Slow Forward and Quick Back Circular Motion: How the Elliptical Gear Quick-Return Mechanism Works

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This partial calculator is explicitly a user-selected timing schedule: one 180-degree forward segment and one 180-degree return segment divide a cycle by an entered time share. It does not reconstruct non-circular gears, pitch curves, tooth generation, contact or a physical quick-return drive.

Partial · Selected Two-Segment Angular Schedule

Explore a user-selected time split for equal 180-degree forward and return segments without inventing non-circular gears.

0°

Cycle Time
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Selected Forward Time
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Selected Return Time
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Average Return / Forward Speed
--

Equation Used

T=60/n; t_f=sT; t_r=(1-s)T; average speed ratio=t_f/t_r=s/(1-s).
Selected piecewise timing only; no gear mesh, acceleration, torque or dynamics model.
  • Forward and return segments each cover 180 degrees in magnitude.
  • Speed is idealized as constant inside each segment.
  • Endpoint reversal is instantaneous and therefore not a physical acceleration model.
  • Pitch curves, gear contact, teeth, center distance, inertia, torque, impact, wear and safety are excluded.

The secondary figure is a timing dial, not a non-circular gear pair.

Same mechanism and inputs as the interactive calculator.

Supported two-segment schedule

For cycle speed n, cycle time is T=60/n. If selected forward time share is s, forward time is sT and return time is (1-s)T. Because each segment covers the same 180-degree magnitude, the selected average return-to-forward angular-speed ratio is s/(1-s).

The animation uses ideal constant speed within each segment and an instantaneous reversal at the endpoints; it is a schedule, not a machine dynamics model.

Use and boundary

Use the ledger to compare a selected time allocation for equal angular excursions. Do not use it to design non-circular gears, predict tooth contact or infer acceleration, torque, impact or achievable motion.

Selected timing identities

T=60/n; t_forward=sT; t_return=(1-s)T; average return/forward speed ratio=s/(1-s).

Default selected-value example

At 10 cycles/min and s=0.70, cycle time is 6 s, forward time is 4.2 s, return time is 1.8 s and the selected average return-to-forward speed ratio is about 2.333.

Unsupported gear synthesis removed

The former arbitrary axis-ratio calibration, elliptical mesh drawing and non-integrated output angle were removed. No axis ratio, pitch curve, center distance or tooth geometry is produced.

Questions

Does this design quick-return gears?

No.

Why is the return faster?

The same 180-degree magnitude is assigned less time by the selected schedule.

Are endpoint accelerations finite?

No. Instantaneous reversal is an idealization, so the schedule is not a dynamics model.

References

References & Further Reading

  • Wikipedia contributors. Non-circular gear. Wikipedia

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