Chapter 4

Planar Linkage Mechanism

§4-1 Types of the four-bar linkages

§4-2 Variation of revolute four-bar mechanism

§4-3 Characteristics Analysis of four-bar linkages

§4-4 Kinematic synthesis of four-bar linkages

 §4-1
§4-1Types
Typesof
ofthe
thefour-bar
four-barlinkages
linkages

Mechanisms are used in a great variety of

machines and devices. The simplest closed-
loop linkage is the four-bar, which has three
moving links and four pin joints.
Planar Linkage Mechanism －
Planar Mechanism + Lower pair connection (R or P pair)

Most common →
Planar four-bar Mechanism (four links → four bars)

Basic form →Revolute four-bar mechanism

(all lower pairs are R pair)
 Revolute
Revolute four-bar
four-bar mechanism
mechanism
－ A planar four-bar mechanism connected with R pairs
Frame － Reference system
Basic link

Side link － connect to frame

Coupler
Coupler － not connect to frame
2 C
B Side link
Side link Side link 3
1

Crank A 4 D
Rocker
Frame

Crank: a side link which can make a complete revolution

link
Side

Rocker: a side link which has oscillatory rotation

Slider: a side link which translates back and forth
Classification by the side link type

Revolute four-bar
mechanism

Crank-rocker Double Crank Double Rocker

1.Crank-rocker mechanism:
Side link ┌Crank→ (usually) Driver → constant rotation
└Rocker→ (usually) driven link
→ Variable oscillation back and forth

C
3
D
2

4
B
1
A

Radar adjusting mechanism

2 . Double crank mechanism:
Both side links are cranks→┌Driving crank: constant rotation
└Driven crank: varying rotation

Example: Revolute four bar mechanism in an inertial sieve

→the driven crank 3 does a varying rotation
→cause the sieve 6 to have acceleration
→sieve the different materials by different inertia
3.Double rocker mechanism － both side links are rocker
Example: The transmission mechanism of portal crane:
the CD (link 3) is the driver, and the point E hanging weight is on
the coupler BC →Keep the trajectory of point E is on an
approximately horizontal line (move the goods horizontally →the
moving can be smooth and decrease the energy consumption)
C

D
B

A
 §4-2
§4-2Variation
Variationof
ofrevolute
revolutefour-bar
four-barmechanism
mechanism

Transformation techniques or rules that can be applied

1. Replacing a revolute pair with a sliding pair
2. Taking different links as the frame
3. Enlarge a revolute pair
4. Interchanging guide-bar and sliding block
1. Replacing a revolute pair with a sliding pair

•
l3 l3

Crank-rocker mechanism

In-line slider-crank mechanism eccentric or offset slider-crank mechanism

 2. Taking different links as the frame

For the same kinematic chain, different kinds of

mechanisms will be generated by holding different
links fixed as the frame. Such kinds of variations are
called inversions.
There are as many inversions of a given linkage
mechanism as there are links;
Holding a link fixed as the frame us similar to
fixing a viewer to the link and observing the other
links;
The inversion of a mechanism in no way changes
the type of revolute and the relative motion between
its links.
Fully rotating revolute:
two links connected by a revolute can rotate 360° relative to each other;

Partially rotating revolute:

two links connected by a revolute cannot rotate 360° relative to each other;

Example1 : Inversions of the crank-rocker mechanism

Example2 : Inversions of the slider-crank mechanism
Slider-crank mechanism →the slider does translation
Guide-bar mechanism → the slider does translation and oscillation
Oscillating block mechanism → the slider does oscillation
Fix block mechanism or → the slider is fixed
translating sliding-rod mechanism

C C C C

B B B B
A A A A
Slider-crank Guide-bar Oscillating block Fix block
Applications
Hand-operated well pump
Self-tipping vehicle

Oscillating block mechanism Fix block mechanism

 3. Enlarge a revolute pair as an eccentric

B
C B C
A e
A

 When the power transmitted by the linkage mechanism is

quite large, the radii of the revolute should be increased.

 When the pin radius is larger than the crank length, this
enlarged crank pin is called an eccentric
 4. Interchanging guide-bar and
sliding block

 There may be many different kinematic diagrams for a sliding

pair.

 Any link in a sliding pair can be drawn as a guide-bar, and the

other link as a sliding block.
 The center line of any sliding pair can be translated without
changing any relative motion.
 All kinematic diagrams for one sliding pair are equivalent to each
other kinematically.
§4-3
§4-3Characteristics
CharacteristicsAnalysis
Analysisof
offour-bar
four-barlinkages
linkages

1. Grashof Criterion
(Conditions for Having a Crank)

2. Quick-Return Characteristics

3. Transmission angle & Pressure angle

4. Toggle positions & Dead-points

 1. Grashof Criterion
(Conditions for Having a Crank)
It is used to predict the rotation behavior or
rotatability of a four-bar linkage’s
inversions based only on the link lengths.

Two key positions

1) Let S=length of shortest link
L=length of longest link
P= length of one remaining link
Q= length of other remaining link
Then if S+L<=P+Q, the linkage is Grashof and at
least one link will capable of making a full revolution
with respect to the ground plane. Otherwise, the
linkage is non-Grashof and no link will be capable of a
complete revolution relative to any other link.

2) The Grashof condition are independent from the order

of the S,L,P,Q when the mechanism is assembled.
 a.
a. Conditions
Conditions for
for Having
Having aa Crank
Crank
(1) S+L<=P+Q
(2) The shortest link is the side link or the frame
b.
b. Deduction
Deduction
(Satisfy the condition 1)
(1) the shortest link is frame →Double crank mechanism
(2) the shortest link is side link →Crank-rocker mechanism
(3) the shortest link is coupler →Double rocker mechanism
Example: AB ＝ 70, BC ＝ 90, CD ＝ 110, AD ＝ 40
∵AD ＋ CD ＝ 40 ＋ 110 ＝ 150 ＜ AB ＋ BC ＝ 160
C
B
When ：① AD is frame →Double crank ～
② AB or DC is frame →Crank-rocker ～
③ BC is frame →Double rocker ～ A D
Discussion(1)
 Case 1 S+L<P+Q:

Mechanism Frame
Crank-rocker Ground either link adjacent to the
shortest
Double-crank Ground the shortest link
*Double-rocker Ground the link opposite the shortest
*The coupler makes a full revolution

 Case 2 S+L>P+Q:
All inversions will be triple-rocker, no link can fully rotate.

 Case 3 S+L=P+Q:
At the change points, the output behavior will become indeterminate.
The common used mechanisms are parallelogram and
antiparallelogram.
 Discussion(2)
Change points, and indeterminate behavior.

How to solve this problem?

1. Inertia of flywheel fixed with the driven crank.
2. Providing the duplicate linkage out of phase.
Table2-3 Type criteria for the revolute four-bar mechanisms

Link as the S+L<P+Q S+L>P+Q S+L=P+Q

frame
Grashof Non-Grashof Change-point
The shortest Double-crank Double-rocker
link (without fully rotate)

or
Opposite to the Double-rocker
Triple-rocker
shortest link (with fully rotate)

Adjacent to the Crank-rocker

shortest link
 2. Quick return characteristics

slow
fast

Toggle position

The toggle positions are determined by the colinearity

of the two of the moving links. They also define the
limits of motion of the driven rocker.
Definition of the Quick-Return
It is used to describe the fact that the forward stroke is faster
than that of the return stroke. The time ratio(TR) defines the
degree of quick-return of the linkage.

TR=2 / 1

K= f /  s =1 / 2
=180o+ / 180 o -
K: coefficient of travel
speed variation

: crank acute angle

between the two
limiting position.
 Quick returnworking stroke time ＞ return time
The crank (driving link) → constant rotation
The rocker (driven link) →varying oscillation
Limiting position
The collinear between the crank and coupler (B1 、 B2)
→the limiting position of rockerC1 、 C2
→ shorten non-working time, improve the productivity

working B1→B2 (φ1) → rocker C1→C2 (ψ)

stroke:

∵ φ1 ＞ φ2, but ψ is constant

B2→B1 (φ2) → rocker C2→C1 (ψ)
return stroke:
Kinematic characteristics→ coefficient of travel speed variation K
v2 C1C2 / t 2 t1 1 180   
K    
v1 C1C2 / t1 t 2  2 180  


θ － crank acute angle between the two limiting position.

θ↑→K ↑ →quick return↑ K1 
 180
K 1

ψ The crank is the driving link

φ1 →having quick-return.

φ2 Crank-rocker mechanism
3. Transmission angle  & Pressure angle 

follower

What is the relation between the F and Fn or (Ft)?

What is the function of the Fn & Ft ?
 Pressure angle  ：
The acute angle between the directions of the force and the
Velocity VC of the point receiving the force on the follower (must
be side link).
Analysis BC is a two-force rod, the driving
force F acts on the BC direction →pressure angle α
VC is along guide-way (⊥CD)

Transmission angle  ：
1) Defined as the angle between the output link and coupler
2) Taken as the absolute value of the acute angle of the pair of
angles at the intersection of the two links
3) Varies continuously from min.to max. value
4) A measure of the quality of force transmission at the joint
5) It is the complementary angle of pressure angle  , not its
supplementary angle.
α↓→the effective force F·cosα↑
→ (conveniently) transmission angle γ= 90° － α
(the complementary angle of pressure angle )

γ↑ ( =90° －  )→ the effective force F·sin γ↑

→ γ ≥ 40°
→ the transmission angle is an important parameter to
measure the force of the mechanism γ F
B α
C
C γ VC
B
A VC
α
F A D
Can you tell the position where the four-bar linkage
has the extreme transmission angle  ?
 follower

One extreme value occurs where Links 1 and 4 are collinear and
non-overlapping;
The other extreme value where occurs Links 1 and 4 are
collinear and overlapping;
For smooth running and good force transmission, keep the
minimum transmission angle above about 40o.
4. Toggle positions & Dead-points

slow
fast

Toggle position

(limit position)
 Dead-points

When the rocker is the driver, the follower (crank) is collinear with
the coupler, the transmission angle equals to 0o or 180o. The force
applied to the follower passes through the fixed pivot of the follower.
In this situation, the mechanism cannot move by a torque on the
driving rocker. In this sense, these positions are called dead-points (
= 90°).
Discussion: Pros/cons of the dead-points
 Pros:
In some circumstances, the dead-points are used
to lock the position. For example the clamping
device, landing mechanism in airplane.

 Cons:
The dead-points are not good to the transmission
because the motion direction is not determined.
But we can use either the flywheel on the driven
crank, the inertia of the crank, or providing the
duplicate linkage 900 out of phase to overcome
the dead-points.
Application of the dead-point

Conditions of having the dead-points ：

Having the limiting position
(the driven link and the coupler are collinear)
§4-4
§4-4Kinematic
Kinematicsynthesis
synthesisof
offour-bar
four-barlinkages
linkages

 Synthesis: Qualitative synthesis and Quantitative

synthesis.

 Type Synthesis is a form of qualitative. It refers

to the definition of the proper type of mechanism
best suited to the problem.

 Dimensional Synthesis of a linkage is the

determination of the proportions (lengths) of the
links necessary to accomplish the desired
motions.
 Graphical Dimensional Synthesis

Dimensional Synthesis Analytical Dimensional Synthesis

Experimental Dimensional Synthesis

 Three types of synthesis tasks
 Function Generation is defined as the correlation
of an input motion with an output motion in a
mechanism
 Path Generation is defined as the control of a
point in the plane such that it follows some
prescribed path.
 Motion Generation is defined as the control of a
line in the plane such that it assumes some
prescribed set of sequential position.
 Three types of synthesis tasks(1)
Function Generation is defined as the
correlation of an input motion with an output
motion in a mechanism.

Automobile steering mechanism

 Three types of synthesis tasks (2)

Blender Crane

Path Generation is defined as the

control of a point in the plane such that
it follows some prescribed path.
 Three types of synthesis tasks (3)

Example: Excavator or bulldozer mechanism

Motion Generation is defined as the control of a

line in the plane such that it assumes some
prescribed set of sequential position.
 Application
Application1:
1:design
designthe
thefour-bar
four-barlinkage
linkageaccording
accordingto
tothe
the
coefficient
coefficientof
oftravel
travelspeed
speedvariation
variationKK
a. Design the crank-rocker mechanism

Known : rocker length L3, coefficient of travel speed variation

K, swing angle φ
Analysis:
(1) To solve the crank acute angle between the two limiting position θ
K1
 180
K 1
(2) ∠C1AC2=θ →if three points (C1, A, C2) are on the same circle
→ θ is the angle of circumference of the arc C1C2
→how to draw this circle (unknown point A)
By a well-known geometrical theorem, for any point A on the arc
C1C2 of a circle, ∠C1AC2 is constant, if ∠PC1C2=90°, then PC2 is
the diameter of the circle.
 Solve: (1) choose point D arbitrary to draw two limiting position of
the rocker C1D and C2D
(2) Draw vertical line C1M of line
C1C2 by passing point C1 C1 C2
Draw ∠C1C2N=90 － θ, Get φ
the joint P between
C1M and C2N θ
B2
(3) Draw a circle by A
passing C1, C2 and P,
B1 D
choose A arbitrarily on O
the circle. θ
(4) AC1=L2 － L1,
AC2=L2+L1→
L1=1/2(AC2 － AC1) →infinite solution
Draw a circle with radii L1 to get the
P
joint point B1 and B2
N M
→two positions of the crank.
b. Design the guide-bar mechanism
Known: frame length L4 and K
K1 m
Solve:   180 n
K 1
(1) Choose the joint pin C arbitrarily→
A
draw two limiting position Cm and Cn
of the guide-bar
n m B2
φ=θ B1
(2) Draw the bisector line A θ
AC of angle φ, and let B B1
2
AC=L4→get the fixed φ
pivot A
φ
(3) Draw the perpendicular
→only one
line AB1(AB2) of the guide-
C solution C
bar by passing A→L1=AB1
 Application
Application2:
2:design
designthe
thefour-bar
four-barlinkage
linkageaccording
accordingto
to
the
thepositions
positionsof
ofthe
thecoupler
coupler
a. Known: length L2 of coupler BC and its two positions B1C1 and B2C2
C
analysi

The pivot A must be on the perpendicular bisector of line B1B2

B
The pivot D must be on the perpendicular bisector of line C1C2
A D
(1) Connect line B1B2 and C1C2, and draw the perpendicular bisector b12 and c12
solve (2) Choose point A on the line b12 arbitrarily, and choose point D on the line c12

Steps ： B1 C1
B2

1. Connect B1B2 and C1C2

2. Draw the perpendicular
bisector of line B1B2 and C1C2
3. choose point A and D on the A● ●D C2
perpendicular bisectors
4. connect AB1C1D infinite solution
 b. Known: length L2 of coupler BC and its three positions
B1C1, B2C2 and B3C3
C1
Steps ：
C2
1. Connect B1B2, B2B3, C1CB 2 1
B2
and C2C3
2. Draw the perpendicular
bisectors of above lines B3
3. Point A is the joint of the C3
perpendicular bisectors of
line B1B2 and B2B3 D
4. Point D is the joint of the
perpendicular bisectors of C
line C1C2 and C2C3 A B
5. The quadrangle AB1C1D
A D
is the answer.
Only one solution
Application
Application 3:
3: design
design the
the four-bar
four-bar linkage
linkage according
according to
to the
the
positions
positions of
of two
two side
side links
links
—
—by
byanalytical
analyticalmethod
methodor
orexperimental
experimentalmethod
method

cosφ1=P0cosψ1+P1cos(ψ1- φ1)+P2
a. Analytical method cosφ2=P0cosψ2+P1cos(ψ2- φ1)+P2
cosφ3=P0cosψ3+P1cos(ψ3- φ3)+P2

Three positions→ precise

solution
Less than three positions →
infinite solutions
More than three positions
→ by experimental method
b. Experimental method:
Choose different l1 、 l2 and l3 to make a try

Known
 Application
Application 4:
4: design
design the
the four-bar
four-bar linkage
linkage according
according to
to
the
the trajectory
trajectory of
of aa given
given point
point
1. Do design according to the coupler curve
2. Do design according to an atlas of the coupler curve
B l2 C

l1 A l3

l4 D
l1=1
l2=2
l3=2.5
l4=3
 Step type conveying mechanism

The tool to draw the coupler curve

 BRIEF SUMMARY

1.Basic Conceptions:
side link, coupler, crank, rocker, pressure angle,
transmission angle, dead-point, quick-return

2.Basic Contents:
a. Basic form of the planar four-bar mechanism and its variations
b. Conditions for having a crank→ verify the mechanism types
c. Design the planar four-bar mechanism (graphical method)
Homework

4-2, 4-3, 4-10

Read chapter 5