Möbius Mechanisms

Abstract

The paper gives a construction of a new series of overconstrained spatial mechanisms with six systems connected via nine spherical 2R-joints. The mechanisms are designed by means of plane equiform motions. This new type of overconstrained mechanisms will be called Möbius mechanisms. By removing one of its joints, the so-called reduced Möbius mechanisms will be set up, still being overconstrained. A special example is being studied in detail: It admits interesting self-motions of different degrees of freedom. This is why it represents a new example of kinematotropic mechanisms.