BASIC FARM MACHINERIES AND MECHANIZATION

CHAPTER 2: Simple Machines

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this chapter, the students must be able to:

 Learn and identify the differences of the different six simple machines
 Know the application of each simple machine
 Define mechanical advantage
 Compute the forces and arm lengths

Introduction

What is a machine?

A machine is any device that does work. Machines make our lives easier because they reduce the
amount of energy, power, and time we need to get one thing done by magnifying our input force.

A machine can increase the magnitude or the distance of a force but not both at the same time.

Machines come in many sizes, shapes and forms. Some machines are very simple in its makeup
and use whilst others are very complex. For example, a spade is a machine (a simple machine), and
a tractor is a machine too (a complex machine).

Farm machines are complicated units designed to perform special tasks such as plowing,
planting, cultivating and harvesting. Tractors, combines, grain drills, or feed grinders are made
by combining series of simple or basic machines.

For this lesson, we shall be looking at simple machines.

Types of machines

Machines come as two major kinds — Simple Machines and Complex Machines.

Simple Machines

A simple machine is a tool, device or object with few moving parts that help us do work. Simple
machines have been in use for a very long time. Early humans used simple machines to push, pull,
lift, divide and crush things. They used simple machines to row rafts over water, build houses, split
firewood, and carry heavy things from place to place. Today, there are simple machines in every
place and all around us.
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There are six types of simple machines — the lever, the wheel and axle, the pulley, the inclined
plane, the screw, and the wedge. These six have very specific features and do unique jobs, even
though some may work in similar ways. In fact, some simple machines may be a combination of
simple machines.

Simple machines, unlike complex ones, do not work on their own. They only increase the pull or
push, (force or effort) that a person uses, increase or decrease the distance, or change the direction
of a movement so that more work can be done.

They can:
 transfer a force from one place to another
 change the direction of a force
 increase the magnitude of a force
 increase the distance or speed of a force

Features of a simple machine:

 They do not use electricity
 They have one or fewer moving parts
 They give us mechanical advantage
 Even though they make work easier for us, they still need input (force or effort) from a
person.
 They make tough jobs easier by changing the force, direction or speed of a movement

Lever

A lever is a rigid bar, straight or curved, capable of being rotated around a fixed point (fulcru m).
When a fulcrum and a bar are used, two different forces exist, the applied force (Fa) and the
resultant force (Fr). The forces, bar, and fulcrum can be used in three ways, called classes,
Figure 3.1.

FIGURE 3.1. Thre Classes of Levers

The principle of levers can be expressed mathematically as: Fa × Aa = Fr × Ar

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Class One Lever

Class one levers are used primarily for their mechanical advantage. The mechanical advantage
for a first-class lever is the ratio of the lengths of the two arms. In this class, the fulcrum is
between the applied force (effort) and the resultant force (load). The mechanical advantage is
more if the load is closer to the fulcrum. In our discussion of simple machines, mechanical
advantage will be defined as the increase of force that occurs through the use of a lever. Expressed
mathematically:

Mechanical advantage = Force arm length

Resultant Arm Length

The principles of a class one lever are illustrated by the problem in Figure 3.2.

Sample Problem: How much weight can a 140.0-lb person lift with a class one lever if the force
arm is 4.0 ft long, and the resultant arm is 1.0 ft long?

Solution:

In this problem three of the variables are known: Fa = 140 lb, Aa = 4 ft, and Ar = 1 ft.
To solve the problem, we must use one of the techniques of problem solving—rearranging an
equation. In this example we need to rearrange the equation to solve for Fr and then insert the
values.

FIGURE 3.2. Class One Lever

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FIGURE 3.3. Example of Class One Lever (Wrecking Bar Pulling a Nail)

Resultant

Class Two Lever

The second class of lever also produces a mechanical advantage. In this lever the mechanical
advantage is the ratio of the distance between the fulcrum and the applied force and the distance
from the fulcrum to the resultant force, Figure 3.4. The same applied force is used to illustrate
this lever.

FIGURE 3.4. Class Two Lever

FIGURE 3.5. A Two-Wheeled Dolly as a Class Two Lever.

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Using the lever equation, rearranged for the unknown value, determines the resultant force for the
applied force:

For the class two lever the mechanical advantage will always be greater than one. In this case the
mechanical advantage is 5 divided by 1 or 5. This is why a 700-lb load can be moved with only a
force of 140 lb supporting the load at the end of the fulcrum.

Class Three Lever

The class three lever does not have a mechanical advantage. It is primarily used to increase speed
and movement. The same applied force and distances are used to illustrate a class three lever,
Figure 3.6.

FIGURE 3.6. Class Three Lever

FIGURE 3.7. Class Three Lever with Split Measurement Of Length

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FIGURE 3.8. Example of the Use of Class Three Lever

The resultant force for a class three lever is determined by rearranging the lever equation and
inserting the values:

As this example illustrates, the mechanical advantage for the third-class lever always will be less
than one. Here 140 lb of applied force only can lift a weight of 28 lb. The distance moved and
the speed of movement of the resultant point compared to the applied point is increased
proportionally.

It is important to remember that when all three levers are used, the two le ngths, applied and
resultant, are measured from the point of application to the fulcrum.

Wheel and Axle

This simple machine involves two circular objects — a larger disc and a smaller cylinder, both
joined at the centre. The larger disc is called the wheel, and the smaller cylindrical object or rod is
referred to as the axle.

A wheel and axle behaves as a continuous lever. The center of the axle corresponds to the fulcrum.
A wheel and axle has a mechanical advantage if the radius of the wheel is the applied arm and the
radius of the axle is the resultant arm. It does not have a mechanical advantage when the wheel

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radius is the resultant arm and the axle radius is the applied arm, Figure 3.9. The equation for
determining the mechanical advantage is the same as the equation used for the three classes of
levers.

FIGURE 3.9. Illustration of Wheel and Axle

Sample Problem:

How much force will it take to lift a 10.0-lb weight with a wheel and axle, used as in Figure 3.9,
when the axle is 2.0 inches in diameter and the wheel is 10.0 inches in diameter.

The first step is to rearrange the equation to solve for the applied force. Remember that the
length of the force arm is the radius of the wheel and the length of the resultant arm is the radius
of the axle. This gives us:

Fa x Aa = Fr x Ar
Fa = Fr x Ar
Aa
= 10 lb x 5 in = 50 lb
1 in

The wheel and axle is not normally used alone. It is usually used in conjunction with a gear
reduction system to form a hand operated or electric motor winch found on boat trailers and
other applications, Figure 3.10.

The wheel and axle is not normally used alone. It is usually used in conjunction with a gear
reduction system to form a hand operated or electric motor winch found on boat trailers and
other applications, Figure 3.10.

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FIGURE 3.10. Wheel and Axle Used As A Winch Without A Gear Reducer

Pulley

A pulley is a modification of a first or second class lever. A single pulley does not produce any
mechanical advantage, just a change of direction in force, Figure 3.11.

FIGURE 3.11. A Single Pulley

If the power loss to friction is not ignored, then a single pulley has a mechanical advantage of
less than one. When pulleys are combined in pairs, a mechanical advantage is produced. This use
of pulleys is commonly called a block and tackle, Figure 3.12

FIGURE 3.12. Block and Tackle

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The amount of mechanical advantage produced by a block and tackle is proportional to the
number of ropes that support the weight. The block and tackle in Figure 3.12 has four ropes, but
only three, RB, RC, and RD, support the weight. In this arrangement the amount of weight that
can be lifted is three times the amount of force being applied. Expressed mathematically:

Rn = W/F

Where; W = Amount of weight to be lifted; F = Amount of force applied to the block and tackle;
Rn = Number of ropes.

Sample Problem: How much pull (pounds of force) would it take on the block and tackle rope in
Figure 3.12 to lift a 545-lb ball?

Solution:

From Figure 3.12, the number of ropes supporting the load is three. The pull can be found by
rearranging the pulley equation to solve for F:

With a three rope, block and tackle, 182 lb of force will lift a 545-lb load, but the rope where the
force is applied will move a three times the distance the load moves.

Inclined Plane

An inclined plane is an even surface sloping at any angle between vertical and horizontal. An
inclined plane produces a mechanical advantage. The amount is determined by the ratio of the
length of the inclined plane to the change in elevation. Instead of lifting the entire weight vertically,
part of the weight is supported by the inclined plane.

FIGURE 3.13. Two Incline Plane

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Compare drawings I and II in Figure 3.13. Intuitive reasoning suggests that if the weight being
moved and the distance AC are the same in both cases, then less force (ignoring friction) will be
required to move the wagon up the inclined plane in the situation represented by drawing I because
the change in height is less in I than it is in II for the same length of inclined plane. If we need to
know the pounds of force required to pull the wagon, then we must use an equation based on
the principles of an inclined plane. Expressed mathematically:

F × AC = W × BC

Where; F = Amount of force to pull the wagon (ignoring friction); AC = Length of the inclined
plane; W =Weight of the wagon; BC = Height of the inclined plane.

F = W × BC
AC

Substituting the values gives:

Now we can see if the conclusion was right about the situation in drawing II. We will use the same
equation to calculate the force in this situation. If we assume the length of the plane is the same
(AC), then:

It thus is obvious that an inclined plane with a steeper angle will require more force for the same
weight.
FIGURE 3.14. Example Use of Incline Plane

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Screw

The screw is a modification of the inclined plane combined with a lever. The threads of a screw or
a bolt are an inclined plane that has been rolled into the shape of a cylinder. A lever is used to turn
the threads, which causes the load to move along the cylinder. An example of this principle is the
screw type jack. Figure 3.15 illustrates this principle as it is used in a jack, where the jack handle
is the force arm. The same principle applies to a bolt and nut. In the case of a bolt and nut the lever
arm is the wrench, and the resultant force is the clamping pressure.

FIGURE 3.15. Lever Equation Applied To a Screw Jack

The distance between any two threads, called pitch, determines the amount of movement per
revolution. The mechanical advantage is determined by the ratio of the radius of the lever and the
pitch distance. The lever equation can be used to express this relationship mathematically:

Fa × Aa = Fr × Ar

Where; Fa = Forced applied at the end of the lever arm; Fr =Amount of weight the jack will lift;
Aa = Length of the lever arm; Ar = Pitch of the threads.

Sample Problem: If the lever arm in Figure 3.15 is 18 in long and the pitch of the threads is
0.125 in, how much weight will the jack lift when 50.0 lb of force is applied (ignoring friction)?

Solution: Rearranging the equation to solve for Fr gives:

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This problem illustrates that when using a screw jack a small amount of force will lift a large load.
The disadvantage is that the load will only be lifted 0.125 inches (1/8 of an inch) for every
revolution of the handle. Friction will affect the performance of this machine more than the others.
With the proper lubrication it can be kept to a manageable level.

Wedge

A wedge is simply a triangular tool, often made of metal, wood, stone or plastic. It is thick on one
end and tapers to a thin or sharp edge on the other end. Technically it is an inclined plane (or two
inclined planes put together to form a triangle) that moves. A wedge may be attached to a handle
to make it easier to use. Good examples of wedges are nails, knives, and axes.

Wedges work by changing direction and force applied to it.

Figure 3.16 : Diagram of change in direction and force

From the above, you will notice that the force applied to the thick end of the wedge overcomes the
resistance of the wood. The force is directed downwards, but the wedge directs the force sideways
as it drives into the wood. The longer and thinner a wedge is (sharper), the more work it does with
little effort. If the wedge is shorter and has a wider angle at the tip, one needs more force to do the
work.

The mechanical advantage of a wedge is higher when the wedge is longer with a thinner tip.

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REFERENCES

Textbook:

 Field, H.L. and J.B. Solie. Introduction to Agricultural Engineering Technology: A

Problem Solving Approach. 3rd ed.

 L.Roth and H. Field. Introduction to Agricultural Engineering: A Problem Solving

Approach. 2nd ed. Van Nostrand, New York.

 McColly, H.F. and J. W. Martin.1955. Introduction to Agricultural Engineering.

McGrawhill Book Company. New York, USA.

Internet Source:

 https://eschooltoday.com/science/simple-machines/introduction-to-simple-machines.html

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EXERCISE 3

Simple Machines

Name: _________________________________ Score: ____________

Section: ________________________________ Date: _____________

I. PROBLEM SOVING. Write your answer on space provided.

1.) What length of rod is needed to lift a 1500 pound weight with a class one lever if
the resultant arm is limited to 6 inches, and the applied force is limited to 125 pounds?
Solution:

2.) How many pounds of force would it take for a class three lever to develop 230 pounds
of resultant force if the applied force arm is 18 and ¼ inches, and the resultant force
arm is 36 7/8 inches?
Solution:

3.) How many pounds of force will it take for a wheel and axle to lift 1225.5 pounds if
the axle diameter is 1.5 inches, and the wheel diameter is 11.5 inches?
Solution:

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4.) What is the maximum amount of weight that can be lifted by a four-rope block and
tackle if the applied force is 75.25 pounds?
Solution:

5.) How much weight can a screw type jack lift if the lever arm is 6 feet, the applied force is
68.5 pounds and the pitch of the thread is 3/8 inches.
Solution:

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