gear mechanism

grabcad

Various types of mechanisms have been developed from Archimedes' era to the Renaissance period. They were constructed using simple machines like levers, pulleys, screws, wheels and axles, wedges, and inclined planes. Reuleaux later focused on links and their connections, known as kinematic pairs or joints. To study a mechanism's movement using geometry, its links are considered rigid bodies. This means that the distances between points in a link remain unchanged during movement, implying the link doesn't flex. The relative movement between two connected links is due to the kinematic pair connecting them. Kinematic pairs or joints provide ideal constraints between links, such as a single point for pure rotation or a line for pure sliding, along with pure rolling without slipping and point contact with slipping. A mechanism is modeled as an assembly of rigid links and kinematic pairs.