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Thread: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

  1. #1
    Gibisans - Japan West compirate's Avatar
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    Default Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    Has anyone considered this? I thought if you turned the belt inside out, then cut it (but not through the widest part - where the cord is) it would make a perfect lifter belt. A couple of pieces of plywood for the sides and pulley supports, some wood for spacers - some close on either side of the belt to keep the belt from moving laterally and to keep the balls on it), and some sort of feeding trough and out tray at the top.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:18 PM.

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    I was thrown out of Top Gear Drunkenclam's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    Tilt the steps beckwards. so the balls will not fall out. It would have to be a very wide/thick belt.
    You need some of my 13mm channel
    Might be better putting strong magnets in the belt. If a toothed belt, Magnets can fit in the teeth.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:19 PM.

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    Gibisans - Japan West compirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    But then you'd need a way to knock them off the magnets. If the opening feeding the belt is just large enough for the balls and they have enough pressure behind them, they should feed well. The spacers on the front and back sides of the belt will keep them on the belt.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:19 PM.

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    Pachi Puro Ikaria's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    Interesting idea. You can buy double sided cogged belts so you wouldn't have to do the cutting. That would keep the belt from slipping too. Guards on the end of the cogs to prevent walking. Just need a gearmotor to drive it.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:20 PM.

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    Pachi Puro pinball wizard's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    interesting idea.a cogged belt should work just fine being driven from the back side by smooth pulleys,like serpentine belts do.it just depends on the tension,so it doesn't slip.i don't think too much tension would be required for a ball lifter,though.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:20 PM.

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    Gibisans - Japan West compirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    The cogged belt does sound interesting, a wrap of rubber on the pulley would make it 'stickier'. Perhaps a smear of silicone rubber.

    I was just trying to keep it as cheap and easy to build/obtain parts as possible. Plenty of used lawn mower belts out there New ones can get pricey.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:21 PM.

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    Fever Hunter Ash's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    If you used magnets you could have a scoop-shaped wedge on the top in the hopper to pop the balls off and into the tray (like a slide)


    Or rip this apart:
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:21 PM.

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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    the only problem would be the grit and grime coming off the belt getting on the balls
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:22 PM.

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    Fever Hunter Ash's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    How about adding bristles off a (paint)brush on the downward stroke so it's clean when it hits the balls?
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:24 PM.

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    Stuey - The RADministrator MrGneiss's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    I like the belt idea!!

    One problem with magnets would be balls that would be on the lift for a while (when its off or between lifts) would become magnetized and start causing all sorts of problems, like sticking together in the top hopper and causing a jam!!

    One day we will find an easy and cheap way to make a ball lifters...It shouldn't be this hard!!
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:24 PM.

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    Dr. Frankenpachi alstonj1's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    why not do it the way they do it on the game its self .use a tube (1/2 "tubing )and a ball launcher from another dead game .rig it to launch when a player launches a ball in the game .should be easily strong enough to shoot a ball or two back into the top bin. if it can launch it to the top of the machine in the first place .it should easily be able to do this ...
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:25 PM.

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    Master Inventor daverob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    My 'fan belt ball lifter' concept is a bit different. Instead of using a belt with notches that hold balls in them, I though of trying a smooth belt and trapping balls between the belt and a fixed wall, so that the belt rolls the balls up the wall.

    This idea was refined into the idea below. Using a standard automotive serpentine belt and a couple of long plastic U-section channels (electrical surface trunking?). The picture shows a section looking down through the lifting 'tube'. The belt (red) runs down the middle of the two U-section channels which are slotted into each other and held together with elastic bands at several points up the length of the lifter 'tube' to keep the balls pressed tightly into the belt.

    lifter.png

    As the belt moves up the tube, the pachinko balls act as ball bearings and are rolled up the tube.

    I put together a few scrap parts to try this idea out, and it seems that it should work, but have yet to buy a long enough belt to try it out full scale. The thing I've yet to work out are the feeding the balls to the bottom of the belt, as you need to have balls equally on both sides of the belt or there won't be enough pressure on the balls to roll them up the tube.

    One of these days I'll get around to building a full scale version, and seeing if I can make it work reliably, but I've got too many other projects to work on right now.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:26 PM.

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    Pachi Puro Moparformances's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    Quote Originally Posted by daverob View Post
    My 'fan belt ball lifter' concept is a bit different. Instead of using a belt with notches that hold balls in them, I though of trying a smooth belt and trapping balls between the belt and a fixed wall, so that the belt rolls the balls up the wall.

    This idea was refined into the idea below. Using a standard automotive serpentine belt and a couple of long plastic U-section channels (electrical surface trunking?). The picture shows a section looking down through the lifting 'tube'. The belt (red) runs down the middle of the two U-section channels which are slotted into each other and held together with elastic bands at several points up the length of the lifter 'tube' to keep the balls pressed tightly into the belt.

    lifter.png

    As the belt moves up the tube, the pachinko balls act as ball bearings and are rolled up the tube.

    I put together a few scrap parts to try this idea out, and it seems that it should work, but have yet to buy a long enough belt to try it out full scale. The thing I've yet to work out are the feeding the balls to the bottom of the belt, as you need to have balls equally on both sides of the belt or there won't be enough pressure on the balls to roll them up the tube.

    One of these days I'll get around to building a full scale version, and seeing if I can make it work reliably, but I've got too many other projects to work on right now.
    i love this idea but in my minds eye if the balls are not feed constantly into the bottom on both sides then the balls allready loaded could move at differant rates and be allowed to slip back down.. by having balls on only one side of the belt i think your going to have better success
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:26 PM.

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    Gibisans - Japan West compirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    I believe that's the way some work in Japan, but possibly have a spring loaded plate behind the belt to keep it in contact with the balls. The balls are also cleaned as they move up the belt.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:27 PM.

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    Fever Hunter Ash's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    If you used the friction/tension hold against the wall to keep them in place, you could always add teeth (on the wall as well as the belt).

    / \
    / \
    / \
    / \
    /O\
    / \
    / \


    That way the balls are pushing against something if they try and drop, and they're less inclined to fall again - think of the way veins work, so if the belt stops, they're resting on the / \ and if the belt moves, the belt's teeth force them upward.
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:27 PM.

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    Pachi Puro Ikaria's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fan Belt Ball Lifter?

    How about using link belt?
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    Last edited by compirate; 02-10-2011 at 05:27 PM.

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