A puzzle for you engineers (What is this??)
01-21-2005, 01:37 AM
#1
A puzzle for you engineers (What is this??)
Well if any of you could help me get a bit of extra credit for an environmental science class by telling me what this is i would be most grateful.
Not a clock..... or anything obvious..... the 2 spiral gears (identical on the other side) are clutched so that one can turn freely of the other, there are locks on the shafts parallel to the spiral gears leading me to believe that it was designed to do something for a specific time and distance, or to go in reverse once completing one cycle.
There are only 2 gears that operate the whole mechanism the one im twisting in the picture and the one on top (first picture), the rest spin freely.
The only markings are the ones i took a picture of, the stamp looks like a crown but it’s just as hard to see with the naked eye.
Anybody?
Not a clock..... or anything obvious..... the 2 spiral gears (identical on the other side) are clutched so that one can turn freely of the other, there are locks on the shafts parallel to the spiral gears leading me to believe that it was designed to do something for a specific time and distance, or to go in reverse once completing one cycle.
There are only 2 gears that operate the whole mechanism the one im twisting in the picture and the one on top (first picture), the rest spin freely.
The only markings are the ones i took a picture of, the stamp looks like a crown but it’s just as hard to see with the naked eye.
Anybody?
01-21-2005, 03:09 AM
#3
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Originally Posted by PoLaK
The only markings are the ones i took a picture of, the stamp looks like a crown but it’s just as hard to see with the naked eye.
Only thing I can guess is one of those gizmos that record the temperature/humidity on a paper disk for a long period of time (day,week, etc).
01-21-2005, 08:19 AM
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Looks to me as a mechanical calculator or even a code system. The position of the small gear to the large gear wheel would determine a different gear ratio for each position.
What ever it is is looks like it cost a lot of money and time to make.
Further look and the side gear is a spiral so fully adjustable. May be part of a WWII bomb site?
What ever it is is looks like it cost a lot of money and time to make.
Further look and the side gear is a spiral so fully adjustable. May be part of a WWII bomb site?
Last edited by TRZ750; 01-21-2005 at 08:25 AM.
01-21-2005, 09:11 AM
#8
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curious machine. where did you find it? is the speed variable by moving the geared sleave to different places on the large wheel? i would guess it could be some type of variable speed reduction gear. somewhat like a steering box or a transmission for something small. it might be helpful to know where it originated so we could understand the environment it was used for.
01-21-2005, 10:36 AM
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First thought when looking at it was part of a crypto system. Definatly not the Enigma machine. Enigma used 5+ rotors (depending on the year used), I think the final version had 6 rotors.
http://www.eclipse.net/~dhamer/images/dsc00048.jpg
http://raphael.math.uic.edu/~jeremy/...ma36_small.gif
Each rotor in a rotor cipher machine changes the letters of the alphabet. The rotors are mechanically linked together, so that the first rotor advances one position with each press of a key; the second rotor advances one position after the first completes one rotation; and so on...
Can't see from the pics, is there a second rotor behind the large one? Is there anything that looks like it could be a linkage for a counter/input/output? If not, then it probbaly isn't a cypher.
http://www.eclipse.net/~dhamer/images/dsc00048.jpg
http://raphael.math.uic.edu/~jeremy/...ma36_small.gif
Each rotor in a rotor cipher machine changes the letters of the alphabet. The rotors are mechanically linked together, so that the first rotor advances one position with each press of a key; the second rotor advances one position after the first completes one rotation; and so on...
Can't see from the pics, is there a second rotor behind the large one? Is there anything that looks like it could be a linkage for a counter/input/output? If not, then it probbaly isn't a cypher.
01-21-2005, 12:13 PM
#11
Originally Posted by Labop
First thought when looking at it was part of a crypto system. Definatly not the Enigma machine. Enigma used 5+ rotors (depending on the year used), I think the final version had 6 rotors.
http://www.eclipse.net/~dhamer/images/dsc00048.jpg
http://raphael.math.uic.edu/~jeremy/...ma36_small.gif
Each rotor in a rotor cipher machine changes the letters of the alphabet. The rotors are mechanically linked together, so that the first rotor advances one position with each press of a key; the second rotor advances one position after the first completes one rotation; and so on...
Can't see from the pics, is there a second rotor behind the large one? Is there anything that looks like it could be a linkage for a counter/input/output? If not, then it probbaly isn't a cypher.
http://www.eclipse.net/~dhamer/images/dsc00048.jpg
http://raphael.math.uic.edu/~jeremy/...ma36_small.gif
Each rotor in a rotor cipher machine changes the letters of the alphabet. The rotors are mechanically linked together, so that the first rotor advances one position with each press of a key; the second rotor advances one position after the first completes one rotation; and so on...
Can't see from the pics, is there a second rotor behind the large one? Is there anything that looks like it could be a linkage for a counter/input/output? If not, then it probbaly isn't a cypher.
01-21-2005, 12:52 PM
#13
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Cmon guys, you know what this is!!! After all, this IS an RX-8 forum so anything posted here is related to the RX-8, right? Geeezzz. And the answer is: it's the remains of one of the RX-8 tranny explosions we've heard about. No wonder it exploded. Once the fluvy gear gets to the end of the spiral sucky gear....boom. 
01-22-2005, 09:11 AM
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It's the new Mazda combination PCM/Windshield Wiper motor replacement. A constant-velocity, push-pull, binary, flip-flop linear accellerator with dual four-cuspid pico-cycloidial drive outputs. It was developed so all of us mechanical guys who don't understand this new electronic stuff would have something to tinker with.
Batteries not included; some assembly required.
Batteries not included; some assembly required.
01-22-2005, 10:23 AM
#21
Power!!
I believe it's an analog strip recorder. You would attach it to a temperature gauge and the stylus would continuously record the temperature on a round piece of paper over a period of time based upon the size of the spring and release rate. The paper would have divisions of hours or whatever in radial slices from the center and the temperature would be listed in concentric rings. The idea would be to measure temperature or pressure or "whatever" continously so you could determine min, max, mean and std. deviation over a predetermined time period. You could also use it to see if there are any spikes or cyclic trends over time. Hope that helps.
01-22-2005, 11:16 AM
#22
Originally Posted by shaunv74
I believe it's an analog strip recorder. You would attach it to a temperature gauge and the stylus would continuously record the temperature on a round piece of paper over a period of time based upon the size of the spring and release rate. The paper would have divisions of hours or whatever in radial slices from the center and the temperature would be listed in concentric rings. The idea would be to measure temperature or pressure or "whatever" continously so you could determine min, max, mean and std. deviation over a predetermined time period. You could also use it to see if there are any spikes or cyclic trends over time. Hope that helps.
01-23-2005, 06:58 AM
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Interesting gadget.
I wish I could get a better look at it...
It's hard to tell from incomplete views of the mechanism, but it looks as if it's a kind of 'gearbox' designed to produce an output that cycles between slowing down and speeding up, relative to the input speed.
The small black gear shown meshing with the large spiral gear should turn at a different rate depending on how far down the shaft it is (as it slides up and down the vertical shaft, working its way in or out of the spiral).
In other words it will rotate more times for one turn of the disk when it's on the (longer) outer edge of the spiral, than when it's closer to the centre (i.e. more teeth per rotation on the outer part of the spiral than the inner). This will produce a varying speed at the top (horizontal) gear, relative to a steady input speed. Presuming that the input comes from the gear with the hand on it in the picture, and that it meshes with the outer teeth on the large disk. (Or the same effect would work in reverse - it probably doesn't matter much which is the input and which the output, as far as the general principle goes).
Presumably, from your description, when it reaches the end of its travel the clutching mechanism might somehow switch the drive across to the disk on the other side and reverse the action. It doesn't seem possible to see that part of the mechanism in the photos. Does that seem plausible though, from what you can see?
I don't know what would require such a motion, but perhaps it's made to drive some kind of centrifuge designed to mix or separate samples of something? What else might require a steady speeding up and/or slowing down?
Any idea at all what area of endeavour it comes from???
I wish I could get a better look at it...
It's hard to tell from incomplete views of the mechanism, but it looks as if it's a kind of 'gearbox' designed to produce an output that cycles between slowing down and speeding up, relative to the input speed.
The small black gear shown meshing with the large spiral gear should turn at a different rate depending on how far down the shaft it is (as it slides up and down the vertical shaft, working its way in or out of the spiral).
In other words it will rotate more times for one turn of the disk when it's on the (longer) outer edge of the spiral, than when it's closer to the centre (i.e. more teeth per rotation on the outer part of the spiral than the inner). This will produce a varying speed at the top (horizontal) gear, relative to a steady input speed. Presuming that the input comes from the gear with the hand on it in the picture, and that it meshes with the outer teeth on the large disk. (Or the same effect would work in reverse - it probably doesn't matter much which is the input and which the output, as far as the general principle goes).
Presumably, from your description, when it reaches the end of its travel the clutching mechanism might somehow switch the drive across to the disk on the other side and reverse the action. It doesn't seem possible to see that part of the mechanism in the photos. Does that seem plausible though, from what you can see?
I don't know what would require such a motion, but perhaps it's made to drive some kind of centrifuge designed to mix or separate samples of something? What else might require a steady speeding up and/or slowing down?
Any idea at all what area of endeavour it comes from???
Last edited by BVD; 01-23-2005 at 07:34 AM. Reason: typo
01-24-2005, 01:56 PM
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Mark - I think BVD has it very well described. Forget being hung up on what type of assembly it connects to (or what it does) because there really isn't anyway to know without being told. I think that BVD has it right; it's a transmission that takes a constant input speed and transforms it into a quickly accelerating output velocity (with a gear reduction to increase the range of output from the motor to a specific range) then starts over. Could be a centrifuge, but there could be other purposes for that type of transmission. Anyway, I support the transmission idea. - Haze
01-25-2005, 06:09 PM
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Thanks for supporting the transmission description Haze.
I asked my brother for an opinion and he insists that it connects to an artificial gloved hand and is used by the British Queen to simulate the endless waving she does from limousine windows as she drives past the cheering peasantry. Could be right... :D
If it does automatically switch disks to keep the output going (as seems likely from PoLaK's description) the output speed would cycle up an down rather like a sine wave. But without knowing what all the gear ratios were, plus the all-important input speed, there's no way of telling whether the output would be a rapid pulsing or a more leisurely rise and fall.
It would be interesting to know a few more things, like what all the ratios are, how the 'clutching' or reversing system works, what method of lubrication was planned, and why a mechanical solution was needed rather than an electronic one?
As Haze says, it could be connected to all manner of things so it's eventual use is hard to guess just by figuring out how it operates.
Can you tell us any more PoLaK? Will you be able to reveal the answer any time soon?
I asked my brother for an opinion and he insists that it connects to an artificial gloved hand and is used by the British Queen to simulate the endless waving she does from limousine windows as she drives past the cheering peasantry. Could be right... :D
If it does automatically switch disks to keep the output going (as seems likely from PoLaK's description) the output speed would cycle up an down rather like a sine wave. But without knowing what all the gear ratios were, plus the all-important input speed, there's no way of telling whether the output would be a rapid pulsing or a more leisurely rise and fall.
It would be interesting to know a few more things, like what all the ratios are, how the 'clutching' or reversing system works, what method of lubrication was planned, and why a mechanical solution was needed rather than an electronic one?
As Haze says, it could be connected to all manner of things so it's eventual use is hard to guess just by figuring out how it operates.
Can you tell us any more PoLaK? Will you be able to reveal the answer any time soon?