[TC10] Pneumatic Puzzle Box

[deehtha]

After many failed attempts at making a functional mechanism for a Useless Machine, I have decided to instead make a locking puzzle box. The idea is simple, there are multiple valves, each one connected to another valve or valves, or a pneumatic cylinder. There are 3 panels that open. The two smallest ones contain more valves. The goal is to open the large panel.

There are two switches accessible from the outside, with all the panels closed. One on the valves opens the lower right panel in one position and sends air down into the small panel's valves. One of the valves inside the small panel will close the small panel and connect to the one of the cylinders that open the large panel.

My goal is for the valves to be operated in a certain sequence to open the large panel.

Here is what I have right now:

The small panel is lifted by a small cylinder. I am thinking about switching from 3x11 panels to 5x11 panels on the sides to give me 2 more studs worth of height. This would allow me to stand the valves straight up and make them easier to mount and operate.

[Alex Ilea]

Looks very interesting

[TheMindGarage]

Looks like a good idea - simple but cool!

[MRP_]

very creative! can't wait to see how it turns out, got any diagrams or anything? I find that always helps. btw what will be in the box? anything in particular?

[Jurss]

Nice idea. Don't give up on this.

[KirTech LAB]

Very interesting idea!

[grum64]

Most intriguing. I'll be following this with great interest.

[legolijntje]

You know, I had a same kind ofidea for litereally years. Instead of a puzzle box, I was thinking of a pneumatic vault/safe. I imagined something like 6 pneumatic switches and if you'd all put them right, the vault door would open.

I made like a bazillion real-life and digital prototypes but I just never finished anything. In fact, I even made a prototype for this actual contest (I've got a prototype box that you can only take apart from the inside, so it's a real vault which you can't just take apart because it's Lego), but again, I never finished anything

[kieran]

Cool, what a different thing to see on here, hope it works out in the end

[jono rocky]

I'm curious, eagerly awaiting a video of it working when you have finished.

[deehtha]

After some busy weeks, I was finally able to get some time to work on my project. I broke it apart into 4 modules, each panel is it's own module, as well as the pump. I kept it at a 5m thickness. This makes it challenging. The lower 2 modules are done. I'm hoping to get some more work done on it tonight.

Lower left module open. I still need to mount some switches in this module. This module uses a 1x11 pneumatic cylinder to slide the cover 9 studs to the left.

 

Lower right module open. This module uses a small pneumatic cylinder to open the panel.

More pictures can be found in my brickshelf folder as soon as it is moderated.

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=565943

Edited October 16, 2016 by deehtha
Couldn't attach 2nd picture initially