M_sorter
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Posts: 46,084
I like this project! I loaded the docs and have read them, but Im not sure I
understand how the M is dropped into the vial- I see that the rotor can move
the M along, but how does it drop it off? Is it just the sudden backward
movement that causes it to slide off? Does anything restrain the M frm
moving backward?
I may try to build a somewhat different mechanical motion- Id like to have
the Ms carried along on a continious flow, each dropping off into the right
vial as they pass it. Im thinking of a simple rotating disk with a small
solenoid at each vial station to push the M off. Would be an interesting bit
of programming to scan the color at the first station, then have to keep
track of each piece until it reached its proper vial.
ron ginger
plsntcov.8m.com
understand how the M is dropped into the vial- I see that the rotor can move
the M along, but how does it drop it off? Is it just the sudden backward
movement that causes it to slide off? Does anything restrain the M frm
moving backward?
I may try to build a somewhat different mechanical motion- Id like to have
the Ms carried along on a continious flow, each dropping off into the right
vial as they pass it. Im thinking of a simple rotating disk with a small
solenoid at each vial station to push the M off. Would be an interesting bit
of programming to scan the color at the first station, then have to keep
track of each piece until it reached its proper vial.
ron ginger
plsntcov.8m.com
Comments
hook that pulls the M&M to the designated slot. The back side of that
hook has a gentle curve to it. When the lever reverses, the gentle
curve pushes the M&M down the slot into the tube.
The gentleman who designed the sorter has a lot of experience in fruit
and other object sorting mechanics and it shows. The M&M sorter is a
study in mechanical elegance.
-- Jon Williams
-- Parallax
Original Message
From: Ron Ginger [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=d3Vm1HEQeb-GD5eoD1XRAcJLhmK_NMRxi-obtfLQ5qSTfeCqiuUTNcCjGy8bOVKuPBcVx4DHoesy9n0]ginger@m...[/url
Sent: Sunday, February 29, 2004 10:38 AM
To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: M_sorter
I like this project! I loaded the docs and have read them, but Im not
sure I understand how the M is dropped into the vial- I see that the
rotor can move the M along, but how does it drop it off? Is it just the
sudden backward movement that causes it to slide off? Does anything
restrain the M frm moving backward?
I may try to build a somewhat different mechanical motion- Id like to
have the Ms carried along on a continious flow, each dropping off into
the right vial as they pass it. Im thinking of a simple rotating disk
with a small solenoid at each vial station to push the M off. Would be
an interesting bit of programming to scan the color at the first
station, then have to keep track of each piece until it reached its
proper vial.
ron ginger
plsntcov.8m.com
nothing that comes close to the simplicity and elegance of this design.
The people at work sort of, stare at it for long periods of time, simply
enthralled with it. I windup reloading the feeder tube several times.
I do have to stop it when the bottles fill up though. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Reminds me of people watching an aquarium.
It's always fun when they ask how it tells the colors apart and I go
into the mathematical formula I used. Then their eyes glaze over as they
nod their heads. [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Original Message
From: Jon Williams [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=gsrBqymEffUTJ7ykAUeyP619rzThTU9LPAggVj_lVyv8qQnTRlF2MHsA7wq0T4z7XFtKEPez6S6CSE2nRsq_]jwilliams@p...[/url
Sent: Sunday, February 29, 2004 11:06 AM
To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: M_sorter
It's a very clever mechanical design: the front side of the lever has a
hook that pulls the M&M to the designated slot. The back side of that
hook has a gentle curve to it. When the lever reverses, the gentle
curve pushes the M&M down the slot into the tube.
The gentleman who designed the sorter has a lot of experience in fruit
and other object sorting mechanics and it shows. The M&M sorter is a
study in mechanical elegance.
-- Jon Williams
-- Parallax
Original Message
From: Ron Ginger [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=ANSfH-7j65hSkQX8lChP8glyFI230bFy7CmaspVGNRMaPqrFCy0HfPAjgkPfF0mOk6N-LrsLs_XcxLxQ5VA]ginger@m...[/url
Sent: Sunday, February 29, 2004 10:38 AM
To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: M_sorter
I like this project! I loaded the docs and have read them, but Im not
sure I understand how the M is dropped into the vial- I see that the
rotor can move the M along, but how does it drop it off? Is it just the
sudden backward movement that causes it to slide off? Does anything
restrain the M frm moving backward?
I may try to build a somewhat different mechanical motion- Id like to
have the Ms carried along on a continious flow, each dropping off into
the right vial as they pass it. Im thinking of a simple rotating disk
with a small solenoid at each vial station to push the M off. Would be
an interesting bit of programming to scan the color at the first
station, then have to keep track of each piece until it reached its
proper vial.
ron ginger
plsntcov.8m.com
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> It's a very clever mechanical design: the front side
> of the lever has a
> hook that pulls the M&M to the designated slot. The
> back side of that
> hook has a gentle curve to it. When the lever
> reverses, the gentle
> curve pushes the M&M down the slot into the tube.
> The gentleman who designed the sorter has a lot of
> experience in fruit
> and other object sorting mechanics and it shows.
> The M&M sorter is a
> study in mechanical elegance.
I agree Jon...Simple is better...Instead of a
complicated design, this simple, yet effective design
allows for one servo, and one sensor to sort the M&Ms.
One might almost say, "Genius!"
=====
Chris Savage
Knight Designs
324 West Main Street
Montour Falls, NY 14865
(607) 535-6777
http://www.knightdesigns.com
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