Experiment No.

10
“Study of Toggle Joint”

1. Objective:
i. To determine experimental Mechanical advantage (M.A.) exp
ii. To determine theoretical Mechanical advantage (M.A.) th
iii. To work out error between (M.A.) exp and (M.A.) th

2. Apparatus:
i. Toggle Joint Apparatus
ii. Weights
iii. Meter Rod
iv. Spring Balance
v. Hanger

3. Introduction:
In this experiment, we will learn the construction and working of Toggle joint apparatus. We
will also learn how to find the experimental and theoretical mechanical advantage of Toggle
Joint.

4. Theory:
4.1 Toggle Joint:
“Toggle joint is an apparatus of two rods connected by a joint and their other sides are connected to
a fixed joint and the other side is connected to a rolling joint.”
OR
“A mechanical linkage of the type of an elbow or knee joint, consisting of two bars so
connected that they may be brought quite or nearly into a straight line, and made to produce
great endwise pressure when brought into this position.” [1]

Figure 1: Toggle Joint [2]

4.2 Mechanical Joint:
“A mechanical joint is a section of a machine which is used to connect one mechanical part to
another.”
Mechanical joints may be temporary or permanent, most types are designed to be disassembled.
Most mechanical joints are designed to allow relative movement of these mechanical parts of the
machine in one degree of freedom (insert LINK), and restrict movement in one or more others.
Mechanical joints are much cheaper and are usually bought ready assembled. [3]

4.2.1 Types of Mechanical Joints:

There are following types of Mechanical Joints:
i. Knuckle joint
ii. Turnbuckle
iii. Pin joint
iv. Cotter joint
v. Bolted joint
vi. Screw joint

4.2.1.1 Knuckle Joint:

“Knuckle joint is a type of mechanical joint used in structures, to connect two intersecting
cylindrical rods, whose axes lie on the same plane. It permits some angular movement
between the cylindrical rods (in their plane). It is specially designed to withstand tensile
loads.”
OR
“A knuckle joint is used to connect the two rods which are under the tensile load, when there
is requirement of small amount of flexibility or angular moment is necessary. There is always
axial or linear line of action of load.”

It has following main parts:

i. Fork end
ii. Eye end
iii. Knuckle pin
iv. Collar
v. Taper pin

Figure 2: Knuckle Joint [4]

Knuckle joints find a wide variety of applications. They are used in:

i. Bicycle chains
ii. Tractors
iii. Trusses
iv. Automobile wipers
v. Cranes
vi. Chain straps of watches
vii. Earth movers
viii. Robotic joints
ix. Structural member [5]

4.2.1.2 Turnbuckle:
“A turnbuckle, stretching screw or bottle screw is a device for adjusting the tension or length of
ropes, cables, tie rods, and other tensioning systems. It normally consists of two threaded eye
bolts, one screwed into each end of a small metal frame, one with a left-hand thread and the other
with a right-hand thread.”

Figure 3: Turn Buckle [6]

It has the following applications:

i. To tighten the members of the roof truss.
ii. Used to connect link in a mechanism to transfer motion
iii. Used between the two railway wagon and bogies.
iv. To tighten the cable or stay ropes of electric distribution poles [7]

4.2.1.3 Pin joint:

“Pin joints are a type of mechanically locked connection. They are used to securely connect
hubs, levers and adjusting rings to axles or shafts, to locate components in a fixed position on
equipment and to fasten components (such as springs, bars and straps). The oversized pins are
driven into their (undersized) holes by Force.”
A revolute joint (also called pin joint or hinge joint) is a one-degree-of-freedom kinematic pair
used in mechanisms. Revolute joints provide single-axis rotation function used in many places
such as door hinges, folding mechanisms, and other uniaxial rotation devices. (They do not allow
translation, or sliding linear motion, a constraint not shown in the diagram.)[8]
 Figure 4: Pin Joint [9]

4.2.1.3 Cotter joint:

“A cotter is a pin or wedge passing through a hole to fix parts tightly together. This is used to
connect rigidly two rods which transmit motion in the axial direction, without rotation. These
joints may be subjected to tensile or compressive forces along the axes of the rods.”
OR
“A cotter joint is a temporary fastening and is used to connect rigidly two co -axial rods or
bars which are subjected to axial tensile or compressive force. It is usually used in connecting
a piston rod to the cross head of a reciprocating steam engine. A piston rod and its extension
as a tail or pump rod, tarp end of connecting rod etc.”

Figure 5: Cotter Joint [10]

Typical applications are in fixing a crank to its crankshaft, as in a bicycle, or a piston rod to a
crosshead, as in a steam engine. [11]

4.2.1.4 Bolted joint:

“Bolted joints are one of the most common elements in construction and machine design. They
consist of fasteners that capture and join other parts, and are secured with the mating of screw
threads.”

Figure 6: Bolted Joint [12]

There are two main types of bolted joint designs:
i. Tension joints
ii. Shear joints
In the tension joint, the bolt and clamped components of the joint are designed to transfer an
applied tension load through the joint by way of the clamped components by the design of a
proper balance of joint and bolt stiffness.
The second type of bolted joint i.e. Shear joint transfers the applied load in shear of the bolt
shank and relies on the shear strength of the bolt.
Proper joint design and bolt preload provides useful properties:
i. For cyclic tension loads, the fastener is not subjected to the full amplitude of the load; as
a result, the fastener's fatigue life is increased or—if the material exhibits an endurance
limit its life extends indefinitely.
ii. As long as the external tension loads on a joint do not exceed the clamp load, the fastener
is not subjected to motion that would loosen it, obviating the need for locking
mechanisms. (Questionable under Vibration Inputs.)
iii. For the shear joint, a proper clamping force on the joint components prevents relative
motion of those components and the fretting wear of those that could result in the
development of fatigue cracks. [13]

4.2.1.5 Screw joint:

“A screw joint is a one-degree-of-freedom kinematic pair used in mechanisms. Screw joints
provide single-axis translation by utilizing the threads of the threaded rod to provide such
translation.”
A Screw joint is sometimes considered as a separate type but it is actually a variation of bolted
joint. The difference is that a screw is used rather that bolt, thus requiring an internal thread in
one of the jointed parts. This can save space, however, continuous reuse of the thread would
probably damage the coils, making the whole part unsuitable. [14]

Figure 7: Screw Joint [15]

4.3 Types of supports:
Following are the different types of supports:

4.3.1 Roller support:

The reactions in these kinds of supports are normal to the surface on which the rollers are placed.

Figure 8: Roller Support [16]

4.3.2 Smooth surface support:

The reaction in this kind of support acts perpendicular to the surface at the point of contact.

Figure 9: Smooth Surface [17]

4.3.3 Fixed support:

Reactions in x, y and z directions. The reactions are three force and three couple-moment
components.

Figure 10: Fixed Support [18]

4.3.4 Rocker support:
A curved piece of wood attached to the bottom of a rocking chair or cradle that enables it
to rock back and forth. The reaction is a force perpendicular to the surface at the point of contact.

Figure 11: Rocker Support [19]

4.3.5 Pin point or hinged support:

The reaction at the hinged end may be vertical or inclined depending on the type of loading.

Figure 12: Pin Joint [20]

4.4 Mechanical Advantage:

“Mechanical advantage is a measure of the force amplification achieved by using a
tool, mechanical device or machine system. The device preserves the input power and simply
trades off forces against movement to obtain a desired amplification in the output force. The
model for this is the law of the lever.”
Machine components designed to manage forces and movement in this way are
called mechanisms. An ideal mechanism transmits power without adding to or subtracting from
it. This means the ideal mechanism does not include a power source, is frictionless, and is
constructed from rigid bodies that do not deflect or wear. The performance of a real system
relative to this ideal is expressed in terms of efficiency factors that take into account departures
from the ideal. [21]

4.5 Applications of Toggle Joint:

i. Toggle joints is used in crushing. In the Figure 13, showing a toggle mechanism at work
in a rock-crushing machine, the numbered links are pin-connected at A, B, C, D, and E.
Rotation of link 1 about the fixed pivot A causes the block to slide back and forth. The
relation between the force in link 2 acting at C and the force W exerted on the block at D,
and thus on the rock, depends on the angle symbolized by the Greek letter theta, θ; the
smaller the angle, the greater is W in terms of F. For θ equal to one degree, W is nearly 29
times Toggle mechanisms are used to obtain large force amplification in such
applications as sheet metal punching and forming machines.

Figure 13: Rock Crushing Machine [22]

ii. It is used in sucker rod pumps

iii. It is also used in limestone extraction. [23]

5. Procedure:
i. By means of a meter rule, measure the vertical height (h) of the apparatus and the
horizontal length (D) with no loads attached (as a reference).
 ii. Now add a known weight to the hanger. This is the effort P.
iii. Note down the reading from the spring balance. This is the load P.
iv. By means of meter rule, measure and note down D and h.
v. The actual value of Mechanical Advantage is calculated by dividing effort (P) by
Load (F) whereas the theoretical value is given by D/4h.
vi. The experiment is repeated for different values of P.
vii. Find the percentage error of each experimental value and finally calculate its average

6. Observations and Calculations:

Table 1: Experimental and theoretical Mechanical advantage of Toggle Joint
Sr. No. Effort E Load L (M.A.)exp D h (M.A.)th Percentage

1. 1.25 1.4 1.12 21.25 4.7 1.13 0.88

(lbs) (lbs) =L/E (inch) (inch) =D/4h Error

2. 2.25 2.5 1.1 21.6 4.6 1.125 2.22

3. 2.75 3.2 1.16 21.7 4.5 1.2 3.33

Mean Error=2.14%

7. Comments:
There is a small difference between the experimental and theoretical Mechanical Advantage
which may be due to:
i. Continuous Loading
ii. Zero Error in measuring Instrument
iii. Friction
iv. Parallax Error
v. Wears and Tears etc.

8. References:
[1] Toggle in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
[2] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/toggle_joint
[3] Blake, Alexander (1985). Design of mechanical joints. CRC Press. ISBN 978-0-8247-7351-
9.
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDzZYKK_OmE
[5] Gupta, R.S. Khurmi, J.K. (2008). A textbook of machine design (S.I. units): [a textbook for
the students of B.E. / B.Tech., U.P.S.C. (Engg. Services); Section 'B' of A.M.I.E. (1)] (14th ed.).
Ram Nagar, New Delhi: Eurasia Publishing House. ISBN 81-219-2537-1.
[6] http://www.theoutdoorshop.com.au/Turnbuckle-mm-Hook-Eye-stainless-steel-marine-grade-
316
[7] “Special Hardware You Should Know About". Popular Science Monthly. Bonnier
Corporation: 169. Dec 1959
[8] Norton, Robert L. (2008). "2". Design of Machinery (4th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill
Higher Education. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-07-312158-1
[9] https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-differentiate-between-a-Pin-Joint-and-a-Rigid-Joint
[10] http://machinedesign.top/content/cotter-joint-design-procedureproblems-and-question-
answer
[11] Van der Plas, Rob (1993), The Bicycle Repair Book: The New Complete Manual of Bicycle
Care (2nd ed.), MBI Publishing Company, p. 66, ISBN 978-0-933201-55-2.
[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bolted_joint.svg

[13] Collins, Jack A.; Staab, George H.; Busby, Henry R. (2002), Mechanical Design of
Machine Elements and Machines, Wiley, ISBN 0-471-03307-3.
[14] Norton, Robert L. (2008). "2". Design of Machinery (4th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill
Higher Education. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-07-312158-1.
[15] http://www.usaflags.com/screw-joint-for-1-inch-diameter-aluminum-poles-brass.htm
[16] https://theconstructor.org/structural-engg/types-of-supports-reactions-uses-structures/16974/
[17] http://www.mechanical-engineering-assignment.com/2-3-types-of-supports-and-their-
reactions
[18] http://web.mit.edu/4.441/1_lectures/1_lecture13/1_lecture13.html
[19] http://www.engineeringwiki.org/wiki/Calculation_of_Support_Reactions
[20] https://www.quora.com/What-is-a-hinged-supported-beam
[21] Usher, A. P. (1929). A History of Mechanical Inventions. Harvard University Press
(reprinted by Dover Publications 1988). p. 94. ISBN 978-0-486-14359-0. OCLC 514178.
Retrieved 7 April2013
[22] http://www.tesabparts.com/impact-crushers/
[23] http://www.jmconsulting.eu/8555/practical-applications-of-toggle-joint/