GENEVA CONVEYOR MECHANISM

Abstract
The Geneva drive is a gear mechanism that translates a continuous rotation into an
intermittent rotary motion. The rotating drive wheel has a pin that reaches into a slot
of the driven wheel advancing it by one step. In this project we shall Determine the
angular velocity and acceleration of Geneva wheel and also determine the transport
time of the object to cover the entire conveyor. In this project we prepare 3D
modelling of Geneva Operated Roller Conveyor by using SOLIDWORKS Software.
INTRODUCTION
The Geneva drive or Maltese cross is a gear mechanism that translates a
continuous rotation into an intermittent rotary motion. The rotating drive wheel has
a pin that reaches into a slot of the driven wheel advancing it by one step. The drive
wheel also has a raised circular blocking disc that locks the driven wheel in position
between steps. Geneva Mechanisms are widely used in motion picture film
projectors to intermittently advance film through a film gate having a projection
aperture. The film is moved or advanced by a Geneva Mechanism (also known as a
“Maltese Cross”) until an image frame is in alignment with the projection aperture.
The number of slots radially disposed around a Geneva Mechanism's star
wheel is variable, and may be any whole number greater than 2. As the number of
straight slots is changed, specific features of the mechanism such as component
sizes, the speed and duration of the intermittent motion, and the forces or loads
applied to the drive pin and star wheel, and to the load (film) all vary as well.
Geneva mechanism can be used in material handling in an industry. The
proposed concept will help in production line where many workers are used for the
material handling purpose it also reduce the cost and threshing time requirement of
more number of worker will be completely eliminated as only two workers can
carried out the complete operation.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
• Determination of angular velocity and acceleration of Geneva wheel

• To determine the transport time of the object to cover the entire conveyor

• Prepare modeling of project on SOLIDWORKS

• Transporting loads of required quantity

• Automation with minimum man power

• Low initial and operating cost

PROJECT METHODS
This project has various different design paths to complete our product while
meeting the objectives. This means we will have to implement and compare our
different design to insure the best product based on our set of objectives. There were
a few foreseen methods that we expand upon in the design section.
The basic design for Geneva operated roller belt conveyor is to have
motor on the fix stand, and then motor shaft is inserted in the center hole of drive
wheel. Drive wheel is in mesh with driven wheel i.e. Geneva wheel, which is
mounted on the roller shaft & belt is wound around all the rollers. When we supply
electrical current to the dc motor by using adapter, then motor shaft starts rotating
which further transmits the spinning motion to rollers by using Geneva wheel.
The first decision is selecting bill of materials for a design path. This will help
determine the ultimate product affordability. We must decide whether to use a
battery or adapter to run the motor. For low upkeep we used adapter instead of
battery. A more efficient yet expensive design would be to have battery instead of
adapter which helps in carrying conveyor wherever we wants.
The project main goal is to convey the material at regular interval of time as
per requirement by using Geneva operated roller belt conveyor. For this project to
be considered successful, a list of objectives has been determined.
LIST OF COMPONENTS
 Motor
 Adapter
 Roller conveyor
 Stand
DESIGN OF GENEVA WHEEL
The Geneva wheel, or maltese cross, is a cam like mechanism that provide
intermittent rotary motion and is widely used in both low speed and high speed
machinery. Although originally developed as a stop to prevent over winding of
watches, it is now used extensively in automatic machinery. For example, where a
spindle, turret, or worktable must be indexed. It is also used in motion- picture
projectors to provide the intermittent advance of the film. A drawing of a six- slot
Geneva mechanism. Notice that the centerlines of the slot and crank are mutually
perpendicular at engagement and at disengagement. The crank, which usually rotates
at uniform angular velocity, carries a roller to engage with the slots. During one
revolution of the crank the Geneva wheel rotates a fractional part of a revolution, the
amount of which is dependent upon the number of slots.
The circular segment attached to the crank effectively locks the wheel against
rotation when the roller is not in engagement and also positions the wheel for correct
engagement of the roller with the next slot. The design of a Geneva mechanism is
initiated by specifying the crank radius, the roller diameter, and the number of slots.
At least three slots are necessary, but most problems can be solve with wheel having
from four to 12 slots. The design procedure is shown in fig. The angle is half the
angle subtended by adjacent slot; that is, β=360°/2n
Where n is the number of slots in the wheel. Then, defining r as the crank
radius, we have

Where c is the center distance. The actual Geneva wheel radius is more than
that which would be obtained by a zero diameter roller. This is due to the difference
between the sine and the tangent of the angle subtended by the roller, measure from
the wheel center. After the roller has entered the slot and is driving the wheel, here
is the crank angle and is the wheel angle. They are related trigonometrically by

We can determine the angular velocity of the wheel for in value of by differentiating
equation[c] with respect to time. This produces

The maximum wheel velocity occurs when the crank angle is zero. Substituting
therefore gives

The angular acceleration, obtained by differentiating equation with respect to time,

is

The angular acceleration reaches a maximum where

 This occurs when the roller has advanced about 30 percent into the slot.
Several method have been employed to reduce the wheel acceleration in order to
reduce inertia forces and the consequent wear on the sides of the slot. Among these
is the idea of using a curved slot. This can reduce the acceleration, but also increased
the deceleration and consequently the wear on the other side of the slot. Another
method uses the Hrones-Nelson atlas for synthesis. The idea is to place the roller on
the connecting of a four bar linkage. During the period in which it drives the wheel,
the path of the roller should be curved and should have a low value of acceleration.
Figure shows one solution and include the path taken by the roller.
This is the path that sought while leafing through the book. The inverse
Geneva mechanism of figure enables the wheel to rotate in the same direction as the
crank and requires less radial space. The locking device is not shown, but this
Geneva wheel driven by a four bar linkage synthesized by the Hrones-Nelson atlas.
Link 2 is the driving crank. Can be a circular segment attached to the crank, as
before, which locks by wiping against a built up rim on the periphery of the wheel.
WORKING
When the electrical supply is given to dc motor, shaft of the motor tends to
rotate. The rollers shaft is coupled with the Geneva drive. The Geneva drives shaft
is coupled with the motor shaft hence when power is supplied to the motor rollers
rotate with a certain time delay according to the Geneva drive and the belt moves
along the rollers. Thus material handling is carried out. Conveyor is used for carrying
the objects from one end to another end.
SCEMATIC OF GENEVA CONVEYOR MECHANISM
Manufacturing methods :

1. Laser Beam Machining (LBM)

Lasers are used for many purposes. One way they are used is for cutting metal
plates. On mild steel, stainless steel, and aluminum plate, the laser cutting process
is highly accurate, yields excellent cut quality, has a very small kerf width and small
heat affect zone, and makes it possible to cut very intricate shapes and small holes.

Most people already know that the word “LASER” is actually an acronym for Light
Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

The laser beam is a column of very high intensity light, of a single wavelength, or
color. In the case of a typical CO2 laser, that wavelength is in the Infra-Red part of
the light spectrum, so it is invisible to the human eye. The beam is only about 3/4
of an inch in diameter as it travels from the laser resonator, which creates the
beam, through the machine’s beam path. It may be bounced in different directions
by a number of mirrors, or “beam benders”, before it is finally focused onto the
plate. The focused laser beam goes through the bore of a nozzle right before it hits
the plate. Also flowing through that nozzle bore is a compressed gas, such as
Oxygen or Nitrogen.

Focusing the laser beam can be done by a special lens, or by a curved mirror, and
this takes place in the laser cutting head. The beam has to be precisely focused so
that the shape of the focus spot and the density of the energy in that spot are
perfectly round and consistent, and centered in the nozzle. By focusing the large
beam down to a single pinpoint, the heat density at that spot is extreme. Think
about using a magnifying glass to focus the sun’s rays onto a leaf, and how that can
start a fire. Now think about focusing 6 KWatts of energy into a single spot, and you
can imagine how hot that spot will get.

The high power density results in rapid heating, melting and partial or complete
vaporizing of the material. When cutting mild steel, the heat of the laser beam is
enough to start a typical “oxy-fuel” burning process, and the laser cutting gas will
be pure oxygen, just like an oxy-fuel torch. When cutting stainless steel or
aluminum, the laser beam simply melts the material, and high pressure nitrogen is
used to blow the molten metal out of the kerf.

On a CNC laser cutter, the laser cutting head is moved over the metal plate in the
shape of the desired part, thus cutting the part out of the plate. A capacitive height
control system maintains a very accurate distance between the end of the nozzle
and the plate that is being cut. This distance is important, because it determines
where the focal point is relative to the surface of the plate. Cut quality can be
affected by raising or lowering the focal point from just above the surface of the
plate, at the surface, or just below the surface.

There are many, many other parameters that affect cut quality as well, but when
all are controlled properly, laser cutting is a stable, reliable, and very accurate
cutting process.
Advantages of LBM:

 Tool wear and breakage are not encountered.

 Very small holes with large aspect ratio can be achieved.
 A wide variety of hard and difficult-to-machine materials can be tackled.
 Machining is extremely rapid and the setup times is economical.
 Holes can be located accurately by using an optical laser system for
alignment.
 The operating cost is low.

2. Hand Hacksaw:

Typical full-size hacksaw frame, with 12" blade

A hacksaw is a fine-toothed saw, originally and mainly made for cutting metal. The
equivalent saw for cutting wood is usually called bow saw.

Most hacksaws are hand saws with a C-shaped frame that holds
a blade under tension. Such hacksaws have a handle, usually a pistol grip, with pins
for attaching a narrow disposable blade. The frames may also be adjustable to
accommodate blades of different sizes. A screw or other mechanism is used to put
the thin blade under tension.

On hacksaws, as with most frame saws, the blade can be mounted with the teeth
facing toward or away from the handle, resulting in cutting action on either the
push or pull stroke. In normal use, cutting vertically downwards with work held in
a bench vice, hacksaw blades are set to be facing forwards.
3. Drilling

Drilling is a cutting process that uses a drill bit to cut a hole of circular cross-
section in solid materials. The drill bit is usually a rotary cutting tool, often multi-
point. The bit is pressed against the work-piece and rotated at rates from
hundreds to thousands of revolutions per minute. This forces the cutting edge
against the work-piece, cutting off chips (swarf) from the hole as it is drilled.

In rock drilling, the hole is usually not made through a circular cutting motion,
though the bit is usually rotated. Instead, the hole is usually made by hammering
a drill bit into the hole with quickly repeated short movements. The hammering
action can be performed from outside the hole (top-hammer drill) or within the
hole (down-the-hole drill, DTH). Drills used for horizontal drilling are called drifter
drills.

In rare cases, specially-shaped bits are used to cut holes of non-circular cross-
section; a square cross-section is possible.
Lathe turning

Turning is a machining process in which a cutting tool, typically a non-

rotary tool bit, describes a helix toolpath by moving more or less linearly
while the workpiece rotates. The tool's axes of movement may be literally a
straight line, or they may be along some set of curves or angles, but they
are essentially linear (in the non mathematical sense). Usually the term
"turning" is reserved for the generation of externalsurfaces by this cutting
action, whereas this same essential cutting action when applied
to internal surfaces (that is, holes, of one kind or another) is called "boring".
Thus the phrase "turning and boring" categorizes the larger family of
(essentially similar) processes known as lathing. The cutting of faces on the
workpiece (that is, surfaces perpendicular to its rotating axis), whether with
a turning or boring tool, is called "facing", and may be lumped into either
category as a subset.

Turning can be done manually, in a traditional form of lathe, which

frequently requires continuous supervision by the operator, or by using an
automated lathe which does not. Today the most common type of such
automation is computer numerical control, better known as CNC. (CNC is
also commonly used with many other types of machining besides turning.)

When turning, a piece of relatively rigid material (such as wood, metal,

plastic, or stone) is rotated and a cutting tool is traversed along 1, 2, or 3
axes of motion to produce precise diameters and depths. Turning can be
either on the outside of the cylinder or on the inside (also known as boring)
to produce tubular components to various geometries. Although now quite
rare, early lathes could even be used to produce complex geometric
figures, even the platonic solids; although since the advent of CNC it has
become unusual to use non-computerized toolpath control for this purpose.

The turning processes are typically carried out on a lathe, considered to be

the oldest machine tools, and can be of four different types such as straight
turning, taper turning, profiling or external grooving. Those types of turning
processes can produce various shapes of materials such
as straight, conical, curved, or grooved workpiece. In general, turning uses
simple single-point cutting tools. Each group of workpiece materials has an
optimum set of tools angles which have been developed through the years.
Lathe facing

Facing

Facing in the context of turning work involves moving the cutting tool at
right angles to the axis of rotation of the rotating workpiece. This can be
performed by the operation of the cross-slide, if one is fitted, as distinct
from the longitudinal feed (turning). It is frequently the first operation
performed in the production of the workpiece, and often the last—hence the
phrase "ending up".
COMPUTER AIDED MODELING
CAD modeling is used by many designers to create elaborate computerized models
of objects. CAD stands for computer-aided design. In this project we use
SOLIDWORKS software for preparation of 3D solid Model.

1. STAND
2. GENEVA WHEEL
3. PULLY
COMPLETE ASSEMBLY

Isometric view
ADVANTAGES
 Available in a wide variety of sizes.
 Maintains good control of its load at all times.
 Have little wear leading to a very long life span.
 Low cost.
 Saves Man Power.
 Saves time.
 Time delay can be achieved easily.
 Convey the material at regular interval of time.
 Easy setup in an industry.
DISADVANTAGES
 Very difficult to change timing once design is chosen.
 The Geneva is not a versatile mechanism.
 The ratio of dwell period to motion is also established. Once the no of dwells
per revolution has been selected.
 All Geneva acceleration curves start and end with finite acceleration &
deceleration.
 This means they produce jerk.
APPLICATION
 Modern film projectors may also use an electronically controlled indexing
mechanism or stepper motor, which allows for fast-forwarding the film.
 Geneva wheels having the form of the driven wheel were also used in
mechanical watches, but not in a drive, rather to limit the tension of the
spring, such that it would operate only in the range where its elastic force is
nearly linear.
 Geneva drive include the pen change mechanism in plotters, automated
sampling devices.
 Indexing tables in assembly lines, tool changers for CNC machines, and so
on.
 The Iron Ring Clock uses a Geneva mechanism to provide intermittent
motion to one of its rings.
 Stepper
 Mechanical watches
 Plotters
 CNC Machine
 Iron ring clocks
CONCLUSION
The project work has provided us an excellent opportunity and experience, to use
limited knowledge. One can gain a lot of practical knowledge regarding, planning,
purchasing, assembling and machining while doing this project work. The project
work is good solution to bridge the gates between institutions and industries.