GENEVA MECHANISM

A PROJECT REPORT ON

GENEVA MECHANISM
SUBMITED BY

NAME: LALL MOHAMMAD

REGISTRATION NO: D141518725

ROLL NO.

Under the Guidance of

Mr. Sanjay Sarkar

Technical Assistant

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for

Diploma Degree in Mechanical Engineering under
West Bengal State Council of Technical & Vocational
Education and Skill Development
2014 - 2017
Through
Budge Budge Institute of Technology
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY EXTENDING MY SENSE OF EXTREME
GRATITUDE TO PROF. (DR.) RISHABH DEV SHUKLA, DEAN
(DIPLOMA), BUDGE BUDGE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, KOLKATA -
137, FOR HIS VIGILANT GUIDANCE TO UNDERTAKE THIS PROJECT
AND HELPING US TO KNOW ABOUT EVERY HOOK AND CORNER OF
THE PREVAILING AREAS OF ACTIVITIES BY HIS INDEFATIGABLE
ATTITUDE AND OPULENT ERUDITION.

I AM EXCEEDINGLY GRATEFUL TO MR. SAIKAT MEDYA; HEAD OF THE

DEPARTMENT, DEPT. OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING (DIPLOMA),
BUDGE BUDGE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, FOR GIVING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERTAKE THIS PROJECT.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO EXPREES MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO MR.

SANJAY SARKAR, TECHNICAL ASSISTANT, MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, BBIT, FOR HIS INDISPENSABLE
COMPANION THROUGH THICK AND THIN AND BY HIS UNYIELDING
EFFORTS WHILE PERFORMING THE PRACTICAL WORK IN THE WORK-
SHOP OF BBIT.

LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, NO AMOUNT OF THANKS CAN EVER

REPAY THE GREAT DEBT THAT I OWE TO BUDGE BUDGE INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY WITHOUT THE FORUM OF ITS, THIS PROJECT
WOULD HAVE BEEN AN IMPOSSIBLE ONE.

AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CLASSMATE BINOY GHOSH FOR

HELPING US TO DESIGN THE MODEL OF GENEVA MECHANISM IN
AUTOCAD.
 ABSTRACT
Converting constant rotary motion into intermittent rotary motion
gives rise to a range of useful application in silicon micromachining.
This paper discusses the design and fabrication of one such
mechanism called the Geneva Wheel Mechanism. The standard
SUMMiT process has been made use of in developing this. All the
related mathematics of Geneva wheel was developed and the
system was analysed.

The Geneva stop mechanism (MME), designed by EDIBON, is a

mechanism that transforms continuous circular motion into
intermittent motion. It is a positive drive in which the driven wheel is
positively moved or locked. It is made of aluminium and consists of a
rotating drive wheel and a driven wheel with six slots. The drive
wheel has a pin that reaches into a slot of the driven wheel,
advancing it by one step. The drive wheel also has a raised half-moon
locking disc that locks the driven wheel in position between steps.
The drive wheel and the driven wheel are mounted in two graduated
disc, where the angle of both wheels can be measured.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of the project work is to help the student develop ability to apply
the engineering and technological concepts, tools and technique to study and
attempt to solve any engineering or system problems. Stress is given on quality
on training for development of professional competence .
 DECLERATION
We hereby, declare that our project report submitted to our
department is based on our study and work.

Name of Group Members Signature

1. KOUSHIK SHIT _____________________________

2. KRISHNENDU MONDAL _____________________________

3. KUSHAL GOUTAM _____________________________

4. LALL MOHAMMAD _____________________________

5. M AKASH RAO _____________________________

6. MRIMOY BHOWMIK _____________________________

7. MUJADID MOIN _____________________________

8. NILANJAN SANPUI _____________________________

9. SOUVIK PALUI _____________________________

10. RAJDEEP DEB _____________________________

11. RIJU DEY _____________________________

12. RITAM CHAKRABORTY _____________________________

13. RITAM MONDAL _____________________________

14. SAHAD SK _____________________________

 CERTIFICATION
THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE PROJECT REPORT ENTITLED “GENEVA
MECHANISM” SUBMITTED BY LALL MOHAMMAD, A BONAFIDE
STUDENT OF 3RD YEAR ; ME-C (REG. NO.- D141518725) , DIPLOMA
DIVISION OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OF BUDGE
BUDGE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WHO GOT HIS REGISTRATION
FOR THE AWARD OF DIPLOMA ENGINEER UNDER WEST BENGAL
STATE COUNCIL OF TECHNICAL & VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND
SKILL DEVELOPMENT IS ABSOLUTELY BASED UPON HIS STUDY AND
OWN WORK UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF MR. SAIKAT MEDYA AND
GUIDED BY MR. SANJAY SARKAR.

WE WISH HIM ALL THE SUCCESS IN FUTURE.

_____________________________

SIGNATURE OF THE SUPERVISOR(S):

MR. SAIKAT MEDYA (T.I.C OF M.E. DEPT.)

_____________________________

SIGNATURE OF PROJECT GUIDE(S):

MR. SANJAY SARKAR (T.A OF M.E. DEPT.)

 INDEX
I. Introduction.
II. Background.
III. Basic principle of Geneva mechanism.
IV. Component of Geneva.
V. Application of Geneva.
VI. Advantages.
VII. Equipments and tools used in model.
VIII. Operations.
IX. Endowment.
X. Conclusion.
XI. Bibliography.
 INTRODUCTION
The Geneva Drive or Maltese cross is a gear mechanism that
translates a continuous rotation into an intermittent rotary motion.
The rotating drive wheel has a pin that reaches into a slot of the
driven wheel advancing it by one step.

With the introduction of 4 and 5 level polysilicon surface

micromachining technology by the Sandia National Laboratories, a
whole new range of mechanisms have been made possible at the
micro level. Primary amongst these are the microengines that have,
in turn, been issues used in a variety of applications. Since the output
of a microengine is some sort of a continuous motion, most of the
applications so far using microengines have been restricted to similar
kind of motion. In this paper, we discuss the detail of design and
fabrications of a mechanism called the Geneva mechanism, using
which, continuous motion can be converted into intermittent
motion. A conversion technique like this can be made use of in a
variety of applications such as discretized positioning of micromirrors
in optical switching applications.
 BACKGROUND
The name derives from the device's earliest application in
mechanical watches, Geneva, Switzerland being an important centre
of watch making. The Geneva drive is also commonly called a
Maltese cross mechanism due to the visual resemblance when the
driven wheel has four spokes. Since they can be made small and are
able to withstand substantial mechanical stress, these mechanisms
are frequently used in watches. In the most common arrangement,
the driven wheel has four slots and thus advances by one step of 90
degrees for each rotation of the drive wheel. If the driven wheel has
n slots, it advances by 360°/n per full rotation of the drive wheel.

Because the mechanism needs to be well lubricated, it is often

enclosed in an oil capsule. The Geneva converts continuous rotary
motion into intermittent rotary motion. When one of the slots in the
driven wheel is obstructed, the device, then called a Geneva Stop,
can be used to limit the number of turns of the input wheel. In this
form, the ×Geneva was used to limit the wind-up in clockwork
springs.
 BASIC PRINCIPLE OF
GENEVA MECHANISM
The basic structure of a four slot Geneva wheel is shown in Fig.1. The
system consists of a constantly rotating disk coupled with a slotted
disk, which gives rise to the desired discrete motion. A rotation of 2
radians of the former causes 2/N radians of rotation of the latter,
where N is the number of slots available on the slotted disk. Thus,
one complete rotation of the slotted wheel requires N complete
rotations of the other disk, thereby also increasing the total time
period. The conversion mechanism of this disk system is as follows.
 GENEVA WHEEL
GEOMETRY
a = drive crank radius

n = driven slot quantity

p = drive pin diameter

t = allowed clearance

c = center distance =

b = geneva wheel radius =

s = slot center length = (a + b) - c

w = slot width = p + t

y = stop arc radius = a – (p*1.5)

z = stop disc radius = y + t

v= clearance arc =
 COMPONENTS OF
GENEVA
1. RECTANGULAR BASE

2. GENEVA CRANK DISK

3. GENEVA WHEEL
RECTANGULER BASE

It is a rectangular wooden base which has been used as the base

platform for the Geneva heel and the crank disc. It gives stability
and strength to the whole mechanism or the ongoing mechanism
which is being performed.

There are small criteria for this base it

must have a smooth surface on both sides. Otherwise it will create
friction on the crank disc. On the other side it will tilt on one side
also.
 GENEVA CRANK DISC

A crank is an arm attached at a right angle to a rotating shaft by

which reciprocating motion is imparted to or received from the
shaft. It is used to convert circular motion into reciprocating
motion, or vice versa. The arm may be a bent portion of the shaft,
or a separate arm or disk attached to it. Attached to the end of
the crank by a pivot is a rod, usually called a connecting rod
(conrod). The end of the rod attached to the crank moves in a
circular motion, while the other end is usually constrained to
move in a linear sliding motion.

The term often refers to a human-powered crank which is used to

manually turn an axle, as in a bicycle crank set or a brace and bit
drill. In this case a person's arm or leg serves as the connecting
rod, applying reciprocating force to the crank. There is usually a
bar perpendicular to the other end of the arm, often with a freely
rotatable handle or pedal attached.

This crank is the main

rotational source for the Geneva wheel. It consistently provides
the rotational motion to the mechanism.
 GENEVA WHEEL

The basic design criteria of a Geneva wheel are that the

centrelines

of the slot and crank are mutually perpendicular at engagement

and at

disengagement. The crank, which usually rotates at a uniform

angular

velocity, carries a roller to engage with the slots. During one

revolution

of the crank the Geneva wheel rotates a fractional part of the

revolution,

the amount of which is dependent upon the number of slots. The

circular segment attached to the crank effectively locks the wheel

against rotation when the roller is not in engagement and also
positions

the wheel for correct engagement of the roller with the next slot.

The design of the Geneva mechanism is initiated by specifying the

crank radius, the roller diameter and the number of slots. At least
3 slots

are necessary but most problems can be solved with wheels

having from

4 to 12 slots. The angle (β) is half the angle subtended by adjacent

slots

i.e.

Where n is the number of slots in the wheel. Then, defining r2 as

the crank radius we have,

Where c is the centre distance. Note that the actual Geneva wheel

radius is more than that which would be obtained by a zero-

diameter

roller. This is due to the difference between the sin and the
tangent of

the angle subtended by the roller, measured from the wheel

centre.

The final step in the design process is to choose a convenient

radius for the circular pert of the Geneva wheel, which meshes
with the

input wheel locking the Geneva wheel.

 APPLICATION OF
GENEVA

One application of the Geneva drive is in movie projectors: the

film does not run continuously through the projector. Instead, the
film is advanced frame by frame, each frame standing still in front
of the lens for 1/24 of a second (and being exposed twice in that
time, resulting in a frequency of 48 Hz). This intermittent motion
is achieved using a Geneva drive. (Modern film projectors may
also use an electronically controlled indexing mechanism or
stepper motor, which allows for fast-forwarding the film.) The first
uses of the Geneva drive in film projectors go back to 1896 to the
projectors of Oskar Messter and Max Gliewe and the Teatrograph
of Robert William Paul. Previous projectors, including Thomas
Armat's projector, marketed by Edison as the Vitascope, had used
a "beater mechanism", invented by Georges Demenÿ in 1893, to
achieve intermittent film transport.

Geneva wheels having the form of the driven wheel were also
used in mechanical watches, but not in a drive, rather to limit the
tension of the spring, such that it would operate only in the range
where its elastic force is nearly linear. If one of the slots of the
driven wheel is occluded, the number of rotations the drive wheel
can make is limited. In watches, the "drive" wheel is the one that
winds up the spring, and the Geneva wheel with four or five
spokes and one closed slot prevents over winding (and also
complete unwinding) of the spring. This so-called Geneva stop or
"Geneva stop work" was the invention of 17th or 18th century
watchmakers.

Other applications of the Geneva drive include the pen change

mechanism in plotters, automated sampling devices, banknote
counting machines, and many forms of index able equipment used
in manufacturing (such as the tool changers in CNC machines; the
turrets of turret lathes, screw machines, and turret drills; some
kinds of indexing heads and rotary tables; and so on). The Iron
Ring Clock uses a Geneva mechanism to provide intermittent
motion to one of its rings.

A Geneva drive was used to change filters in the Dawn mission

framing camera used to image the asteroid 4 Vesta in 2011. It was
selected to ensure that should the mechanism fail at least one
filter would be usable.
 ADVANTAGES

i. Geneva mechanism may be the simplest and least Expensive of

all intermittent motion mechanisms.

ii. They come in a wide variety of sizes, ranging from those used in
instruments, to those used in machine tools to index spindle
carriers weighing several tons.

iii. They have good motion curves characteristics compared to

ratchets, but exhibit more “jerk” or instantaneous change in
acceleration, than better cam systems

iv. Geneva maintains good control of its load at all Times, since it
is provided with locking ring surfaces.
 EQUIPMENTS AND
TOOLS USED IN
MODEL
1. WOOD
2. SAW
3. SAND PAPER
4. NAILS
5. SCREW
6. HAMMER
7. STEEL RULE
8. DRILL MACHINE
9. GUM

10.MARKER
 OPERATIONS
Keeping in mind the working of a Geneva wheel, a few test
structures were designed to analyse the working of this system.
The typical torque values obtained from a micro engine fabricated
at the Sandia National Laboratories are in the range of 6.0*10-
11Nm to 1.2*10-10Nm. We plan to use one of these micro
engines at a later stage to move our constantly rotating disk. The
micro mirror systems currently being used for optical switching
purposes need around 10µN of force for actuation. We can also
have some other systems that require similar forces and motion
for actuation.

With these in mind and also that friction between the engaging
pin and the slots is going to play a very important role in
determining the performance of our system, we decided to have
four basic types of arrangements for a chosen radius of the
constantly rotating wheel. The first arrangement checks for the
basic engagement without any type of load applied. For this, a pin
is simply moved through a slot in the Geneva wheel configuration
and the motion is carried out externally through probes. Any
other micro machined system is avoided to ensure that the
system’s working is not effected by any other parameter. This
structure would ensure that the dimensions chosen for the
structure are correct and the expected motion can be obtained if
all other parameters work out well. The other structures involve
simulation of 10µN force in configurations that either are
opposing or assisting the Geneva wheel rotation. This simulation
of the force is done using micro machined springs (serpentine
beams), which are either in tension, compression or upstretched
position when the motion of the Geneva wheel begins. This is
achieved by anchoring the springs at different points relative to
the Geneva wheel. The spring initially in tension simulates a
situation where a system exerts an opposing force, which
increases as the pin moves towards the line joining the wheel
centres. An example of this case is shown in Fig.4. The
compressed spring system simulates an assisting force and the
neutral spring simulates a situation where the motion of the
wheel is not hindered initially, but once the system starts moving,
the opposing force increases. If the system works for all these
cases, the wheel mechanism is most likely to work in a more
complex system like the one coupled with the micro engine and
the micro mirrors, to obtain intermittent lifting of the micro
mirrors. These basic layouts have been laid out for four different
radii of the pin-wheel. Also the engaging pin size has been varied
and similar structures have been laid down for the six slot Geneva
wheel.

This project is mainly made out of wood which has effected

on its rotational outcome. There is a backlash (small angular
inefficiency) which is of approximately 15 to 30 degrees for which
there is a small problem in a full 360 degrees rotation.
 ENDOWMENT
Each and every one of us had an equal contribution towards this
project. It would have not been possible without every one’s
effort. Sir was beside us every step and guided us through this
project and the learning curve. This is a great and new experience
for us and we are gaining a lot of knowledge from this project
Geneva mechanism.
 CONCLUTION
− Taking into account the presented relationships it was created a
computer program to determine the geometric parameters of
Geneva mechanism elements. − The determined data were used for
computer-aided design of the crank and wheel of Geneva
mechanism using NX CAD module. − By using adequate relationships
was made Geneva mechanism. − It was performed Computer aided
manufacturing of virtual prototype of the Geneva wheel with NX
CAM module

- The project has worked perfectly

- We have shown the mechanism through our project practically.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
The Geneva wheel (tutorial), Cornell.
Geneva Mechanism: its history, function, and weaknesses, The
University of Nebraska.
External Geneva drive (animation), Brock eng.
U.S. Patent 6,183,087 – Quickermittent. Modified star wheel
for fast pulldown.
"LEGO Geneva Mechanism", Brick engineer (animation and
instructions for building), Oct 7, 2007