Neat Geometrical Joint

erco

This "related video" popped up in robotics (?). Way OT but just too cool to keep to myself. Someone should 3D print this. Phil, want to torture your students?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=Qv0VEN105nI

LoopyByteloose

Well, this reminded me of a recent TV show with a hill-side tram that used maple gears instead of iron gears. The tram was actually over 100 years old and it seems the use of wood instead of iron was much quieter and lasted quite well.

I wish I could remember where. For some reason, I think it was in the USA, on the East Coast. Maybe Pittsburgh, PA.

Publison

Could have been the Mount Washington Cog Railroad? (Only one COG, they need to upgrade to a Propeller)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Washington_Cog_Railway

Been on it twice, both with the old coal fired engine. It is a dirty ride!

Publison

Maybe not. This page shows a metal piece:

http://thecog.com/cog_technology.php

Publison

Erco, Sorry to "derail" your thread.

3D printing that joint would be interesting. Something that would be put to good use at a Children's/Science Museum.

erco

That's a train I'd like to ride. A real FUN-icular.

erco

Derail, deride, hijack freely, this oddball thread is the wild west. Can't wait to see where she goes!

erco

Loopy: Duquesne Incline is a funicular in Pittsburgh. No mention of wooden gears. Also ascends Mt. Washington.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duquesne_Incline

LoopyByteloose

The maple gear teeth are on the Duquesne Incline funicular railway. You can see the actual gears in use by visiting their site and looking for photos of the winding drum. They switched over from being originally steam driven to electrical, but kept the winding drum and gears. Much of the mechanical works is iron, but the main drive has the wooden gear teeth.

https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KIo.CWmCRWhVEAjTUsnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTBzYTJubDR1BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQDBGdwb3MDMTk-?p=duquesne+Incline+Youtube&vid=b2e4177bcde2f6

The other item not mentioned is the actual horse-power requirement. I was surprised at how little was actually required, at about 70 horse-power. http://pghbridges.com/articles/inclines/inc_duq_sciam1880.htm

Other wood mechanical parts are mentioned -- rollers of gum or locust that support the cable as the carriages move up or down.

On Sundays, there may be as many as 6000 passengers in one day.

There may be a replay of the program on YouTube -- either Discovery Channel or National Geographic.

I am delighted to see that good durible mechanical devices can come out of a wood shop.

MikeDYur

We haven't got to this point in history with out it.

W9GFO

erco wrote: »

Someone should 3D print this. Phil, want to torture your students?

I subscribe to his channel so I saw that a while ago (subbed to eco's too). I had to chuckle when he said that it wasn't suitable for 3D printing. He really is a wood guy, has no interest in plastics.

Anyhow, a week or so ago there were at least two of those on Thingiverse...