Explicit input link rotatability analysis of Watt six-link mechanisms

摘要

This paper presents explicit input link rotatability analysis of Watt six-link mechanisms. Analysis is presented for all slider-crank based Watt mechanisms having up to three prismatic joints, and for four-bar based Watt mechanisms having two prismatic joints. Apart from being of theoretical importance, the presented analysis is suitable for implementation within an optimization scheme and is computationally efficient. When incorporated within an evolutionary optimization algorithm, it can also be used to effectively handle the rotatability constraint.