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Questions tagged [pulleys]

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Effective Designs for outdoor clothing elevator free from walls

A strange question, but I live in a building (gringo in Mexico City) where the only area you can dry clothes is in a set of chain-link cubes on the roof. However, those cubes are about a story and a ...
Nick Matthews's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
38 views

Find transfer function of a drive pulley where the output is a spring force

I have the following system and have deduced the equations of motion to be and with the substitutions for the spring forces we get I understand how to find the transfer function of any single ...
Sonite's user avatar
  • 3
0 votes
2 answers
31 views

How A Cord Lock in A Window Unlocks

In this video(https://youtu.be/QvLdVWS_DsM) it says that a cord lock works like this: there is a cylinder which the string moves around, and there is another cylinder which is rough. When you pull out ...
MeltedStatementRecognizing's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
79 views

Can I use this simple pulley system to lift a large 100lb box?

Problem: I have a 98 lb box with dimensions of 45"l x 41"w x 27"h that holds a holiday decoration. I need to lift it to a shelf I made that is 103" above the floor. The space I ...
FDecker's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
22 views

How to affix a 3/4" keyed bore wheel/pulley to 5/8" D-profile shaft?

How do I affix a 1.5-inch-thick wheel with a 0.75-inch keyed bore (or pulley) to my motor's 1.25-inch-long x 5/8" diameter D-profile shaft (both pictured)"?
JJ Zabkar's user avatar
  • 101
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1 answer
67 views

What mechanism would you use to lift, then at a certain point release something with a pulley, string & motor

I'd like to lift an inflatable cow up to a pulley I threw over a high branch and then release it to fall when it gets to the top, and then repeat the process. I currently have a loop of string between ...
James White's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
27 views

PVC Stripping issue on steel wire with pulley

I am having some issues with a PVC coated steel cable. The PVC often strips when used with a pulley. I wanted to know why this may be happening and possible solutions for it.
Teyash Arjun's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
43 views

How to solve statically indeterminate pulley?

I am working on a wire rope pulley at rest, shown below. The wire rope wraps once around the pulley (180°) and has tension T. The pulley axle is on a sliding track that is up against its hard stop, ...
willpower2727's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
51 views

Designing a low-tech, clockwork-like automatic timer via powered winch and pulley system

I'm trying to design a fictional winch and pulley system that, in its basic form, is a weight tied to a rope, that goes through a pulley, which then attaches to a powered winch: the winch turns, winds ...
Loni's user avatar
  • 1
0 votes
2 answers
30 views

Collecting a released rope with a proper speed

To simplify the problem, I liken the problem to a ship approaching the shore and a device wants to collect the rope in such a way that the rope is neither stretched too much nor released to the extent ...
Ali Sheikhpour's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
232 views

Pulleys vs gears for a gravity battery

I would like to build a simple homemade gravity battery (a weight is pulled to a high height and is then dropped to turn a motor and generate electricity.) My plan is to have a 5kg weight pulled to 2 ...
user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
130 views

Engineering a pulley system to make an object move when gate is opened

Updated image attached based on @Translators suggestion comment Hi I am looking to make a movable wood cutout via a pulley system on the back my gate/fence (a monkey that tips a top hat when gate is ...
Nellstar's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
56 views

What's the mechanical advantage of this leg extension machine?

At my local gym there is this leg extension machine and I'm trying to figure out the mechanical advantage. The pulley attached to the disk (marked by red arrow) confuses me because the disk moves when ...
hypergogogo's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
27 views

Does "stacking" of thinner timing pulley and belts reduce "belt stretch", as using a wider belt would?

When wanting precise belt driven motion, it is desirable to reduce belt stretch by using a wider and/or stronger belt. Wider GT family can be quite expensive (hundreds of dollars) compared to thinner ...
user391339's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
60 views

Can I drive a pulley with two shaded pole motors using one motor at a time with different size pulleys for speed control?

Using two same RPM shaded pole motors, one with a one inch diameter motor and one with a two inch diameter. Using a DTDP switch to swap power from one pulley to the other. For a two speed rotation ...
Verl hayes's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
132 views

Would this pulley system only halve the force?

TLDR: Is this only a 2:1 pulley system? Hi there, I’m trying to build a Murphy bed for my roommate. Long story short we’re using an electric hoist + pulley system to raise and lower the bed. The setup ...
James Weber's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
83 views

Clutch for rotating axis of mount used for astronomy

a short disclaimer that for me mechanical engineering is a hobby. Please be gentle with me, even if there may be an obvious answer. The main reason for asking here is that searching for the topic you ...
roofkid's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
61 views

Modulating Output of a Pulley with Variable Inputs

I am working on a recreational project to take variable inputs and convert them to a constant output without substantially altering the force required to achieve such a task. The best way to visualize ...
weekendbuilder0782's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
55 views

Can you calculate torque without any pulleys involved, and if so, how?

I'm trying to calculate the type of motor I need to turn something of a certain weight, so I feel the thing I'm trying to calculate is torque, but, when I research how to find torque, I find this &...
Spring's user avatar
  • 3
0 votes
1 answer
49 views

Small belt transmission: Radius difference?

I am trying to make a pulley reduction system for my project. I need it to be as quiet as possible, so I am considering pulleys. My project also has limited space, so I am trying to have as small a ...
George Menoutis's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
48 views

XL timing belt missing Dimension!

I'm trying to design and 3d print a XL pulley. I think there is a missing dimension that I can't find in the spec tables. we've got pitch circle, teeth height, belt thickness... but I can't find ...
2012User's user avatar
  • 111
2 votes
1 answer
79 views

Bushed 3" V-belt pulley with unkeyed 3/4" shaft?

Shortly I will have two 3/4" unkeyed shafts needing 3" type-A V-belt pulleys, one each. They'll each have their own motor driving them, and will need to run to 5000 RPM and possibly higher ...
Jonathan Brickman of Topeka KS's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
778 views

In an open belt drive, which angle of wrap should be taken for calculating tension in the belt?

An open belt drive with flat belt has different angle of wrap on the larger and smaller pulley. I have to calculate a tension in the pulley. We generally use the formulae Here θ is the angle of wrap. ...
Ashmark's user avatar
  • 124
0 votes
0 answers
67 views

How can I cheaply tilt a 700 lb cactus?

We got some heavy rain last week and a 4.5 ft tall barrel cactus fell over. Assuming most of it is water, it probably weighs about 700 lb. I've read that if I moisten the soil, take care with the ...
smallerhammers's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
543 views

How can you control the speed of a rope moving through a pulley?

I'm putting together a ceiling-mounted clothes rack. The rack is raised and lowered with rope and pulleys. If the rack is raised under full load and accidentally released, then the system could be ...
Korgan Rivera's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
46 views

Minimum pulley diameter at small scale

I am trying to design a musical locket which includes a slowly (28 rpm) rotating component. The two things that make this a challenge is: Very limited space. The motor and the reduction system should ...
George Menoutis's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
366 views

Calculating Load On Winch From a Distributed Load?

I am in the process of building an antenna mast that can tilt from horizontal (down) to vertical (up). The mast (arm) is 360" and weighs a total of 105 lbs. I need to calculate the amount of ...
MRSparkey's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Mechanical Advantage of 3 Pulley System

I am a physics teacher, but have found myself teaching engineering. I have come across the following pulley question, and am starting to doubt my own understanding of pulleys ! Until now the rule ...
Matt Klein's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
101 views

Rubik cube torque experiment - Correct equations and experiment set up?

Background I am attempting to experimentally find out the average torque required to rotate a single face of a Rubik cube. Little to no data is available as it varies from cube to cube. Some people ...
Josh's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes
3 answers
792 views

Endless synchronous belt problem

I have a motor coupled over a synchronous belt (AT5) to a bigger tooth wheel (1:4), and the problem comes up that the belt is moving up or down (depending on the rotation direction) until it reaches ...
HansPeterLoft's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
86 views

What would the tension in the cable be?

A subsequent question stemming from here A massless motor is attached to a massless pulley(the blue circle) with a fixed rotational inertia and they are all attached to a mass X (the green platform). ...
user39178's user avatar
  • 113
0 votes
0 answers
105 views

HTD3 tooth pulley design

I try to design a HTD3 pulley, but I don't know, how the teeth exactly should look like. I found the following specification: But this seems to be wrong, since I found some HTD3 STL files and ...
HansPeterLoft's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

Degrees of Freedom for Complex Pulley Systems

I'm trying to understand DOF clearly, but this pulley system has me doubting myself. When I try to determine the degrees of freedom, I sum the DOF of each object, and subtract the constraints. for ...
Mason Turvey's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
59 views

How to pull on one side, while keeping an angle?

I have the following setup, consisting of a bar attached to another bar via a ball joint (indicated by a circle, and attached to the wall over a pulley with a weight at the end (the small "kg&...
berndibus's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
129 views

Use of pulleys in gearboxes

I'm designing a simple gearbox with some fairly strict space constraints. I was wondering if having a belt pulley inside of a custom gearbox is a serious issue for the belt. Would it get worn down ...
Artemis's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
58 views

Braking movement of a chain through a pulley or sheave

I am attempting to build a rotating climbing ladder, similar to the one below. The structural supports will be different, but the mechanism of chain (or cable) running in a loop over pulleys/sheaves ...
Amberopolis's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
54 views

I'm looking for the simplest way to increase rotational speed from 120 to 5,000 rpm for a light duty device

I'm currently designing a device and want to increase speed from 120 to 5,000 rpm. Device is lightweight, hand operated, free spinning, low torque in/out. Picture a cheap fertilizer spreader from Home ...
ScottHartman's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
872 views

What makes a pulley that is rated for horizontal pulling different from a pulley rated for lifting?

I have a home project that involves lifting a platform with a cable that runs through a series of pulleys to redirect the cable. I'm selecting pulleys for the job and I see that some pulleys are rated ...
Klik's user avatar
  • 247
0 votes
1 answer
65 views

Is there any way to conserve energy for the following scenario of lifting weight?

A pulley can be used to provide mechanical advantage while lifting weight. Suppose a combination pulley is made such that in order to lift something four times heavier, one can use the same force but ...
Tank's user avatar
  • 97
2 votes
0 answers
52 views

Exceed 'designed' speed ratio of timing belt

I'm trying to create a setup to transfer motion from a motor to a shaft that requires a much higher torque (bi-directional). The housing is about 6 inches long and the speed ratio needed will be ...
John M.'s user avatar
  • 1,033
1 vote
2 answers
166 views

What's a simple machine to lift and drop a 100 lbs weight repeatedly using an electric motor?

Essentially I have a 100 lbs. pile driver with an eyelet for lifting it on top. (It's on rails) I want to set up and automated machine to lift and drop the driver at a variable pace. Preferably I ...
malfy's user avatar
  • 111
2 votes
3 answers
48 views

How to make pivoting arms move symmetrically towards each other?

I have a basic design of two arms which need to be brought together. But I tried the design using a test setup and it did not work successfully. Here is a diagram of my design - What I observed is ...
blazingcannon's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
167 views

calculation of tension in curved chain for chain fountain (Mould effect)

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspa.2013.0689 A chain of some sort goes upwards, turns in a half circle (according to the drawn diagram), and goes back down. Focusing on the half ...
never took courses but why's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
295 views

Calculating optimal angle on a rolling pulley wheel, which holds weight, on a horizontal cable

The 40 kg load on the rope accelerates from 0 to 50km / h in 6 seconds. The rope is tightened with a force of 500kg while the whole assembly is on it. The middle pulley is driven by a dc motor. I ...
littlerock's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
72 views

Help me build a mechanical gizmo involving a pulley (I think)

Electrical engineer here. I'm looking to build an incredibly simple mechanism that in my mind involves kind of a pulley. Below is a diagram. So it's essentially like a mechanical servo. I would like ...
Vanush Vee's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
100 views

Springs on a pulley... When to use?

I saw a machine that fed a sheet of laminate through some rollers. The motor had a pulley attached to its shaft, and a spring connected to the pulley. Why not use a belt? Wouldnt the spring make it ...
PJazz's user avatar
  • 209
0 votes
1 answer
191 views

Minimum required rolling friction between pulley and the rope

The 40 kg weight accelerates and runs on a rope from 0 to 50 km/h in 10 seconds. I want to calculate the minimum required rolling friction that I need (acceleration without slipping) to achieve ...
littlerock's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
41 views

Trying to visualize the resulting interaction between two pulleys

I'm trying to get an answer for something potentially quite simple, but I can't visualize it (nor do I have the parts yet to build it). It's for a little hobby project, but I'm slightly concerned I ...
J.Zil's user avatar
  • 103
3 votes
0 answers
1k views

How do you calculate the frictional losses in wire ropes over sheaves?

I am currently pulling a load with a wire rope that is moved through a system of sheaves, but had to replace a smaller wire rope cable (1/2") with a larger wire rope cable (3/4"). The sheave/wire ...
gsolorzanop's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
395 views

How can I couple two small parallel shafts offset a short distance from each other?

I have two parallel shafts, 3 millimetres in diameter and offset by 8 millimetres, both anchored in surrounding housing by ball bearings. When one shaft is rotated (via gear), I want the other shaft ...
FisherPeak's user avatar