Doug72

Good looking layout. Is that the old Lego large chain with 2 studs you are using for the red vertical ball lift ? How are the buckets attached to the chain & are you using the old chain cogs. I have plenty waiting for a use.

My through rotary dumper MOC does away with the need for an elevator !

In situations like this I normally use 3L axle with stop plus a half bush, that way you can pull the axle if when required.

@Courbet, thanks that would be great, I think many have been put off building the Rotary Dumper because it was unreliable. With four now built and proven, maybe more will be inspired to give it a try.

Your rendition of the Akiyuki system looks good, I couldn't replicate it as didn't have the parts to make the sharp radius curves. I like your MOD to make space for the motor PF cable to pass through, will convert all my train units next time I change the batteries. The elevator module seems to be the most problematic now - I have had all sorts of crashes !!! Re locating 1 x 2 bricks for ball container on train units. I too tried Blue Tac but even that failed after awhile so I will probably get my wrist slapped by the Lego Legal Police, but I have used a small amount of ABS solvent to fix them in place, later they can be parted again with a sharp blade. Agree the timing cam lock system was very un-relaible. My MOD cannot get out of sync. The through Dumper MOC also uses the same locked gearing train. Re trigger arm for dumper reverser, I found that sometimes the 15L trip beams on the train unit caught on the parts that hold the train down to engage the gears. I fitted shorter trip bars and now OK, they don't need to be 15L long 13L is OK. Re my Dumper MOD, can anyone make PDF instructions for this and add it to the GBC index along the @dunes LDD file ? PS I am still hunting for the many lost balls from the my testing sessions its amazing where they roll to !!

Doug’s Through Rotary Dumper Train System Conveyor Mk 2 This is longer than previous Mk 1 version with a chain length of 60 links giving an slope angle of approx 45º. Ball are lifted by 5L beams but some ball still fell l off backwards when conveyor in motion. Also rather large adding extra length to the whole module. Rejected & back to a previous idea I couldn’t get to work i.e. an enclosed vertical ball lift which also used 5L beams to lift the balls,. However it frequently jammed if too many balls tried to entered at the lower level due to tight clearances. Time to re-design it using studless technic instead of a mix of studded & studless parts. ====================================================================== Conveyor Mk 3 - Successful and working well, with a greatly reduced footprint. Conveyor chain is 36 links long and advances 24 links per trip cycle using a two lobe rotor in the train reverser. The train & hopper wagon make approx 3 trips per minute and can carry up to 30+ balls each time. This easily achieves the 1 ball per second criteria for GBC events. Trip time could be increased by adding extra plain 16L track beams. The amount of balls per cycle can be varied by reducing the number of lift pins.. Note there is a gap in the spacing of the lift pins every 12 links to prevent balls any balls discharging as train departs. This is because the conveyor only travels 2/3 rds. its length each loading cycle so each 12th link takes it turn to stop at the discharge point. Ball loading chute for testing purpose only would need to be re-built as per GBC rules for use at events. Conveyors. Mk 2 Left / Mk 3 right Overall view of module with vertical loading lift Mk 3 enclosed vertical ball conveyor. This has 36 links with blue 3L pins for carrying balls. Pins in pairs inserted every other link. The conveyor chain is kept taut by two small grey shock absorbers, seen at the top. This is essential for working of the vertical lift system. Next stage is the collection chute under the rotary dumper. I will probably build a smaller lift unit to lift balls onto a runway to allow them to roll by gravity back to the loading chute closing the loop to make a self contained system.

The UK lottery when you log onto your online account, uses a photo divided up into a 6 x 4 grid and you have click the squares containing parts of a car, road signs or other random image. Doug

Conveyor synchronisation: Different permutations. I have been working out the different combinations for the standard Akkiyuki reverser rotor and the number of conveyor links that are moved when using the large 10 notch sprocket wheels. The same result can be obtained using the small 6 notch sprocket wheel, if a 20:12 step up gears are used to drive the conveyor. Reverser: no. of rotor lobes. Number of chain links moved Degrees of rotor rotation 1 48 360 2 24 180 3 16 120 4 12 90 Multiples of these figures can be used for longer conveyors. i.e i have just built a 60 link conveyor which works OK with two lobe rotor. Expect you are wondering how to get 3 lobes on the reverser module. 2 pce. LEGO Half Beam with 3 Rotor Blades (44374)

Voting should be limited to Technic forum members only who have been active in the past six months before start date for contest. Plus a jury vote.

Conveyor synchronisation: Had my calculator out and found I can lengthened the conveyor belt to 60 links and by using the large sprocket wheels with 10 notches, have managed to get it in sync with the train reverser. Each time the train enters the loading station it moves the conveyor belt 24 links before reverser trips the train to exit for another trip cycle. The reverser still uses the 2 lobe rotor. As conveyor belt is 5 x 12 links = 60 it will always stay in sync. The longer length allows for a shallower gradient to reach the discharge into the hopper wagon. The conveyor angle is now approx. 45º. Rebuilding conveyor with improved ball carrying and entry ball box.

Doug’s Through Rotary Dumper system. Conveyor Mk 1 built and uses Lego track links and 5L beams to carry the GBC balls.. Three balls do not always sit on the beam side by side and sometimes the centre ball falls back down again. At present there are 7 beams spaced 4L apart, this to be reduced to 3L apart to carry more balls per loading cycle. Solution:- Rebuild & widen conveyor structure to give 6L between the sides, ball should then sit OK and transport without jamming or falling back down. Only way to reduce the slope angle is either to raise the entry box or install a longer conveyor belt, with problems synchronising again with the train reverser. Next length that will synchronise is 72 links, which is approx 39L between sprocket centers which is too long. Its amazing how balls find places to escape. Also need to devise a better ball entry box for the conveyor, as balls tend to jam if there too are many in the box. Does anyone one have a better design for an entry box which has a stirring arm to agitate the balls ? VIDEO:- It took 10 attempts to get a half decent video, with balls ending up all over my hobby room !!! Its a bit shaky just like me but then I am not Cecil BeMille. Sorting out some odd quirks, mainly with loading the hopper wagon, that cropped up when shooting the video but its getting more reliable. All part of the fun building GBC modules.

Loader conveyor module finally built after several frustrating failed attempts to get it to synchronise with the train reverser at the loading end. The conveyor uses the the small sprocket 6 teeth wheels & with a 20:16 gear step up gearing runs at the same speed as Akiyuki version. Top of the hopper wagon had to be modified slightly to allow the 5L ball carrying beams clearance. The conveyor belt is tensioned using two small grey shock absorbers to prevent the chain hanging loose on the return run. Conveyor belt has 48 links, (as per Akiyuki version) & moves 24 links per loading cycle. Balls per trip cycle = 18 but could be increased to 21 or more if 5L beams placed closer together. Conveyor module plugs into the loading end reverser module ( 4 x Red 3L pins with bush ). A bit more tidying up and bracing to do. The angle of conveyor is a bit steep at 60º but balls travel OK. May be able to reduce this once I build the ball input box. Had a few escaped balls, tested OK and now all balls drop into the hopper. Loading conveyor module: Overall view of transfer system: Next: Ball collecting chute & discharge conveyor.

6: 10 10: 6 12: 4 5: 3 8: 2 1: 1

Once you get to build it, pay close attention to the step on page 3 of 15 to get the racks correctly positioned. I got It wrong to begin with until Jonas pointed out the error, see an earlier post about this.

A pint being one that springs to mind & hand !