Re: How do those winch-loaded shooters work?
 

I suggest you give it a try, before you incorporate the idea into your final robot design. Shouldn't be too hard to make a prototype?

Re: How do those winch-loaded shooters work?
 

Parts on order to test this weekend!

It just seems like a lot of weight to add to use an AndyMark shifter mechanism. If it is just some amount of drag, we can get a bigger torsion spring.

Re: How do those winch-loaded shooters work?
 

I should have mentioned earlier that our dog gear release was only based on the supershifters. For the dogs we used lovejoy connectors found in the kit a few years back. The rest was improvised from what we had around. It was messy though, and I think a pneumatically actuated rachet might be a better way to go.

Re: How do those winch-loaded shooters work?
 

Page 1440 on McMaster may be of interest to you. ;)

Re: How do those winch-loaded shooters work?
 

We are trying using the ratchet from a ratchet strap and half the handle. Has a nice linear slide to disengage and can hold ~1000 lbs according to the box rating.

Re: How do those winch-loaded shooters work?
 

Team 3135, Robotic Colonels, F.W.Parker - Chicago IL

We are looking for cheaper ways to have a programmed windup with instant release of tension at any point in the wind up cycle (no gate latches, thank you). This way we can control the strength of shots in programming
We also want the winder scheme to quickly transition from release to starting next pull cycle without wasting time going through 180 degrees of rotation at a slow RPM.
Finally, we want ALL the energy stored sent to the kicker, not wasted on spinning up some freewheeling masses or linkages that remain attached to the tensioning cable after release. It should be like with a crossbow, where only the string's mass is added on to the mass of the arrow being accelerated.
We are prototyping such a scheme now & should be firing kicks off by Friday.

-RRLedford