Four-bar linkage - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Four-bar linkage
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A four-bar linkage, also called a four-bar, is the simplest movable closed chain linkage. It consists of four bodies, called bars or links, connected in a loop by four joints. Generally, the joints are configured so the links move in parallel planes, and the assembly is called a planar four-bar linkage.[1] If the linkage has four hinged joints with axes angled to intersect in a single point, then the links move on concentric spheres and the assembly is called a spherical four-bar linkage. Bennett's linkage is a spatial four-bar linkage with hinged joints that have their axes angled in a particular way that makes the system movable.[2][3]

A planar four-bar linkage (Watt linkage) used as a train suspension.

Contents
1 Planar four-bar linkages 1.1 Planar quadrilateral linkage 1.1.1 Grashof condition 1.1.2 Classification 2 Examples 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

A Bennett spatial four-bar linkage.

Planar four-bar linkages

Planar four-bar linkages are important mechanisms found in machines. The kinematics and dynamics of planar four-bar linkages are important topics in mechanical engineering. Planar four-bar linkages are constructed from four links connected in a loop by four one degree of freedom joints. A joint may be either a revolute, that is a hinged joint, denoted by R, or a prismatic, as sliding joint, denoted by P. The planar quadrilateral linkage is formed by four links and four revolute joints, denoted RRRR. The slider-crank linkage is constructed from four links connected by three revolute and one prismatic joint, or RRRP. The double slider is a PRRP linkage.[3] Planar four-bar linkages can be designed to guide a wide variety of movements.

Planar quadrilateral linkage

Planar quadrilateral linkage, RRRR or 4R linkages have four rotating joints. One link of the chain is usually

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fixed, and is called the ground link, fixed link, or the frame. The two links connected to the frame are called the grounded links and are generally the input and output links of the system, sometimes called the input link and output link. The last link is the floating link, which is also called a coupler or connecting rod because it connects an input to the output. Assuming the frame is horizontal there are four possibilities for the input and output links:[3] A crank: can rotate a full 360 degrees A rocker: can rotate through a limited range of angles which does not include 0 or 180 A 0-rocker: can rotate through a limited range of angles which includes 0 but not 180 A -rocker: can rotate through a limited range of angles which includes 180 but not 0 Some authors do not distinguish between the types of rocker. Grashof condition The Grashof condition for a four-bar linkage states: If the sum of the shortest and longest link of a planar quadrilateral linkage is less than or equal to the sum of the remaining two links, then the shortest link can rotate fully with respect to a neighboring link. In other words, the condition is satisfied if S+L P+Q where S is the shortest link, L is the longest, and P and Q are the other links. Classification The movement of a quadrilateral linkage can be classified into eight cases based on the dimensions of its four links. Let a, b, g and h denote the lengths of the input crank, the output crank, the ground link and floating link, respectively. Then, we can construct the three terms:

The movement of a quadrilateral linkage can be classified into eight types based on the positive and negative values for these three terms, T1, T2, and T3.[3] Grashof condition Input link Output link + + + + + + + + + + + + Grashof Grashof Grashof Grashof Non-Grashof Non-Grashof Non-Grashof Non-Grashof Crank Crank Rocker Rocker 0-Rocker -Rocker -Rocker 0-Rocker Crank Rocker Crank Rocker 0-Rocker -Rocker 0-Rocker -Rocker

The cases of T1= 0, T2=0, and T3=0 are interesting because the linkages fold. If we distinguish folding quadrilateral linkage, then there are 27 different cases. The figure shows examples of the various cases for a planar quadrilateral linkage.[4]

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Types of four-bar linkages, s = shortest link, l = longest link

Examples
Pantograph (four-bar, two degrees of freedom, i.e., only one pivot joint is fixed.) Crank-slider, (four-bar, one degree of freedom) Double wishbone suspension Watt's linkage and Chebyshev linkage (linkages that approximate straight line motion) Biological linkages Bicycle suspension

See also
Burmester theory Cognate linkage Glider (furniture)

A four-bar linkage used as the suspension for a bicycle. If we count the two bars that form the shock absorber attached to the output link, then this is a Watt II six-bar linkage

References
1. ^ Hartenberg, R.S. & J. Denavit (1964) Kinematic synthesis of linkages (http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu /bib.php?m=23) , New York: McGraw-Hill, online link from Cornell University. 2. ^ Hunt, K. H., Kinematic Geometry of Mechanisms, Oxford Engineering Science Series, 1979 3. ^ a b c d J. M. McCarthy and G. S. Soh, Geometric Design of Linkages, 2nd Edition, Springer 2010 (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jv9mQyjRIw4C&printsec=frontcover& dq=geometric+design+of+linkages&hl=en&ei=3L_5TcvZGaHV0QG2wMiDAw&sa=X&oi=book_result& ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false) 4. ^ Design of Machinery 3/e, Robert L. Norton, 2 May 2003, McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-247046-1

External links
The four-bar linkages in the collection of Reuleaux models at Cornell University (http://kmoddl.library.cornell.edu/model.php?m=234) mechanisms101.com (http://www.mechanisms101.com/fourbar01.html) Flash Four-bar Linkages simulator softintegration.com (http://www.softintegration.com/chhtml/toolkit/mechanism/fourbar/) Animated GIF Four-bar linkage with triangular coupler link Linkage animations on mechanicaldesign101.com include planar and spherical four-bar and six-bar linkages. (http://mechanicaldesign101.com/category/linkage-animation/) Animations of planar and spherical four-bar linkages. (http://synthetica.eng.uci.edu/~mccarthy /Linkages.html) Animation of Bennett's linkage. (http://synthetica.eng.uci.edu/~mccarthy/CoursePages/Synthesis

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-bar_linkage

/Bennett_Linkage_2.gif) Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Four-bar_linkage&oldid=493410037" Categories: Kinematics Machines Mechanisms Linkages This page was last modified on 19 May 2012 at 22:54. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

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