pic: Team 968's robot revealed!

[Bob A]

Originally Posted by _GP_

if you look there is actually three... another one in the back... then look at what the arm is attached to.. you see two shiny aluminium pieces coming down towards each other at an angle.

So you raise that up near the bar, jack yourself up with the pistons, the aluminum rods will lock, retact piston and you hang

hope you can understand what i tried to describe

Actually, there are four main pistons firing downward. The two on top of the back frame are used for getting up onto the platform. We just drive the front end up the side (yeah...it really can be done), and then we lower the pistons raise the back end and drive forward, retracting the pistons once the rear tires are over the HDPE.

Once the robot is on the top level, we release the 'elevators' (the red portion of the upright structure). The second set of pistons, located between the elevators, then raises the robot so that the (aluminum) 'gate latches' lock on. Retract the piston and we're done!

With a little practice, the whole proceedure takes only a few seconds and is a kick to watch! Too bad you can't see the two small pistons attached to the transmission! Now that's fun!!!