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How to Drill a Square Hole!

By Stephen Casey
Imagine you are an Egyptian wishing to transport a
heavy block.
Cylindrical logs motion is flat and horizontal, does not
bob up and down.
Reason vertical cross-section of the cylinders are
circles.
Circles have constant width!
Is the Circle Unique in This
Respect?
After thinking over this
problem for a while one
could come to the
conclusion that the circle
is unique in this respect.
This is incorrect!
In fact, there are
infinitely many such
curves.
The Reuleaux Triangle
Next to the circle the
reuleaux triangle is the
simplest such curve.
Shape formed by the
intersection of three
circles of equal radii,
each of which intersects
the centres of the other
two.
Area of the Reuleaux Triangle

For a given width w, the area
of the reuleaux triangle is
given as follows:




=

This is the smallest area of
such a curve for a given
width, w.
2
3
2
w
2
3
2 3
w
t

2
w
t
| |
|
|
\ .
3
2
Constructing a Curve of Constant
Width
First construct a number of
equal straight lines forming a
closed path as shown.
Place the compass at a given
vertex of the figure and
connect the two vertices to
which the vertex is joined by
an arc.
Repeat, similarly for all other
vertices of the graph.
The result is a curve of
constant width of width equal
to the length of the edges of
the graph.
Alternative method
Draw a number of arbitrary
straight lines which mutually
intersect each other.
At the intersection of two such
lines place the compass and
draw an arc between the lines.
Then proceed around the
curve, connecting each arc to
the preceding one.
If this is done carefully enough
the curve will close and be of
constant width.

How to Drill a Square Hole!
The shape of the
reuleaux triangle can be
used to drill a (nearly)
square hole.
We have the triangle
rotating about an axis
through its centre and
the axis itself tracing a
curve as shown.
How to Drill a Square Hole!
The geometric centroid
does not move in a
circle.
This path can be
approximated by a
superellipse with
equation:



1
r r
x y
a a
+ =
Harry James Watts
In 1914, Harry James
watts invented a rotary
drill, based on the
reuleaux triangle to drill
square holes.
Cross-section of the drill
is a reuleaux triangle
made concave in three
spots.
Perimeter of the Reuleaux Triangle.
The length of an arc, l, of
a circle with radius w
subtending an angle u is
given by the formula:
l = wu
In this case, u = t/3 and
there are three such arcs
of equal length hence
the perimeter p is given
by the formula:
p = tw
Perimeter of curves of constant
width
You may have noticed that for a given width
the perimeter of the Reuleaux Triangle is the
same as that of the circle.
Surprisingly, for any curve of constant width w,
the perimeter of the curve is t w.
Egyptian problem!!
Curves of Constant width
Every curve of constant width
is uniquely defined by half of
its perimeter.
Once half of the curve is
constructed we can draw
lines which are parallel to the
tangents of the circle at a
perpendicular distance w
away.
This also provides another
way of constructing curves of
constant width.
Rotors
Any convex figure that can be rotated inside a
polygon or polyhedron while at all times
touching every side or face.
Each curve of constant width is a rotor for the
square.
The Reuleaux triangle is the rotor of least area
for a square.
Kakeya Needle Problem
Closely related to the problem of rotors is the
Kakeya needle problem.
What is the plane figure of least area in which
a line segment of length 1 can be rotated?
No answer Abram Samoilovitch Besicovitch.
Area can be made as small as we please and
line can be rotated.
Take-home Problem!
What is the smallest convex area in which a
line of unit length can be fully rotated.

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