / . (2.38)
d 8 uy
Figure 2.8 plots the l/t and l/d ratios in terms of the threshold error uy,s/uy for the
rectangular and circular cross-sectional hinges. The shear coefficient is αs = 6/5
for the rectangular cross-section and αs = 10/9 for the circular cross-section.
These are conservative, average values provided in Young et al. [8] – the inter-
ested reader can find a more nuanced approach and refined values of αs in
Cowper [9], Rentor [10] or Stephen [11], for instance. The plot shows that as
the shear deflection increases relative to the bending deflection, the length-
to-thickness (or length-to-diameter) ratio that marks the long/short beam
separation decreases. For a deflection ratio of 0.1, for instance, one gets l/t
= 2.793 and l/d = 2.327. As also shown in Figure 2.8, circular cross-sectional
cantilevers can be considered long beams for length-to-diameter ratios that
are slightly smaller than the length-to-thickness ratios of the rectangular cross-
sectional beams at the same error limit. This is also demonstrated by combin-
ing Eqs. (2.37) and (2.38) to get the following ratio (l/d)/(l/t) = 5/6.
24 Compliant Mechanisms
9
8
7
Rectangular cross-section
6
l/t or l/d
5 Circular cross-section
4
3
2
FIGURE 2.8 Plots of the l/t and l/d ratios in terms of admissible error ratios uy,s /uy
for constant rectangular and circular cross-section flexible hinges.
u y , s Cuy − f y + 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ Cux − fx Cu − f
= = 1 + 2α s ⋅ (1 + µ ) ⋅ x x . (2.39)
uy Cu y − f y Cu y − f y
y( x ) = t /2 + m ⋅ x
t ( x ) = 2 y( x ) = t + 2 m ⋅ x with m = tan α. (2.40)
d ( x ) = 2 y( x ) = d + 2 m ⋅ x
y(x)
α
t t(x) =2y(x)
O x
x
l
FIGURE 2.9 Front view of trapezoid flexible segment with planar geometry.
Basic Flexible-Hinge Segments 25
The in-plane and out-of-plane compliances are calculated based on their defini-
tion of Eqs. (2.6) and are provided in the Appendix at the end of this chapter.
2.1.2.2 Curvilinear-Profile Segments
Hinge segments that are defined by a curvilinear profile are studied in this section.
Figure 2.10a shows the upper portion of an axially symmetric segment defined by
a planar curve y(x). The variable thickness of a rectangular cross-sectional hinge
is t(x) = 2y(x), and the two tangents at the curve’s ends have arbitrary directions
defined by the angles α 0 and α e (where “e” stands for end). This general segment is
denoted as (α 0, α e) to indicate the two end tangents’ angles. Three particular cases
stemming from the general design of Figure 2.10a are possible, namely, segments
(0, α e), as the one of Figure 2.10b whose left tangent is horizontal (and forms an
angle of 0 with the x axis); segments (α 0, π/2), as shown in Figure 2.10c where the
right-end tangent is perpendicular to the x axis; and segments (0, π/2) with the
left-end tangent parallel to the x axis and the right-end tangent perpendicular to
the same axis, as shown in Figure 2.10d.
αe
α0 = 0
(b)
y αe = π/2
αe
y(x) c
α0 y(x) α0
t/2
O x x
(c)
l
(a) αe = π/2
α0 = 0
(d)
FIGURE 2.10 Base half-segments of variable thickness with: (a) generic geometry – (α0, αe)
type; (b) horizontal left tangent – (0, αe) type; (c) vertical right tangent – (α0, π/2) type; (d) hori-
zontal left tangent and vertical right segments – (0, π/2) type.
26 Compliant Mechanisms
Hyperbola
Parabola Ellipse
Inverse parabola
t/2
O x
l
FIGURE 2.11 Front view with planar geometry of generic half-segments defined by a
few curves resulting in (0, α e) hinge segments.
There are multiple (α 0, α e) curves – of the type sketched in Figure 2.10a – that
can be used to generate hinge segments to be placed either as intermediate (con-
necting) portions or as end segments (in corner-filleted configurations whose end
tangent angle is smaller than π/2). In addition to the specified end-point slopes,
the thickness values are also specified at the same points – as seen in the same
Figure 2.10a – such that the four end conditions are expressed as:
In essence, any curve determined by four parameters can be used to satisfy the
four end conditions of Eq. (2.41). Out of the multitude of curves that can be used
as upper edges for the generic hinge segment of Figure 2.10a, typical curves such
Basic Flexible-Hinge Segments 27
2.1.2.2.1 Circular-Profile Segment
Consider the (α 0, α e) circular half-segment of Figure 2.12a, which is defined by
the radius r, the angles φ 0 and φe, and the minimum thickness t/2. By selecting
an arbitrary abscissa x with respect to the reference frame Oxyz, the variable
thickness t(x) = t(φ) can be defined. Using the polar coordinate φ, the following
relationships are established based on Figure 2.12a:
x = r ⋅ ( sin ϕ − sin ϕ 0 )
t ( x ) = t (ϕ) = t + 2r (1 − cos ϕ ) . (2.42)
t(x) t
y( x ) = = + r (1 − cos ϕ )
2 2
It should also be noticed that α 0 = φ 0 and α e = φe due to the fact that the tangents
to the circular profile are perpendicular to the respective radii at the curve end
points.
y y Circle
Circle
r
C
r
φ0 C
φe φ c=r
φ c
(a) (b)
FIGURE 2.12 Front view with planar geometry of circular half-segments: (a) generic
(α 0, α e) segment, (b) right (0, π/2) segment.
Rectangular cross-section
The cross-sectional area and area moments with respect to the z axis and the y
axis of the full, axially symmetric rectangular cross-section at the arbitrary posi-
tion x are calculated as:
28 Compliant Mechanisms
A( x ) = w ⋅ t ( x ) = w ⋅ t (ϕ) = A(ϕ);
w ⋅ t ( x )3 w ⋅ t (ϕ)3 w 3 ⋅ t ( x ) w 3 ⋅ t (ϕ) .
I z (x) = = = I z (ϕ); I y ( x ) = = = I y (ϕ)
3 3 12 12
(2.43)
The in-plane compliances are expressed using the transformation Eqs. (2.43) in
their definition of Eqs. (2.6):
ϕe
r cos ϕ
Cux − fx =
E⋅w
⋅
∫
ϕ0
t (ϕ)
⋅ d ϕ;
ϕe
12 ⋅ r 3 (sin ϕ − sin ϕ 0 )2 ⋅ cos ϕ ⋅ d ϕ;
C
uy − f y
=
E⋅w
⋅
∫ϕ0
t (ϕ)3
, (2.44)
ϕe
12 ⋅ r 2
(sin ϕ − sin ϕ 0 ) ⋅ cos ϕ ⋅ d ϕ;
Cuy − mz = −
E ⋅ w
⋅
ϕ0
∫ t (ϕ)3
ϕe
12 ⋅ r cos ϕ
C =
θ z − mz E ⋅ w ⋅
∫
ϕ0
t (ϕ)3
⋅ d ϕ;
CHAPTER VIII
The coming of David Salmon brought a new interest into Celia’s life. His
acquaintance with her father formed a link of friendship between them; and
from the first she looked upon him in a different light to the other young
men she met at Mrs. Friedberg’s house. He went the very best way to work
to win her affections, that he possibly could have done. Other young men
paid her open and extravagant compliments; David did not, and Celia liked
him all the better on that account, because she thought he was sincere. In
conversation he was very careful to avoid the Yiddish expressions so
prevalent amongst the people by whom they were surrounded; and although
he was not able to be discursive on any subject except, perhaps, racing, of
which she knew nothing, he managed to convey the idea that he knew a
great deal more than he cared to say. He came to see the Friedbergs every
evening regularly, and, if Celia were not downstairs, he nearly always found
his way up to her sitting-room, with either Dinah or Victor to act as
“gooseberry.”
Very soon Celia began to treat him with the same frank cordiality with
which she had delighted Dr. Geoffrey Milnes; yet there was a subtile
difference. Geoffrey was intellectual, and more than her match as far as
brain-power went, but she dominated him completely. David Salmon, on
the contrary, was her inferior in intellectual power, yet his assertive
personality overruled hers. The mere touch of his hand sent a thrill through
her whole being; and by word and look he contrived to instil into her that
sense of affinity which is usually the basis of love. He soon managed to
discover her likings and aversions, and made it a rule to ratify all that she
said. He encouraged her to speak on those subjects on which she thought
deeply, and responded in such a way that she felt that his was indeed a
kindred spirit. “That’s how I feel!” was the exclamation most often on his
lips, and the suspicion that he was not quite sincere never once crossed her
mind.
If she could only have seen him, when, after a conversation in which,
perhaps, she had almost laid bare her very soul, he went away to chuckle
over her “moonshine,” and laugh in his sleeve at his cleverness in
humouring her fancies, she would have been spared much heartache and
bitterness. But, being absolutely true herself, she credited him with the
same sincerity and depth of character, and made the fatal mistake of trusting
him with her confidence.
On the Jewish New Year’s Day he called for her to go to synagogue. The
day was quite a sultry one for late September, and Celia had donned a
summer gown of soft grey voile, whilst a black Gainsboro’ hat set off her
rich beauty to perfection. David felt quite proud as he escorted her down
Maida Vale, and noted with satisfaction the admiring glances which were
cast in her direction. Maida Vale seemed to be quite astir with gaily dressed
people, apparently bent on the same errand as themselves, for they nearly
all carried large prayerbooks. Celia glanced at them with some curiosity, for
it was the first time that she had come across so many well-to-do Jews
together. Most of the matrons were inclined to embonpoint, and wore a
profusion of showy jewellery. Celia wondered why they spoke to each other
as if they were all deaf, and what it was that was so peculiar in their
intonation; it was not unlike the Cockney accent combined with a dash of
nasal Yankee. She also observed a peculiarity in their gait and bearing,—a
side-to-side movement, which was as odd as it was ungraceful. She was
quite vexed with herself for noticing these things, but she could not help
discovering that some Jewish people had mannerisms peculiarly their own.
A few little ragged urchins were loitering by the doors of the synagogue,
watching the people as they entered.
“Them’s Jews,” Celia heard one of them say. “It must be their Passover.”
“Garn!” exclaimed another. “They have Passover at Easter. I spec’ it’s
their Christmas.”
“Tain’t then,” put in a third with authority. “It’s their New Year. That
little Jew boy as lives in Lisson Street told me so.”
“Well, then, I ain’t far out,” retorted the other sharply. “They must have
had their Christmas last week. Christmas comes a week afore New Year,
don’t it, stoopid?”
In the vestibule Celia and David parted, Celia to go upstairs to the
ladies’ gallery, David to take his place in the body of the synagogue. Mrs.
Friedberg and her girls had just arrived, and joined Celia at the top of the
stairs. The service had commenced; and the minister was chanting some
prayers in a sing-song monotone, whilst the congregation accompanied him
with a subdued murmuring.
Mrs. Friedberg was evidently a well-known personage, judging by the
nods and smiles which greeted her appearance. She stood up with some
importance to read her preparatory prayer; and then turned round to Maud,
who sat immediately behind her.
“Do look at Mrs. Isaac’s new dress,” she exclaimed in an audible
whisper. “Did you ever see such a sight? Looks as if it came out of an old
clo’ shop.” Then she sat down with a smile of amiable benignity, and taking
up a pair of tortoise-shell lorgnettes, critically scanned every lady within
her range of vision.
Lottie and Dinah had not yet attained to the dignity of seat-holders, and
went wherever there was room. They were constantly on the move, for,
whenever the lady whose seat they were occupying arrived, they were
obliged to vacate their position. Finally they settled themselves down on the
steps, in a state of mind not at all conducive to devotion.
“Ma can shout at me as much as she likes, but I won’t come on Yom
Kippur,”[7] exclaimed Lottie, indignantly. “I don’t see why Maud should
have a seat any more than me. If I have to shift again, I shall go home.”
Celia, whose seat was next to Mrs. Mike Rosen’s, gazed furtively about
her, with mingled feelings of reverence and interest. Adeline found the
place in the prayer-book for her, and, though she possessed but a limited
knowledge of Hebrew, she followed as well as she could.
She had come to the synagogue with the sincere desire to worship God
according to the ancient customs of her people, and was willing to be
impressed by all that she saw and heard. Fixing her eyes on the white-
curtained ark, she tried to make herself conscious of the presence of God,
and of the solemnity of the occasion.
New Year’s Day—the day on which her destiny for the coming year was
foreordained, and her name rewritten in the Book of Life. Surely, here was
ample food for meditation!
As the service proceeded, however, her thoughts began to wander away
on irrelevant subjects. She looked over the ledge on which her prayer-book
rested, and met the eyes of David Salmon below, who looked back at her
and smiled. The other men wore silk hats with slightly curled brims.
David’s brim did not curl, and she was glad of that. She was quite ashamed
of herself for noticing such a triviality at such a time and in such a place,
but she could not help it.
The mournful chanting of the white-robed minister, which, at first, had
struck a responsive chord in her nature, began to jar upon her nerves. The
unaccompanied choir sang out of tune, and their voices grated harshly on
her well-trained ear. The small procession of men carrying the bell-topped
scrolls of the law as if they were nursing dolls, struck her as droll. It might
have been impressive had they worn the flowing garments of the ancient
East; but silk hats, frock coats, and praying shawls in combination, seemed
to her grotesque. Even the sound of the ram’s horn, which should have
awakened her to a sense of the awe and majesty of God, failed to impress
her, because the man who blew it spluttered over it, and his performance
was a dismal failure.
Throughout the service the girl experienced a sense of keen
disappointment. Either there was something radically wrong with the
service, or there was some spiritual sense of appreciation lacking in herself.
Perhaps she had not received sufficient Jewish knowledge to enable her to
understand the mystic symbolism of Jewish rites and ceremonies.
After some consideration she discovered what might be the cause. It was
not the service itself, for there could be nothing more majestic than those
grand old psalms and supplications in the grand old Hebrew tongue;—but it
was partly the way in which the service was conducted, and partly the
irreverent demeanour of the congregation themselves.
A single glance around showed her that the true spirit of devotion was
almost entirely absent from their midst. The men, with the exception of
three or four grey-heads, who swayed to and fro with the fervency or their
prayers, looked either bored or indifferent. The majority of the women
seemed absorbed in contemplation of each other’s yomtovdic[8] clothes,
whilst some of them, including Mrs. Friedberg, gently slumbered. The
children conversed with each other in whispers, interspersed with
occasional giggles and ejaculations; it was scarcely surprising that they
should find the service long and tiresome, for there was no music, and it
was almost entirely in a language they could not understand.
If these people had been truly devout, Celia would have been devout
also, for she possessed a nature which was capable of being deeply moved.
But she could not help feeling that this was a spurious form of worship
from which the glory of God was almost obscured.
At the close of the service, Mrs. Rosen asked her what she thought of it
all.
“It was very nice, wasn’t it?” she said convincingly. “I go to that
synagogue every Saturday, and always like the service there so much.”
The girl scarcely knew how to reply. Clearly there must be something
wrong with her own way of looking at things. As the congregation poured
out of the synagogue, she heard nothing but favourable comments on the
service. It was so beautiful, every one said,—so impressive; and the Rev.
Abrahams’ sermon was so interesting.
Mrs. Friedberg came down the stairs with another lady of the same
proportions as herself.
“Oh, I did enjoy the service, Celia!” she exclaimed, with a deep sigh.
“And they all liked my new bonnet, didn’t they, Mrs. Joseph?”
“Yes, my dear,” answered the other lady, soothingly. “It looks as if it had
come straight from Paris in a band-box.”
“Fifteen shillings in the Grove, and not a penny more!” chuckled Mrs.
Friedberg, confidentially. “It’s the best bargain I’ve had for a long time, my
dear.”
David Salmon was promenading outside with Lottie and Dinah.
Although a terrible tease, he was a great favourite with the girls. As soon as
they caught sight of Celia, they very kindly marched off to hunt up Montie
and Victor, and David escorted Celia home as a matter of course.
She was silent on the homeward journey, and her fair face looked quite
troubled. When, at length, he asked if she had enjoyed going to the
synagogue, she told him something of what was in her mind.
“I cannot think what was the matter with me,” she confessed quite
sorrowfully. “Instead of entering into the service with all my heart, as I had
meant to do, I pulled it to pieces and criticized it as if I were a rank outsider.
And yet I am sure that there must be beauty in Jewish worship, only I seem
to have overlooked it somehow.”
“Well, there is no harm in being critical,” he rejoined cheerfully. “To tell
you the truth, I think that synagogue-going and all that sort of thing is a lot
of silly humbug, only we keep it up for the sake of being social: that’s my
candid opinion.”
Celia was shocked. “Do you really think so?” she asked with surprise.
“Then why do you ever go to synagogue?”
David saw that he had made a mistake. “Well, I don’t mean exactly
that,” he corrected himself hastily. “I can’t explain myself very well. But
what was it that you did not like about the service? Was it the choir? I must
take you to the Reform Synagogue, where they have an organ. It is more
churchified there, and perhaps you would like it better.”
“No, it wasn’t the choir,” answered Celia, hesitatingly. “They did sing
flat, it is true; but if one really wants to worship God, little details like that
should not be of the slightest account. If the true note is in the heart, what
matters it if the vocal sound be out of tune? I don’t know what it was, but
instead of feeling ‘good,’ the service made me feel quite the reverse. I am
afraid you think me very wicked, don’t you, Mr. Salmon?”
They had arrived at the gate, and the Friedberg girls were waiting for
them in the garden. David gave Celia back her prayer-book, and looked up
into the sweetly earnest face with a somewhat cynical smile.
“I would rather have you just a little bit wicked, Miss Franks,” he
rejoined. “Very good people are apt to become bores. A little spice of the
devil, like cayenne pepper, adds flavour to what might otherwise be quite
wholesome—but insipid.”
Then, opening the gate for her, he pressed her hand, and, raising his hat,
walked abruptly away.
CHAPTER IX
One Tuesday morning when Celia was having her harmony lesson at the
Academy, the hall-porter entered the room with some importance, and
handed her a visiting card. It bore the superscription, “Lady Marjorie
Stonor,” and underneath was scribbled in pencil, “Am in town for two days.
Can you see me?”
With some excitement the girl asked leave of her professor to be
excused, and, gathering up her music-books, hastened from the room in
glad expectancy. Lady Marjorie was standing in the hall, studying the
concert notices. She was wearing some handsome sables, with Parma
violets in her toque, at her throat, and on her muff, and she looked younger
and prettier than ever, Celia thought.
“I couldn’t resist coming in to have a look at you,” she explained, after
the first greetings were over. “I’ve only come up to London to see my
solicitors, and I am going back to-morrow afternoon.”
“But you will spend the rest of the day with me, won’t you?” asked
Celia, anxiously. “Now that you have come, I don’t want to let you go.”
Lady Marjorie smiled. “I shall be able to inflict my presence upon you
till six o’clock,” she answered. “I have promised to dine with my brother
Bexley at Eaton Square this evening, but I am free until then.”
They passed up the stairs and into the waiting-room, where the girl
students whiled away their spare time with musical causerie. Lady Marjorie
expressed surprise that musicians should ever have any nerves left at all, for
the medley of discordant sounds which surrounded them was enough to
shatter the strongest, she thought. Pianos to right of them, pianos to left of
them, violins and voices above them, and the low rumbling of the practice
organ below them—it was just like a foretaste of Pandemonium.
On the ledge of the book-case in the waiting-room were several letters
addressed to various students. Celia had never received one at the Academy
as yet, but there happened to be one for her to-day. The envelope was black
bordered, and the hand-writing large and round.
“It is from Gladys Milnes,” she said; “but I was not aware that she was
in mourning.”
“Haven’t you heard?” asked Lady Marjorie, with surprise. “I made sure
Mr. Karne would have told you. Their uncle, Dr. Neville Williams, is dead;
he died about three weeks ago. Geoffrey came up to town for the funeral; it
is almost a wonder that you did not come across him.”
This was news to Celia. She made Lady Marjorie sit down and tell her
all about it. It was scarcely a suitable place for a confidential chat, for there
were several students waiting about and passing through to the cloak-room;
but there was so much noise going on all about them, that their voices were
lost in the general hubbub.
“Fancy Geoffrey Milnes in London, without paying me a visit!” she
exclaimed, almost vexedly. “He might have let me know that he was
coming.”
“His uncle’s death was quite sudden,” said Lady Marjorie. “I suppose he
was too busy and too much worried to come and see you. You know, we all
thought that Geoffrey would succeed to Dr. Williams’s house in Harley
Street, and that it would be a splendid thing for him to have a good West
End practice. Well, it seems that the house is mortgaged, and the practice
has gone down to nothing. I dare say you have heard of Mrs. Neville
Williams—she is a well-known society leader, and has the reputation of
being one of the most expensively dressed women in London. It was her
extravagance that ruined poor Dr. Williams, and her debts, or rather her
husband’s debts, are, I believe, something enormous. However, Bexley told
me that she is already engaged, sub rosa, to the Duke of Wallingcourt, so no
doubt she considered her husband’s death a happy release. She went about
everywhere with Wallingcourt last season, and poor little Williams used to
come running behind with her porte-monnaie, as if he were her footman
instead of her husband. I am so very sorry for Geoffrey Milnes, though. He
had quite counted on the Harley Street house and practice to give him a
good start, and now he will have to go plodding on at Durlston instead.
“That is the worst of waiting for dead men’s shoes,” said Celia,
sententiously. “But I am really sorry for Geoffrey. I will write him a letter of
condolence as soon as I have time.”
“Then you do not correspond with him regularly?”
“Oh no. I have had two letters from him since I left Durlston, that is all.”
She glanced at the clock, which pointed to a quarter to one. “We must be
going,” she continued, rising. “You don’t mind coming back with me to
Maida Vale?”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you,” said Lady Marjorie, hastily, “I met Guy
Haviland this morning. You’ve heard of Haviland, haven’t you? He is a
musical critic, and writes plays. I spoke to him about you, as I thought he
might be of use to you in your musical career. He is a thoroughly good
fellow, and always ready to encourage youthful talent. He expressed the
wish to make your acquaintance, and has invited us to luncheon to-day. We
are to meet him at Prince’s, in Piccadilly, at half-past one.”
The girl was delighted at the prospect of meeting Guy Haviland
personally, for he was well-known in musical and dramatic circles, and she
had heard him very highly spoken of amongst her friends. Suddenly,
however, her face clouded.
“It is very kind of you and of him,” she faltered; “but I really think I
ought to go home. You see, since I’ve come to London, I have made up my
mind to practise the Jewish religion sincerely, and that forbids me to partake
of food which has not been prepared according to Jewish law. Otherwise I
should have been so pleased to lunch with you and Mr. Haviland.”
“But, my dear girlie, that is absurd. At that rate you will never be able to
go into society at all. I don’t understand your beliefs, and I have no wish to
make you act against your principles, but I really cannot see the connection
between spiritual religion and what we eat and drink. Those dietary laws
were excellent in their day, no doubt, but you must remember that
civilization has advanced since then, and we are not living in the Holy
Land.”
“That is not the question,” answered Celia, hesitatingly. “You do not
understand, Lady Marjorie, and I am not qualified to explain. However, I
will pocket my religious scruples for once. I must let Mrs. Friedberg know
that I shall not be home.”
She put on her hat and jacket, and they sauntered down Regent Street to
the post office, where Celia despatched a telegram. She was anxious for
Mrs. Friedberg to see her friend, so they arranged to go to Maida Vale in the
afternoon.
“How empty London is just now,” Lady Marjorie observed as they came
out of the office. “There seems to be nobody in town.”
Celia glanced at the people who thronged the pavements, and at the
ceaseless stream of traffic in the street.
“Nobody?” she repeated, questioningly.
“No society people, I mean,” explained Lady Marjorie, for her
edification. “I suppose they are all away.”
It was quite half-past one by the time they reached Prince’s restaurant,
for they made an exhaustive survey of the shops on either side of Regent
Street, and purchased a few articles, on the way.
Almost simultaneously to their arrival, a gentleman drove up in a private
hansom, and addressed Lady Marjorie with a cordial greeting. He was a
man of about thirty-five, of professional appearance, with a genial clean-
shaven face and clear-cut features. His manner betokened the polished man
of the world, and he had a way of treating ladies with that old-fashioned
courtly deference which in these days has, unfortunately, almost been
relegated to a bygone generation.
Leading the way to a small table which had been reserved for him, he
apologized for his wife’s absence, and plunged into a conversation on
musical matters, which immediately put Celia at her ease. He was
acquainted with most of the professors at the Academy, and knew Emil
Lambert well.
“You are in good hands,” he assured her encouragingly. “Lambert is a
splendid man. You may consider him somewhat dilatory in bringing you
out, but you must not mind that. I do not suppose he will allow you to sing
at a single Academy concert until you are quite qualified to start on your
professional career. He is very jealous for his reputation, and always keeps
his pupils in the background until he is sure that they will do him credit.”
“He won’t even let me try a song yet,” Celia complained. “I have to keep
on at those wretched exercises, and I am so tired of them. Now, my
elocution master is just the reverse to Mr. Lambert. He has already arranged
for me to recite at the students’ concert on Saturday week, and I am to take
the part of Lydia Languish in the ‘Rivals’ at the dramatic performance next
term.”
Mr. Haviland was interested. “Then you evidently have talent for acting
as well as singing?” he queried, helping Lady Marjorie to some
mayonnaise.
“I am very fond of acting, but I am not sure that I have talent for it,”
Celia answered modestly. “ ‘Lydia Languish’ will be my first attempt.”
“And have you any idea of going on the stage?”
“I am afraid Miss Franks’s brother would object to her doing that,” put
in Lady Marjorie. “He is a most broad-minded man in other respects, but he
is decidedly prejudiced against the dramatic profession.”
“A good many people are,” said Guy Haviland, with a smile.
“Nevertheless, the drama nowadays is just as much recognized as an art as
is music or painting; only, unfortunately, it is the most easily abused of the
three.”
“That is true,” responded Lady Marjorie. “There are a great many actors
and actresses, but how many real artists are there on the English stage? Not
more than a dozen, all told. However, I would like you to go and see Miss
Franks act, and if you think she has the makings of an artist, I will persuade
her brother to modify his opinion.”
The restaurant was filling rapidly, even though, according to Lady
Marjorie, there was “nobody” in town. Celia sipped her wine, and watched
the people with interest; and Mr. Haviland pointed out to her those with
whom he was acquainted. It was quite an enjoyable little luncheon party, for
their host possessed a fund of entertaining anecdotes which he related
tersely and with dry humour. Celia was in her element, and consequently
spoke and looked well.
Before they parted, Mr. Haviland gave her his visiting-card, and invited
her very cordially to come and make the acquaintance of his wife and sister.
He was anxious to test her musical and dramatic abilities, and promised
Lady Marjorie to take an interest in her career, and to give her all the advice
he could.
Lady Marjorie informed her, later, that Mrs. Haviland was practically a
nonentity so for as social life was concerned.
“I cannot understand a man like Guy Haviland marrying such a woman,”
she said confidentially. “She hasn’t an idea beyond servants and babies.
There has always been a baby at the Haviland’s ever since I have known
them; and as soon as one is able to walk, another one appears upon the
scene. Mrs. Haviland is seldom visible at their ‘At Homes,’ being otherwise
engaged, and her sister-in-law, Grace, does all the entertaining. It is strange,
is it not, how clever men come to marry such very insipid women? I have
seen it over and over again amongst my friends.”
“Perhaps their husbands’ cleverness overpowers them?” suggested Celia,
thoughtfully; “or perhaps a clever man finds that a homely kind of wife is
more conducive to domestic happiness than one greatly gifted with
intellectual powers. Even the cleverest men are human, and they appreciate
home comforts.”
“That may be so,” agreed Lady Marjorie. “Anyway, Guy Haviland
seems happy enough. I want you to keep in touch with him, Celia. His
acquaintance is well worth cultivating.”
CHAPTER X
When Celia went home for the Christmas holidays, it was as the betrothed
of David Salmon. David had proposed to her one evening when they were
at Mrs. Rosen’s house in Fitzjohn’s Avenue, and she had accepted him, on
condition that he should not even introduce the subject of marriage to her
for at least three years.
It was altogether a conditional engagement on her part. She was not sure
if she really loved him, and she was not at all anxious to be engaged; but
David seemed so bent on having his own way, that for the sake of peace she
acceded to his request.
The first thing he did was to cast about for a diamond ring for his
fiancée. He would have to beg, borrow, or steal one from somewhere. There
were plenty in the jewellers’ shops, and he looked at them with longing
eyes, but as he had no cash wherewith to purchase one, he was obliged to be
content with looking only.
Presently, however, a bright idea struck him. Hailing a hansom, he
betook himself to the aristocratic neighbourhood of Shoreditch, where there
resided, at the sign of three balls, an old man who happened to be a second
cousin of his father’s. Ikey Benjamin was scarcely a relative to be proud of,
and on most occasions David conveniently forgot the relationship; but he
chose to remember it now. The dingy little shop was filled with a
conglomeration of old bric-a-brac, violins, books and jewellery, both
antique and modern. Keeping the hansom waiting at the kerb, Salmon
entered, and tendering the grubby little pawnbroker a familiar greeting,
inquired politely after the health of his wife and family. Ikey Benjamin
glanced at him suspiciously, and answered with short grunts. He was quite
certain that the young swell had not driven all the way from Maida Vale to
ask after Mrs. Ikey and all the tribe of Benjamin.
David produced his silver cigar-case, and proffered a choice Havana.
The old man accepted it, sniffed at it approvingly, and finally clipped and lit
it, whilst his face relaxed a little of its sternness.
“Tings looking up mit you, eh?” he queried, as his narrow eyes took in
the fashionable cut of Salmon’s frock coat. “Done well in Sout’ Africa, I
suppose, eh?”
“No, I lost every stiver I possessed,” answered David, as he made a
casual survey of all the stock that the shop contained. “But I hope that I’m
going to do well now. I’ve just got engaged to the daughter of one of the
richest men at the Cape. You have heard of Bernie Franks, haven’t you,
Ikey?”
“Heard of Bernie Franks? Have I heard of Queen Victoria!” said the old
fellow with resentment. “Of course I have. I wish you mazzletov,[9] Dave, if
you marry his daughter.”
“Thanks. Well now we’ll come to business.” David sat down on an
overturned barrel, and produced a small piece of cardboard into which a
circular hole had been cut. “I want a diamond ring for my young lady. And
if you have one for sale cheap, you may as well have my money as any one
else. Only it must be smart, and not too ancient.”
Mr. Benjamin shook his head. “Ain’t got nodings of the kind,” he said
decisively. “My customers don’t go in for diamond rings. But I might be
able to get you one in about a week.”
“That wouldn’t do. I must have it to-day. Miss Franks is going away to
the north to-morrow, and I want her to take it with her.”
The old man was silent for a few seconds, whilst he puffed away at his
cigar.
“Have you the cash right down?” he inquired, presently.
“No-o,” answered David, with hesitation. “But I’ll give you an I.O.U.;
and I can guarantee the cheque—or its equivalent in solid gold—within a
week. That’s good enough, isn’t it?”
But his cousin was not quite satisfied. He wanted some security, and the
young man had none to offer. At length, however, they came to terms; and,
calling to his son to mind the shop, Ikey Benjamin donned his Sabbath hat
and overcoat, and jumped into the hansom accompanied by David.
They drove to Hatton Garden to interview a diamond merchant who was
a close friend of Ikey’s; and after a long confabulation, and some amount of
haggling, David became the possessor of a very pretty ring. He was so
delighted with the transaction, that he wished to treat the two men to a
bottle of Kosher rum each, but as they happened both to be strict teetotalers,
his offer was respectfully declined.
When he left them he hastened back to Maida Vale to present the ring to
his beloved. Celia, however, was not at home, and Lottie informed him that
she had been out all the morning with Enid and the Rev. Ralph Wilton.
“She seems to be quite taken up with the Wiltons and the Brookes,” Mrs.
Friedberg complained. “And what she wants with that good-looking young
clergyman, I’m sure I don’t know. I should put a stop to that friendship, if I
were you, Dave. Put your foot down, and try to make her submit to your
wishes.”
David put both feet down, and marched about the room with some
impatience. The ring was burning a hole in his pocket, and, as he was dying
to show it to some one, he gave Mrs. Friedberg the privilege of the first
view.
She examined it with approval. “Celia ought to be pleased with that,”
she said. “It’s a beautiful ring. But I hope you haven’t gone above your
means, Dave?”
“Oh, that’s all right,” he answered reassuringly. “It did cost a fine penny,
but I had to give her a decent one; and as she will practically pay for it
herself, I suppose I mustn’t grumble.”
“But, my dear boy, you can’t possibly ask the girl outright to pay for her
own engagement ring!” said Mrs. Friedberg, in astonishment. “Whatever
would she think of you?”
“Of course I can’t,” he answered laughingly. “But I’ll manage it
somehow, never fear.”
When Celia returned, he drew her aside into the back drawing-room; and
after a short preliminary speech, which voiced some very excellent
sentiments (according to his own ideas), he produced the ring. Celia
blushed rosy red as he placed it on her finger; and her colour deepened still
further when he sealed the compact with a hearty kiss. She hoped he did not
intend to indulge in much lovemaking of this sort. She ought to have liked
it, but she did not, and it made her feel quite uncomfortable.
“To think that, after to-morrow, I shall not see you for a whole three
weeks!” he exclaimed, with a deep sigh. “How ever shall I be able to exist
all that time without you?”
“The same as you did before you knew me, I suppose,” she answered,
holding her left hand up, so that the diamonds caught the light and glittered
in the sun. “By-the-by, David, I should very much like to give you a little
present as a memento of this occasion, and I don’t quite know what to get
for you.”
His eyes sparkled eagerly, and he almost made a hasty answer, but
managed to control himself in time.
“As long as I have you, my darling,” he answered, pressing her hand, “I
want nothing in the world besides. You have given me the best present
possible, Celia—yourself.”
“And I admit I am a handful,” she returned, smiling. “But still I want
you to accept a little souvenir, David, just to please me. What shall it be?
An umbrella, or a card-case, or a pair of cuff-links?”
He rose from his chair at her side, and strode nervously about the room.
Celia was still examining her ring, and did not see his face.
“Well, as you are so anxious to give me a present, dearest,” he said, after
due consideration, “I should like something that has already been a sort of
amulet to me—I mean your gold nugget. Of course, I don’t want it for its
intrinsic value; but it is a curiosity, and has a history attached to it—it came
from California, in the first place—and there is nothing you could give me
that would please me more.”
If he had expected her to grant his request with alacrity he was mistaken.
Sitting down to the piano she played a little arpeggio passage; then veered
round on the music-stool, and faced him.
“I’m so sorry, David,” she began, apologetically, “but I am afraid I
cannot give you that. Isn’t there anything else you would like? You see it is
so very valuable, and——”
“And I suppose it’s too good for me,” he put in hastily. “I am sorry I
asked for it, but I thought you gave me my choice. And it isn’t really of any
use to you, Celia, so you might as well give it to me as keep it locked up in
Mr. Friedberg’s safe.”
“I would with pleasure,” she answered, “only—— Don’t look so cross,
David, but sit down, and I will tell you just how it is. You know Miss
Wilton’s brother, don’t you, or, at least, you’ve seen him? He is a clergyman
in a very poor parish near Hoxton. The people there are horribly, sordidly
poor. They are housed together like cattle instead of human beings, with the
consequence that vice and misery are rife amongst them. Most of them
couldn’t go to church even if they wanted to, because they haven’t any
decent clothes to go in. Oh, I almost had the nightmare after Mr. Wilton had
told me of some of the horrors of their daily lives! He would not have told
me, only I asked him: for since I came to London, my eyes have been
opened to all the miserable poverty and suffering there is in this great city,
and I wanted to know more about it; I don’t think it’s right to close one’s
eyes to these things. Mr. Wilton took me over his church and parish this
morning; it is a dreadfully poor church, and not at all properly fitted up.
Well, to come to the point, I thought that, having this nugget, which, as you
say, is of no use to me, it would be a good thing to sell it and give the
money to one of Mr. Wilton’s funds. I am sure my father would have no
objection to my selling it for such a good cause; and Mr. Friedberg has
promised to dispose of it for me. Don’t you think it a nice idea, David?”
She looked into his eyes, half appealingly, hoping to read therein
approval and sympathy; but his brow had knit into a frown during her
recital, and the expression on his face was one of ill-concealed displeasure.
Celia was, in reality, a tender-hearted, large-souled child; David
considered her in this respect a silly little fool.
“I am quite sure your father would object,” he said decidedly. “The
nugget has been in your family for years, and it would be a pity to sell it,
unless you were absolutely driven to do so, which you never will be.
Besides, what do you want to bother yourself about Mr. Wilton’s church
for? If you have such charitable inclinations, why do you not interest
yourself in the Jewish poor? Surely our own people should come first?”
“I am interested in the Jewish poor,” the girl answered seriously. “But
they are in the minority, and are mostly well looked after. What does it
matter, though, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; are they not all God’s
poor? The reason I am particularly interested in Mr. Wilton’s parish,
however, is because Ralph Wilton himself is such an energetic man, and so
enthusiastic over his work. Enid told me that he actually set to and white-
washed his church himself, because there were no funds to pay for it. And
do you know why the men in Hoxton respect him? Not for his pulpit
eloquence, nor for his straight living, but simply because they knew that, if
it came to it, he could fight and rout any one of them—he is a ’versity man,
and was one of the Oxford eight. Those are the sort of people he has to deal
with—men who admire mere brute force a great deal more than the highest
moral or spiritual qualities,—and it is Ralph Wilton’s vocation to tame the
savage instincts within them, to raise their standard of the chief aim of life.
That is why it would be such a pleasure to me to help on, if it were ever so
little, what I consider such really noble effort.”
“I suppose it’s the Wiltons themselves who have imbued you with these
high-flown notions,” said David, with annoyance, whilst he made up his
mind to try and gain entire control over her fortune when they were
married. “I should certainly not advise you to waste any money in that way,
Celia. Don’t you see, how ever much you can give, it is only a drop in the
ocean; and surely you have other things to think of instead of worrying
yourself about the poor? What is the use of bothering your head about
things that can’t be altered? There always have been poor people, and I
suppose there always will be, and it’s my opinion that they are a great deal
better off than those poor devils—beg pardon—of the ‘middle’ class, who
are obliged to keep up an appearance on next to nothing a year.”