NILE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

HONORIS UNITED UNIVERSITIES

APPLIED MECHANICS PRACTICAL (GET 221)

TITLE: To verify the principle of moments using bell crank lever.

AIM
To show experimentally the inverse relationship between reactive forces at support and the
distance of the point of application of loads from supports. To find the reactive forces at the
supports. To verify the equilibrium of coplanar parallel forces.

Also, to identify the supported reaction in simply supported and overhanging beams and to
develop an understanding of beam apparatus, and to determine its sensitivity and accuracy.

THINGS REQUIRED:
1. Bell-Crank Lever Apparatus
2. WeightsCotton Thread
3. Meter Scale

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APPARATUS:
The apparatus consists of a L shaped
BELL crank lever which is bolted at the
junction P at a fulcrum,

THEORY:
The bell crank lever is an apparatus used to verify the law of moments. The bell crank
is used to convert the direction of reciprocating movement. A bell crank is a type of
crank that changes motion around a 90 degree angle. The name comes from its first
use, changing the vertical pull on a rope to a horizontal pull on the striker of a bell,
used for calling servants in upper class British households. The fixed point of the lever
about which it moves is known as the fulcrum.
The bell crank consists of an “L” shaped crank pivoted where the two arms of the L
meet. Moving rods (or ropes) are attached to the ends of the L arms. When one is
pulled, the L rotates around the pivot point pulling on the other arm.
Changing the length of the arms changes the mechanical advantage of the system.
Many applications do not change the direction of motion, but instead to amplify a force
“in line”, which a bell cranks, can do in a limited space. There is a tradeoff between
range of motion, linearity of motion and size. The greater the angle traversed by the
crank, the more non-linear the motion becomes (the more the motion ratio changes).
According to law of moments.
1. The sum of the moment of all forces about any support (a or b) is equal to zero.
2. Summation of all forces in horizontal and vertical direction equals to zero.
3. The moment of a force about an axis is equal to the sum of moment of its
component about the same axis.
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These principles would be verified for a bell crank lever arrangement.
Now bell crank levers are used in machines to convert the direction of reciprocation
movement.

PROCEDURE:
1. When no weights is suspended from any hole of the lever arm, note the initial
spring balance reading after adjusting the lever arm in such a manner with the help
of the screw (S) provided at the end of the chain so that the lower end of the lever
just touches the knob at the base of the apparatus. This reading is due to unequal
weights of the two parts of the lever and is to be adjusted in the observations.
2. Pass thread through one hole and suspend a weight (w) from the thread, this
part of the lever will be lowered and the contact of the knob with the lower end of
the other part of the lever will be disturbed. With the help of the screw, establish the
contact again, so that the lever just touches knob and does not press it.
3. Note the spring balance reading find the distance (d) of the hole (from which
weight is suspended) from the fulcrum.
4. Adjust the initial reading in the spring balance reading let it be T. Now verify
that moment of the weight about the fulcrum (i.e. w x d) is equal the moment of the
tension about the fulcrum (i.e. T x P).
5. Suspend a different weight from the next hole and proceed as before. Take in
this way about seven or eight reading.
6. Calculate the % age error between the two moments.

OBSERVATIONS:
Initial reading of spring balance = 0 N
Spring Balance Capacity: 10 kg
Perpendicular distance ‘P’ from the fulcrum = 20.1cm

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OBSERVATION TABLE:

Spring Balance
Reading,
Weight T(N) Distance
S/n Suspend of
ed W(N) Initi Fina Differen Holes
al l ce (d)m
(T1) (T2 Between
(T2-T1)
)
(N)
1. 2 7 8 1 0.15

2. 4 7 11 4 0.20

3. 6 8 15 7 0.25
4. 8 8 20 12 0.30
5. 10 9 26 17 0.35

CALCULATION:

Horizontal. Percentage
Vertical Beam
Beam Error
S/n Distance (P) x
Distance Between the
Spring Balance
(d) x Two
(T) (A)
Applied Moments
(P x T)
Weight B-A X 100
Nm
(W) B
(B)
(W x d)
Nm
1. 0.201 0.3 33%
2. 0.804 0.8 -0.5%
3. 1.407 1.5 6.2%
4. 2.412 2.4 -0.5%
5. 3.417 3.5 2.37%

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PRECAUSIONS:
1. The apparatus should be kept on a smooth and level surface
2. Ensure the weight hanger is on the groove of the meter rule
3. Avoid error due to parallax when taking readings from the meter rule
4. Ensure the bell crank level is not touching the table
5. Ensure the weights are put gently on the weight hanger

CONCLUTION: Within limits of experimental error being close to zero, the total
sum of moments from all external forces applied to the bell crank lever is consistent
with the "Principle of Moments."
The observed value of spring force and calculated value of the spring force came out
to be nearly the same. The observed value agrees with the calculated value within
the limits of experimental value
REFERENCE:
..\Downloads\1-Bell-Crank-Lever-IC-2-Exp-2.htm (2022)www.scribd.com

ENGR. Dakut J.Y (2022) Applied Mechanics Manual (Principle of forces in beam of
Parallel Forces Experiment), Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja