How to connect two cyclinders ???
 

Hello everyone
This year we are gonna use pneumatics on the robot but we have a little problem with the cyclinders. We need a cyclinder that should be extending 24 inches but we cant find. As a solution we are planning to connect to distinct cyclinders to each other to get 24 inches extension. We have a 19.5 inches cylinder and 4.5 inches cyclinder. How do we connect these cyclinders and how do we connect these two cyclinders to one valve ?

Re: How to connect two cyclinders ???
 

It is pretty easy to connect the two cylinders back to back with simple hardware, i.e. bolt and nut. then the actuator rods extend out in two opposite directions. You cannot drive both from the same valve however. With the two valves, you can drive them under software control to both actuate at the same time or you can wire both valves to a single Spike to turn them on at the same time.

Re: How to connect two cyclinders ???
 

Connecting to the valve is fairly simple, just use a Y connector such as McMaster Part Number: 5111K404

Depending on your cylinder type, you should be able to make a plate that bolts the tail of one cylinder to the nose of the other, overlapping the stationary bodys, similar to shown below.

"=" is the body of the cylinder
"--" is the cylinders extension rod
" I " would be a single plate

-------I=======
.........I=============---------

Al, The only rule I see restricting valves and cylinders is shown below, hooking up two cylinders seems to be perfectly legal and has been done in the past with many teams. Please correct me if I am incorrect or point me in the direction of a rule saying otherwise. Thanks.

[R78] The outputs from multiple valves may not be plumbed together into the same input on a pneumatic cylinder.