2nd Chapter: Simple Lifting Machines

Simple Lifting Machine: A Simple Lifting Machine can be defined as a device which can lift heavy
loads by applying lesser effort. E.g. Simple Wheel and axle, Screw Jack, Weston Pulley block etc.

Uses or Advantages of Simple Machine:

1. To lift heavy loads which is not possible manually.

2. To minimize human efforts.

Compound Machine: A machine which consists of number of Simple Machines is called as a

Compound Machine. E.g. Automobile engine, printing machine, grinding machine etc.

Effort (P): The force applied to overcome the resistance or to lift the load is called as an effort. It is
denoted by letter P and its S.I. unit is Newton (N).

Load (W): The resistance to be overcome by a machine or the weight to be lifted is called as load. It is
denoted by letter W and its S.I. unit is Newton (N).

Mechanical Advantage (M.A.): It is the ratio of load lifted by the machine to the effort applied to lift
the load. M.A. has no unit. For a machine to be useful its M,A, should be greater than one.

M.A. = W/P

Velocity Ratio (V.R.): The ratio of distance travelled by the effort (y) to the corresponding distance
travelled by the load (x) is called as Velocity Ratio. V.R. has no unit.

V.R. = y/x

Input: Input of a machine is the product of the effort and the distance travelled by effort.

I/P = P × y

Output: Output of a machine is the product of the load and the distance travelled by

load. O/P = W × x

Efficiency: Efficiency of a machine is the ratio of output to input of a machine and is generally expressed
in percentage.

% ɳ = (Output/ Input) × 100

% ɳ = (M.A/ V.R.) × 100

Efficiency can also be defined as ratio of Mechanical Advantage to Velocity Ratio of the machine.

Ideal Machine: A machine whose efficiency is 100% & in which friction is absent is called Ideal M/c.

Characteristics of an Ideal Machine:

1. Efficiency of the machine is 100% i.e. ɳ = 100%.

2. Machine is completely frictionless i.e. Friction = 0.
 3. Input is equal to its Output i.e. I/P = O/P.
4. Mechanical Advantage of machine is equal to its Velocity Ratio i.e. M.A. = V.R.
Ideal Effort (Pi): The effort required to lift a load when there is no friction, is called as Ideal Effort (Pi).

Pi = W/V.R.

Ideal Load (Wi): The load to be lifted by applying some effort when there is no friction, is called as
Ideal Load (Wi).

Wi = P × V.R.

Effort lost in friction (Pf): It is the difference between Actual Effort (P) and Ideal Effort (P i).

P f = P – Pi

Load lost in friction (Wf): It is the difference between Ideal Load (Wi) and Actual Load (W).

Wf = W i – W

Law of Machine:

1. Definition: The equation which gives the relation between Load lifted and Effort applied for a
particular machine is called as its Law of Machine (P = mW + C).
For getting this relation, effort readings are plotted on Y axis and corresponding values of Loads
are noted down on X axis.

2. Statement: It states that; for a machine the effort applied is directly proportional to the load to be
lifted i.e. P α W, therefore, P = mW + C

Where m = slope = tan θ = (P2 – P1) / (W2 – W1)

C = Constant as Y intercept (tells the amount of friction)

3. This equation P = mW + C is similar to the equation of straight line Y = mX + C, which specifies

that Law of machine will be a straight line on graph.

4. Every Machine has its own Law of Machine equation which means value of m and C will be
different for each machine.
Maximum Mechanical Advantage (Max. M.A.):
 Max. M.A. = 1/m where m is the slope.

Maximum Efficiency (Max. ɳ): The ratio of maximum mechanical advantage to its velocity ratio is
called as its maximum efficiency.

% Max. ɳ = (Max M.A./V.R.) × 100

So, % Max. ɳ = 100/ (m × V.R.)

Reversible Machine:

When a machine is capable of doing some work in the reverse direction even after removal of effort, then
it is called as Reversible Machine. E.g. Simple Wheel and Axle, Differential Wheel and Axle etc.

Condition for Reversibility: For a machine to be reversible its efficiency should be greater than 50% i.e.
ɳ > 50%

Non-Reversible or Irreversible or Self-Locking Machine:

When a machine is not capable of doing any work in the reverse direction even after removal of effort,
then it is called as Non-Reversible or Irreversible or Self-locking Machine. E.g. Screw Jack, Worm &
Worm Wheel etc.

Condition for Non-Reversibility: For a machine to be non-reversible its efficiency should be less than
50% i.e. ɳ < 50%

Graphs:

STUDY OF SIMPLE MACHINES

1. Simple Wheel and Axle:

 V.R = D / d = R / r

Also, V.R = (D + T) / (d + t), if thickness of rope is given

Where, D = Effort Wheel Diameter, d = Load drum diameter

R = Effort Wheel Radius, r = Load drum radius

T = Thickness of Rope on Effort Wheel, t = thickness of rope on load drum

2. Differential Wheel and Axle:

V.R. = 2D / (d1 – d2) = 2R / (r1 – r2)

Also, V.R = {2(D + T)} / {(d 1 + t) – (d2 + t)} , if thickness of rope is given
Where,

D = Effort Wheel Diameter, d 1 = Bigger Load Axle diameter, d2 = Smaller Load Axle diameter

R = Effort Wheel Radius, r 1 = Bigger Load Axle radius, r2 = Smaller Load Axle radius T =

Thickness of Rope on Effort Wheel, t = thickness of rope on load drum

3. Screw Jack:
 V.R. = (2πL) / (np) = (2πR) / (np) = (πD) / (np)

Where, D = Effort Wheel Diameter, R = Effort Wheel Radius, p = pitch of screw

L = Length of Lever or Handle, n = number of start of threads Remember, n = 1

for Single threaded screw,

Also take n = 1 if number of threads are not mentioned in the question,

n = 2 for Double threaded screw and n = 3 for Triple threaded screw.

4. Weston’s Differential Pulley Block:

V.R. = 2D / (D – d) = 2R / (R – r) = 2T1 / (T1 – T 2)

Where, D = Effort Wheel Diameter, d = Load drum diameter

R = Effort Wheel Radius, r = Load drum radius

T1 = Teeth or Cogs on Effort Wheel or Bigger Pulley,

T2 = Teeth or Cogs on Load drum or Smaller Pulley.

5. Worm and Worm Wheel:
 V.R. = DT / nd = RT / nr = LT / nr

Where, D = Effort Wheel Diameter, d = Load drum diameter

R = Effort Wheel Radius, r = Load drum radius

T = Number of Teeth on Worm wheel, n = number of start of threads on Worm,

Remember, n = 1 for Single threaded Worm,

Also take n = 1 if number of threads are not mentioned in the question,

n = 2 for Double threaded Worm and n = 3 for Triple threaded Worm.

6. Single Purchase Crab Winch:

V.R. = (D/d) × (T1/T2) = (2L/d) × (T1/T2)

V.R. = (R/r) × (T1/T2) = (L/r) × (T1/T2)

Where, D = Effort Wheel Diameter, d = Load drum diameter,

R = Effort Wheel Radius, r = Load drum radius, L = Length of Handle or Lever.

T1 = Teeth on Spur Gear, T 2 = Teeth on Pinion Gear,

7. Double Purchase Crab Winch:

 V.R. = (D/d) × (T1/T2) × (T3/T4) = (2L/d) × (T1/T2) × (T3/T4)

V.R. = (R/r) × (T1/T2) × (T3/T4) = (L/r) × (T1/T2) × (T3/T4)

Where, D = Effort Wheel Diameter, d = Load drum diameter,

R = Effort Wheel Radius, r = Load drum radius, L = Length of Handle or Lever. T 1 =

Teeth on Spur at Load axle, T2 = Teeth on Pinion at Intermediate or Counter axle, T3 =

Teeth on Spur at Intermediate or Counter axle, T4 = Teeth on Spur at Effort axle, 8.

Geared Pulley Block:

V.R. = (T1/T2) × (T3/T4) = (D/d) × (T3/T2) = (R/r) × (T3/T2)

Where, D = Effort Wheel Diameter, d = Load drum diameter,

R = Effort Wheel Radius, r = Load drum radius,

T1 = Cogs on Effort wheel, T2 = Teeth on Pinion gear,

T3 = Teeth on Spur gear, T 4 = Cogs on Load Drum.

Remember, For a 2 Sheave pulley block, V.R. = 4

And For a 3 Sheave pulley block, V.R. = 6