Riutort, Kevin T.2014-03-142014-03-141996etd-09182008-063202http://hdl.handle.net/10919/44795In designing devices to produce straight-line motion, the designer has a fundamental choice between selecting sliding devices or selecting pinned linkages. Although they are more complex to design and implement, linkages will often prove a less expensive, more efficient, and generally more satisfactory option than simple sliders. The objective of this thesis is to provide a tool to the designer that serves as an aid in making intelligent decisions in the selection of four-bar linkage type straight-line-mechanisms. This thesis provides research into the selection, evaluation, and implementation of existing straight-line mechanism designs. Twenty-two straight-line mechanisms are compared for both compactness and fidelity of the straight-line path. Also, figures showing position, velocity, and acceleration of each a included. The functional product of to this work is a software program called Straight-line. Straight-line gives the designer a graphical environment from which a wide variety of straight-line mechanisms can be quickly analyzed and evaluated. The software also provides a new type-synthesis technique that allows the designer to generate a straight-line-mechanism by graphically inputting a desired path.ix, 82 leavesBTDapplication/pdfenIn Copyrightmechanismsfour-bar linkagekinematicsstraight-line mechanismsLD5655.V855 1996.R588Thesishttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-09182008-063202/