A Mechanical Analyzer for the Solution of Vibration Problems of a Single Degree of Freedom

A mechanical-analogy-type analyzer is described which is of relatively simple construction being limited to single-degree-of-freedom problems. Whithin this limitation solutions may be obtained for systems which include various types of nonlinear elasticity and of nonlinear damping. Included is a generalized solution obtained on the analyzer giving in dimensionless form the maximum displacements and forces in a system having nonlinear (linear plus cubic) elasticity and linear damping caused by a force pulse of constant magnitude and finite duration. The bearing of the results on the starting torques in nonlinear systems is indicated.