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Our mechanics required for the original rotational, horizontal motion to be converted into a rotational, vertical motion. Bevel gears were determined to convert this motion. Normal gears would not mesh properly and other solutions could be overly complex. An additional set of bevel gears were required for a rotational mechanism involving the retractable shaft. The retractable shaft connects two of the complex motions, one of which rotates a shaft. The rotated shaft is required for our second complex motion to rotate a weight at the top of our design. While the retractable shaft slides along itself to move upward, it was noted that there may not be enough torque for the retractable shaft to rotate a weight and slide. To compensate for this, the retractable shaft had a bevel gear that connected to another bevel gear once it reached a certain height. The mechanism rotated the additional shaft at increments rather than bearing the load the whole time it was sliding. The last complex motion had a link that would rotate along a pivot, where the motion is relatively seen as an “up and down” motion. This motion does not require the link to rotate past 75 degrees. Initially, a cam was suggested. A reevaluation determined that a wheel with bumps on one side of it would be more cohesive with the rotational design.
For flat parts, laser cutting was utilized. Bevel gears, bearings, a power supply, a motor, and a motor driver are not easily designed and produced, so these components were ordered. In addition, a voltage regulator, a threaded shaft, and fasteners were ordered for stability and time considerations. Other components utilized 3D printing machines because they were easily customizable and readily available.
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