GBC # 4 BY DOUG (WIP) VERTICAL LIFT

To link with my # 3 GBC I decided on a vertical lift based on the Aklyuki / Blakbird designs but with only one lift carriage.

Progress to date:

Vertical structure built with a single lift carriage with automatic unloading device.

Drive to the lift cord is by hand at present with friction drive via the double white 24T gears.

Next step is to design an auto loading similar to that I used on my incline ramp lift, which can be adjusted to load 1, 2 or 3 balls each time. The ball carriage has a slope to ensure balls stay in place as carriage rises.

Vertical Lift Structure with ball carriage:_

IMG_3689 by Doug Ridgway, on Flickr

Undecided at present how to power this so I have made up three possible mechanisms all driven by M motors and all built using 5L X 7L or 5L x 11L frames for a rigidity. See image:

1/. Powered change over via worm / 24T gear & crank operated c/o lever.

2/. Sliding Axle change over (Based on an old Meccano design for a Transporter Bridge))

Very simple but need to ensure the various gears and cams stay in correct place on the long drive axle.

Red 8T and White 24T clutch gears used to allow axle to slide.

Change over to be operated by cranks tripped by the ball carriage at top and bottom of travel.

3/. A smaller version of the Aklyuki GBC with instructions by Blackbird.

Axle is riased and lowered by trip levers with a simple snap over device and a smaller dwell device (not shown)

Drive speed to lift cord can be varied as desired for optimum cycling speed.

The three possible drive mechanisms:

IMG_3690 by Doug Ridgway, on Flickr

Each one will be tried in turn to find the most reliable drive unit.

Edited June 28, 20168 yr by Doug72

Progress:-

Ball loading device installed.

Left side of photo shows ball lift carriage in loading position.

Right side shows rear view of the sliding axle change over unit.

IMG_3691 by Doug Ridgway, on Flickr

Nice.

Vertical Lift GBC completed and operating consistently and smoothly.

The no. 1 mechanism (powered crank change over) proved to be the most reliable and consistent for driving the lift.

Output to lift drive pulley is via 12T/20T gear reduction.

The other 2 proved to be complicated to arrange trip levers etc. prone to drift and unreliable.

24T white clutch gears replaced by 21mm wedge pulley and arranged to allow ball carriage to reach base level.

Elastic drive cord is adjusted to give enough friction to raise the lift carriage but to slip when end stops are reached top and bottom, giving enough dwell time for balls to load and discharge.

Ball loading and discharge took some time to get working repeatedly but now satisfactory.

Return ball runs & catchment container are only for video demonstration.

This Vertical lift will be linked to my # 3 GBC on same base plate with improved ball runs between them.

See Video

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Looks very good!

now.. run it for 3 hours, and see if it holds up! :)

on my todo list to build a reversing switch-style GBC

Will have to buy new batteries !!!

Looks very good!

now run it for 3 hours, and see if it holds up! :)

Done and holds up !!

Test run carried out for 3.5 hours without any problems, M motor slightly warm and structure, loading and unloading mechanisms worked faultlessly throughout.

Each lift cycle takes 6 secs,= 600 per hour so x 3.5 = 2,100 lifts.

Well done! Liked your mechanism to control the number of balls that are loaded into the lift. Seeing yours, I got the inspiration to try to build a lift as well.

Well done! Liked your mechanism to control the number of balls that are loaded into the lift. Seeing yours, I got the inspiration to try to build a lift as well.

Depending are where the stop is on the lever it can be varied to deliver 1, 2 or 3 balls at a time.

Now linking the two ball lifts together with ball runs to form a circut on one 56L x 28L base plate.

Good luck with building your lift.

Doug

My # 3 & 4 GBC’s now combined onto one base plate and linked together for a continuous ball run.

#3 to #4: via a drop tower

#4 to # 3: via an open drop into a catchment box.

One thing I have learnt is put fresh batteries in BEFORE setting up the timing, angle of ball runs, guards etc.

Balls ended up flying all over the place when first run until speed settings etc. were OK.

Had to use a IR receiver and a dual train controller to set the optimum speed of each drive motor to synchronise ball transport around the loop.

See Video:

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