They do the same of the ones above but in this case the movement is circular. Ex.

: pulleys and belts,

friction pulleys, gears ...

Circular movement transformation to linear

One part of the machine produces rotary movement and it is transformed into circular in another part
of it. Ex.: Rack and pinion, nut and screw, winch.

Circular movement transformation to alternative linear. Ex. Crank-connecting rod system,

crankshafts, cams, eccentrics

All the mechanisms have in common that they are used to move a load (carga o resistencia) by means of
an effort (potencia), the force exerted by the user, a motor or an engine.

All the mechanisms have in common as well that when they have a mechanical advantage, they do it at
expense of the speed and vice versa. For instance when riding a bike, if we have to climb a slope, we
must choose the gear to easy the movement of the pedals but in exchange we’ll have to move them
fast.

2. LINEAR TRANSMISSION MECHANISMS

They transmit the movement or motion in a linear way. They are levers, the pulleys, fixed and moving
and the block and tackle. Lets know more about them.

2.1. LEVERS.

A basic one is a bar of wood or metal which pivots around a fixed point called the fulcrum or pivot
(fulcro o punto de apoyo). And the clearest example we can see is the see-saw (columpio de barra y
asientos) of a playground. In this case everyone knows that the swing doesn’t balance when different
weights are on each seat, but we also know that the balance is possible if we move the louder weight
towards the fulcrum.

The main parts of the lever are:

The load “L” (carga o Resistencia “R”): is the weight we have to lift.

Effort is the force exerted by the user.

The effort arm “Ea”(brazo de potencia Bp o Lp): the distance between the effort application point and
the fulcrum.

The load arm “La”(brazo de resistencia Br o Lr): the distance between the load application point and the
fulcrum.
So levers balance equation is: Effort · Effort arm = Load · Load arm

Spanish: esfuerzo · brazo del esfuerzo = carga · brazo de carga

Usually we employ Newton or Kilos as the unit for forces (effort and load) and metres, cm or millimetres
for the arms, but we have to pay attention to apply always the same units.

In all levers, if the effort arm is longer than the load arm, we’ve got mechanical advantage. That means
that it amplifies the force exerted by the user, so that the force needed to lift the load is smaller than
the weight of that load. In exchange, the speed and then the movement of the effort have to be higher
than the one of the load (and with the same ratio of the mechanical advantage).

2.1.1. TYPES OF LEVERS

2.1.1.1. FIST-CLASS LEVER OR CLASS 1 LEVER(PALANCA DE 1ER GRADO)

In this lever the fulcrum is placed always in the middle, this is between the load and de effort. Examples:
The see-saw, the weighing scales...

Effort Arm

Load Arm

Effort

Fulcrum
Load

2.1.1.2. SECOND-CLASS LEVER OR CLASS 2 LEVER(PALANCA DE 2º GRADO)

In this lever the fulcrum is placed at one end of the bar, the effort is applied at the other end and the
load in the middle of them.
Examples are: the wheelbarrow, the bottle opener, the nutcracker, a pair of scissors...

Effort
Effort Arm

Load Arm

Load

With this lever we always get mechanical advantage as the Effor Arm is longer than the Load Arm.

Palancas de segunda clase

2.1.1.3. THIRD-CLASS LEVER OR CLASS 3 LEVER(PALANCA DE 3º GRADO)

In this lever the fulcrum is placed at one end of the bar, the load is applied at the other end and the
effort in the middle of them. With this kind of lever no mechanical advantage is obtained as the Effort
Arm is shorter than the Load Arm. Instead we gain in speed of the load or movement of it.

Examples: the shovel (pala para cavar), the human mandible /’mandibl/, a rod, a broom, ...
Load Arm

Effort
Effort Arm

Load
 Palancas de tercera clase

LEVER EXERCISES

1. To raise a load of 50 kg we have a lever whose bar is 2.5 m length. The Load arm is 0,50 m and
the effort arm is 2 m. Find out the force we have to apply. Draw a sketch of it.

2. A see-saw of a play ground has a bar of 4 metres. Two children are playing with it. One of the
children weighs 50 kg and the other one 40 kg. If the 40 kg boy is sitting on one seat (2 metres
from the fulcrum), calculate the distance from the fulcrum the other boy has to seat down to
balance the see-saw. Draw a sketch of it.

3. In one first class lever we have to lift a weight of 100 kg. The resistance arm is 1 meter length,
and the effort arm is 3 metres length. How many kg have we to apply to lift the resistance?.
Draw a sketch of it.

4. A wheelbarrow has its bin at 0.5 metres from the axle of the wheel. The handle is at 1.25 metres
from this axle. Calculate the force a worker has to do to lift a 50 Kg load. Draw the sketch of this
lever.

5. In the digger of the picture, identify the all the levers it has got and their class.

6. Complete the table below.

TOOL ENGLISH SPANISH LEVER TOOL ENGLISH SPANISH LEVER

NAME NAME CLASS NAME NAME CLASS
 2.2. PULLEYS

A pulley is also called a sheave or drum and is a wheel which has a groove (canal) between two flanges
(rebordes) around its circumference. The pulley turns around a fixed axle. The drive element of a pulley
system can be a rope, cable, belt, or chain that runs over the pulley inside the groove.

In fact, the pulley is only used to avoid friction between the rope and the point the cable slides.

A simple pulley does not increase the speed of the rope nor reduce the effort needed to move a load.
The only advantage is to reduce friction and change the direction of the rope to be more ergonomic
(easier to handle by a person). For instance to lift a load without help we must use our muscles to do all
the work. If we use a pulley hanging from the ceiling and a rope, we just grip the rope and use our
weight to lift the same load.

As we are going to see below, the way we use pulleys can help us to do a work, thus providing mechanic
advantage. But like in all machines, the mechanical advantage supposes to change force for distance.
That means, for instance, that if we have to move a load and we do half and the force of that load
weights, then we’ll have to pull the rope two times the distance the load is going to move.

2.2.1. FIXED PULLEYS (POLEA FIJA)

It doesn’t have mechanical advantage, they only changes the direction in which we have to pull to lift
the load. They are usually used in lifts, where a counterweight is installed to help to lift the cabin.