A NEW CLASS OF 6-BAR MECHANISMS WITH SYMMETRICAL COUPLER CURVES

A new class of sire-bar mechanisms with symmetrical coupler-point curv es is presented. This class of mechanisms is made up of a four-bar lin kage with an additional dyad to form an embedded skew pantograph. Beca use the coupler curve generated at an output point is amplified from t hat of a four-bar, a compact mechanism with a relatively large coupler curve can be obtained. In addition, due to their structure arrangemen t, the analysis and synthesis of such mechanisms can be easily achieve d. Finally, an example mechanism from this class is illustrated and co mpared with a four-bar linkage with the same coupler curve.