Single-loop kinematotropic mechanisms

The paper concerns the chains in which changes in certain position variables can lead to changes in the permanent finite mobilities of the chains: this property is called “kinematotropy”. We present a systematic approach that allows us to form four basic kinematotropic single-loop chains. Then we show how to modify these chains to obtain various kinematotropic mechanisms. One of the presented chains can have 1 or 2 degree(s) of freedom, depending on its position; the three remaining chains can have 2 or 3 degrees of freedom. The approach we use to derive the chains is based on the theory of displacement groups. Finally, an extension of the method to multiloop chains is discussed.