Experiment No# 3

Statement:

To Study SLIDER CRANK CHAIN

OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this experiment are to obtain a graph of piston
velocity against crank angle using the method of instantaneous centre,
assuming that the crank rotates at a constant angular velocity.
To obtain the crank angles which correspond to the maximum piston
velocity.
Apparatus:
Slider Crank Chain with a variable connecting rod length.

THEORY:
The Slider Crank Chain is one of the two basic mechanisms which form the basis for many
more complicated motions. (The other one is the Four Bar Chain or Chebyshev linkage of
which over 800 forms are known).Slider crank mechanism, arrangement of mechanical parts
designed to convert straight-line motion to rotary motion, as in a reciprocating piston engine,
or to convert rotary motion to straight-line motion, as in a reciprocating piston pump.
Crank:
A link that can make a complete revolution and is pivoted to the ground.

Inversion of Mechanism:

There are four inversions in a single slider chain mechanism. They are:

1) Reciprocating engine mechanism (1st inversion)

2) Oscillating cylinder engine mechanism (2nd inversion)
3) Crank and slotted lever mechanism (2nd inversion)
4) Whitworth quick return motion mechanism (3rd inversion)
5) Rotary engine mechanism (3rd inversion)
6) Bull engine mechanism (4th inversion)
7) Hand Pump (4th inversion)

Instantaneous Centre:
Instantaneous centre is the momentary centre of rotation of a rigid body.If the two lines are
co-linear the instantaneous centre may be anywhere on them. The twovelocities will be
parallel but not necessarily equal. If the lines are parallel and not collinear,that is at infinity
and the two velocities are parallel and equal. The body is thereforemoving translation and
every point has the same velocity.An instantaneous centre is not the same thing as a fixed
pivot; unless the body isconstrained so that its motion is always a rotation about the same
point. Then the point ofrotation and the instantaneous centre are co-incident. Thus an
instantaneous centre is atdifferent points at different instants. So whilst accelerations can be
expressed relative tothe instantaneous centre, to do so is not usually helpful as the centre
itself can haveacceleration.

Method to find the Velocities of Instantaneous Centres:

Consider a rigid body moving relative to axes OX and OY, as in the figure below.

Suppose that the velocities Va and Vb of points A and B relative to OXY are known. As faras
A is concerned the body appears to be rotating about a point anywhere on the linethrough A
perpendicular to Va. Similarly the velocity Vb can only result from rotationabout a point
somewhere on a line through B perpendicular to vb. If these two lines meetBA at a point I, it
is the point about which the body is rotating at the instant considered. I is called the
Instantaneous Centre.
If the two lines are co-linear the instantaneous centre may be anywhere on them. The
twovelocities will be parallel but not necessarily equal. If the lines are parallel and not
collinear,I is at infinity and the two velocities are parallel and equal. The body is therefore
moving translation and every point has the same velocity.
An instantaneous centre is not the same thing as a fixed pivot; unless the body isconstrained
so that its motion is always a rotation about the same point. Then the point ofrotation and the
instantaneous centre are co-incident. Thus an instantaneous centre is atdifferent points at
different instants. So whilst accelerations can be expressed relative to the instantaneous
centre, to do so is not usually helpful as the centre itself can haveacceleration.
Consider the mechanism, in the position shown below:-
The instantaneous centre of the connecting rod AB is at IAB. The linear velocity of A is:-

Assuming that the angular velocity is unity

Since the

connecting rod is instantaneously rotating about point IAB

So the piston velocity is given by:-

Triangles I AB and OAX are similar, thus:-

so

PROCEDURES:
1) Set the crank to zero on the circular scale.
2) Slacken both knurled nuts and adjust the position of the piston pivot so that theconnecting
rod is 115mm long. Make sure that the spacer washer is between thepiston and the connecting
rod. In normal use, the knurled nuts will be just slack.However, the motion of the slider crank
can be locked at any position bytightening both knurled nuts.
3) For every 10o of crank rotation, record the piston displacement and the cross-scalereadings
in the given tables. (Note: With the crank angle set to zero, note theinitial reading of the
cross-scale. This will need subtracting from all subsequentreadings in order to obtain true
reading. The same procedure applies for the pistondisplacement)
4) Repeat steps 1 to 3 for connecting rod lengths of 130, 140, 155 and 175mm.
RESULTS
1) Plot a graph of piston velocity versus crank angle for the five different connectingrod
length.
2) Plot a graph of the piston displacement against crank angle for the five differentconnecting
rod lengths.
3) Plot a graph of piston acceleration versus crank angle for the five differentconnecting rod
length.
Result Sheet:
Connecting rod length: 115 mm

Crank Radius: 35 mm

Ratio:

Rank Angle Piston Displacement Piston Volume

0 59.9 100
30 6 -21
60 -59.9 -34.5
90 -40 -23.5
120 57 -24
150 67 -11
180 70 1.5
210 67 11
240 47 21
270 40 36
300 36 36
330 6 23
360 59.9 100

Comments:
If the perpendicular of the velocities are collinear instantaneous centre may be
anywhere on them .Velocities will be parallel but may not be equal.
If perpendicular to the velocities not collinear the instantaneous centre will be located at
infinity.
Instantaneous center is used to find absolute velocities of different points locating on
rigid bodies.
Instantaneous center is not used to determine acceleration and itself not have zero
acceleration