Well last year I made the first version of my current parachute deployment system. There are virtually no external parts, it's light (just 48 grams without parachute), and it hasn't failed me yet. I thought it was rather unique until I saw Air Command's video of their system, which is fairly similar.
I'm not much for computer animations, so I just took a bunch of pictures.
Reliable timer release
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Reliable timer release
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- The nose cone is permanently attached to the base of the system with braided fishing line. It has open cell foam inside to act as a spring. The parachute is attached to a loop of string on the base with a simple lark's head knot.
- DSCI0050.JPG (88.76 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- A piece of PET is used to jam the gears of the timer. It runs through a hole in the wall and gets pulled out at launch.
- DSCI0042(2).jpg (39.84 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- The plate is made out of plywood about 1/4" thick. It is turned on a lathe to be a precise fit, but careful sanding would probably be fine, too. It is gooped in place, and a little more than 1/16" sticks above the PET. The nose cone fits on very precisely and comes off easily.
- DSCI0049.JPG (32.16 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- DSCI0038(2).jpg (31.87 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- A piece of wire with a hooked end is used to pull the elastics through a hole in the plywood and onto the timer.
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- DSCI0041(2).jpg (31.71 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- My payload is an MD-80 clone and a perfectflight alt15k on a frame made of popsicle sticks. The altimeter and camera are easily removable.
- DSCI0045.JPG (87.58 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- DSCI0046.JPG (87.53 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- The payload friction-fits into the payload bay
- DSCI0044(2).jpg (35.99 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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- It friction-fits into a sleeve attached to the rocket
- DSCI0047.JPG (92.65 KiB) Viewed 195 times
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Re: Reliable timer release
Very Nice! Thanks for sharing.
Best - W
Best - W
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Re: Reliable timer release
Would this be the same system you use on your recent 1000+ foot launches?
That's really impressive that you have managed to break 1000 feet without resorting to all of the fancy technology that people have been trying to use for years and have failed. You better be careful because you're going to make everyone jealous! LOL!
Great work!
That's really impressive that you have managed to break 1000 feet without resorting to all of the fancy technology that people have been trying to use for years and have failed. You better be careful because you're going to make everyone jealous! LOL!
Great work!
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Re: Reliable timer release
Yes, this is the system I have been using on all my recent launches. I think the key to a reliable mechanical release is simplicity. And I don't think you can make any electronic system lighter than a simple mechanical one like mine. I think the advantages of fancy technology are that it can be easier to make it dependable, and they can have greater ease of use. I just finished my second year of electronic systems engineering, so I'm sure I'll be trying out some more high tech methods in the not-too-distant future. For now, though, I'm really happy with this system.U.S. Water Rockets wrote:Would this be the same system you use on your recent 1000+ foot launches?
That's really impressive that you have managed to break 1000 feet without resorting to all of the fancy technology that people have been trying to use for years and have failed. You better be careful because you're going to make everyone jealous! LOL!
Great work!
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Re: Reliable timer release
Alex,
Do you have a timer on the boosters as well as one on the sustainer?
Do you have a timer on the boosters as well as one on the sustainer?
Tim Chen
Captain, Team Enterprise
Captain, Team Enterprise
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Re: Reliable timer release
Yes, the booster has it's own timer. The parachute just sits on top of one of the bottles making up the booster, and long elastic runs over top of it and to a timer on the side of the bottle. I don't care about the aerodynamics of the booster since it travels such a short distance, so it's a really simple set up.Tim Chen wrote:Alex,
Do you have a timer on the boosters as well as one on the sustainer?