Kinematics of Mechanisms from the Time of Watt — John Shaqi
Kinematics of Mechanisms from the Time of WattFerguson, Eugene S.
History
Kinematics of Mechanisms from the Time of Watt
Ferguson, Eugene S.
Machinery, Kinematics of
While Reuleaux had used instant centers almost exclusively for the
construction of centrodes (paths of successive positions of an instant
center), Professor Kennedy recognized that instant centers might be used
in velocity analysis. His book, _Mechanics of Machinery_, was published
in 1886 ("partly through pressure of work and partly through ill-health,
this book appears only now"). In it he developed the law of three
centers, now known as Kennedy's theorem. He noted that his law of three
centers "was first given, I believe, by Aronhold, although its previous
publication was unknown to me until some years after I had given it in
my lectures."[86] In fact, the law had been published by Siegfried
Heinrich Aronhold (1819-1884) in his "Outline of Kinematic Geometry,"
which appeared in 1872 alongside Reuleaux's series in the journal that
Reuleaux edited. Apparently Reuleaux did not perceive its particular
significance at that time.[87]
[Footnote 86: Alexander B. W. Kennedy, _The Mechanics of Machinery_, ed.
3, London, 1898, pp. vii, x.]
[Footnote 87: Siegfried Heinrich Aronhold, "Outline of Kinematic
Geometry," _Verein zur Beförderung des Gewerbefleisses in Preussen_,
1872, vol. 51, pp. 129-155. Kennedy's theorem is on pp. 137-138.]
[Illustration: Figure 32.--Robert Henry Smith (1852-1916), originator of
velocity and acceleration polygons for kinematic analysis. Photo
courtesy the Librarian, Birmingham Reference Library, England.]
Kennedy, after locating instant centers, determined velocities by
calculation and accelerations by graphical differentiation of
velocities, and he noted in his preface that he had been unable, for a
variety of reasons, to make use in his book of Smith's recent work.
Professor Kennedy at least was aware of Smith's surprisingly advanced
ideas, which seem to have been generally ignored by Americans and
Englishmen alike.
Professor Smith, in a paper before the Royal Society of Edinburgh in
1885, stated clearly the ideas and methods for construction of velocity
and acceleration diagrams of linkages.[88] For the first time, velocity
and acceleration "images" of links (fig. 33) were presented. It is
unfortunate that Smith's ideas were permitted to languish for so long a
time.
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