MEN430 · Theory of Machines

Geared Five-Bar Mechanism Simulator

Department of Mechanical Engineering · Faculty of Engineering · Fall 2026

Developed by Najib Metni, PhD

Gears · Meshing

Gear 1 diameter · D₁ mm
Gear 2 diameter · D₂ mm
Velocity ratio ω₁:ω₂
Ground O₁–O₂ (= r₁+r₂)100.0 mm

Link Lengths

Link 1 (= Gear 1 radius) 40.0 mm
Link 2 (= Gear 2 radius) 60.0 mm
Link 3 = Link 4 · couplers mm

Phases

Phase 1 · θ₁ at t=0 °
Phase 2 · θ₂ at t=0 °

Assembly

The two ways Links 3 & 4 can close onto the shared coupler point P.

Playback

Speed60°/s
ω₁ = 1.05 rad/s

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Mechanism

Link 1 Link 2 Link 3 Link 4 Coupler point P
O₁ O₂ A B P
Can't assemble this mechanism at every drive angle — Links 3 & 4 can't reach each other from A to B somewhere in the cycle. Shorten the gear diameters (so A and B stay closer together) or lengthen Link 3/4.
Click Link 1, 2, 3, or 4 in the diagram to change its shape and add trace points. (Links 1 & 2 also drag to rotate — click without dragging to edit.)
°
90.0°

Live Readout

θ₁ (Link 1)0.0°
θ₂ (Link 2)90.0°
θ₃ (Link 3)—
θ₄ (Link 4)—
P.x—
P.y (+ up)—
Transmission angle μ—
Assembly—

Path of P · X vs Y

Swept across the full feasible drive cycle — equal X/Y scale, so the traced shape isn't distorted. Dots are each point's live position. Add trace points to a link's shape to see its path here too.

Mechanism can't assemble.