Simple systems/devices for translating linear force (pull) into torque?

[smohyee]

Hello all. I'm not knowledgeable in this area so forgive me if this question is obvious. Just a thought which occurred to me that I don't know how to answer.

Here is what I'm envisioning: picture a wheel, and an attached rope which is perpendicular to the plane of the wheel. If I pull on the rope, then the wheel is turned. The distance the rope is pulled along that perpendicular axis determines how the distance that the wheel rotates.

The problem: I don't know what can make that happen. How would the rope be attached or connected to the wheel?

I understand that if the rope was for example coiled around the outside of the wheel and then pulled in a direction that lay along the plane of the wheel, then that would cause the wheel to rotate. But what I want is some system that wraps around the outside of the wheel, with a rope perpendicular to the wheel.

Is this simple or complicated? Thanks for reading.

 

[serbring]

Hello all. I'm not knowledgeable in this area so forgive me if this question is obvious. Just a thought which occurred to me that I don't know how to answer.

Here is what I'm envisioning: picture a wheel, and an attached rope which is perpendicular to the plane of the wheel. If I pull on the rope, then the wheel is turned. The distance the rope is pulled along that perpendicular axis determines how the distance that the wheel rotates.

The problem: I don't know what can make that happen. How would the rope be attached or connected to the wheel?

I understand that if the rope was for example coiled around the outside of the wheel and then pulled in a direction that lay along the plane of the wheel, then that would cause the wheel to rotate. But what I want is some system that wraps around the outside of the wheel, with a rope perpendicular to the wheel.

Is this simple or complicated? Thanks for reading.

May you sketch your system please?

 

[Lsos]

You can use a pulley system to change the axis of rotation:

[PLAIN]http://kmoddl.org/machinesandmechanisms/images/a/a7/Still_V07._Belt_and_Pulley_Drive_Between_Two_Non-parallel_Axes.jpg

 

[jgeating]

yeah, pulleys is what initially popped into my head too. the setup is very application specific, so it would really help if you describe your setup/purpose. Try to use as many numbers (i.e. forces, diameters, tolerances, etc) as possible.

Keep in mind that any type of pulley or gear system will require a stationary anchor point for the pulley/gear, so depending on your setup and clearances, you will need a mount that does not rotate with the wheel to redirect the rope. Again, your application and setup really need to be described if you want practical help.

Initially, I can't think of anything besides pulleys or gears.