What is the best method for designing a trigger system for a ball launcher?

[jordon trent]

Hi,

I'm working on a project, the project is to create a ball launcher. the ball being a squash ball. 3 balls must be loaded once only but be able to be fired individually. the energy used to fire these balls is 3 1m long bungee chords. this cannot be changed. there are 3 main parts to it.1: the aiming system/ subframe. 2: the loading mechanism and 3: trigger system. I am looking for help on the trigger system.
Trigger system needs to fire/release 3 individual bungee's to fire the ball. this is how the system would work.
Load, aim, fire, aim, fire, aim, fire then can be reloaded.

if anyone could help with the design of this trigger then that would be amazing. I've got a mental block and trying to alter mechanisms etc and its not easy.

thank you

Jordon :)

 

[phinds]

You need to show some work of your own first. What have you thought of?

 

[jordon trent]

You need to show some work of your own first. What have you thought of?

I've been looking at things like this. where the trigger is pulled and the spring pushes everything back into normal position. also many cross bow mechanisms. I've been thinking about possibly maybe using some sort of gear/ rail that connects to the trigger and as its pushed back helps load the other bungee on the system.

 

[phinds]

I wonder if you might just use a gravity feed for the balls and have the cords very close together with a triple-stage trigger that releases one cord after another after the balls drop into place

 

[jordon trent]

I wonder if you might just use a gravity feed for the balls and have the cords very close together with a triple-stage trigger that releases one cord after another after the balls drop into place

I think a gravity feed will be best to use. i don't know anything about the details of certain stage trigger systems but i will have a look and check out some videos and see how i could relate and use them. if you know of any great links of 3-stage trigger that would be great, if not don't worry, thanks for your help and ill see if i can go from here.