5 ms·

Meccano Differential Analyzer

47 points by l1n 10y ago

pavel_lishin 10y ago
The most interesting thing to me is that there is such a thing as a torque amplifier. This sounds fascinating, and I have no idea how you'd go about building one.
- whorleater 10y ago
  "The simplest design consists of a pair of contra-rotating drums mounted on collinear input and output shafts. A pair of cords or belts wrapped around the drums connect two arms mounted on the input shaft and output shaft." From http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/torque_amplifiers.pdf http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/tor....
- sp332 10y ago
  There's a link to this page http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/torque_amp.html http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/tor... with nice close-up photos.
- hexane360 10y ago
  I was just as interested so I looked it up a little. The main design works with a large drum as a power source. The "control rope" is wrapped around a drum and connected to both the input and output. When the input applies torque, it pulls the slack out of the windings and pulls the rope tight against the drum. This frictional force applies torque to the output proportional to the input torque. The wikipedia article is pretty nice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_amplifier https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_amplifier Once you understand that, the Meccano version makes a little more sense. In this version, he experiments with several arrangements of the same principal. To use it in both directions, you need a drum and windings for each direction.
webwanderings 10y ago
Why can't I freaking buy plain old Meccano anymore? I can't get that thing out of my mind from the childhood days. I had one beautiful meccano set some 35+ years ago. I don't care about these Reactor pre-made BS boxes.
- LeoPanthera 10y ago
  You can still buy buckets/toolboxes of assorted Meccano. They come with plans for things which you can happily ignore. https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-Junior-100-Piece-Bucket/dp/B00TZF7W3E/ https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-Junior-100-Piece-Bucket/dp/B0... https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-20070926-Junior-Bucket-150-Piece/dp/B00TZF80YY/ https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-20070926-Junior-Bucket-150-Pi... https://www.amazon.com/Erector-Advanced-Toolbox-Construction-Set/dp/B0063GUGXG/ https://www.amazon.com/Erector-Advanced-Toolbox-Construction... https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-6024795-Meccano-Erector-Advanced-Toolbox/dp/B00NR9XW10/ https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-6024795-Meccano-Erector-Advan... (Results of a quick Amazon search. I'm sure there are more.)
  - webwanderings 10y ago
    This[1] is what I recall I had (number 6). See the difference? http://my-meccano.co.uk/SETS.html http://my-meccano.co.uk/SETS.html
tekklloneer 10y ago
I saw this in person at VCF West this weekend. Really interesting to see how values were set in person!

47 points by l1n 10y ago

The most interesting thing to me is that there is such a thing as a torque amplifier. This sounds fascinating, and I have no idea how you'd go about building one.

whorleater 10y ago
"The simplest design consists of a pair of contra-rotating drums mounted on collinear input and output shafts. A pair of cords or belts wrapped around the drums connect two arms mounted on the input shaft and output shaft." From http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/torque_amplifiers.pdf http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/tor....
sp332 10y ago
There's a link to this page http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/torque_amp.html http://www.meccano.us/differential_analyzers/robinson_da/tor... with nice close-up photos.
hexane360 10y ago
I was just as interested so I looked it up a little. The main design works with a large drum as a power source. The "control rope" is wrapped around a drum and connected to both the input and output. When the input applies torque, it pulls the slack out of the windings and pulls the rope tight against the drum. This frictional force applies torque to the output proportional to the input torque. The wikipedia article is pretty nice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_amplifier https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_amplifier Once you understand that, the Meccano version makes a little more sense. In this version, he experiments with several arrangements of the same principal. To use it in both directions, you need a drum and windings for each direction.

webwanderings 10y ago

Why can't I freaking buy plain old Meccano anymore? I can't get that thing out of my mind from the childhood days. I had one beautiful meccano set some 35+ years ago. I don't care about these Reactor pre-made BS boxes.

LeoPanthera 10y ago
You can still buy buckets/toolboxes of assorted Meccano. They come with plans for things which you can happily ignore. https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-Junior-100-Piece-Bucket/dp/B00TZF7W3E/ https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-Junior-100-Piece-Bucket/dp/B0... https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-20070926-Junior-Bucket-150-Piece/dp/B00TZF80YY/ https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-20070926-Junior-Bucket-150-Pi... https://www.amazon.com/Erector-Advanced-Toolbox-Construction-Set/dp/B0063GUGXG/ https://www.amazon.com/Erector-Advanced-Toolbox-Construction... https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-6024795-Meccano-Erector-Advanced-Toolbox/dp/B00NR9XW10/ https://www.amazon.com/Meccano-6024795-Meccano-Erector-Advan... (Results of a quick Amazon search. I'm sure there are more.)
- webwanderings 10y ago
  This[1] is what I recall I had (number 6). See the difference? http://my-meccano.co.uk/SETS.html http://my-meccano.co.uk/SETS.html

tekklloneer 10y ago

I saw this in person at VCF West this weekend. Really interesting to see how values were set in person!