Outriggers Thread

[doug72]

Outriggers:

Seeking ideas & suggestions for a four arm outrigger system power operated if possible operated by PF switch(s)

Outrigger arms need to swing out 45 degs, a give a X layout and lower support legs which will use 8 x 8 discs with centre pin hole as feet.

At the moment can only come up with a fully manual way to achieve this.

Edited January 26, 2018 by Doug72

[Erik Leppen]

Can you show us what you've got? Even if only drawings or sketches or digital designs? That gives a sense of the scale/size you're after (and building style, etc). Of course it's possible to get help, but I would like to see your own ideas first so we can have more specific suggestions.

Also, one thing you might not have thought of (I don't know), but you could use pneumatics for deploying the feet vertically. That's probably the easiest way to provide power to an extending outrigger section.

[mocbuild101]

Here's a idea I thought of:

By turning the green axle (which would be the attachment point), the outrigger will (should) move, before the LA is extended.

(By the way, I'm not actually sure this would work, it just the first thing that I thought of...)

Edited January 8, 2018 by mocbuild101

[doug72]

1 hour ago, Erik Leppen said:

Can you show us what you've got? Even if only drawings or sketches or digital designs? That gives a sense of the scale/size you're after (and building style, etc). Of course it's possible to get help, but I would like to see your own ideas first so we can have more specific suggestions.

Also, one thing you might not have thought of (I don't know), but you could use pneumatics for deploying the feet vertically. That's probably the easiest way to provide power to an extending outrigger section.

Thanks:

Pnumatics would mean a compressor but might be able to squeeze on in.
Heres what I have at the moment - using four small L.A. with a lowered battery box to allow yellow axle to pass over.
Red axles only to show hinge points.

Space between side frames is 3L

 

2 minutes ago, mocbuild101 said:

Here's a idea I thought of:

By turning the green axle (which would be the attachment point), the outrigger will (should) move, before the LA is extended.

By the way, I'm not actually sure this would work, it just the first thing that I thought of...

Thanks - that might work for the support legs if use uni-coullings instead of knob gears and use small L.A. to swing it out.
Also could use a frexible mount for the foot at end of L.A. ram.

PS started a seperate topic as information is usefull to others.

Edited January 8, 2018 by Doug72

[Ivan_M]

Check Efferman's motorized X style outridges here:

 

[doug72]

10 minutes ago, Ivan_M said:

Check Efferman's motorized X style outridges here:

Many thanks - that’s exactly what I was looking for.

Will try to fit something similar into my crane MOC.

[steph77]

Maybe my design on this project (LDD file avalaible in download section) may help you?

http://www.moc-pages.com/moc.php/432477

[doug72]

Thanks for all the ideas & suggestions.

I come up with this and made a test rig to ensure it can swing 45 degs OK.
I would have liked to put uni-coulplings on the underside but not yet managed.
Linear clutch fitted to prevent damage to the uni-couplings.
Should be fairly easy to build this into my MOC and use and M motor to drive all four legs and another to swing the arms in & out.

Edited January 8, 2018 by Doug72

[BrickbyBrickTechnic]

Good prototype. Not sure you'll need a linear clutch, especially if you want some lifting action.

[doug72]

10 hours ago, BrickbyBrickTechnic said:

Good prototype. Not sure you'll need a linear clutch, especially if you want some lifting action.

I have modified it by removing two uni couplings and use an axle with two 8T gears Instead.

( I have lots of broken uni. couplings ! )

Don,t intend to actually try & lift the crane, just for feet to touch the ground. The linear clutches will ensure all L.A.s can go full travel even if they get out of sync.

Edit: Also when arms are folded in the uni coupling axis are at approx 90 degs. The L.A prevents inadvertent rotation if power applied.

Edited January 9, 2018 by Doug72

[doug72]

For a long time I have had four sets of LEGO Housing 2 x 15 x 3m F/gear Rack (18940) and LEGO Gear Rack 14 x 2m with groove (18942) in my spares boxes but never used !
Time to find a way to use them.

I have come up with two ideas that could be integrated into and become part of the structure using one M motor to move outriggers in / out and a 2nd M motor to raise / lower the support legs and linked so four units operate in unison.

Version 1:

Both gear rack and drive to support leg small L.A. by worm gear drive and uses the red 8T sliding gear to allow outrigger arm to extend / retract.

Takes up a lot of space and would be hard to build into a chassis.
Proved quite hard to find connection locations & support for the various components.
Rejected.

 

Version 2
:
More compact and uses a 1L worm gear to actuate the gear rack.
 (yellow input)
Drive to support leg small L.A. Is via a right angle gear housing but does not use the red 8T sliding gear.
 (red input).

Found that a 12T single bevel gear allows the drive axle to slide though,  as the outrigger arm is extended or retracted.
The 12T bevel gear is prevented from moving within the LEGO Technic Connector Toggle Joint Smooth Double with 2 Pins (48496), by a 1L beam and and 1/2 bush that has lost its grip !

A much simpler build.

 

 

Note: the small L.A. drive 8L axle with stop should be a 6L axle.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Doug72

[doug72]

Does anyone have a better way of guiding a small linear actuator when used for outrigger support legs ?

Edited January 20, 2018 by Doug72

[Carsten Svendsen]

It's only 1L in width so you could easily make it more compact in a 3x3 grid instead of 5x5 as you've done now

[doug72]

1 hour ago, Carsten Svendsen said:

It's only 1L in width so you could easily make it more compact in a 3x3 grid instead of 5x5 as you've done now

Thanks - but unclear what you mean can you explain more please.

Doug

[Carsten Svendsen]

Sorry for the long response time, but I've been quite busy this past week.

Here is an example of what I mean

[doug72]

11 hours ago, Carsten Svendsen said:

Sorry for the long response time, but I've been quite busy this past week.

Here is an example of what I mean

Thanks, but have used a solution suggested by Aventador2004  which looks good and can support weight of my MOC.

[mocbuild101]

17 hours ago, Doug72 said:

but have used a solution suggested by Aventador2004 

Where did he post that?

[Aventador2004]

1 hour ago, mocbuild101 said:

Where did he post that?

In his crane topic, for easier conversation. I am glad it helped.

 

[doug72]

Here's an outrigger I have developed for a future MOC:-
It is self locking when deployed and at the moment they are hand operated but could use an M motor to operate a set of four outriggers together.
Wheels are lifted clear of the ground. When stowed outriggers are within the wheel base.

r

Edited February 5, 2018 by Doug72