pic: 2530 Shooter Final Prototype

[Nate Laverdure]

This picture is in reference to this thread. The linked video is helpful in trying to understand the design

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

Not sure if I fully understand this design. Do the two shorter cylinders at the end extend first and reach an equilibrium state with the center cylinder, which then extends at an accelerated rate because of the force applied by the other two cylinders?

It looks like the housing of the long cylinder, and the rods of the two shorter cylinders, are all threaded into the underside of the white plastic plate. The rod of the long cylinder is free to move through the white plastic plate, and it ends inside the tennis ball. When the shooter is triggered, all cylinders extend simultaneously. Relative to the floor, the tennis ball moves at a velocity equal to (white plastic plate w/r/t floor)+(tennis ball w/r/t white plastic plate).