Peaucellier Straight-line Mechanism
- Title:
- Peaucellier Straight-line Mechanism
- Title (German):
- Geradführung von Peaucellier
- Collection:
- Reuleaux Kinematic Mechanisms Collection
- Set:
- S. Straight-line Mechanisms
- Designer:
- Reuleaux, F. (Franz), 1829-1905
- Manufacturer:
- Gustav Voigt Werkstatt
- Date:
- 1882
- Country:
- Germany
- Voigt Catalog Model:
- S35
- File Name:
- S35.jpg
- Work Type:
- Mechanical model
- Materials/Techniques:
- cast iron and brass on wood pedestal
- Subject:
- Kinematics of Machinery
- Measurement:
- 201 x 90 (millimeters, width x depth)
207 x 118 x 296 (millimeters, width x depth x height) - Description:
- This Reuleaux model of the Peaucellier straight-line linkage is one of 39 related mechanisms in the Cornell Collection. The close-up shows the six key links that make up the Peaucellier 'Cell'. This linkage is one of a class to have transformation mathematical properties known as geometric inversors. The creation of linkages to produce straight-line motion was an important engineering as well as a mathematical problem of the 19th century. This eight-link linkage was the one of the first to produce exact straight -line motion and was independently invented by a French engineer named Peaucellier and by a Russian mathematician by Lipkin. It was used in various pressure indicators in stream engines as well as in machine tools. Peaucellier was a graduate of the French Ecole Polytechnique and a captain in the French Corps of Engineers. While many engineers and mathematicians were searching for a 4-5- or 6 bar straight line linkage all suffered from the fact that they could not attain an exact straight line motion. Peaucellier looked at an 8 bar linkage and discovered he could generate not only an exact straight line motion from a rotary input, but could also generate an exact inverse function (one divided by the input) as well as an exact circular arc of large radius without using the center of the circle. This invention was recognized by several mathematicians as being very important to the design of general mathematical calculators. The English mathematician James J. Sylvester spoke with wonder of how such an ingenious mechanism could be discovered as there was nothing leading up to it. He used the compounding of Peaucellier mechanisms to derive square root and cube root mechanisms. He saw no limit to the computing potential of linkages. [Francis Moon 2003-05-29]
The 220 models in Cornell University’s Reuleaux Collection were built in the late 19th century to demonstrate the elements of machine motion, as theorized by the German engineer Franz Reuleaux. The University acquired the models in 1882 for use in teaching and research. The Reuleaux models are classified according to the alphanumeric schema employed in the catalog of the manufacturer, Gustav Voigt. The letter in a model's ID (e.g., B14 or S35) refers to a class of mechanism; the number is a specific instance of the class. This classification scheme is a simplified version of the taxonomy of machine elements elaborated in Reuleaux's work. - Repository:
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- Photography credit: Jon Reis (www.jonreis.com). Jon Reis Photography grants Cornell University Libraries and the Cornell College of Engineering the rights to display copyrighted images of the Reuleux collection of kinetic machines on the Cornell University and National Science Digital Library web sites and for unlimited use in Cornell University Library publications for education purposes only. Rights for all other uses, including but not limited to, editorial, commercial, advertising, web use and display by third parties not affiliated with Cornell University are reserved by the photographer. The written permission of any copyright and other rights holders is required for distribution, reproduction, or other use that extends beyond what is authorized by fair use and other statutory exemptions. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item and securing any necessary permissions ultimately rests with persons desiring to use the item. For questions about this item or other items please contact the Physical Sciences Librarians at pslref@cornell.edu.