Graphical Synthesis in the Plane

Abstract

The geometric principles that are fundamental to linkage design can be found in simple and efficient graphical constructions for RR and PR chains. As the floating link of one of these chains reaches various task positions, points in it define sets of corresponding points in the fixed frame. The design problem is to find a circle for the RR chain and a straight line for the PR chain that passes through these corresponding points. This usually results in multiple RR and PR chains that can be combined toform slider-crank or four-bar linkages.