pic: Dual Wheel Swerve-Drive
 

Re: pic: Dual Wheel Swerve-Drive
 

Stats:
-Each module is made from 1 piece of aluminum.
-Uses 8, 4" Colson Wheels
-Without Banebots & Motors the base is only 6" high
-Each module is aprox. 5x5x5"
-Notched corners will allow it to climb ramps at an angle.
-8 fps., rotated by (2 or 1?) globe motors.
-Weight = ??? (I estimate 50 lbs.)

It’s a work in progress. I hope to make the modules a bit narrower, and I still need to figure out a good chain path to rotate the modules.

It should be pretty simple to build; seeing how it would only need 1 axel and two miter gears to be machined per module. Of course the BB's would require new carrier plates...

Comments and input appreciated.

Re: pic: Dual Wheel Swerve-Drive
 

We initially planned something like this when we were first prototyping our worm-swerve drive. We then found it easier to just do four wheels.

Re: pic: Dual Wheel Swerve-Drive
 

what exactly is your reasoning behind dual wheels per module? more traction? or the simplicity of not having any chain in the module?

any way you'll definetely need both globes to hauls those things in circles

Re: pic: Dual Wheel Swerve-Drive
 

I still don't think you can go up ramps corner first (or very well at all with that low ground clearance, but that's a different matter). If you lead with a corner, you're going to lose contact with one (or both) of your adjacent corner wheels.
Say you lead with your "north" corner, then you will lose contact with your east and/or west corners as you go up the incline.
If your CG is low enough, and your base stable enough, with enough torque in each module, this might not be a problem, it would just be a bit scary (and possibly arc depending on how you steer it).

Re: pic: Dual Wheel Swerve-Drive
 

Not having any chain is a part of it. Removing the chain also makes the modules much shorter, which decreases the side loads on the axels. This eliminates the need for a delrin bearing at the bottom of each module.

That’s why I want to make them narrower. My reasoning is that if I make them narrow enough (say 3") I won't have to do any dragging at all - It'll be just like having four wheels - but with a groove in the middle of each one!