KINEMATIC SYNTHESIS OF SMOOTHLY STOPPING MECHANISMS WITH FAST MOVING OUTPUT MEMBERS.

The method of planar kinematic synthesis, using complex numbers to represent link vectors, is applied to the synthesis of smoothly stopping mechanisms with fast moving output members. The output member of the linkage, a slider, is mechanically accelerated and, in order to stop smoothly, decelerated by mechanical constraint at the end of its stroke without the use of viscous shock absorbers. The loop closure and compatibility equations are derived and computer programs are developed for the synthesis and the analysis of this linkage. The synthesized mechanism of the given example is self-stopping and thus provides increased reliability of operation.