Transfer weight design

[Sam Peppiatt]

Calloway,
If FRICTION is the only way to swing the pendulums, (out and or in), which seams to be the case; why not chain all of the pends. together, to a single clutch at or near the center. An ordinary friction disc clutch, instead of one on each pendulum-------------------Sam

[Calloway]

Sam, You preload the pendulums out. But what keeps them out? One way lock bearings. It reminds me of a overrunning clutch in a Alison transmission. Sometimes the shaft controls the one way bearing and other times it's the clutch pack that controls the bearing. In this case the shaft controls the one way bearing. The shaft turns in the bearing. The shaft locks to the pendulum bearing as needed. Actually pendulum may not be the correct terminology. I would just call them over balanced levered weights. They remain in their preloaded position. It's a weird sight. They don't swing around in and out like a pendulum on a bearing. But Sam if you have a different idea, go for it!

Cheers

[Sam Peppiatt]

Calloway, Right, they, the bearings are set up like a back stop clutch. Maybe I'll try it; nothing else I've done, has ever worked------------Sam

[Beginners Mind]

Calloway - Do I understand your working principle correctly? Drawing is for a wheel rotating CW.

[Calloway]

BM, Yes, that's how the idea got started. But there is a much easier simpler method. Simply mount a 3 or 4 inch small wheel or larger if you wish directly behind the pendulum on its shaft. The wheel is a snug fit to the pendulum shaft. Lift your pendulum up and build a bracket from the pendulum arm to the small wheel in such a way that it will ride the outside of the small wheel. It can't fall back down as it's supported by the small wheel. It just slips along along the circumference of the small wheel. This keeps the pendulum lifted up and follows the curvature of the wheel which is the same as the big wheel.

Cheers

[Sam Peppiatt]

Calloway, I must be missing a brain; I still don't get it----------------------------------sam

[Calloway]

Sam, Me too. I'm done....Just run my own stuff over here.

[Beginners Mind]

Calloway - Is this what you are describing?

[Beginners Mind]

Calloway - Or is this closer to what you are describing?

[Sam Peppiatt]

Beginners mind, You sure can draw good! Wish I could do that. Are you a mechanical engineer, (ME)----------------------------------Sam

[Sam Peppiatt]

Sorry Calloway; I Didn't mean to be a pest-----------Sam

[Calloway]

BM, Your first drawing is what I'm building. Strange..Are you looking over my shoulder? :) It looks like 2nd drawing would be effective also. As the wheel turns the pendulum maintains this position thru out rotation because the bracket can slip on the shaft wheel. Such a good drawing I had to copy.

Cheers

[Beginners Mind]

Calloway - Thanks for your reply. You are most welcome to use the drawings. I am not looking over your shoulder, only intently trying to understand and visualize what you are selflessly sharing with everyone.

It is easy to see why the "pendulum" will hold its initial position in your design and start the big wheel turning. But I don't yet understand why the pendulum, one-way bearing, bracket, small wheel, shaft and big wheel do not maintain all their positions relative to one another and rotate together once the big wheel starts turning. The one-way bearing should not prevent them all moving together. I'll carry on reflecting about it. Thanks for continuing to open source your ideas.

Sam - I am not a mechanical engineer, nor an artist.

[Calloway]

BM, Maybe your trying to take too big of a bite out of the apple per say. I use a smaller wheel so that the pendulum is held out at about 4 o'clock. When the big wheel turns the pendulum with its weight and on its bearing maintains that position slipping along the little wheel.

Cheers

[Beginners Mind]

Calloway - The drawing below illustrates my understanding of the physics behind your apparatus when using a flat spring. Does this represent your principle correctly? Interestingly, it suggests a one-way bearing may not be needed.

The angle with the horizontal that the "pendulum" lever settles at equilibrium should depend on the relation between the spring force and the weight force. The weight force is the weight times the cosine of the angle of the lever with the horizontal. So as the end of the lever drops the weight force that the spring force pushes against decreases, causing the spring to push the lever back up till an equilibrium is met. Thus the CG of the lever remains to the right of its fulcrum bearing in the drawing.

To date, I do not understand how your other proposal substituting a floating bracket for the spring might work. But, if I understand it correctly, your spring embodiment is shear brilliance.