The Name

Parallel Motion in Mechanical Efficiency


“I AM MORE PROUD OF THE PARALLEL MOTION THAN OF ANY OTHER INVENTION I HAVE EVER MADE.”

James Watt, 1808

The parallel motion is a mechanical linkage invented by the Scottish engineer James Watt in 1784 for the double-acting Watt steam engine. It allows a rod moving straight up and down to transmit motion to a beam moving in an arc, without putting sideways strain on the rod.

'POWER ASSISTANCE BY PARALLEL MOTION'

In Watt's new double-acting engine, the piston produced power on both the upward and downward strokes, so a chain could not be used to transmit the force to the beam. Watt designed the parallel motion to transmit force in both directions whilst keeping the piston rod vertical. He called it 'parallel motion' because both the piston and the pump rod were required to move vertically, parallel to one another.

banner

In a letter to his son in 1808 describing how he arrived at the design, James Watt wrote "I am more proud of the parallel motion than of any other invention I have ever made." 

The parallel motion differed from Watt's linkage by having an additional pantograph linkage incorporated in the design. This did not affect the fundamental principle but it allowed the engine room to be smaller because the linkage was more compact.

Parallel Motion in Musical Efficiency

In music theory, contrapuntal motion is the general movement of two melodic lines with respect to each other. In traditional four-part harmony, it is important that lines maintain their independence, an effect which can be achieved by the judicious use of the four types of contrapuntal motion: parallel motion, similar motion, contrary motion, and oblique motion.

Parallel motion is motion in the same direction, keeping the same interval between them.


Parallel Motion: Efficiency Is A Function Of Innovation