What type of mechanism would be best for propelling a 1400 pound cart?

[trailcarnage]

Hello!

I am a 1st time poster here who needs some fresh ideas. After lurking around several forum, I think this is the place to get them.

Objective:

Propel a cart carrying a 1400 pound part using energy collected from action of loading the part onto the cart.

Current idea:

I am picturing a plunger that is depressed by the part. The plunger spins the mechanism that winds the spring. I fear how large the spring would need to be though.

What kind of mechanism would you recommend?

 

[Mech_Engineer]

It will depend on how far and fast the cart has to be propelled (and if its up of down hill), and what kind of control you will need to have of the motion (turning, stopping and starting again). I do like the idea of storing energy in a spring that is compressed/extended using the weight of the part being loaded.

 

[trailcarnage]

The cart needs to travel around 20' at a low speed, 4-6"/sec. It will need to turn, stop, restart and reverse direction.

It will depend on how far and fast the cart has to be propelled (and if its up of down hill), and what kind of control you will need to have of the motion (turning, stopping and starting again). I do like the idea of storing energy in a spring that is compressed/extended using the weight of the part being loaded.

 

[Mech_Engineer]

Well, based on those numbers you can calculate how much energy needs to be stored in the spring in terms of kinetic energy required to get the cart moving. Then, knowing how much energy you need, you can figure out how far the spring will have to be compressed, and therefore how far your plungers travel will be.

Things like efficiency will definitely come into play, as well as determining things like will it be automatic or manually controlled, and safety issues of a 1400+lb cart driving itself around.