4-bar mechanism
From dada-engine.org
The ideal movement can be approached by actuating the pistons using four-bar mechanisms, such as this one:
![](/images/thumb/2/27/Plan_1-1.83-2-1.83.png/300px-Plan_1-1.83-2-1.83.png)
- A crank connected to the motor shaft, length 100,
- a connecting rod, length 183,
- a rocker arm, length 200,
- the points connected to the crank and rocker arm frames are 183 apart.
This mechanism is dimensioned in such a way as to give three very distinct phases to the movement of the rocker arm during a cycle:
- at the first quarter-turn, it moves very little,
- at the next quarter-turn, it covers its full travel,
- during the remaining half-turn, it returns to its initial position.
![](/images/e/ea/Mouvement_4_barres_1-1.83-2-1.83.png)
By doubling this mechanism by symmetry, we can see that the movement of the rocker arms can be used to drive the pistons of our machine:
![](/images/1/1b/Animation_183_moteur.gif)
![](/images/d/da/Animation_183_recepteur.gif)
The world of articulated quadrilaterals is a vast one, and there's probably a solution that's closer to the ideal motion. The movement of connecting rods offers a wide variety of trajectories.
The output motion can be linearized using, for example, a Watt or Chebyshev mechanism.
It would also be useful to invent a way of varying piston stroke during adiabatic phases.