An Experimental Investigation of the Dynamic Behavior of the Spatial RSSR Crank and Rocker Mechanism With an Asymmetrical Coupler

Abstract

An experimental RSSR crank and rocker mechanism has been devised and manufactured to facilitate the dynamic investigation of the input and output torques present, the force components acting in the link members and at the joints of the machine under various loading conditions, for a number of different configurations. The behavior of the so-called redundant or passive degree of freedom is also investigated by means of a coupler (floating link) having its center of gravity offset from the center line of the spherical joints at its ends. Experimental observations are made for the constant torque and constant velocity input conditions, as obtained in a practical mechanism, for the various machine configurations and loading arrangements. An analytical model is developed using the classical Newton-Euler approach and an example of the correlation of the analytical and experimental results is given.