SpudFiles

For a couple weeks I have been trying to come up with the most effective piston and this is what I came up with. The only diffrence is that on a normal piston that air is realised behind the piston and since the pressure difference it slides over in attempt to equal the pressure. But the problem I see with that design is that it is still limited to the speed of what ever you have exhausting it (ex: sprikler valve, ball valve). But I think that my design will work better because the air oppisite of the chamber is not ran through a smaller opening. Enough talk know here is a colored key for the components in the pictures.

Color
Green= 3" Fittings (Elbow, Coupling, Cap, and Tee)
Red= 3" Sch 40 Pipe
Pink= Electrical Solenoid
Brown= Piston Body
Gray= Rubber Face fastened to face of Piston body
Yellow= 3"x1.5" Bushing
White= 1.5" Sch 40 Pipe
Purple= Bolts to keep the piston from coming out

Light Blue= Low Pressure
Blue= Higher Pressure

Here is a parts list.


Step One: No pressure in chamber/ Solenoid Off


Step Two: Chamber is pressurizing.../ Solenoid Off


Step Three: Chamber filled to desired pressure/ Soleniod On


Step Four: Chamber pressure pushing piston back/ Solenoid On


Step Five: Pressure pushes piston over and air realeased into barrel/ Projectile pushed out of barrel/ Solenoid On


Step Six: All air is realeased through barrel/ Solenoid On


Process is repeated by pushing piston back into place then start at Step One.

By posting I want you to tell me if you see any flaws or improvments needed in the design. Please also tell me how you think the overall design will work. If there is anything else you would like to say feel free to say it.

...That's going to just smash those bolts! If "piston slap" wasn't already enough of a problem, just imagain how this is going to be! This could be redemied by putting an air pocket there - it'd act as a spring... but this may defeat the porpose.

You'll also need a fairly heavy-duty solenoid - you'r going to need about 70 lbs force to pull it out of the piston. (just an estimate, but within a factor of 2) And don't make the pin wimpy - it'd be a pain if it sheared off.
I recomend using something else... maybe a pnematic system.

I'm also not shure of how well this will seal. You may have to use o-rings, not just your generic rubber flaps.

I was thinking, wouldnt you just use a spring on the inside, behind the piston somehow to make sure those piston pins dont get ripped out?

In fact thats whats most people do. The reason I didnt want to use any thing behind it is because it would slow the piston. I decided to just build a typical T piston with a spring return.

Oh ok, I was just concerned about the screws/nails being torn out. Hope it turns out well (if you build one)