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Spring loaded weapons


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leithal_weapon



Joined: 06 Jun 2016
Posts: 35
Location: Canberra


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Spring loaded weapons

I would like to make a robot for the Canberra competition that uses some sort of spring powered weapon.

Was thinking about a large spring (garage door spring?) and a high torque motor to pull it back with a ratchet (boat winch?).

Anyone have experience with using springs? Any tips or suggestions? What parts can I use/find/repurpose?

Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 8:47 pm 
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Nick
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Joined: 16 Jun 2004
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Location: Sydney, NSW


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Miles built a spring-powered flipper, you can find it a few pages back on the Miles & Jules build log. It was very novel and interesting but had some issues.
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Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 9:01 pm 
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leithal_weapon



Joined: 06 Jun 2016
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Location: Canberra


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I was Googling for ideas on how to implement the spring mechanism and found this interesting video of a spring powered flipper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqKm49arkLU

Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 9:33 pm 
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Nick
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If you didn't already find that guy's web site, its here: http://www.wa4dsy.com/robot/ .
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Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 9:43 pm 
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leithal_weapon



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Location: Canberra


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Thanks, Nick. Hunted around on the site but I cant find the page on that video.

Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 10:54 pm 
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leithal_weapon



Joined: 06 Jun 2016
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Location: Canberra


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Random video I found with an interesting quick release design for a motorised winch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T17eI6DlG0k

I was looking at photos of normal car or boat winches and it seems that finding a way to disconnect the motor from the quickly unwiding winch will be important.

I have also been thinking about other types of mechanisms that would allow quick release of a spring but also allow it to be energised again.

Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 11:08 pm 
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Nick
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That's a handy upgrade to a normal winch mechanism and could work. One issue might be that the mass of the cable and winch drum will reduce the speed that the spring uncoils at, reducing the flipping effect. You can reduce that by using thinner and very flexible wire rope on the winch drum. You could probably lighten the drum and ratchet wheel as well.
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Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 11:29 pm 
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leithal_weapon



Joined: 06 Jun 2016
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Location: Canberra


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Another idea for tensioning the spring (but might be harder to get/make parts for) would be some sort of rack and pinion setup, that allows the pinion to be pulled away from the rack, after the ratchet has locked.

Post Mon Jun 06, 2016 11:52 pm 
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miles&Jules
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I used garage door springs for my sping flipper- i wanted to try a torsion springs but couldent get any - the reason is they are alot more compact- im thinking of ripping them out of those excersise hand equipment- i think a few of these could work in s feather
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Post Tue Jun 14, 2016 8:11 pm 
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