Help -- Linear to rotary motion, cw and ccw direction

[Fphy91]

Hello,im doing a home project. I have an idea to make a venchile which will move back and forward as well as turn. Its something that i will be able to control with control device,if i press forward it goes forward etc. The thing is that i want to make it with linear actuators,cylinders(compressed air as power source). I haven't been succesfull with transforming linear motion to rotary so that my wheels can move clockwise(CW) and counter clockwise(CCW),i only mannaged to make it rotate in one way when i give input signal. I need a mechanism to switch beetween cw and ccw motion depending on signal given by device i hold in my hands. If u have any ideas how the mechanism should look like post here drawing or something to help this project become alive. Thanks!

 

[billy_joule]

Why can't you use a rotary air motor? Makes things much simpler.

 

[berkeman]

Hello,im doing a home project. I have an idea to make a venchile which will move back and forward as well as turn. Its something that i will be able to control with control device,if i press forward it goes forward etc. The thing is that i want to make it with linear actuators,cylinders(compressed air as power source). I haven't been succesfull with transforming linear motion to rotary so that my wheels can move clockwise(CW) and counter clockwise(CCW),i only mannaged to make it rotate in one way when i give input signal. I need a mechanism to switch beetween cw and ccw motion depending on signal given by device i hold in my hands. If u have any ideas how the mechanism should look like post here drawing or something to help this project become alive. Thanks!

Welcome to the PF.

How did the old steam railroad locomotives change between forward and backward motion (I don't know the answer, but it seems applicable to your project). If you find out, can you just use a mechanism like they used on those old steam-powered locomotives to convert from piston back-and-forth motion to turning the wheels?

 

[jh0]

It seems difficult to achieve with just one linear actuator; it may stop at a dead centre and get stuck. Billy-joule's suggestion seems a good approach.