Brian Harrap Posted June 4, 2011 Share Posted June 4, 2011 (edited) . Edited January 20, 2012 by Andy Y Full post beneath 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Brian Harrap Posted June 4, 2011 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 4, 2011 I was asked again the other day at Railex (no I wasn't there with QUAI:87) as to how the swing bridges over the canals were driven. Again I gave the truthful answer - Tortoise point motors - only to see the enquirers eyes glaze over, and the unspoken questioning look, how does a device that by its very nature only gives a 1/4 inch or so of throw move a bridge through 90deg. As the mechanism is impossible to see on the layout and as I was preparing yet another Tortoise, this time to drive the newly installed wagon hoist on the layout, I though I'd put up a pic to show how I convert a point machine into a winch. (Product guarantee out the window [there's a whole pile of them of one sort or another outside my window] but sometimes one has to live dangerously). The Tortoise taken apart all the gubbins that they don't want you to see is revealed, and the cam and blade moving bits and associated slider switches are discarded, leaving a rather nice winch type mechanism that can be used for all sorts of things. I drill a hole in the final output shaft (very undrillable plastic but keep at it) to attach a cord. The rather heavy string shown is not as usually used but is for illustration only as they say. I also invariably install a short length of knicker elastic (kindly supplied by Lady ZOB) in the final drive line to give a bit of play - I hadn't done this on the first test run and found, not to my surprise that the Tortoise is powerful enough in this unintended configuration to lift the whole wagon hoist out of the ground. They had bent coathanger wire on the swing bridges before the elastic was installed. Incidentally I power the bridges and now the hoist with a regular loco throttle as this means I can have a beautiful slow start up of the bridge and an even more prototypically 'slowly slowly' docking of the bridge in its final position. Hope this is of some interest, Brian. 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted June 18, 2011 Author Share Posted June 18, 2011 This is how the Winch looks installed under QUAI:87. The sewing thread actually does the pulling, the chain is for the cosmetic look of the thing above ground. The greeny patches are where I was testing canal base colour paint - not the canal leaking. The swing bridges are driven in a very similar way. Brian. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Certainly some inspirational thinking there which could be applied to other working elements Brian. I assume the bridges are weighted so they fall when the motor is reversed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted June 19, 2011 Author Share Posted June 19, 2011 Certainly some inspirational thinking there which could be applied to other working elements Brian. I assume the bridges are weighted so they fall when the motor is reversed? Yes Andy, the hoist lowers by its own weight. The canal bridges are of the swing type which are also returned independently by a weight(s)(a few nuts on a bent coathanger) but involve rather more cup hooks and screw eyes and a couple of bicycle spokes. Best left hidden under the layout, but it all works, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted June 19, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 19, 2011 At last the secrets of 'Tortoise' motors revealed! The stall motors that they employ really can have all sorts of applications. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted July 8, 2011 Author Share Posted July 8, 2011 In response to numerous requests here is a picture of the upper works of the wagon hoist on QUAI:87. Shown in its nude state as it were, much cosmetic work is in progress such as a winding/engine house and some other bits and pieces whose function is uncertain but will hopefully make the whole thing look quite business like. I did in fact install a sprocket for the (somewhat oversize I admit, but the smallest I could get) lifting chain to run over on the top cross member but contrarily enough the whole thing runs much smoother without it. It has to run smooth as John Farmer has insisted on 'no jiggling' in operation, hence also four 2mm roller bearings arranged cantilever fashion supporting the table (bed??). The slopingness of the affair is inspired, but not a model of, the well known one that used to be at Leytonstone. It has been the very devil to line up, both the upper and lower tracks having been installed before the hoist was built. Not the best way round to do it. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted July 8, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2011 Coming on a treat Brian! How long until we get to play with it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Captain Kernow Posted July 8, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2011 You are a clever old clogs, Brian - I do like that! You are now inspiring me to spend a fortune on some more point motors and cut them up to operate level crossing gates! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted July 8, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2011 You are a clever old clogs, Brian - I do like that! You are now inspiring me to spend a fortune on some more point motors and cut them up to operate level crossing gates! Now you're talking! B) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackRat Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Brian, thanks, certainly food for thought and its interesting to see whats inside of them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted July 9, 2011 Author Share Posted July 9, 2011 In response to numerous requests here is a picture of the upper works of the wagon hoist on QUAI:87. Shown in its nude state as it were, much cosmetic work is in progress such as a winding/engine house and some other bits and pieces whose function is uncertain but will hopefully make the whole thing look quite business like. I did in fact install a sprocket for the (somewhat oversize I admit, but the smallest I could get) lifting chain to run over on the top cross member but contrarily enough the whole thing runs much smoother without it. It has to run smooth as John Farmer has insisted on 'no jiggling' in operation, hence also four 2mm roller bearings arranged cantilever fashion supporting the table (bed??). The slopingness of the affair is inspired, but not a model of, the well known one that used to be at Leytonstone. It has been the very devil to line up, both the upper and lower tracks having been installed before the hoist was built. Not the best way round to do it. In case anyone was wondering about the size of the roller bearings on the hoist here's the prototype, Brian. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted July 9, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 9, 2011 Brian, you could always speed it up and use it as some form of Medieval catapult!? Regards, Nick P.s. Wonderful stuff as always Mr H! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 You are a clever old clogs, Brian - I do like that! You are now inspiring me to spend a fortune on some more point motors and cut them up to operate level crossing gates! Someone was asking about motorizing crossing gates back along, I wonder if anyone suggested tortoises? Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 The new Model Rail Sentinel with its new P4 wheels looking rather unsure of itself (track gauge too narrow for the new P4 wheels) on test on the high level on QUAI:87 prior to delivery to the Cap'n.Brian 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 16, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 16, 2011 You are a clever old clogs, Brian - I do like that! You are now inspiring me to spend a fortune on some more point motors and cut them up to operate level crossing gates! Don't forget that the original gates were most likely operated by a single thing (gate wheel) driving a single rod with escapement mechanisms = one point motor (if someone digs out some drawings of the escapement mechanism, which I might just happen to have ina signal engineering textbook ). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted August 27, 2011 Author Share Posted August 27, 2011 Danged if I dain't fit Stable Doors to the small loco shed on QUAI:87 after all. If you're curious to know why why not pop along to the Farnham MRC show at Aldershot 8-9 Oct this year where QUAI:87 will be on display and all will become clear. Brian. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted August 27, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 27, 2011 We need to know more before that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Danged if I dain't fit Stable Doors to the small loco shed on QUAI:87 after all. If you're curious to know why why not pop along to the Farnham MRC show at Aldershot 8-9 Oct this year where QUAI:87 will be on display and all will become clear. Brian. Stable Doors? I know I once jokingly suggested you should have a shunting horse or has it already bolted? Or is this where you store all the poor tortoises that have lost their motors? Howard 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 Stable Doors? I know I once jokingly suggested you should have a shunting horse or has it already bolted? Or is this where you store all the poor tortoises that have lost their motors? Howard Hello Howard, there's a 20ft drop in front of the shed and we wouldn't want poor Dobin or anyone else taking a purler would we, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 20 Feet?!!!! Surely you mean 6 metres, Brian. The EU commissars will be foaming at the mouth. (Is ZOBland in the EU?). Vive la Revolution! Howard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 20 Feet?!!!! Surely you mean 6 metres, Brian. The EU commissars will be foaming at the mouth. (Is ZOBland in the EU?). Vive la Revolution! Howard Nay lad, contraire, tis anticipated that the EU, when its affairs are sorted, will make an application to become part of ZOBland itself, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Harrap Posted September 16, 2011 Author Share Posted September 16, 2011 QUAI:87 will be at the Aldershot exhibition on 8/9 Oct, probably its last outing before Scaleforum in 2012. Brian. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Very interesting, Herr Hotpoint. So your engine shed has gone up in the world but we still want to know - why the barn doors? Howard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted September 18, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 18, 2011 I suspect that it's something to do with a EU directive on the dreaded health & safety so that when the hoist is at the bottom any poor unfortunate worker can't plunge to his death. I believe that there must be some sort of automatic locking system before the platform descends! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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