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Year 4 - Design and technology

Parallel and push-pull linkages

Levers and linkages: interactive books

Unit Summary

This unit develops pupils' knowledge of mechanisms through levers and linkages. They will apply this knowledge by exploring mechanisms and incorporating them into an interactive book with a user-centred focus.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to make parallel and push-pull linkages.

Key Notes

  • A parallel linkage contains fixed pivots and allow movement back and forth and side to side.
  • A push-pull linkage allows the input and output levers to move in the same direction.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • parallel linkage: a linkage that creates movement in the same direction using two pairs of levers
  • input: something that goes into a system
  • output: something that comes out of a system
  • push-pull linkage: a linkage that uses short levers to push and pull three other levers in the same direction

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Push-pull and parallel linkages are made of more than one lever.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

A parallel linkage contains fixed pivots and allow movement back and forth and side to side. A push-pull linkage allows the input and output levers to move in the same direction.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'parallel linkage'

a linkage that creates movement in the same direction using two pairs of levers.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Push-pull and parallel linkages are made of more than one lever. Correction: Levers can be joined together to form a linkage. A parallel and push-pull linkage is made up of multiple levers.

More Lessons In This Unit

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