LOCI OF POINTS AND

GENERATED CURVES

Loci of Points
The

path traced out by a point when it

moves in space, under given conditions or
in accordance with a definite law, is known
as locus of that point (loci is the plural of
locus)
The path of a point which moves
according to mathematically defined
conditions is known as its Locus.

LOCUS
For

example, a point P moving in a plane,

so that it is always at a constant distance
from another fixed point O traces out a
circle as its locus.
Many important geometrical curves
(ellipse, parabola, hyperbola, cycloidal
curves) may be considered as Loci e.g,
conic curves, helices, and screw threads,
involutes and spiral curves.

Locus as a circle
The

locus of a point P is a circle when it

moves in a plane in such a way that its
distance from a fixed point O, always
remain constant. The fixed point O is
called the centre and the constant
distance OP is called the radius.
P
O

Locus as a straight line

The locus of a point P is a straight line when it moves in a plane in

such a way that its distance from a fixed line AB is always a
constant.
If the fixed line AB is an arc of a circle, then the locus will be
another arc drawn through the point P and having the same center
as of arc AB.

Locus of P

Locus of point on a mechanism

The locus of a point in a mechanism is the path which is

traced by the point when the mechanism moves through
a complete cycle of operation.
The method of drawing the locus of a particular point in a
mechanism is to construct the mechanism in several
positions.
The point is plotted for each position and its locus is
obtained by drawing a smooth curve through these
plotted points.
The mechanism in successive positions may be drawn
with drawing instruments geometrically or with a paper
trammel. The use of computer aided drafting renders the
procedure very handy and fast.

Plane and space curves

Curve or curved line

A line which is generated by a point that moves in a

constantly changing direction is called curve or curved
line.
The exact nature of each curve or curved line is
determined by the motion of its generated point. The
following are the two general classes of curves or curved
lines :

Plane curves or single-curved lines

A line which is generated by a point that moves in a constantly
changing direction in the same plane is called plane curve or single
curved line.

Space curves or Double curved lines

a line which is generated by a point that moves in a constantly
changing direction in the space is called space curve or double
curved line.

Types of plane and space curves

1.

The following are the important types of plane and space curves
used in engineering practice :Plane curves or single curved lines:
(a)

Roulettes or cycloidal curves

(i)
(ii)
(iii)

(b)
(c)

Involutes
Spirals
(i)
(ii)

2.

Cycloid
Trochoids (superior and inferior)
Epicycloid
Epitrochoids (superior and inferior)
Hypocycloid
Hypotrochoid (superior and inferior)

Archemedian spiral
Logarithmic spiral

Space curves or double curved lines:

(a)

Helix
(i) Cylindrical Helix
(ii) Conical helix

1. PLANE CURVES OR SINGLE CURVED LINES

(a) CYCLOIDAL AND SPIRAL CURVES

ROULETTES or CYCLOIDAL CURVES

Those curves which are generated by a
fixed point on a rolling curve that rolls
without slipping along fixed base curve.
The rolling curve is called generating
curve and the fixed curve is called the
directing curve.

APPLICATION OF ROULETTES

CYCLOID
The

curve is the locus of a point on the

circumference of a circle which rolls,
without slipping, along a fixed straight line.

ENGINEERING APPLICATION OF
CYCLOID
The

cycloid curve was formerly used more

extensively in the design of gear tooth
profile, but modern production methods
tend to limit its applications to small gears
used in instruments, for which epicycloids
or hypocycloid curves are generally used.

PROBLEM
Draw

a cycloid, given the diameter of a

generating circle as 50 mm. also draw a
tangent and normal at any given point T
on the curve.

Solution - Cycloid

Solution - Steps

With center Co draw the rolling circle of 50 mm. draw a

straight line, the path along which it is to roll, tangent to
the circle.
Fix the initial position of point which is to trace the
required locus while the rolling circle make some
revolution along the base line. Let it be Po.
Mark a length Po Po equal to the circumference of the
rolling circle, along the base line, and divide it into a
number of equal parts, 12 here. Divide the circumference
of the rolling circle also into the same number of equal
parts.

Solution - Steps

Through division points on the rolling circle, draw lines

parallel to fixed line and at the points on the fixed line
erect perpendiculars to cut the horizontal center line of
the rolling circle at points C1, C2, C3 etc.
As the circle rolls through 1/12th of a complete revolution,
the center Co will move to the position C1 and the point P
will move from initial position Po to P1 and so on.
Therefore, the points Po, P2, P3 etc. are plotted by the
intersection of lines drawn division points 1, 2, 3 etc on
the circle and the corresponding circle arcs drawn with
centers C1, C2 etc, as illustrated for P4 and P5.
A smooth curve joining all the 12 points plotted thus,
gives the required cycloid.

Solution - Steps
Tangent and normal at a point on the cycloid
Draw the rolling circle in such a position
that It passes through T, by chain line. The
normal is given by the line TN, where N is
the point of contact between the rolling
circle, and the fixed line. The tangent T1,
T2 is perpendicular to TN at T.

Trochoids

The curve generated by a point within or outside the

circle which rolls along a straight line is called trochoid.
When a circle rolls, without slipping along a fixed straight
line, the locus of the fixed point P not lying on the rolling
circle is a trochoid.
When the point P which traces the locus is outside the
rolling circle, the locus produced is superior trochoid.
When the point P is inside the rolling circle the locus is
inferior trochoid.
The construction of both trochoids is very similar to that
used for cycloid.

Problem
Draw

trochoids, given the diameter of the

rolling circle as 40 mm and the fixed point
P, tracing the locus, is 8 mm away from
the rolling circle.

Solution - Superior Trochoid

Solution - Inferior Trochoid

Solution
The

construction of both trochoids is very

similar to that used for cycloid. It should be
noted however, that in each case the
circumference of the rolling circle is laid
out along the fixed line and divided into 12
equal parts, and the circle through the
given point P is divided into 12 equal
parts, not the reverse.

Epicycloid
The

curve generated by a point on the

circumference of a rolling circle which rolls
outside the directing circle is called epicycloid.
When a circle rolls, without slipping, around the
outside of a fixed circle, the locus of a point on
the circumference of the rolling circle is called
the epicycloid.
The rolling circle is called generating circle and
the fixed circle is called the directing circle.

Problem
Draw

an epicycloid, given the radii of

rolling and directing circles as r = 30 mm
and R = 120 mm, respectively. Also draw a
normal and a tangent at any point Q on
the curve.

Solution - Epicycloid

1. PLANE CURVES OR SINGLE CURVED LINES

(b) Involute
A curve

traced out by an end of a piece of

string when unwound from a circle or a
polygon is called involute.
When a straight line rolls, without slipping,
on a curve, the locus of any point on the
straight line is an involute to the curve.
The involute to a circle is the locus of the
end of a taut string as it is unwound from
the surface of a cylinder or base circle.

Engineering application of involute

Involute of a circle is used as the profile of gear teeth.

Cams are often designed to the involute shape because
it ensures rolling contact between the roller and the
follower at constant speed.
The involute of a circle can be drawn by drawing
tangents at various points on the circumference of the
circle and making the various points at corresponding
distances along their Tangents. While the involute of any
polygon can be drawn by extending its sides, keeping
the corners of polygon as successive sides of the
polygon thereby terminating on the extended sides

Problem
Draw

an involute to a circle of 50 mm. Also

draw a tangent and normal to it, at any
given point on it.

Solution Involute to a circle

Problem
Draw

the involute of a circular arc which

subtends an angle (90 degrees here) at
the center of the circle of 120 mm.

Involute to a circular arc

Problem
Draw

an involute to an equilateral triangle

of 20 mm side.

Involute of a triangle

1. PLANE CURVES OR SINGLE CURVED LINES

(c) Spirals

A curve generated by a point moving continuously in one

direction along a rotating line is called spiral.
The point or the end about which the line rotates is
called pole.
The line joining any point on the spiral curve with the
pole is called the radius vector and the angle between
this and the line in its initial position is called the vector
angle.
When line completes one revolution, the moving point is
said to have traced out one revolution. A spiral may take
any number of revolutions before reaching the pole, but
there will be as many convolutions as the number of
revolutions.

Archimedean Spiral
The

curve traced out by a point moving with

uniform velocity along a line which is also
rotating with uniform velocity is called
Archimedean spiral.
It is the locus of a point P which moves at a
steady rate along a line, while the line rotates at
uniform speed about center, O , such that for
each angular displacement of the line, the linear
displacement of the point is constant.

Engineering applications of
Archimedean Spirals
They

are used in the construction of cams,

threads of scroll chucks and in some other
simple devices.

Problem
Construct

an Archimedean spiral of two

convolutions, given the greatest and the
shortest radii as 84 mm and 12 mm,
respectively.

Archimedean Spiral ( Two Convolutions )

Problem
Construct

an Archimedean spiral of one

convolution , given the radial movement of
the point P during one convolution as
60mm and the initial position of P as pole
O.