Aim of the Project

To design and manufacture a working model of Scotch

yoke mechanism.
To get a practical exposure of machine tools and other
manufacturing equipments.

Problem Statement
To convert rotary motion into Reciprocatory motion in

a simple harmonic manner.

To build a working model which can be fabricated
easily using the available tools and machinery.

Scotch yoke mechanism

Introduction

The Scotch yoke is a mechanism for converting the linear motion of a slider into
rotational motion or vice-versa.

Simple Harmonic Motion

Scotch yoke mechanism converts rotary motion into translatory motion which is simple
harmonic in nature.
MATHEMATICAL EXPLAINATION

Suppose crankshaft is rotating at an angular velocity .

u
If r is the radius of the crank then,
tangential velocity, v= r .

From the mechanism we have the following relation;

Component of tangential velocity in Y-direction is given by;

U = Reciprocating velocity of U-Slot.

If is the angle made by the tangential velocity with X-Axis at any point of time,
Component of tangential velocity in Y direction is u = rsin.

U = v.sin
So, velocity of U-Slot= rsin.
As a result , Velocity of U-Slot is a sine function of .
Now as we know,
is directly proportional to time. this implies velocity of U-Slot is a sine
function of time. Hence, the motion of U-Slot is a simple harmonic motion.
Advantage of SHM
The sinusoidal motion, cosinusoidal velocity, and sinusoidal acceleration (assuming
constant angular velocity) results in smoother operation of the mechanism.

Resources Used
Materials

Dimensions

Mild steel plates

1. 50 mm x 5 mm
2. 50 mm x 2.5 mm

Mild Steel Rod

1. 20 mm
2. 25 mm

Mild steel hollow pipe

30 mm (internal)
34 mm (external)

Mild steel square pipe

25 mm x 25 mm (external)
Thickness-2 mm

Equipment Used
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Lathe Machine
Drilling machine
Shaper machine
Grinding machine
Power tools
Power Hacksaw
Electric arc welding machine

Manufacturing Procedure

Crank and Handle

Lathe Machine

Handle

Obtained Cylindrical Rods Of Required Dimension

Operations: Plain Turning And Parting

Electric arc welding

Welded Handle And Crank With Crank-shaft

Crankshaft
Crank

Crank and Handle

U-Slot
Power Hacksaw

Obtained square pipe of required length

Power tools

Used surface grinding machine to obtain smooth surface

Used power cutter to remove one face of the square pipe

U-Slot

Yoke (Slider Block)

Lathe Machine

Obtained a cylindrical block of required length

Shaping machine
Converted the cylindrical block into a
cuboid of required dimensions

Drilling machine
Hole is drilled in the middle of block to accommodate the crank

Yoke (Slider Block)

Foundation
Power hacksaw

Obtained metallic Strips Of Required Lengths

Drilling
Drilled holes to mount the crankshaft

Electric arc welding

Welded the metallic strips to get a
rigid foundation

Foundation

Guides
Power hacksaw
Obtained metallic strips of required lengths

Power cutter

Obtained slots in the metallic strips

Guides

Piston and piston rod

Lathe machine

Obtained cylindrical rods of required diameters and lengths using plain

turning and parting

Welding

Welded piston to piston rod

Welded the above assembly to U-slot

Hollow Cylinder
Power Hacksaw

Cut the pipe of required length

Piston and piston rod

Hollow Cylinder

Step-by-step procedure

Foundation And Crank Shaft

The crank shaft is made to pass

through the holes drilled in the

foundation
Constrained the linear motion and
rotation in two axes by above step
Welded washers to constrain linear
motion along the crank shaft axis
Now, we can rotate the crank by
rotating the handle

Guides and Foundation

Guides are welded to the

foundation
Welding is done carefully so that
the guides are perfectly vertical
and are parallel.

Foundation and hollow cylinder

Hollow cylinder is

welded to the foundation

using metallic strips
Now the hollow cylinder
is completely
constrained

U-slot and Guides

In scotch yoke mechanism,

the
linear
reciprocating
motion
of
U-slot
is
constrained by the guides.
Bolts (with metallic washers)
passing through the slot of the
guide are welded to the U-slot
Now the U-slot is constrained
to move along the guide.

Yoke, crank and U-slot

Pin Joint between crank and

yoke:

o Crank is made to pass through

the hole drilled in the yoke

o This forms a pin joint i.e.; crank
can freely rotate in the hole of the
yoke
Slider joint between yoke and

U-slot:

o Yoke is placed inside the U-slot,

so that it can freely slides inside

it, forming a slider joint.

Piston and Cylinder

The hollow cylinder is already constrained (welded)

with the foundation.

Piston is made to slide inside the hollow cylinder.
This completes the assembly providing each
component only one degree of freedom (except
foundation and guides)

Assembled Model

Final Assembly

Challenges and difficulties faced

Incorrect Selection of Crank Length
1. The length of the crank was taken too large.

2. As a result , the radius of revolution of

crank was too large which eventually
required a longer U-Slot to facilitate
reciprocatory motion.
3. Longer
guides were subjected to
unbalanced dynamic forces and moments
which restricted the free translatory
motion..

Unbalanced
moment

 Using Wood-based Foundation

1. The size of foundation required to keep the system in equilibrium
had to be bigger, bulkier and complex(because of bigger crank). This
problem was tackled using big logs of wood.
2. The wood blocks were cut and joined accordingly using nails . This
led to formation of weaker joints.
3. While operation , the wooden guides were subjected to large
vibrations which made the reciprocatory motion of U-slot
unsatisfactory.
4. Relatively larger force was required to rotate the crank manually .

Rejected wooden model

Applications
This setup is most commonly used in control
valve actuators in high pressure oil and gas pipelines.
Shaper uses a Scotch yoke which has been adjusted to provide
a slow speed forward stroke and a faster return.
It has been used in various internal combustion engines, such
as the Bourke engine, SyTech engine, and many hot air
engines and steam engines.

Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotch_yoke

http://www.tecquipment.com/Theory_of_Machines/Enginee
ring-Science/RE300/M6.aspx
Theory of Machines by R. S. Khurmi.