Drivetrain question (Chessy Poofs)
 

Alright you guys,
Our team is building a few different drive-trains so we can see which one turns out most suitable. I wanted to know if anyone had anymore information on the Cheesy Poofs drive-train. I was able to find a lot of nice photos they took from 2005. But if you look at this picture;
http://team254.bcp.org/old-site/images/05robot18.jpg
You can see the pillow blocks going into the tubbing. This caught my eye and looked interesting. What is inside? is there anything inside?

If anyone has more detailed photos or maybe a nice explanation, i would greatly appreciate it.

thanks!
-Dan Fukuba

Re: Drivetrain question (Chessy Poofs)
 

There are pillow blocks on each side of the rectangular tubing supporting each wheel's shaft. On the inboard side , there is a cantilevered sprocket, except in the center where there is the gearbox.

The wheels are cantileverd on the outboard side.

Re: Drivetrain question (Chessy Poofs)
 

You can see a number of CAD screenshots of this year's drivetrain here

Nothing is inside the tubing itself. It's just two halves of a bearing housing that slide into each other and then ride inside the pocket in the frame. You can see specifically how this works in this image. On the inside of the frame there is a sprocket mounted on the shaft to drive the wheel. The center bearing housing goes into the frame, and then bolts to the actual transmission plate.

Re: Drivetrain question (Cheesy Poofs)
 

Ah okay that is pretty interesting. And it seems that the pillow blocks have a little part for tensioning. Thanks for the help!

Re: Drivetrain question (Cheesy Poofs)
 

Here is an actual picture of the 2 halfs. The left one goes on the inside of the frame and slides into the one on the right which is mounted outboard of the frame.

Re: Drivetrain question (Cheesy Poofs)
 

I noticed that 968 would tighten a bolt in the front of their frame to tighten their chain. How would that bolt interface to the piece pictured above? I don't see a place for the bolt to attach to the machined part.

Austin Schuh

Re: Drivetrain question (Cheesy Poofs)
 

There is a steel cam that pushes up against one of the edges when it is turned of the inner pillow block which moves the block.

Re: Drivetrain question (Cheesy Poofs)
 

Only on our robot. As can be seen here

968 tensioned their chains differently. Travis can explain how when he sees this.

Re: Drivetrain question (Cheesy Poofs)
 

We had an aluminum clevis that bearing housing screw went through. Tightening the bolt would thread the bolt further into the clevis and would in turn pull the bearing housing assemblyy outward, tensioning the chain. The weight is negligible between the two, we just didn't have the time to make the cams.