Examples

Join Linkages
Very often linkages or mechanisms used in practice share the same kinematic principles. Parametrized linkages give finer control over link dimensions. But you might want to reuse simple linkages as building blocks of more complicated mechanisms. LinkageDesigner supports this kind of "copy and paste" linkage by providing the AttacheLinkage function, which allows you to "glue" two or more linkages together to achieve more complex mechanisms with minimal effort. AttacheLinkage is especially useful in defining mechanisms with replicate-base mechanisms, like an engine. To illustrate this linkage definition technique, we will build a V engine with four pistons.

Whitworth's Quick Return Mechanism
The Whitworth quick return mechanism converts rotary motion into reciprocating motion, but unlike the crank and slider, the forward reciprocating motion is at a different rate than the backward stroke. At the bottom of the drive arm, the peg only has to move through a few degrees to sweep the arm from left to right, but it takes the remainder of the revolution to bring the arm back. This mechanism is most commonly seen as the drive for a shaping machine.