"A Moment At The Seaside" WIP

[xpro]

A group of visitors to a beach, spot something in the water.....
The group stops. The next movements need a few seconds during which the mechanism which makes the group move will pause. The input speed required slow movement, instead of making a set of reduction gears, a worm gear was created using a store bought large spring which meshed with a ply gear made to drive the crankshaft. Video attached.

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Thank you for looking,
Gus

[Boringgeoff]

I love the way that runs. I think you need to turn the leading end of the spring out a little or grind a chamfer to avoid it cutting the gear wheel once it's under load.
Cheers,
Geoff.

[xpro]

Thank Geoff for you input, much appreciated ! Due to the small diameter output gear, and the height of the teeth, only two of the spring windings, the middle two, are in direct contact with the teeth at any one time. The spring, even though it is quite stiff had to be installed onto a timber dowel so I could install it onto a shaft, hence the teeth had to clear the dowel. I remain concerned that long term, the small contact area may wear the gear out. I have yet to see how it behaves under load, I am hoping that worm "gears" have great torque.
Regards,
Gus

[xpro]

The beach visitors arrive on a platform which slides on a linear mechanism sourced from a discarded printer during a council clean up. These cleanups are a valuable resource for all sorts of components, this being one, springs, unusual fasteners, linkages, plastic gears etc. Also disassembling them gives many insights into how manufacturers solve mechanical challenges. In this case, the length of the rod turned out to be the exact movement length needed for this automaton.
Thanks for looking,
Regards,
Gus

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[crowie]

Another project to watch and enjoy thank you Gus...:2tsup:

You're lucky to have "council cleanups"; up here it's book the pickup, put it out the night before and gone by lunchtime the next day,
so everyone misses out with more to land fill rather than recycling or repurposing!

Cheers, Peter

[xpro]

Hi Peter ! Good to hear from you, thanks for your continuing interest in these fascinating ( for me ) things ! Pity about council cleanups up there, what a waste ! :) Hope all is well with you,
Regards,
Gus

[Keith_1]

Top Work Gus

Ingenious worm shaft :2tsup:

I love looking at your work and how you can get things to work

Regards

Keith

[xpro]

Keith, Thanks very much for your comment, always appreciate your kind comments, especially coming from a master inventor/innovator !

Regards,
Gus

[xpro]

The two pin wheels form the engine of the linear movement for the carriage above. The first video shows them without the arm, the second with, and how the pause is achieved. For other actions to take place, and to hold the carriage in place, this 25 second pause was crucial to the actions above. The arm connects to the carriage via stainless steel fishing line routed to opposing sides, around brass pulleys. Return of the carriage is by rubber strand, once the tension is released by the arm.
Thanks for looking,
Gus

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[Keith_1]

Top mechanism there Gus.

Very skilled work:2tsup:

Regards

Keith

[xpro]

There are four characters walking along the beach. The mechanics attached to the slide are the means of control for them. Normally, the platform which serves as the "stage" for subsequent storytelling isn't moving, which makes for relatively simple means of control via cable, lever, cam etc. In this case, whatever movements are achieved by some means of control cannot be directly attached to the slide. The first movement after arrival is a turn by the characters toward what they spotted in the distance. The photo attached shows four brass tubes, to which the characters will be attached, and are then rotated. The brass strips to which the tubes are connected, are pushed by the mechanism seen in the video, controlled by a cam below. Further controls pass through the tubes, from the body of the characters, and emerging through the bottom of the slide, connecting to another mechanism under, and a cam, controlling movement. Electrical cable also will be routed through these.

Thanks for looking,
Gus

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[xpro]

Once the carriage arrives, two mechanisms serve to create the movements of the four characters. The first video is the view from the top and how the characters turn. The other is of the interior of the mechanism case, looking up under the top panel. As the carriage arrives, the copper linkage connected to its cam, captures the brass element and pulls the telescoping section. This is connected via cables to each character through the tubes and up into the body. The return by rubber is not a success, it places too much load on the slide mechanism, the reject bin got it, back to the drawing board......tomorrow's task.

Thanks for looking,
Gus

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[Keith_1]

Excellent stuff Gus:2tsup:

Regards

Keith

[xpro]

WIP now in recess due to travels, resume August. My thanks to all who followed the process so far !

Regards,
Gus

[Keith_1]

WIP now in recess due to travels, resume August. My thanks to all who followed the process so far !

Regards,
Gus

Have a safe trip

Regards

Keith

[xpro]

Since returning from Europe, the project has progressed to mechanical completion, leaving the final work which include the costuming/painting of the three characters and setting the land/seascape.
Part of those, is learning how to sew costumes with a new mini sewing machine purchased from Aldi. There seems to be nothing they don't sell eventually ! Given I have zero experience with this it will be a sharp and possibly long learning curve.

Photo below is the camshaft mechanisms gears and cams,

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The underside of the "stage". Photos A & B show the mechanisms installed which control the movements
actuated by the cams, levers etc above,

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Thanks for looking,

Regards,
Gus

[crowie]

Good luck with the learning to use a sewing machine Gus :no: :U
Glad it’s you and not me.
Cheers Peter

[Keith_1]

Good luck with your sewing Gus.

I know you will master it

Regards

Keith

[xpro]

Decided that the sewing, for this automata is beyond what it needs, or is it that it is beyond me ? A bit of both. The characters are so small that not much would be added by clothing. They are painted, the scenery is made from materials which can be sourced from hobby shops specialising in products for the railway hobbyist.
The size of the work, 460 W 260 D 350 H
Video to follow.

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Hope everyone is well !

Gus

[Keith_1]

Hi Gus,

Hope you are well.

Up to your high standard of workmanship.:2tsup:

Really looking forward to your video.

Take Care

Regards

Keith

[crowie]

Plus another for the video Gus.
Keep safe, Cheers Peter

[xpro]

Thanks Peter, I see you have been busy also ! Hope all is well with you. I read that the mountains have become a hotspot for infections, keep safe !

Gus

[xpro]

Thanks very much Keith ! I see you have been busy with the loco. The closeups are really good at highlighting the workmanship, ahem, not unusual for you mate. I hear from friends how bored they are with the current restrictions, but, interestingly, not willing to learn/try something new to change circumstances/themselves. How fortunate are we, there is a friendly workshop calling us daily.....

Keep safe ! :)

Gus

[xpro]

The video is published on Vimeo.

Regards,
Gus

Keep Safe !

"A MOMENT BY THE SEASIDE" on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com/412618653)

[Keith_1]

WOW Gus - that is fantastic.

What a tremendous amount of work you have put in for a great outcome.

You must be proud of yourself:2tsup:

Top work mate

Regards

Keith

[xpro]

Thanks very much Keith ! It was a very enjoyable project, lost count of the lessons learned, hope they stuck ! :)

Keep safe !

Regards,
Gus