I used Solidworks in order to create the model.
I used Solidworks in order to create the model.
a fully automatic catapult that can aim and shoot with varying force and angle (horizontal and vertical).
The machine contains 4 small mechanism:
Catapult Arm - Locking-mechanism driven with a servo, in order to lock the catapult at place.
Large Gear - contains a spring+ TPU suspension popping out in order to 1# stop the catapult in the chosen angle (setting the Y axis) , 2# wind it back to the locking mechanism and 3# go back to the chosen angle for the next swing , it is being driven by a stepper motor with a high gear reduction of about 1:50. the entire process can be seen in one of the video links below
Gear suspension mechanism, which is an arc of a reversed gear that moves with a linear screw in order to engage the large gear, its there because the stepper alone will not overcome the force of the catapult when it at a very high speed everything is on a bearing driven by the stepper located in the middle of the base