Unified Mobility Identification and Rectification of Six-Bar Linkages

This paper offers a unified method for a complete and unified treatment on the mobility identification and rectification of any planar and spherical six-bar linkages regardless the linkage type and the choice of the input, output, or fixed links. The method is based on how the joint rotation spaces of the four-bar loop and a five-bar loop in a Stephenson six-bar linkage interact each other. A Watt six-bar linkage is regarded as a special form of Stephenson six-bar linkage via the stretch and rotation of a four-bar loop. The paper offers simple explanation and geometric insights for the formation of branch (circuit), sub-branch, and order of motion of six-bar linkages. All typical mobility issues, including branch, sub-branch, and type of motion under any input condition can be identified and rectified with the proposed method. The method is suitable for automated computer-aided mobility identification. The applicability of the results to the mobility analysis of serially connected multiloop linkages is also discussed.