ENGINEERING MECHANICS LAB

LAB CODE: - DME 1183

EXPERIMENT NO.4
TO FIND OUT VELOCITY RATIO,
MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE AND
EFFICIENCY OF SIMPLE MACHINES
PRINCIPLES OF LIFTING MACHINES:-
SIMPLE MACHINE
In a broad sense, a simple machine may be defined as a device, which enables us to do some
useful work at some point or to overcome some resistance, when an effort or force is applied to
it, at some other convenient point.

COMPOUND MACHINE

A compound machine may be defined as a device, consisting of a number of simple machines,

which enables us to do some useful work at a faster speed or with a much less effort as compared
to a simple machine.

LIFTING MACHINE
It is a device, which enables us to lift a heavy load (W) by applying a comparatively smaller
effort (P).

MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE
The mechanical advantage (briefly written as M.A.) is the ratio of weight lifted (W) to the effort
applied (P) and is always expressed in pure number.
Mathematically, mechanical advantage,

INPUT OF A MACHINE
The input of a machine is the work done on the machine. In a lifting machine, it is measured by
the product of effort and the distance through which it has moved.

OUTPUT OF A MACHINE
The output of a machine is the actual work done by the machine. In a lifting machine, it is
measured by the product of the weight lifted and the distance through which it has been lifted.

EFFICIENCY OF A MACHINE
It is the ratio of output to the input of a machine and is generally expressed as a percentage.

Mathematically, efficiency,

IDEAL MACHINE
If the efficiency of a machine is 100% i.e., if the output is equal to the input, the machine is
called as a perfect or an ideal machine.

VELOCITY RATIO
The velocity ratio (briefly written as V.R.) is the ratio of distance moved by the effort (y) to the
distance moved by the load (x) and is always expressed in pure number.

Mathematically, velocity ratio,

RELATION BETWEEN EFFICIENCY, MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE AND VELOCITY RATIO
OF A LIFTING MACHINE

It is an important relation of a lifting machine, which throws light on its mechanism. Now
consider a lifting machine, whose efficiency is required to be found out.

REVERSIBILITY OF A MACHINE
Sometimes, a machine is also capable of doing some work in the reversed direction, after the
effort is removed. Such a machine is called a reversible machine and its action is known as
reversibility of the machine.
CONDITION FOR THE REVERSIBILITY OF A MACHINE
Consider a reversible machine, whose condition for the reversibility is required to be found out.
Let W = Load lifted by the machine,
P = Effort required to lift the load,
y = Distance moved by the effort, and
x = Distance moved by the load.
We know that input of the machine =P×y ...(i)
And output of the machine =W×x ...(ii)
We also know that machine friction = Input – Output = (P × y) – (W × x)
SELF-LOCKING MACHINE

Sometimes, a machine is not capable of doing any work in the reversed direction, after the effort
is removed. Such a machine is called a non-reversible or self-locking machine. A little
consideration will show that the condition for a machine to be non-reversible or self-locking is
that its efficiency should not be more than 50%.

LAW OF A MACHINE

The term ‘law of a machine’ may be defined as relationship between the effort applied and the
load lifted. Thus for any machine, if we record the various efforts required to raise the
corresponding loads, and plot a graph between effort and load, we shall get a straight line AB as
shown in Fig. We also know that the intercept OA represents the amount of friction offered by
the machine. Or in other words, this is the effort required by the machine to overcome the
friction, before it can lift any load.
Mathematically,
the law of a lifting machine is given by the relation :
P = mW + C
Where, P = Effort applied to lift the load,
m = A constant (called coefficient of friction)
This is equal to the slope of the line AB
W = Load lifted, and
C = another constant, which represents the machine friction,

MAXIMUM MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE OF A LIFTING MACHINE

MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY OF A LIFTING MACHINE

SIMPLE NUMERICAL PROBLEMS:-

1. In a certain weight lifting machine, a weight of 1 kN is lifted by an effort of 25 N. While

the weight moves up by 100 mm, the point of application of effort moves by 8 m. Find
mechanical advantage, velocity ratio and efficiency of the machine.

2. A certain weight lifting machine of velocity ratio 30 can lift a load of 1500N with the
help of 125 N effort. Determine if the machine is reversible.

3. In a lifting machine, whose velocity ratio is 50, an effort of 100 N is required to lift a load
of 4 kN. Is the machine reversible? If so, what effort should be applied, so that the
machine is at the point of reversing?

4. A load of 120 N is raised by means of a certain weight lifting machine through a distance
of 200 mm. If the effort applied is 20 N and has moved through a distance of 1.5 m, find
the efficiency of the machine.

5. In a weight lifting machine, an effort of 50 N is required to lift a load (W). The distances
moved by the load and effort are 20 mm and 500 mm respectively. Determine the
magnitude of the load (W), if the efficiency of the machine is 80%.

6. In a weight lifting machine, whose velocity ratio is 20, a weight of 1 kN can be raised by
an effort of 80 N. If the effort is removed, show that the machine can work in the reverse
direction.

7. What load can be lifted by an effort of 120 N, if the velocity ratio is 18 and efficiency of
the machine at this load is 60%?
Determine the law of the machine, if it is observed that an effort of 200 N is required to
lift a load of 2600 N and find the effort required to run the machine at a load of 3.5 kN.

8. In a lifting machine, an effort of 40 N raised a load of 1 kN. If efficiency of the machine

is 0.5, what is its velocity ratio? If on this machine, an effort of 74 N raised a load of 2
kN, what is now the efficiency? What will be the effort required to raise a load of 5 kN ?

9. In a certain weight lifting machine, an effort of 15 N can lift a load of 300 N and an effort
of 20 N can lift a load of 500 N. Find the law of the machine. Also find the effort
required to lift a load of 880 N.

10. In a weight lifting machine, an effort of 40 N can lift a load of 1000 N and an effort of 55
N can lift a load of 1500N. Find the law of the machine. Also find maximum mechanical
advantage and maximum efficiency of the machine. Take velocity ratio of the machine as
48.
SIMPLE WHEEL AND AXLE:-
In Fig. Is shown a simple wheel and axle,
in which the wheel A and axle B are keyed
to the same shaft. The shaft is mounted on
ball bearings, order to reduce the frictional
resistance to a minimum. A string is wound
round the axle B, which carries the load to
be lifted. A second string is wound round
the wheel A in the opposite direction to that
of the string on B. SIMPLE WHEEL AND AXLE

Let D = Diameter of effort wheel,

d = Diameter of the load axle,
W = Load lifted, and
P = Effort applied to lift the load.
One end of the string is fixed to the wheel, while the other is free and the effort is applied to this
end. Since the two strings are wound in opposite directions, therefore a downward motion of the
effort (P) will raise the load (W).
Since the wheel as well as the axle is keyed to the same shaft, therefore when the wheel rotates
through one revolution, the axle will also rotate through one revolution. We know that
displacement of the effort in one revolution of effort wheel A,
= πD ...(i)
and displacement of the load in one revolution
= πd ...(ii)

DIFFERENTIAL WHEEL AND AXLE:-

It is an improved form of simple wheel and axle, in which the
velocity ratio is intensified with the help of load axle. In fig. 11.2
is shown a differential wheel and axle. In this case, the load axle
BC is made up of two parts of different diameters. Like simple
wheel and axle, the wheel A, and the axles B and C are keyed to
the same shaft, which is mounted on ball bearings in order to
reduce the frictional resistance to a minimum.
The effort string is wound round the wheel A. Another string
wound round the axle B, which after passing round the pulley (to
which the weight W is attached) is wound round the axle C in
opposite direction to that of the axle B; care being taken to wind
the string on the wheel A and axle C in the same direction. As a
result of this, when the string unwinds from the wheel A, the other
string also unwinds from the axle C. But it winds on the axle B as
shown in Fig
SIMPLE NUMERICAL PROBLEMS:-
1. A simple wheel and axle has wheel and axle of diameters of 300 mm and 30 mm
respectively. What is the efficiency of the machine, if it can lift a load of 900 N by an
effort of 100 N.
2. A drum weighing 60 N and holding 420N of water is to be raised from a well by means
of wheel and axle. The axle is 100 mm diameter and the wheel is 500 mm diameter. If a
force of 120 N has to be applied to the wheel, find (i) mechanical advantage, (ii) velocity
ratio and (iii) efficiency of the machine.

3. The larger and smaller diameters of a differential wheel and axle are 80 mm and 70 mm
respectively. The effort is applied to the wheel of diameter 250 mm. What is the velocity
ratio?
4. With a differential wheel and axle, an effort of 6 N raised a load of 60 N. If the efficiency
at this load is 80%, find the velocity ratio of the machine. If the diameter of the effort
wheel is 300 mm, determine the difference between the diameters of the axles. If the sum
of the diameters of the axles is 280 mm, determine the diameter of each axle.

5. In a differential wheel and axle, the diameter of the effort wheel is 400 mm. The radii of
the axles are 150 mm and 100 mm respectively. The diameter of the rope is 10 mm. Find
the load which can be lifted by an effort of 25 N assuming the efficiency of the machine
to be 84%.
WORM AND WORM WHEEL:-
It consists of a square threaded
screw, S (known as worm) and a
toothed wheel (known as worm
wheel) geared with each other, as
shown in Fig. A wheel A is
attached to the worm, over which
passes a rope as shown in the
figure. Sometimes, a handle is also
fixed to the worm (instead of the
wheel). A load drum is securely
mounted on the worm wheel.
SINGLE PURCHASE CRAB WINCH:-

In single purchase crab winch, a rope is fixed

to the drum and is wound a few turns round it.
The free end of the rope carries the load W. A
toothed wheel A is rigidly mounted on the load
drum. Another toothed wheel B, called pinion,
is geared with the toothed wheel A as shown in
Fig.
The effort is applied at the end of the handle to
rotate it.
 SIMPLE SCREW JACK:-
It consists of a screw, fitted in a nut,
which forms the body of the jack. The
principle, on which a screw jack works,
is similar to that of an inclined plane.
Fig. shows a simple screw jack, which
is rotated by the application of an effort
at the end of the lever, for lifting the
load. Now consider a single threaded
simple screw jack.

SIMPLE NUMERICAL PROBLEMS:-

1. A worm and worm wheel with 40 teeth on the worm wheel has effort wheel of 300 mm diameter
and load drum of 100 mm diameter. Find the efficiency of the machine, if it can lift a load of
1800 N with an effort of 24 N.
2. In a single purchase crab winch, the number of teeth on pinion is 25 and that on the spur wheel
100. Radii of the drum and handle are 50 mm and 300 mm respectively. Find the efficiency of
the machine and the effect of friction, if an effort of 20 N can lift a load of 300 N.
3. A screw jack has a thread of 10 mm pitch. What effort applied at the end of a handle 400 mm
long will be required to lift a load of 2 kN, if the efficiency at this load is 45%.
4. A simple screw jack has a thread of pitch 12 mm. Find the load that can be lifted by an effort of
20 N applied at the end of handle 500 mm long. Take efficiency of the machine as 50%.