Geometric and Engineering Drawing222
line P
1
P
11
and the radius of the circle, marked off from the new position of the centre
O
1
, is plotted, then this must be the position of the point P after
1
12
of a revolution.
After
1
6
of a revolution the position of P is the intersection of the line P
2
P
10
and
the radius, marked off from O
2
. This is repeated for the 12 divisions.
Figure 15.1 also shows the beginning of a second cycloid and it can be seen that
the change from one cycloid to another is sudden. If any locus is plotted and has
an instantaneous change of shape it indicates that there is a cessation of movement.
Anything that has mass cannot change direction suddenly without first ceasing to
move. The point of the circle actually in contact with the line is stationary.
This raises the interesting point that, theoretically, a motor car tyre is not moving
at all when it is in contact with the road. This is not true in practice, since the contact
between the road and tyre is not a point contact, but it does explain why tyres last
much longer than would be expected.
At the top of the cycloid, between points 5 and 7, the point P is travelling nearly
twice the distance that the centre moves in
1
12
of a revolution. Thus, a jet car travel-
ling at 800 km/h has points on the rim of the tyre moving up to 1600 km/h – faster
than the speed of sound.
The tangent and normal to the cycloid ( Fig. 15.2 ).
Tangent
Normal
P
O
Q
Figure 15.2
From the point P, where you wish to draw the normal and the tangent, draw an arc
whose radius is the same as the rolling circle, to cut the centre line in O.
With centre O, draw the rolling circle to touch the base line in Q.
PQ is the normal. The tangent is found by erecting a line at 90 ° to the normal.