Conclusion

It was fun constructing the hydraulic/pneumatic roulette.  Its purpose is to drop a ball into the target which is able to move as well. The system relies on both hydraulics and pneumatics. It utilizes two simple machines; a lever in which the syringe being the fulcrum and ball being the load. The other simple machine was a screw. The purpose of the screw was to hold the dart board and box together. Below is how this machine functions.

Syringes at Work

Function 1 Video:

 

Function 2 Video:

Final Product

Progress

Taped syringes onto the required surfaces. Also, a decision was made that since, two different jobs were to be performed, why not make one a hydraulics and another a pneumatic system. So now, the roulette board is to be moved using air and the launcher is to be released with water running through it's tubes.

The Different Functions

Roulette table: moves horizontally along the the longer of the 2 rectangles cut. It is pushed/pulled using two syringes. These syringes are able to move due to the pneumatic system. To join the roulette board, a screw was utilized. It is a simple machine!

Launcher: Moves the spoon diagonally and goes though the smaller of the two holes cut (the tube travels through that hole as well).  It is pushed/pulled using two syringes. These syringes are able to move due to the hydraulic system.

Making the Sliding Aspect

Procedure:

1. Cut small piece of cardboard .5cm bigger than the diameter
2. Drill a hole in it, just so that the screw is able to fit 
3. Put this piece of cardboard along with the screw to the middle to the bottom row
4. Place a small hollow box underneath, also with a hole the size of the screw
5. The should be able to fit through the longer hole and the sundae box is attached to the bottom
6. The washer is then placed to secure the cardboard piece, screw and box in place
7. Finally, test to see if the connect-4 board is able to move, if not, loosen the washer

Final Blueprint: With Syringes

Preparing the Base

The base needed to be cut into the appropriate sizes in order for the system to work:

1. Cut a straight line that measures a bit more than the length of the board; 24cm, so cut to a length of about 30cm
2. The width should be congruent to the diameter of one circle so that the screw has some place to go. in this case, the diameter was 2cm therefore the width of this (now rectangle) 2cm
3. The perimeter of the hole needed to be cut for the stick to be placed within should be 1 cm more
4. Also, cut a hole down the side with a width of up to 8cm so that the syringes have a place to come out so that they can be utilized

Stick and Launcher

It was then decided to place the spoon/ launcher in it's position. While building this part, it was realized that the spoon wouldn't stay in one place as it was intended to be taped onto the pole. Therefore, a metal piece was found for gripping purposes.

Procedure:

1. Take the wooden stick and an A4-sized paper
2. Neatly wrap the paper around the stick and leave some extra at the end (utilized for other purposes later on)
3. Place the shelf bracket on the top of wooden stick
4. Next, tape the launcher on with the support of the shelf bracket
5. Finally, attach the syringe at the appropriate angle that allows the ball to fall

Design

Today, the box was wrapped and the bubble letters glued in place

With Wrapping

Original

Wrapping + Title

Construction of the Roulette table

Procedure:

1. Take a blank piece of paper
2. Tape it to the bottom of the connect-4 board 
3. Take round, small colored stickers and place them on the paper underneath the board through the spaces on the board
4. Make a pattern similar to that of a dart board 

Final roulette table

Original connect-4 board

Materials

Materials:

• Big plastic box
• as main base
• Connect-4 board
• as the roulette board
• Smaller box (in this case a sundae ice cream box)
• attached to syringe so that the syringe is taped onto a solid surface
•  1 Screw (+ washer)
• as a connecting utility between the roulette board and the sundae box 
• Long wooden stick
• to hold the spoon at a certain height
• Plastic stirring spoon
• plays the role of a launcher for the ping-pong ball
• Ping-pong ball
• Being dropped from the launcher onto the roulette platform
• Tape
• in order to attach the syringes
• Paper
• For decoration purposes (i.e. title)
• Shoe-box lid
• As the base of the wooden stick so that it doesn't slip out of position; stays at the designated angle

Final Blueprint (without syringes)

Syringe Sizes

Larger input, small output

Both small

Small input, larger output

Both larger

The hydraulic system consists of two syringes of different sizes, connected by a tube filled with a liquid such as water

 As mechanical advantage means force multiplication, a smaller input force on the small piston results in a greater output force on the large piston so that there is a mechanical advantage.

Syringe Sizes Hypothesis

Two different sizes of syringes have been acquired. However, does it make a difference whether a larger or smaller syringe is utilized, or a combination of the sizes? Will the size make a difference.

We hypothesize that a greater input force (bigger syringe) and a smaller output force will make it easier  to displace the object. This may be because, the is going to be a larger amount of force pushing in, therefore moving the smaller syringe with a large amount of pressure. This will, as hypothesized move the object with ease.

The research will follow...

Purpose

It is essentially a game based on a mixture of darts and the widely-known casino roulette game.  The ball is dropped when the spoon is pushed down with the help of a hydraulics system. In order to determine the number of points received, the roulette board can be moved horizontally in order to ensure that maximum points be achieved.

Coming Up With The Idea

The new idea was now to build a roulette (casino gambling game) inspired hydraulic mechanism as it would be more original than to simply create a lifting mechanism.The idea originated when analyzing the materials carefully. This is because, the materials had already been cut and prepared to just put together for our initial idea. However, the syringes wouldn't allow the base to move.  Therefore, it was decided to make a roulette inspired hydraulics mechanism. The decision was mainly based on the following objects:

Originally utilized as a platform (now a roulette table)

Originally utilized as part of the upper securing part (now for holding the ball before it falls)

Originally utilized as the object placed on platform (now as the roulette ball)

* Side Note: Here's how a roulette table looks like:

Old Design Plans

All materials of the design could not be found, however we managed to create the base as a kickoff, just to realize it wouldn't function. We then created another similar design with the same functions and purpose but that wouldn't function either. We have now decided to change our design yet again so that it serves an original purpose (more details can be found in the following posts). Below are our initial and modified design plans that have not cooperated all too well.

Design 1:

Without Syringes

With syringes

Design 2:

Without Syringes

With Syringes

Materials

• Hollow wood (base)
• Hot glue gun
• Water bottle
• Long box ( in which the syringes are placed)
• One big piece of thick large wood (Base)
• One light, long plank (for ramp) 
• 8 syringes (+ 4 tubes)

How it Works

PURPOSE
Consists of 4 functions interacting with each other to function as a whole. Its purpose is to lift a toy car and move it so that it can easily be moved to another platform with the forces on 4 syringes. How do we work it?

STEPS
1. Pull syringe 1 to allow the platform to descend so that the car can easily move to the main platform (Where you can move the car around)
3. Push syringe 3 to raise the main platform
4. Push syringe 5 to slide the safety grip (secures car in place) left so that the safety grip is directly on top of the car (or object)
5. Push syringe 7 to secure the car onto the main platform and to prevent the car from moving anywhere
6. Push syringe 9 to move the main platform  to the right
7. Pull on syringe 5 to release the safety grip
8. Drive the car off!

* Side note: syringes have been numbered in design plan

Drawn Draft

We have drawn out our first draft! So that now we have a rough ideas as to where to place the syringes and have started brainstorming materials as well! Making progress!! Will keep updating. (Below is our first drawn draft). Final design plan is on it's way!

First day!

First day on the blog... thinking of changing project idea. On the first day of research, decided on building a break system but then reconsidered as gathering materials didn't seem possible. Our next idea was a water gun but realized that it was nothing more than tubes and a outer cover; no purpose. Now, we're thinking about doing a platform for an object that moves up and down and side-to side. Also, another peice can descend to hold the object in place while it's being moved.