Lego Construction Basics

Small Building Exercises to learn the Basics of Construction

Rotary Motion to Linear Motion: Push-Rod and Cam Shafts

Push-rod constructions are used most commonly in engines.
The piston is connected to a crankshaft that changes the linear motion of the piston to a rotary motion of the crank shaft.

Construct the models below and answer the questions.

Start with the base from our pulley and gear lessons






1. A cam shaft is commonly used in an engine to push the valves open. What is another application for a cam shaft?

Show Kulzer before you move on to the next step
Use the next two images to modify the Cam Shaft construction into a Push-Rod construction.


Now remove the crank handle and put a wheel on. This will act as a Flywheel.

2. Set up the pushrod like the image below and press the end of the pushrod fast. What happens?


Show Kulzer before you move on to the next step
Now change the configuration to gear up the flywheel.


Replace the # 6 black axel (circled) with a #4 shown by the red arrow.

3. List two differences between the action of the previous construction and this one.

This is the concept behind antique "Hit and Miss" engines. See one woking here. .

Show Kulzer before you move on.
If you didn't do the Gear or Pulley lessons,

Don't take this apart...

Set it aside because the base will be used in the Gears lesson And the Pulley lesson

If you haven't, Don't forget to finish the gear lesson with Bevel Gears.
And the second part of the Pulley lesson.


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