Unplanned Steampunk Arcade Machine #3
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- Опубликовано: 19 сен 2024
- Having got the coin/steel ball lifter working, it's now time to address the elephant in the room - how to get it to move the game whilst slowly dropping back to the bottom.
Ball chain and a complicated arrangement of pulleys would seem to be the answer. When a project is planned, it's fairly simple, when you have no plans and are relying entirely on mechanisms, with no eleackmatricity, it's something else!
Several stupid mistakes later, and I can't believe I started this project...
Escapement and counterweight high gear ratio combine several gears. Also you may use magnets embedded on the board surface to slove the played ball to slow down. Different gears to slow down the fall can be used as the scoreboard. Multi purpose gears. Also add chimes or similar for sound. It may be air horn or something else. Games needs sounds.
Thank you for your continued great ideas.
Funnily enough, I've spent a very frustrating day trying to get an escapement working, however, I managed it in the end - what a joy to finally hear the tick tock of the escapement! It's gone from falling very fast to the other extreme - I don't want a clock! Your'e right about the high gear ratio, the escapement worked once it was geared down 1:20.
I like the idea of embedded magnets slowing the ball down.
I'll definately include mechanically created sounds, but currently am just working on slowing the coin/ball drop...
My vote is for escapement. Then no matter what you do later on changing gearing or whatever, you have a fixed way to set the rate of return by adjusting the pendulum, Belly rub for Zig 😁
An escapement is very Steampunk and would look good and as you say tweak-able... Do I get a belly rub.
Definately - having researched escapments, I've remembered what an incredible invention they were/are. Regardless of torque, they'll just keep allowing stuff to turn at the speed dictated by the lenght of the pendulum. Ziggy's belly has been rubbed!
With all the delight in watching your brain come up with things, I learned something totally unrelated. One red bus, two red bus for counting seconds. Never heard that before and couldn't' find any reference online. Fun 😄
I'm so pleased to have assisted your horological awareness. Elephants work well too!
Love the magnetic click spring! Brilliant idea
These little magnets are amazing, they continue to push against each other for over 10mm. A thousand uses around the home!
Dunno how you ended up in my algorithm, but this was thoroughly in my wheel house as I have been a mechanic all my life, or electromechanical tech, and this was very enjoyable. Thanks!
Thank you. I'm so pleased the RUclips algorithm inadvertently led you to finding me!
I would just use a larger DC motor, cool thing with the DC motor is you could hook it up to an incandescent bulb if you use a big enough motor and big enough bulb so it glows as the weight falls. If you have a DC motor with built in gearing already that might help too get the ratios lower.
I did also try using a good quality stepper motor. Despite gearing it up sufficiently, I was surprised it couldn't regulate the fall of the weight effectively. I assume it would need additional electronic components to regulate the feedback current.
As I'm hell bent on this machine being purely mechanical, I'm currently experimenting with mechanical clock escapements.
Thank you for your suggestion - I may well come back to larger DC motors!
I just found you videos and I'm really enjoying them. I look forward for more to come
Thanks very much, I'm so pleased you enjoy them!
The fun never stops !! Wonderful 20 minutes... An escapement mechanism is definitely my first choice, but... how about a metal disc through 2 magnets to create Eddy currents ? Might be worth a try
Thank you Marwan. After several false starts, I managed to finally build a working escapement today - what a joy to hear the tick tock! However, the ball lifter has gone from dropping ridiculously fast, to being a clock!
Thank you for the idea of using a metal disc with Eddy currents. I think, having tried the (sort of) alternative, using a short circuited motor, that it just wouldn't slow everything sufficiently.
If I can't get the escapement sped up, I'll give the metal disc a go. Then there's always some sort of air pump with restricted air flow?!
I wish someone had produced instructions on how to do this sort of thing...
Enjoyed the fun inventing your doing! Of course, I use automation for so much... but I absolutely love a purely mechanical solution, as this is so fun to see and watch. The sky is the limit for how much you can spend automating a machine. But I always say... "Where is the man who can come up with a simple solution?" When you see it, you go; why didn't I think of that??? Don't have any idea on this one... but do like the music box dampener idea, or a variation of that.
Thank you, your support is greatly appreciated.
Why simplify things when you can put yourself through the gruelling task of inventing a purely mechanical arcade machine!
The music box air governor just works so well!
Escapement sounds like a good idea. Thanks to other commenters below for reminding me what it's called!
Thank you - I'm currently working on using a clock type escapement, and have finally got one working. The problem is clock escapements are designed to work in hours rather than seconds!
Whilst walking the dog this morning, I started thinking about air pumps! Why has no one published a 'how to slow down your mechanical steampunk arcade machine mechanism' guide?!
I feel like I am here at the start of an amazing youtube channel! Great work!
I'm so pleased you found me! Thank you.
A flat paddle wheel will act as an air brake.
A magnet in an oil filled clear acrylic tube. magnetically coupled to an external ring will also work.
They're very good ideas. I'm currently trying to get an escapement working/banging my head against a wall, so having some alternatives is very helpful.
If you pop a variable resistor across one pair of poles on the stepper/motor you can adjust for variable resistance.
That's a great idea. I did hope something like this would work whilst experimenting with the good quality stepper motor. Sadly I couldn't get back EMF working effectively. I don't know why. I'm currently experimenting with clock escapements!
John, wonderful progress and some natty solutions if somewhat complicated but thats the norm just one correction, XP computers are not slow it is the world moving too fast and our expectations trying to keep up.
Delay mechanism, butterfly flywheel or a dashpot tube with a loose piston and a simple air bleed. Banjo send Ziggy his best.
Thank you kindly! You're absolutely right, I too recon the world was moving at the correct speed in the XP era. Also the young still had attention spans...
I'm no engineer, but for what it's worth I would have used a counterweight on the other end maybe? Other than that I really want to see a non-motor based brake for it :) Great video as usual, thanks!!
Thank you for confirming that a short circuted motor is cheating! I was never happy with that idea. The problem with a heavy counterweight is that it would put a lot of stress on the mechanism, and couldn't react to changes in force, caused by the mechanism moving elements of the game. I wish it was simpler!
the artistic shot of the sunlight at 2:53 reveals so much about your personality 🙏
Having lived through months of clouds and rain, it just struck me as being beautiful! Thank you for noticing. Hopefully whilst walking the dog in the park each day, I'll be able to enjoy sunlight filtering through the beautiful trees more often! Engineering in a darkened room is one thing, enjoying the wonder and beauty of nature takes it to another level!
@@steamhead a man after my own heart 😁
Instead of led light you can use glittering effect of mirrors and glitering surfaces contrasted with black actived by wires or gears.
That's a great idea, it sounds beautiful. I can't wait to get started on the actual game!
You could increase the weight of the counterbalance, or with mechanical advantage pully.
You could have a series of latches too slow the fall by altering the board.
Or both, which I think are more in keeping than a motor.
After much experimentation, I've realised that the balance between the falling weight (the coin/steel ball holder) and the counterweight, has little to do with actually being able to slow the fall of the main weight. It needs some sort of governor.
This morning, whilst walking the dog (the best ideas arrive in the park!), I also realised that the counterweight could be completely removed if the ball chain was in a loop. The counterweight is only necessary to pull the chain over the mechanism, whilst the 'falling' weight is being lifted.
Please let me know what you mean by 'a series of latches'. I'm intrigued!
How about a spinny ball type governor, like they use on steam engines, but rather than adjusting the steam inlet, it activates a brake?
An outer tube that houses the rotating spindle of the governor. The balls, mounted on cantilevers that press harder against the outer tube the higher they swing out and rise up.
That's a great idea! I don't know why I didn't start with such a classic, rather than going with the ridiculous motor/generator idea.
I'm currently working with clock type escapements. If they fail, it's on to 'spinny ball type governors' or some sort of air pump!
Centrifugal brake or governor.
If visible adds visual flair too.
I concur. great big brass govenor turning about. Could also be slowed by magnets by using steel flyballs passing magnets [tuned spatially] to adjust the resistance.
If I can't get the escapement working, then I'll definately move on to some form of centrifugal governing. Thank you for the suggestion.
It seems like it would be much simpler if all the coin mechanism did was unlock the lever. The entire mechanism need not be lifted. It could simply unlatch the knob and ball elevator tray.
That's a nice idea, but I stupidly wanted it to remember if the ball was still in play. Until the ball runs down the 'end game' hole at the bottom, the ball lifter can be lifted repeatedly for further 'rounds'. It's so simple with eleckmatronicals and programing - so difficult mechanically!
@@steamhead It's very difficult to describe over text, but I'll do my best. What I'm thinking is you essentially have two different things going on: 1. The lifting of a weight which powers the machine, and 2. the lifting of the ball to play the game. These two things seem like they should be independent, so in the initital state inserting a coin would cause the knob and weight mechanism to become attached, but only on coin insertion, not when a coin is being held. The coin being held, does however detach the locking mechanism for the knob so it can be lifted. So long as a coin has been inserted and held, then the knob can be lifted repeatedly, but only latches to the weight a single time. Then when the weight returns fully to its starting position, it releases the coin, which locks the knob in place.
@@fredward5728 Thank you for explaining it so well! Your idea would certainly work; in fact I don't know why I thought of having the coin and steel ball lifted together. Funny how thought processes work. The mechanical coin memory could equally well have worked as a seperate entity to the ball lifting mechanism.
Thank you for your suggestion. Because of the time and effort I've put into the current version so far, I'll continue with it. I've made a note of your idea which I'll use if it ends up not working - I have no idea!
@@steamhead Sure thing! You definitely have more experience than I actually building these mechanisms, so keep doing what you do!
@@fredward5728 Thank you. Like a dog with a bone, I will persevere, despite the constant frustrations!
You check the video on relay and cam shaft operated vintage pinball machine. It may inspire you.
Funnily enough I've worked on one of these. I remember being amazed at the inginuety pre silicon.
You may inplement gearbox like the one in cars. It would speed the fall of the ball. Harder level in game by changing the gear.
That's an interesting idea. I need to think about how 'changing gear' would relate to the scoring mechanism. It's all so lovely and complicated!
I was sketching escarpments and counterweights, pendulums and trying to work out how to engage and disengage elements from a clockwork styled moving elements on the play field. I was leaning towards magnets embedded in the playfield elements and almost something like a knob on the front of the playfield to grab of twiddle, pull inand out to engage or disengage the element.
I have a midless middle management job, what can i say.
And now my brain is trying to mash in a torsion clock mechanism as it would visually look cool, even though it would be highly impractical.
@@MrKoakai I think magnets are going to play a large part in the actual game. I love the idea of moving embedded magnets with game controls, thank you. I'm very grateful you've found time in your middle management job to contribute valuable ideas!
I don't even begin to understand what you mean by a 'torsion clock mechanism' - it sounds exciting!
Today I finally managed to get a laser cut clock escapement to slow everything down, but by a ridiculous amount - I've created a clock! Please let me know what you mean.
@@steamhead highly impractical item. It uses a wound spring and an escarpment to provide a force to a torsion spring that a set of four balls sit on and act as a pendulum. Wouldn't work in this aspect as the torsion springs are very sensitive and are usually in those fancy mantle clocks you cover with a glass dome. The motion of the pendulum however is a very visually interesting item. Called an anniversary clock as well.
@@MrKoakai I like impractical items! In my seemingly never ending research into how to slow down a mechanism, I have come across the anniversary clock escapement.
It's very clever, but as you suggest, may not work in this situation! I'm currently experimenting with other types of clock escapement, and have finally found one that turns the arcade game into a clock! Now to 'vandalise' it, so each game lasts seconds rather than hours!
Flying pendulum escapement?
A great idea, thank you. I'm currently working on trying to get an escapement working with an adjustable pendulum to control its speed. Difficult?!!!
...my brain wants to say balance and counter balance and then my brain says hes trying to slow it down...
So, having only seen this post my dumb ass totally wants to chime in with my favorite answer, because i have no clue of your parameters or desired goal besides just "slow it down."...
...
Well, with what ive seen i want to say can you add efficiency to the primary weight, or do you need the separate counter weight?,...
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Because if you need the separate counter weight than thats just trial and error, and if you can add efficiency to the primary weight/counter weight...
Than
"remove the opportunity"
"Make the "fancy" a fancy"
(If its the seen that needs to be than put in something to regulate that and fail.)
...
"Soft failure's"
...
Hopefully this has helped or at least sounded good.
Glad your channel found its way to my "feed".
Thank you for the suggestions. I too have very little idea of my parameters, but, with a vague plan, I'm mindlessly carrying on!
The main weight regularly gets stuck on the stupid copper pipe, so I'm thinking about changing the ball lifter's running system - in effect, adding efficiancy. The counter weight is only required to pull the ball chain through the mechanism as the main weight is lifted. I subsequently realised that I could have used an endless loop of ball chain...
I'm currently working with an escapment, which, after much experimentation and very little understanding, seems to work nicely...
Hey man, love the progress! what about a sealed cylinder with a reed valve and regulated oriface to only allow the air to escape at a fixed rate to slow down the rate of fall?
Thank you - a great idea. I'm currently working on clock type escapements, but during this morning's dog walk, I too started thinking about using some sort of air pump to slow down the mechanical rotation.
Several air pumps connected to a crank on the chain pulley may well slow it sufficiently. The bonus would be to moderate the ingress/egress of air, using steel balls to cover holes in a pipe. There are just so many options - where to start!?
By the way thanks for mentioning my name.
A pleasure, thank you for all your ideas; currently I have 18 listed!
How will the player interact to guide the falling ball? Two buttons like in pinball machines?
At the top, I'm thinking of having the ball roll into a brass tube with offset holes cut along it. The mechanism would continuously lift and lower one end, so the ball rolls back and forth. The player rotates the tube to 1. keep the ball in play for as long as possible, 2. control which hole the ball falls out of. Then other mecahnisms below so the ball can follow particular routes through the game.
constant force spring, tape measure or some kind of pnuematic control?
Thank you. Having finally got an escapement working, the coin/ball dropping mechanism has gone from ridiculously fast to ridiculously slow - it's a clock! Whilst walking the dog this afternoon, I started thinking about using some sort of pneumatic pump as an alternative. The speed could even be controlled with steel balls covering holes in outlet pipes!
How about a proper old skool spinning weighted ball govenor like on steam engines ?
That would be great, but sadly they control some sort of 'energy input valve', such as the steam supply to a steam engine.
However, they can also employ friction, like the ones used in all old fashioned dial telephones, it may be possible...
Watch this space, and thank you for the suggestion!
What about using a flyball governor like Wintergatan?
Thank you for the suggestion. I haven't yet explored the amazing realm of friction governors... watch this space! I've written off electromechanical governors, and am currently (probably stupidly), exploring mechanical escapements.
A motor used as a magnetic break Well and why not!
Sadly it didn't work! Even when I geared it down just sufficiently to regulate movement, it kept stopping?!
It needs a spinning ball governor.
Thank you, I'm slowly erring towards a proper spinning ball governor. I didn't start going down this route, as it would take a load of gears to achieve the necessary speed. However, currently spending a lot of time trying to work with clock escapements, it may well be the way forward.
I just wish there weren't so many alternatives!
flywheel and regulator
If I can't get the escapement working, I'm definately going to try a flywheel and regulator. Thank you.
more gears... just slap some gears on it and call it steampunk.
Is that a hint of scepticism I detect?
I too dislike the 'slapping on of gears'! This project has taken me well out of my comfort zone - it must rely purely on mechanics.
Once I've sorted out the coin and steel ball mechanisms, it's then on to designing and making the game. I think it's going to have a Jules Verne theme - an airship and a Nautulus submarine. You can't get more steampunk than that!
In addition, I'm only using the mechanics that were available to the Victorians.
Fly weight govner
A fly weight govenor? Why thank you! After days of experimentation, once I've established that an escapement won't work, I'll definately move on to flywheels and centrifugal things.
just sell it as is and tell them slowing it down is teh game
Brilliant! I could also sell extra game 'levels', such as a bag of wooden offcuts!
Technology connections youtube channel. old pinball machines complex video series
Thanks for the suggestion, I do like his channel. I'll check out the series on pinball machines.
Don't you just need heavier counterweight? Will the falling slider be driving other motion in the game and also slowing it down. If the counterweight is made of ball bearings and these fall out if you are unsuccessful in the game. Then the game goes faster and makes it more difficult. Think Tetris or space Invaders getting faster as the game progress.
If you take a look at a 3d printer with a lead screw on the Z axis. If you release the lead screw from the stepper motor the weight of the gantry will slowly lower on the lead screw (if there is no backlas nut). This also turns the linear motion in to rotary motion.
I hope some of that makes sense.
Counterweight from falling ball bearings........... BRILLIANT
A counterweight should be the same weight as the weight of the entire OTHER end, to keep things in balance, as that is what a counterweight is, a balancing mechanisim to allow someone to, say, easily pull a 100k door down with a rope, and send it back up with a tug. You then tune the weights to get the speeds you want in either direction.
I did try a heavier counterweight, but that just cancelled out the weight of the coin/ball dropping mechanism, and I do want the falling weight to move elements of the game.
I love the idea of weights falling out of the counterbalance and therefore speeding up the game, like Tetris. Brilliant!
A lead screw may possibly work backwards, although I think I'd need a lead screw with less of an angle - more like the ones used in music box governors. I have looked them up, but to no avail!
Thank you for your suggestions - all noted!