Shutter Mechanism

[shaiqbashir]

Hi guys!

well! suppose that i have a tunnel that is having a slope i.e. When a tennis ball is inserted from its top end, it automatically floats to the bottom end and comes out of the tunnel due to slope.

Now if i insert, lets say 8 balls in that tunnel one behind the other, so the balls will come out one after the other due to slope.

Now if i want to stop the balls from coming out, i need to use some door or shutter type of thing, that can be opened or closed as required. When it is closed, no more balls should be able to drop and when it is opened, the balls start dropping one after the other.

I want to control that shutter through a motor, and this motor will be connected to my PIC. That is i want to run this motor through programming in order to make the shutter on and off when required.

I want to ask you that what should be the best mechanism that can be employeed for this purpose?

Thanks in advance!

Take cares
Good Bye!

 

[ante1]

Hi shaiqbasir,

I don’t know all the circumstances and the environment around where this device is supposed to work, but an idea came to mind. It might be possible to use a “push out of the tube device” which looks something like this:

View attachment 38959

 

[shaiqbashir]

HI ante!

thanks for that help. well! i want to show u exactly what my tunnels look like.

below i have posted a figure which can describe that. U see the tunnels are not standing upright, they are rather in the form of an inclined plane. there are two tunnels. We will insert the balls from the top end of each tunnel and the ball will fall into the main pipe after passing thru the tunnel. I want to place a shutter mechanism at the end of the tunnel (the arrows are directing towards it) so that when i want the balls stop coming and when i donot want the balls keep coming one after the other.

Now please tell me ur idea in the persepective of my following diagram:

thanks in advance

 

[ante1]

Hi Shaiqbashir,

Ok, I got two new ideas for you. On top, a couple of flaps made from rubber or some soft plastic material keeps the balls from falling out of the tube. Through a hole on the side of the tube the balls are punched out of the tube passing the rubber flaps the next ball in line is stopped by the flaps waiting for the next kick. To punch the balls you have various choices; solenoid, linear motor, pneumatic cylinder or even a hydraulic cylinder if you like.

The lower one; through a slit along the tube the arms of the cross wheel can get to the balls. Driven by a stepper motor the cross wheel should be run 90 degrees at a time to alow one ball at the time to leave the tube.  ;D

I hope it helps!  8)

View attachment 38964

 

[MP1]

Pinball machine comes to mind.... you know, those things that were popular before video games came around..    ;D

MP

 

[ante1]

Hi MP,

Oh yes, I’m old enough to have had my hands both on and inside a few of those! Lost of chattering relays, stepper-relays and solenoids inside them. Who could forget? ;D

 

[oldgrandpainmi]

Hello all,

YEP, you are close when you speak of pinball machines!  I've been repairing them for 18+ years now.  The idea DOES look like a specific layout in a pinball.  This is what I thought of also when I read this artical!!

Oldgrandpainmi
(Pinball Doctor on eBay)

 

[ante1]

Hi Pinball Doc,

I remember the last one I owned, it was a Bally named “Tar pit” and I sold it in 1980!
Very nice machine!
;D

 

[oldgrandpainmi]

Ante,

I've only owned 1 pin and 1 video.  The pin was Playball and the Video was Gyrus.  The pin was a one player game with relay contact controls, numbered wheel scoring and chimes.  Put both on my porch and the neighborhood kids played the H*** out of them.  In one summer, I made the money I paid for them, the replacement parts, and my time, with a little profit.  Regret selling them now.

The old antage holds true.  If you work with them all day long, you really don't want to see them when you get home.

Oldgrandpainmi

 

[ante1]

Ante,

The old antage holds true.