Recent content by DefinitelyAnEnjinear

I'd be using a mangle rack to create a linear motion, so I'm guessing the amount of force would be constant and equal in both direction. The speed doesn't really matter - if it needs to be slow, I can make it slow. as for how often, that would be dependent on the user. I think I get what you...

Interesting idea, but a pendulum would be a problem. I can push it, but I'd have to have a way to stop it so it would only complete 1 swing... I'd like to have control over when the movement occurs

I'm trying to design a mechanism to translate reciprocating motion into a 45 degree rotation. Here's the idea: A pin will push against the part marked in red, causing part of the desired rotation. Then, when the pin is pulled back, its interaction with the blue part will complete a 45 degree...

A brief look tells me the distances increase geometrically as opposed to an Archimedean spiral where the distances increase by a constant. Is this really what I should be looking at? my intuition tells me I need distances that increase by a constant, don't I? Edit: I see now that the angle...

I have a disk traveling on the inner blue track (let's say the blue part is the center of the disk). I want to push the disk outside (as the disk is traveling in a circle) to the outer track. The black part is the wall separating the tracks To that end, I've made some calculations, but I have...

tl;dr since you made me think about a normal geneva mechanism again, I'm almost certain I found a pretty simple way to modify it to meet my needs. Guess I just needed someone to force me to explain things and a reminder of what a normal geneva mechanism looks like. I left everything I wrote as...

I don't follow what you're calling input and output, since in the traditional design the driving pin (here, a dial-in green) is the input. The pins are on a part that will remain stationary, for the dial (in green) to push against. As for a slot on the input disc, do you mean the top, smaller...

(note: I never studied engineering, but I think I have a good math (and slight physics) background. I'm mentioning this not so you'll go easy on me - if I don't understand something, I'm sure I'll figure it out or find someone to help me decode what you're saying. I'm mentioning this in the...

Ah, the part I never paid attention to. of course. But it wouldn't solve my jamming problem Edit: I'm suddenly having memories of considering adding the lock but not knowing how to calculate when exactly the teeth would start meshing, though given that I can extract the outer radius of both...

Two things that I think I should say before I describe what I did: First, I do not have any physics-related background (but I have a degree in CS, and I'd like to think I have a good enough grasp on math to be able to understand equations describing motion of objects). So please forgive me if...

I once practiced a lecture in front of my laptop and it went to sleep I recall reading about how we're decieved into thinking we understand something when we just recognize it. practicing recall is a better way to learn, and indeed, teaching to someone is a great way to learn

heh, well, I'm afraid that as I was typing the question, I came up with an idea for a variation that may solve my problem. but I promise that working or not, I'll be back to ask for input. If there's a way to improve upon my ideas, I'd like to know it ;) No worries about the questioning, I'm...

I don't think my design violates any physical laws, I just meant that in reality it turned out to have a problem I didn't see coming. I suspect that if my 3d printer were incredibly accurate it would've even worked. but either way, I'm aware of the rules - no attempts to violate the laws of...

no, but it does involve a violation of Newton's laws, with reality slapping me in the face and me being unable to provide an equal and opposite reaction

Hello there, So, I'm not actually an engineer, but I'm designing something (completely mechanical) for the fun of it. I am now stuck on a (pretty simple) mechanism I've come up with - I managed to figure out the math behind my idea, but turns out in practice there's a problem I did not expect...