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Have you ever looked closely at a simple mechanical toy ? If you have the opportunity to study one closely you will see that it is made up of mechanisms, usually including CAMS. Can you name any mechanical devices that use cams as part of its movement? A CAM changes the input motion, which is usually rotary motion (a rotating motion), to a reciprocating motion of the follower. They are found in many machines and toys
A CAM has two parts, the FOLLOWER and the CAM PROFILE. Diagrams one to six show a rotating cam pushing a follower up and then allowing it to slowly fall back down
Dia 1
Dia 2
Dia 3
Dia 4
Dia 5
Dia 6
In diagram 1 the cam is in a vertical position and it slow rotates in an anticlockwise direction. As it rotates the follower drops down. In diagram 4 the follower is in its lowest position. The cam continues to rotate and the follower begins to rise in diagrams 5 and 6 until it returns to its original position.
KEY PHRASES ONE CYCLE DWELL One rotation/revolution of the cam. When the cam rotates but the follower does not rise or fall. That part of the cam that causes the follower to rise.
THE RISE
TYPES OF FOLLOWER
FLAT
POINT/KNIFE
ROLLER
OFFSET
The cam seen below is a 'pear shaped cam'. As the handle is turned the cam profile rotates. The model moves forwards and backwards as a result. The movement is gentle although the faster the handle is turned the faster the movement of the model becomes.
CAM PROFILES
EXAMPLE USE OF A CAM Below is a typical use of a cam. A simple toy based on a cartoon character (Ed the Handyman) is controlled by a cam and follower. As the cam rotates in an anticlockwise direction, the follower falls (diagram 2) and so does the arm of the toy. As the cam continues to rotate the arm begins to rise as seen in diagram 4. The cam shown is a pear shaped cam (named after its shape).
Cams can be shaped in any number of ways and this is determined by the way the follower is to move. The shape of the cam is called the PROFILE. Examples of various cam profiles can be seen below.
PEAR CIRCULAR Pear shaped cams are Circular cams or used on the shafts of cars.eccentric cams produce The follower remains a smooth motion. These motionless for about half cams are used in steam of the cycle of the cam engines. and during the second half it rises and falls.
HEART Heart shaped cams allow the follower to rise and fall with uniform velocity.
DROP What type of movement do you think this cam profile will give ?
A mechanical toy based on a series of eccentric cams is seen below. As the handle is turned the shaft and the cams fixed to it rotate. Placed above the cams are a number of segments representing a snake. As the cams rotate some of the flat followers are pushed upwards whilst others drop down. This gives the impression that the snake is moving
QUESTION:
1. Design a toy or practical item based on a series of eccentric cams, working in a similar way as the ones seen above.
The eccentric cam below pushes the 'fish' upwards and allows it to drop downwards at a uniform speed. The overall speed is controlled by the speed the handle is turned.
The diagrams below shows the rotation of the snail/drop cam. When rotating for one complete revolution the follower stays level for approximately the first 120 degrees (diagrams 1 to 4). The follower then rises slowly (diagrams 5 to 6) and then suddenly drops when it reaches and passes the peak (diagram 7).
The mechanical toy seen below has a snail/drop cam as its main part. The follower is connected to the characters arm by a wire link. As the cam rotates, the follower rises and the wire link lifts the characters arm. This gives the appearance of the character lifting a fork full of food towards his mouth. As the cam continues to rotate the follower suddenly falls and also the characters arm and fork
Another example of a drop cam is seen below. As the cam profile rotates the foot of the model rises slowly and then suddenly drops.