Mechanical Balancing

[Theunnamed]

I'm looking for methods of mechanical trimming for an idea I have for an object in water. (I'm not saying more cause I still want you to take me at least slightly serious.) All my searches turned up awfully empty so I am asking here.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Theunnamed

[ewmon]

trim

v.

to balance (a ship) by ballasting, shifting cargo, etc.

 

trim

n.

the position of a ship in the water in relation to the horizontal, esp. a fore-and-aft horizontal axis.

[Theunnamed]

Oh thank you!! I'll change it so I don't sound like too much of an idiot.

[ewmon]

No worries on the terminology. Notice the verb "trim" is defined as "to balance ...".

 

One method of trimming fore-and-aft uses fore and aft ballast tanks with piping in between and a pump driven by a motor driven by a tilt switch.

 

There are mercury tilt switches (potentially dangerous) and ball-bearing tilt switches (safer). The tilt switch should be a double pole double throw (DPDT) with a dead spot (that is, if the ship has neutral fore-and-aft trim, then don't pump water in either direction). If that's not available, you can use two simpler switches.

 

Basically, the switches/sensors will run the motor/pump in one direction when tilted one way, and run them in the other direction when tilted the other way, and won't run them at all if in the middle.

 

Or you can build your own tilt switches (I like this idea).

Edited March 26, 2012 by ewmon

[Theunnamed]

Aaah, I see. I was even looking at switches for another project, a tilt switch among them, but it didn't come to mind that I could use it for this. Ive never heard of mercury tilt switches, but I see how they could work. Well thank you, and I must agree, building my own does sound more appealing!

[ewmon]

Definitely try building your own switches using ball bearings -- NOT mercury. Come up with a design and run it by us for our review. The switch shown in the link should work just fine. Use two of them. Hint: one for each motor lead.

 

Best wishes.