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Design Project List 2000 Dr. Donald L. Goddard PhD PE

The following list of design project ideas is copyrighted by Dr. Donald L. Goddard. Academic use of these project ideas is encouraged provided appropriate credit is given. Incorporation into other acadmeic works can be arranged. Acknowledgement is due to Dr. Sumon Sinha for contributing the basic ideas for 2 landing gear projects and the slat retractor project.

Adjustable Car Door Hinge System...........................................2 Adjustable Glasses Frames .........................................................3 Adjustable Wrench ......................................................................3 Adult Tricycle................................................................................3 Air Cannon.....................................................................................3 Amphibious All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Adaptations..............3 Amphibious Recreational Vehicle Adaptations.......................3 Angle Head Drive for Power Screwdriver or Drill ....................4 Arbalest or Ballista .......................................................................4 Automatic Hitch Pin .....................................................................4 Automatic Rifle Bolt Handle........................................................4 Automobile Brake Augmentation...............................................4 Automobile Stacker......................................................................4 Automotive Baby Restraint for Breast Feeding.......................4 Axle conversion for "Free-Wheel-Towing" of Car..................4 Back-Hoe Bucket Ejector.............................................................4 Ballistic Coefficient Calculator For firearms hobbyists ...........5 Battering Ram Resistant Door.....................................................5 Bed Warmer...................................................................................5 Belt Drive for Mower-Tractor......................................................5 Bi-directional Lock Mechanism..................................................5 Bicycle Crank to Shaft Attachment............................................5 Bicycle Drive Train .......................................................................5 Bicycle Headlight Powered by Gas Light..................................5 Bicycle High Pressure Vulcanizing.............................................5 Bicycle Lock System.....................................................................5 Bicycle Transmission Design......................................................6 Blowgun Dart for Fishing ............................................................6 Blowgun-Rifle ................................................................................6 Blowgun Shooting Gallery...........................................................6 Boat Air Bags to Restore Buoyancy..........................................6 Boat Tiller Holding Device ..........................................................6 Boat Trailer with Buoyancy.........................................................6 Boat Trailer with Extendible Tongue..........................................6 Boat Trailer with Winch-Out Capability....................................6 Bottoming Rollers for RVs..........................................................6 Breath Heat Exchanger for Winter Camping.............................6 Built in Boat Propulsion...............................................................7 Bungee Descent System..............................................................7 Cable Bridge...................................................................................7 Cable-in-Sheath Lube Injector....................................................7 Can Crusher...................................................................................7 Car Side Bumpers ..........................................................................7 Cellar Door Counter Balance Mechanism.................................7 Centrifugal Clutch Design ...........................................................7 Chair for Heavy Persons..............................................................7 Chamber Block for Guns ..............................................................7 Chimney Assist for Wood Stoves .............................................8 Cold Weather Chimney................................................................8 Compost Agitator and Aerator...................................................8 Constant Force Load Binder.......................................................8 Crosswind Anemometer for Shooting .......................................8

Curb Climber Attachment for Wheelchair.................................8 Disassemblable Gun Safe.............................................................8 Disk Type Parking Brake for Automobiles................................8 Doggie Doo Disposer (Portable Pooch Poop Packer).............8 Electric Car Air Conditioner.........................................................8 Electric Dog Brush for Shedding Dogs .....................................9 Electric Jack....................................................................................9 Electric Lawn Mower Mechanism..............................................9 Electric Winch Mounting & Power System..............................9 Electric Winch Snowplow Lift Attachment...............................9 Electrical Jacket .............................................................................9 Energy Storage System for a Human Powered Vehicle ...........9 Engine Crane..................................................................................9 Engine Starter................................................................................9 Flagpole, Antenna Mast or Bird House Support .....................9 Fluorescent Light Installer.........................................................10 Folding Bicycle............................................................................10 Folding Components for a Bicycle ...........................................10 Folding Motorcycle or Bicycle Helmet....................................10 Freeze Proof Water Piping.........................................................10 Functional Shutters for Hurricane Force Winds....................10 Garage Door Balancer Take-Up Reel........................................10 Gas Spring Replacement for "Hatch Back" Cars ....................10 Gear Box for an Escalator...........................................................10 Generator Exhaust Heat Exchanger..........................................10 Geneva Mechanism....................................................................11 Grinder Head With Minimal Interference ................................11 Ground Effect Assisted Suspension........................................11 Ground Grabber for Vehicle Winch..........................................11 Gun Display Case and Safe .......................................................11 Hand Installed Sights for Rifles ................................................11 Height Controlled Toilet ............................................................11 High Powered Rifle Bullet Stop.................................................11 High Pressure Hand Pump for Airguns...................................11 House Elevation System............................................................11 Home Hydro Therapy Tank.......................................................11 House Support Brackets ............................................................12 Hunter's Hoist..............................................................................12 Hunter's Transport, Plus............................................................12 Hunter's Tree Stand....................................................................12 Ice Chest That Folds ..................................................................12 Landing Gear Retraction Modification ....................................12 Landing Gear for Light Plane.....................................................12 Laser Grenade..............................................................................12 Lawn Mower Automated to Cut Runway or Fairway............12 Lightweight Rental Trailer.........................................................12 Linkage compounded Come-Along .........................................13 Linkage Type Boat Lifter Trailer...............................................13 Low Frequency "Rocking Chair" Mechanism........................13 Lug Nut Lock Remover..............................................................13 Magician's Stage Gun.................................................................13 Manual Automotive Window Mechanism.............................13

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Manual Elevator Positioner Escape Mechanism....................13 Measuring Dispenser for Spices and Condiments ...............13 Mechanical Wood Splitter.........................................................13 Mechanics Wrenches Improvements ......................................13 Mine Sweeper..............................................................................14 Motor Home Boat AND Car Trailer..........................................14 Motorcycle Shoulder Helmet ....................................................14 Multi-Amperage 220 V Outlet ...................................................14 Multi-Pulley, Rapid Rigging Block...........................................14 No Fizz Loss Pop Bottle .............................................................14 Non-Clogging Gutter System....................................................14 Off Road Vehicle Bumper...........................................................14 Oven Racks that Move ..............................................................14 Patio Crane for Patio Apartments .............................................14 People Balancer...........................................................................14 Pipe Crawler.................................................................................14 Pneumatic Winch System..........................................................15 Pocket Container.........................................................................15 Porch Roof for Hurricanes .........................................................15 Portable "Crate" Handler...........................................................15 Portable Allergy Air Filter..........................................................15 Portable Paper Towel Dispenser...............................................15 Portable Pocket Sized Bidet.......................................................15 Power Boot Scraper....................................................................15 Power Steering System Trim Mechanism................................15 Pregnancy Support .....................................................................16 Prestressed Concrete Post Casting System............................16 Pruning Pole Improvements ......................................................16 Pump Handle Linkage.................................................................16 Quick Detachable Lawn Mower Blade.....................................16 Re-greaseable Front Hub Design .............................................16 Recliner Rocker Mechanism......................................................16 Reloading Sizing Die...................................................................16 Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) Recovery System................17 Retirement Community Vehicle .................................................17 Rifle Bipod with Adjustment for Height and Tilt ...................17 Rifle Magazine.............................................................................17 Rifle Rear Sight............................................................................17 Rifle Trigger Mechanism............................................................17 Rigid Forend for a Pump Action Rifle ......................................17 Roof Workers Crane...................................................................17 Rotating Seal for Space Station................................................17 Runaway Wind Turbine Emergency Stopping System.........18 Safe Tent Heater..........................................................................18 Safer Oven Door..........................................................................18 Safety Trailer Hitch.....................................................................18 Scooter Luggage.........................................................................18 Sealed Breech Revolver.............................................................18 Seat Belt Snugger........................................................................18 Second Chance Fastener ...........................................................18 Safe" Firing Pin Retro-Fit ...........................................................18

Self-Parking Shower Head .........................................................19 Sewage Check Valve...................................................................19 Shock Absorbing Bicycle Hub .................................................19 Shoe and Boot Dryer..................................................................19 Shopping Cart That Carries Shopper.......................................19 Shuttered Muzzle Brake .............................................................19 Slat Retractor...............................................................................19 Small Engine Reduced Speed Output ......................................19 Snagless Duct Joint ....................................................................19 Soft Surface Fastener System...................................................19 Solid Fuel Motor.........................................................................20 Solid Fuel Starter.........................................................................20 Spill-proof Cup ............................................................................20 Stand-up Wheel Chair................................................................20 Steering Angle Indicator............................................................20 Steering Angle Limiter................................................................20 Streamlined Truck Cab Door.....................................................20 Swords to Plowshares Firearm Conversions ..........................20 Table Leg Bracing System.........................................................20 Tail Gate Lift.................................................................................20 Tandem Bicycle in "Tail Gunner" Configuration ...................20 Temperature Moderating Coffee Cup......................................20 Terrorist Resistant Lighting ......................................................21 Theatrical Special Effects and Comedy Devices ....................21 Thermal Activated Clothing......................................................21 Time Capsule and Storage Vault...............................................21 Tire Tread Wear Rate Indicator................................................21 Toilet Paper Roll Launcher........................................................21 Toilet Seat With Height Adjustment .......................................21 Trailer Brakes ...............................................................................21 Trailer Towing System...............................................................21 Transmission Jack Adapter.......................................................22 Trunk Rack...................................................................................22 Tube Squeezer.............................................................................22 Tumble Abrasive Cleaner-Polisher...........................................22 Twistable 4-Wheel Drive Frame................................................22 Two Length, Quick Change, Snow Shovel Handle................22 Un-interruptible Power Supply .................................................22 V-belt Tightener..........................................................................22 Vacuum Chamber for Manufactured Housing........................22 Vacuum Degassing System for Dry-Cleaned Clothes ...........23 Vacuum Drying System..............................................................23 Variable Ground Clearance Suspension ..................................23 Walker with Adjustable Legs....................................................23 Wall Walker.................................................................................23 Water Heater Auxiliary Unit ......................................................23 Wet Toilet Paper Dispenser......................................................23 Window Grating Latch...............................................................23 Windshield Wiper Mechanism.................................................23 Zero External Power, Remote Thermostat System for Heating Systems ........................................................................................24

Adjustable Car Door Hinge System

A frequent source of complaints and quality control problems for automobiles pertains to adjustment of the alignment of

the doors. Alignment by clamp bolts requires special clamping plates, is time consuming to adjust and is subject to loosening and slippage. Design a system of "deformable" hinges and incorporate a

means to deform them or design an appropriate tool to deform them. The design must consider all the necessary positioning of the door and binding of the hinges.

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Adjustable Glasses Frames

When ordinary bifocal or trifocal lenses are used in glasses, it is necessary to position the head so that the line of vision passes through the portion of the lens which provides the appropriate correction for the distance to the object to be examined. For many purposes a compromise position of the lenses in front of the eyes can be found. Such a compromise results in wearers of bifocal lenses tipping their head back to examine an object close up in order to use the lower, close focusing lens. In some situations such a head back position is entirely impractical. When working on certain types of machinery (e. g. under the instrument panel of an automobile) it is impossible to get the head into an appropriate position and tilt it back to use the close focusing lens. Design a practical mechanism into a glasses frame which can be used to shift the lenses so that the desired focal length portion can be positioned directly in front of the pupil of the eye. The mechanism should not be cumbersome and should not be esthetically objectionable or obvious. It is also desirable that the mechanism should provide precise repeatable positioning, be simple, be resistant to damage, and should lend itself to being produced economically.

Adjustable Wrench

For this project you should assume you have been commissioned by Niemann Marcus to design an adjustable wrench approximately equivalent to an 8 inch "Crescent Wrench". Your design is to be superior in every way possible, except cost is not to be a major concern. Such features as "corrosion resistant super alloy" as a material will be considered a real plus. An easier adjustment mechanism, a locking adjustment, more comfortable grip, smaller jaws for tight fits, etc. should be definite design goals.

Adult Tricycle

Current adult tricycles offer transportation for only a single occupant. Design an adult tricycle (or quadracycle) which will transport two adults, allow both to pedal, but still be readily usable by a single occupant. In order to produce a saleable maintainable design, the design should utilize standard bicycle or small machinery

components wherever possible. The design must offer a range of pedaling ratios such that the lowest gear has at least 3 times the mechanical advantage of the highest. A differential mechanism must be used in the driving axle to give 2 wheel drive, (e.g. a differential axle of a self propelled lawn mower). Your design should be as light or lighter than current designs and support at least a 350 lb. passenger load. Thorough fatigue analysis is required for any aluminum members which support the passengers.

Air Cannon

\For various celebrations, noise making is considered appropriate. Unfortunately when fireworks are used there is serious risk of injury or fire. A suitable (and impressive) source of explosive noise can be obtained using compressed air. A two liter plastic bottle fitted with a tire valve and pumped up to 100 psi or more can produce noise equivalent to an "M-80". Design a "cannon" which produces noise by the sudden release of compressed air. The design should provide for pumping (possibly using a high pressure cycle pump) and must provide protection from accidental discharge while pumping when someone's ear may be close enough to sustain damage.

Amphibious All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Adaptations

Though none have achieved widespread acceptance, a few amphibious all terrain / multipurpose vehicles have been built. These have usually consisted of a car which "swims" or "flotation collars" fitted to existing ATV's/. A frequent problem with land vehicles which "swim" has been that the term "swim" has been used to characterize the very marginal propulsion achieved in water. Special problems result from, on-land suspension systems which are subject to damaged by water. Design suitable mechanisms to accomplish any of the following: a. Road gear retraction mechanisms which will allow essentially standard suspension components to be used for amphibious application without suffering from temporary or long term immersion. Such a design should consider the necessity of adequate streamlining so as to prevent unnecessary drag when the craft is running in water. b. Modify conventional road gear for use involving

extensive water immersion. Devise methods sealing drive train components within a hull while allowing projection of their ground engaging components. These approaches must address the problem that water leakage through seals must not result in damage to bearings and other sensitive components. c. Flotation deployment mechanisms which allow positioning of flotation components so that they are out of the way on land yet provide adequate flotation and stability in the water. A deployable flotation design should consider the need to keep land use suspension components protected and, must make special allowance for keeping appropriate trim on the craft fore and aft since most land vehicle chassis arrangements have a predominance of weight at one end or the other. "Out of the way on land", must be taken to include the necessary high ground clearance requirements of ATV's. d. Providing for propulsion in two different environments is difficult. It is desirable to utilize a single "prime mover". Even if two different systems are used (e. g. conventional land drive train system and out board motors), it would be necessary to provide for deployment of the water propulsion system after launching. Design a system for meeting the dual propulsion needs. Although the above comments mention pontoon floatation systems consideration of more conventional hull flotation systems should not be ignored. An existing Jeep type vehicle or other land based ATV might be used for a reference, an existing amphibious ATV design might be considered for significant redesign, or a new amphibious ATV design might be attempted.

Amphibious Recreational Vehicle Adaptations

Though none have achieved widespread acceptance, a few amphibious camper / recreational vehicles have been built. These have usually consisted of a travel trailer / houseboat combination. Special problems result from the necessity to provide stable flotation , on road suspension systems which are not damaged by water, and propulsion systems suitable to on land and water environments. Design suitable mechanisms to accomplish any of the following: a. Road gear retraction

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mechanisms which will allow essentially standard suspension components to be used for amphibious application without suffering from temporary or long term immersion. Such a design should consider the necessity of adequate streamlining so as to prevent unnecessary drag when the craft is running in water. c. Pontoon deployment mechanisms which allow positioning of pontoons so that they are out of the way on land yet provide adequate flotation and stability in the water. A pontoon design should consider the need to keep land use suspension components protected and, if used for motor homes, must make special allowance for keeping appropriate trim on the craft fore and aft since most motor home chassis arrangements have a predominance of weight at one end or the other. d. Providing for propulsion in two different environments is difficult. It is desirable to utilize a single "prime mover" in the case of a motor home. Even if two different systems are used (e. g. conventional land drive train system and out board motors), it would be necessary to provide for deployment of the water propulsion system after launching. Design a system for meeting the dual propulsion needs. Although the above comments mention pontoon floatation systems consideration of more conventional hull flotation systems should not be ignored. Some of the existing houseboat / trailers have used a hull system.

Angle Head Drive for Power Screwdriver or Drill

One of the most inconvenient features of power tools is trying to use them in odd corners. Design an angle head drive which can be adjusted for angle. The mechanism should allow use of a power screwdriver or drill when the head is offset at some angle relative to the motor and main reduction gearing. The angle drive should occupy a minimum of space.

Arbalest or Ballista

A crossbow is an arbalest but it has the problem that the bow inconveniently projects out to the side. One substitute for the bow is rubber, but this is prone to force variation with temperature and deterioration due to rot. Design an

arbalest using a solid spring mechanism which does not have these difficulties.

Automatic Hitch Pin

When attaching farm equipment to a tractor's drawbar, difficulty is frequently encountered, due to rough ground etc. Stopping the tractor and setting the brakes with the tractor in the exact right position so that the operator can dismount and insert the pin can be difficult and time consuming. Design an inexpensive device which can perform the task of inserting and withdrawing the hitch pin from the operator's seat. The device can be inexpensive to mass produce or inexpensive to "cobble up" from discarded equipment parts. The specification must include that this device be resistant to damage while the tractor is in normal farm usage.

Automatic Rifle Bolt Handle

Virtually all automatic and semi-automatic rifle mechanisms provide for direct manual operation of the breech block so that the mechanism can be initially loaded, unloaded and jammed cartridges can be cleared. The most common approach is to have a handle connected to the bolt or carrier projecting outside of the mechanism. This is simple but results in rapidly moving parts outside the mechanism where injury can occur to an improperly placed hand or other body part or other items can be hit, broken or thrown. Guns such as the civilian Colt and its military counterpart the M-16 accomplish the task by having a handle which when pulled back will encounter the bolt carrier and pull it fully back and a separate handle which will push the carrier forward by increments. Design a bolt handle mechanism which will remain stationary until activated. When activated it must latch onto the bolt where ever the bolt is encountered and remain rigidly attached to the bolt until the bolt is in an "appropriate" parking location, at which time it's release is automatic. A large bolt handle which folds flat would be a desirable feature.

Automobile Brake Augmentation

Design a system to melt ice or apply a traction enhancing agent (e.g. sand) in front of the wheels of an auto when the brakes are applied.

Automobile Stacker

In urban settings where space is at a premium, some residents find themselves with two cars and only one parking space at the alley. To alleviate this problem, design a mechanism which will allow one or both cars to be positioned so that two cars can be parked in the space normally required for one. One cars might be raised off the ground so that another car can be parked underneath, or both cars might be "stacked on end" or at an angle. Moving one car so as to drive the other is acceptable (as in the case of a 1 lane driveway), but consideration should be given to the concern for access to the car interior, possibilities for using either car without moving the other, safety, tamper resistance, etc.

Automotive Baby Restraint for Breast Feeding

Current baby restraints interfere with the natural process of breast feeding a baby. Design a baby restraint which will allow breast feeding of an infant while keeping the mother and baby adequately secured. Existing standards should be used as a guideline but not be considered absolute since apparently those who developed the standard were not particularly sensitive to the need to maintain this natural activity of human life.

Axle conversion for "Free-Wheel-Towing" of Car

Cars are often towed behind motorhomes or other vehicles on a regular basis. Design a "locking hub" adaptation for a car which will allow the car to be towed without the axles driving the transmission.

Back-Hoe Bucket Ejector

When back-hoes are being used to excavate sticky soils, much time and energy are wasted, not to mention wear and tear on the equipment, trying to get the bucket to disgorge its load. Design a mechanism which will eject "sticky" soil from the back-hoe bucket. Special consideration must be given to making sure the system is rugged enough for general use.

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Ballistic Coefficient Calculator For firearms hobbyists

One of the most important pieces of information for the performance of their guns is the ballistic coefficient of the bullets that they shoot. This piece of information is often not available in any easy reliable manner. All of the necessary parameters for calculating this coefficient are readily available except the "form factor". Design a mechanism which will accurately estimate the form factor or design a mechanism which will more directly measure the projectile's air resistance. Provide a computer program as well as formulas which will allow the direct computation of the ballistic coefficient from measured parameters.

Battering Ram Resistant Door

People living in high crime areas have cause to be concerned about someone battering down the door to their house with a hand held battering ram, (e.g. violent criminals, misdirected police swat team, BATF, etc.). Some time advantage is gained by using a steel door, but most of these are mounted with conventional hardware designed to resist more subtle access attempts such as lock picking. Rams work on the basis of impact converting the energy of the ram into high forces due to the short stopping distance when the ram hits the door. A highly elastic or "rubber" door and/or mounting hardware would present a substantial improvement in ram resistance. Design a door to resist such violent attempts at entry.

Bed Warmer

Due to the controversy over ELF induced cancer risk, some people are concerned about exposure to extra low frequency electromagnetic radiation associated with close proximity of electric wires. Furthermore, standard electric blankets provide no special ability to carry away moisture from the skin. Design a device to circulate warmed air under the covers of a bed. The design must consider quantity of heat to be delivered, distribution, noise level, and safety.

Belt Drive for Mower-Tractor

V-belt drives on automotive engines typically last for 50,000 miles or more and several years whereas v-belt drives on

yard and garden equipment typically fails 1 or 2 times a season if more than lightly used. If general references such as Machinery's Handbook or Mark's Handbook or specific references such as design guides from Dayco or Gates rubber companies are examined and compared to the yard & garden equipment, the mystery is solved. Most yard & garden equipment so severely violates pulley size and back flex guide lines that one is tempted to guess that it might have been specifically designed to destroy v-belts. Examine the v-belt drive design of a 15+ horse power yard & garden tractor, identify its weak points and then redesign the system to use belts so that they last. Consider the possibility of clutching belts by moving major components (e.g. the engine) and be sure to design the clutching system so that there will be no creep when the clutch is released. If reverse is obtained through the belt drive system it must be able to function at full power. It should move load not just reposition the vehicle.

Bi-directional Lock Mechanism

Often when a lock is encountered it is unclear as to which direction to turn the mechanism to lock or unlock it. This is frequently the case on car door locks which may always turn clockwise or counter clockwise on some brands and may always turn toward the free edge door on others. Devise a lock mechanism which will always unlock if the key is turned either way when it is locked and will also lock if it is unlocked and the key is turned either way.

Bicycle Crank to Shaft Attachment

Given the importance of minimizing both radial and axial runout of the chain rings of derailleur shifted bicycle, current methods of attachment leave much to be desired. Special problems exist due to the softness of cost-effective lightweight alloys. Design a method of attaching a lightweight chain ring assembly to the bicycle crankshaft so that it is both concentric and square with the shaft. A superior design will also address the issues of; tightness of the joint, ease of disassembly and reassembly, and repeatability of position of the reassembled parts.

Bicycle Drive Train

Design a bicycle drive train which eliminates the maintenance and mess associated with a chain by eliminating the chain. Performance must be comparable to a conventional 18 speed derailleur system.

Bicycle Headlight Powered by Gas Light

Getting a good bright light for riding a bicycle at night is difficult. Batteries are heavy and don't last long. Generators produce drag, wear tires, and produce weak light at low speed. Both the above solutions really aren't very bright. Adapt a gas light, to provide a bright light. Propane and liquid fuels might both be considered. Among the primary problems will be, protection from wind extinguishing the light, and keeping "g" loadings small enough if a mantle type lamp is used.

Bicycle High Pressure Vulcanizing

"Hot Patch" Kit Many cyclists no longer patch their inner tubes after a flat tire. Many have taken to carrying a spare tube and simply discarding the old tube which often has only a tiny thorn puncture. The reasons given are that: at pressures of 85 to 120 psi or more ordinary patches won't hold, and patch kits are expensive, heavy, difficult and time consuming to use. So called vulcanizing or "hot" patches are available at about one tenth the cost of a tube and will hold at pressures far in excess of ordinary patches. Design a simple lightweight patch kit for applying such patches. The kit should contain 2 standard hot patches of commonly available size and shapes. The entire kit should be considerably lighter and smaller than a spare inner tube. The kit should contain everything needed to perform the patching especially including reliable ignition. The kit should be rugged enough to survive inside a bicycle bag under rough usage for 2 years. The kit should be able to sell for a price less than the cost of 2 new inner tubes. The clamp used in patching must provide comparable clamping pressure to existing designs and withstand the necessary high temperatures without damage.

Bicycle Lock System

Stolen or stripped bicycles are a major problem for cyclists. Adequate locks leave much to be desired in convenience and weight. Design a lock system (add on

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or built in) which secures the wheels to the frame and fork, and allows for easy attachment of the bicycle to some substantial item (phone pole etc.) Consideration should be given to lock pins passing through frame members, etc. for built in designs. Passing cables, chains etc through the spokes of the wheels is not to be considered sufficiently convenient. Desirable features would include locking the crankset to the frame and preventing rotation of crankset, and wheels .

Bicycle Transmission Design

a continuously variable transmission for use on a bicycle. The transmission must have comparable weight and ratios to a conventional 18 speed derailleur system.

Blowgun Dart for Fishing

A blowgun has an interesting potential for the hunting of small game. In order to add fish to the list of possible game, devise a blowgun dart which will stick securely in a fish, and provide inflation to cause the fish to float. Consideration should be given to making this a suitable survival tool, size, weight and shelf life will be important factors.

Blowgun-Rifle

The blowgun is a simple and effective device for shooting darts, but could be improved so as to make it an even more practical device for dispatching garden pests, rats, squirrels, rabbits, birds etc.. The practical accuracy of a blowgun is largely limited by the lack of sights, a steady grip and a means for closely regulating the amount of air pressure used. Design a blowgun-rifle which addresses these and possibly other concerns of range and accuracy.

Blowgun Shooting Gallery

The blowgun is a low cost simple projectile device which is surprisingly easy to use with acceptable accuracy. As such, it lends itself to use as an entertainment device in a carnival midway game. The device also has certain associated risks since it is fundamentally a weapon. Design a carnival shooting gallery or major components for such a gallery. Consideration should be given to realistic moving targets which are self indicating (e.g. the target should fall,

break, or pop etc.) when hit. The devices must be able to be practically and safely serviced by low skilled operators. There is need to retain the ability of the darts to stick in a target for scoring purposes. There is need to provide mounting for the blowguns which will allow them to be naturally used without making it possible for some person of little or impaired judgement to dart someone's buttocks as a joke, not realizing the seriousness of the device.

Boat Air Bags to Restore Buoyancy

Some boats can fairly readily be made to float even when swamped by the addition of flotation. For others, particularly ballasted sailing craft, this safety feature is impractical. Design an "air bag" system which can be installed within the hull of such craft which can inflate and provide adequate buoyancy by filling areas within the boat which are normally required for other use. Aspects to consider should include: manual actuation, emergency manual inflation, automatic inflation if the boat submerges to a specific depth, the hazard of injuring or trapping someone below decks, optimum pressure for the inflation tank or inflation device.

Boat Tiller Holding Device

To Aid Tacking In small sailboats, the operator typically holds the tiller (control handle for the rudder) and the mainsheet (rope which controls the main sail). When tacking, (a zigzag course which allows progress into the wind) it is necessary to shift sides of the boat, avoid being hit by the boom on the bottom of the sail, and swap hands. This process could be greatly aided if the tiller could be momentarily held as the process is carried out. Design such a tiller holder.

Boat Trailer with Buoyancy

Boat launching ramps utilize the concept of running the trailer into the water until buoyancy of the boat assists launching or removal of the boat from the water. When the tow vehicle attempts to pull the trailer and boat out (a sometimes difficult or impossible task) the principle of an incline is being used to lift the load. Design a trailer which circumvents this process to a degree by increasing the buoyancy of the trailer. Consider the possibility of inflating

buoyant bladders from the exhaust of the vehicle or with stored or pumped air.

Boat Trailer with Extendible Tongue

When launching small boats, the driver of the tow vehicle often has great worry about exposing the vehicle to the effects of the water. Design an extendible trailer tongue which will allow the boat trailer to be much farther behind the tow vehicle when launching as compared to towing on the road. Consideration must be given to: the balance of the loaded trailer and tongue load, attachment of a tongue jack, safety of the system with respect to accidental extension while towing.

Boat Trailer with Winch-Out Capability.

A major problem for recreational boaters is pulling their boat out of the water at a typical boat launching ramp. Wet tires and slippery surfaces combined with breaking surface adhesion of the load and lifting the weight of the trailer and boat combine to make a situation where the tow vehicle can be easily damaged. Most boat trailers are equipped with a winch to load the boat on the trailer. Design a scheme which will allow the same winch to be used to pull the tow vehicle boat and trailer up the ramp for the initial difficult distance.

Bottoming Rollers for RVs

Because of the long overhang behind the rear axle on camping trailers and motorhomes, problems of bottoming can occur when the vehicle encounters a dip or ramp. To avoid solidly hanging the vehicle, small sturdy rollers are sometimes put on the frame to allow the frame to roll off of the impediment rather than suffer the damage associated with being dragged or worse yet, digging in if the vehicle is traveling backwards. Unfortunately such rollers tend to be quite rigid and can result in large impact forces to the frame. Design rollers which incorporate a spring element to lessen impact.

Breath Heat Exchanger for Winter Camping

When camping in the winter many people cannot remain warm enough because even if their sleeping bag provides perfect insulation, the loss of heat through breathing cold air is more than their metabolism will make up while sleeping.

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Design a suitable sleeping bag heat exchanger for breathing while backpack camping during the winter. High importance should be given to light weight and compactness while being carried. Attention should be paid to stoppage from frost accumulation, moisture drainage, resistance to interference while turning during sleep, and possible suffocation hazard.

Built in Boat Propulsion

Small sail boats must be moved out from the dock into the wind. Since such boats often lack a motor, the usual method involves a paddle or oars. Once under way the oars or paddle can readily become an obstacle and an annoyance. Design a system which can be built into the boat to provide adequate propulsion for putting out and docking small sail boats. Consideration should be given to: the system should not result in significant drag when under sail, a pump installed in a tube to provide a propelling jet of water, a folding propeller system, the need for fore and aft propulsion.

Bungee Descent System

In order to make rapid descent from a helicopter to the ground when there is insufficient space the military has developed means of repelling down ropes. This system works but has problems with speed safety and required skill levels. Design a system which could be considered for civilian and/or military applications which would allow the user/load to "Bungee" down to the ground. The objective is to have a system in which the payload/user can be dropped at the end of an elastic rope so that the velocity is essentially zero as the load/user reaches ground level. For the military this might have the added advantage of the user being able to make a last second change of mind followed by a rapid exit. Special consideration should be given to gauging distance to ground, getting the proper elasticity in the bungee, helicopter rise when load is released, automatic release mechanisms for loads as they reach ground level, deceleration of the bungee during snap back, etc.

Cable Bridge

In emergencies, natural disasters and military operations, it is often necessary to

establish a bridge for vehicles where none exists. One method of doing this can be to string cables across the obstacle and use some sort of pulley attached in place of or with the wheels of the vehicle. Propulsion then becomes a problem as the vehicle attempts to climb the cable sag. Devise such a bridge system giving special attention to load capacity and the drive system which allows the vehicle to travel the bridge.

Cable-in-Sheath Lube Injector

Certain control cables on cars (such as parking brake cables) or bicycles often fail due to lack of lubrication. These cables fail at locations where they pass through guide sheaths which become dry or rusty inside and abrasion weakens the cable until it breaks. These cables and their sheaths are often permanent assemblies which require extensive disassembly to lubricate. Devise a system of lubricating such cables (preferably grease) in place so as to reduce the lubrication time from on the order of an hour to the order of minutes.

Can Crusher

Many simple can crushers have been marketed. Virtually all have some sort of crude slider mechanism which tends to bind, accumulate residue from the cans, and, if lubricated, spread grease in undesired places. Using the principles of kinematics, design a can crusher based on a "straight-line" mechanism with pin type joints. The mechanism should be optimized in some manner to give high mechanical advantage in the first stage of the stroke when the can walls must be buckled and high mechanical advantage during the final stage of the stroke as the can becomes compact.

Car Side Bumpers

This has been a logical idea for decades but has never been successfully sold to the motoring public. Assuming that such a system could be successfully marketed, design a system of side bumpers which deals with the difficulties of getting past the doors and wheel wells of an automobile. This might be best done for a specific vehicle. Consider the possibility of a niche market for such an item with off-road vehicles.

Cellar Door Counter Balance Mechanism

Unlike ordinary doors to access a building, an outside cellar door is sometimes used to cover an outdoor cellar stairway entrance. Such a door is often placed at an angle of around 30 degrees from the horizontal and opens essentially upward. Because of the direction of opening, it is desirable to have a counterbalancing mechanism. Such a mechanism must take into consideration space limitations and dynamic effects, (e.g. a spring which might fling the door open would be unacceptable). Design and analyze a suitable door mechanism.

Centrifugal Clutch Design

a centrifugal clutch for a moped or scooter. Be prepared to show that your design has improvements over existing devices.

Chair for Heavy Persons

People who weigh more than the average person, often break normal chairs, either by causing earlier deterioration of joints and members or more dangerously by sudden catastrophic failure. Persons of considerable weight (100 kg.+) may also have need of other special features such as a large chair with no arms or arms which they won't become wedged between, and a chair which it is easy to get on and off of. Simply taking existing chair designs and reinforcing them may result in excessively heavy or esthetically offensive designs. Design a chair for heavy people which is light weight, stable, strong and convenient. Careful stress analysis is crucial to a proper design.

Chamber Block for Guns

One way to assure safety of a firearm is to block the chamber so that no cartridges can be loaded into the chamb er. At gun shows accidents have occurred due to careless individuals "testing the feeding mechanism" and more sinisterly by irresponsible "anti-gun terrorists" loading the guns in hopes of producing a dangerous incident. Such chamber blocks would be undesirable if they prevented examination of the gun bore. A highly desirable feature would be to permit the passage of light, or transparency of the block. It would also be required that the block not be damaging to the bore, either mechanically, chemically or by trapping

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damaging substances. A cheap, "few sizes fits all" device of this sort should be the objective.

Chimney Assist for Wood Stoves

Many chimneys used with wood stoves are poorly configured, causing the smoke to come back down to the ground before it adequately dispersed. This results in considerable annoyance to neighbors. Design a low initial cost, easy to install device which will reduce smoke return to the ground. Consider that in many cases the chimneys are not high enough to draw well, and roof interference is often the cause for the smoke stream's return to the ground. Another cause to be considered is the downwind low pressure along the chimney, which can pull the smoke down the side of the pipe.

Cold Weather Chimney

Modern chimneys are commonly made of galvanized and/or stainless steel with some insulation. Such chimneys, when used in cold climates, tend to suffer from condensation of the water vapor which results from the combustion of the fuel. The condensed water, which often contains other contaminants, then drips back down the chimney until it finds a leak path or returns to the combustion chamber where it accelerates corrosion of the system. Design a chimney which avoids condensation problems or deals with them successfully. Thermal expansion must be accommodated in the joints as well as high temperature structural stability in case of excessive exhaust gas temperatures. Exit condensation is a concern which must also be dealt with since the nature of ice formations there can obstruct the chimney.

Compost Agitator and Aerator

Home gardeners often like to use homemade organic compost. The most difficult part of making good compost can be turning the compost pile in order to aerate the pile to promote complete and proper decomposition by aerobic bacteria. Design a system, correctly scaled for home garden use, to automatically turn over and aerate compost. Design concepts considered should include non-electric systems for reasons of portability to "remote" locations and safety reasons. Drive mechanisms such as spring motors

and weight driven systems with escapements should be investigated as possibilities.

Constant Force Load Binder

Load binders are used to tighten chains, cables or ropes around loads on trucks, trailers and train cars to keep the load secure. Usually there is some settling of the load which causes the restraints to come loose. Design a load binder that will take up the slack in the restraint without substantial reduction in tension. Consider the possibilities of take-up mechanisms built into the vehicle as well as take-up mechanisms built into more conventional load binder devices. Be sure to consider how the load binder system is to be tightened up so as to avoid excessive time in applying the load binders.

Crosswind Anemometer for Shooting

Range Judging the "crosswind component" of the wind is a skill which target shooters need to develop. As an aid to this, design a simple calibrated mechanism which will measure the component of wind velocity across an outdoor rifle or archery range. The mechanism should be simple to build if intended for user fabrication or simple to install if intended for commercial fabrication. It should accommodate easy repair or considerable damage tolerance to account for being hit by stray projectiles.

Curb Climber Attachment for Wheelchair

Ordinary curb stones and similar obstacles can pose a substantial barrier to wheel chairs. While efforts are being made to eliminate these problems in the construction of public works, they will still exist elsewhere. Design a method to get a wheel chair over a single such obstacle. A better design will accommodate the case where the "ground level" is not just a simple step change, but may be the same or different height and/or slope.

Disassemblable Gun Safe

Many gun owners are currently buying "light duty" safes to store their firearms in. Although not as massive as smaller vaults and safes, the size of the contents causes the safes to be of considerable mass and bulk. Design a "disassemblable" gun safe that can be moved in pieces and will have

comparable strength to "one piece" welded units. Due to the lack of one piece welded construction, design of corners and joints will be a primary area of challenge. Each component of the disassembled safe should be safely movable, up a narrow flight of stairs, by hand, without additional tools by an average woman.

Disk Type Parking Brake for Automobiles

One of the obstacles for using disk brakes on all 4 wheels of cars is the lack of a satisfactory disk parking brake mechanism. Vehicles which use 4 wheel disk brakes often have an auxiliary drum brake mechanism for parking. Design a mechanism which can be used with disk brakes to provide an adequate brake which overcomes difficulties such as: adjusting to disk position, obtaining an adequate grip force, not seizing on a hod brake disk, not causing a slow cooling spot which warps the disk, provides a suitable emergency brake, etc.

Doggie Doo Disposer (Portable Pooch Poop Packer)

Various schemes are used by conscientious pet owners to clean up after their dogs or cats. Various forms of so-called "poop scoopers" are used to pick up this odious material but few if any have provided for it's transport. Design a device which will pick up and provide for temporary transport of this material, unobtrusively. Consideration must be given to leak tight transport and avoiding contamination of the exterior of the device when picking up feces.

Electric Car Air Conditioner

Air conditioning of electric cars poses a serious problem. Since electric cars are primarily being proposed for urban areas and air conditioning is more required for these uses, this is a priority. One approach to the high energy demands of air conditioning might be to use the filling station approach in which the user stops at a filling station and fills up the air conditioner with "cold stuff". Candidates for "cold stuff" could be ice or other phase change cold storage material. Consideration should be given to materials such as dry ice, liquid nitrogen, liquid air etc.. Analysis of this "ice box"

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approach to auto air conditioning should also address the level of insulation that lightweight car construction could achieve. It should be noted that some materials such as ice can undergo two phase changes to absorb heat while others only undergo one.

Electric Dog Brush for Shedding Dogs

Shedding of hair by pets is an annoying problem, but many pet owners are too busy to give their animal the amount of grooming which would be required to control the problem. Design a powered brush which will be an effective pet grooming aid for this problem. Special attention will be required for the safety and comfort of the pet and operator, and noise control will be a priority.

Electric Jack

Design a jack which can be plugged into the cigarette lighter or clipped onto the battery of an automobile to raise the car.

Electric Lawn Mower Mechanism

With increasing concerns about urban air pollution by lawn mowers as well as other upkeep and pollution problems of such internal combustion driven machines, considerable attention is being given to battery powered electric lawn mowers. The use of the inertia of the grass blades to cut them with a fast moving blade of questionable sharpness may not be the best approach when limited energy sources require high efficiency. Design a high efficiency cutting system for battery powered electric lawn mowers. Limited sharpening requirements or self sharpening mechanisms should be high priorities. Safety and "clippings handling" are other key concerns.

Electric Winch Mounting & Power System

While not particularly powerful, electric vehicle winches have proven very effective for off road vehicles. (They generally do not have to be that fast, they work when the engine is shut down, they work totally submerged in fresh water, and they are highly controllable.) Design a mounting system which allows a winch to be stored within the vehicle until needed, then be placed in a receiver on either end of the vehicle. Securing the winch to the receiver should automatically make

appropriate power connections. Serious consideration should be given to making the power control part of the power distribution system rather than the winch unit, so that winch weight can be reduced and permanent dashboard controls can be installed. The control must allow for the winch to be fully controlled from outside the vehicle as well as from within.

Electric Winch Snowplow Lift Attachment

Many off-road vehicles are equipped with electric winches, many others are equipped with snowplows. Devise a snowplow mechanism for such a vehicle using an electric winch to raise and lower the plow so that the need and cost of a separate actuator is eliminated. A particular reference vehicle and winch can be chosen. The device should provide for, at least, limited use of the winch with the plow in place, and easy removal of the plow when it is not needed. The plow attachment features to be added to the vehicle frame should not greatly impair the off road functionality of the vehicle. Safety for both the operator and equipment should be key considerations.

Electrical Jacket

In our security conscious society, electric stun devices have been developed as weapons/defenses against assault. Devise an electrically insulating jacket which has conductors fed by an electrical stun device to make an "touch-me-not" jacket which will stun anyone who attempts to grab the wearer. Special attention will have to be given to the switching device so that the wearer will be safe from self-shocking while retaining a sure ability to activate the device in a manner which would be difficult to defeat by an attacker.

Energy Storage System for a Human Powered Vehicle

Human powered vehicles traveling in hilly terrain can be much more efficient if energy is not wasted, at high speed, against air resistance while going down hill but is saved for the next uphill. Design a system which will allow for such energy storage.

Engine Crane

Design a crane which can be cheaply built by a hobbyist mechanic which can be attached to the walls of a 1 car garage (or supported from the floor) and is suitable for hoisting the engine and transmission from a conventional car. Assume a large V8 engine. You may use an existing hoist if you wish and concentrate on the "track or boom" mechanism. ********** As a variant of this project consider making an "appropriate technology" floor supported, roll-around, version of this crane out of wood. Use metal only as reinforcement to the wood or for "fittings". Utilize rope and pulley force multiplication to keep cost low and the technology very simple. Design the tires for "soft" ground rather than pavement, utilize no glue or welding. For safety, screws and nails should be used in shear only, never in tension. Only rivets or bolts which have extensive bearing on the other side of a member should be used in tension. Wire binding may suitable to reinforce wood against splitting. Purchased boat winches or block and tackle systems may be considered for use, more than one might be used on the crane as actuators.

Engine Starter

Design a "no kick back" human powered starter for small reciprocating engines in the 3 to 20 horse power class. The objective should be a system which would allow a typical 70 lb. person to be able to start a 20 hp, standby electric generator set or large garden tractor.

Flagpole, Antenna Mast or Bird House Support

An average householder may have use for an elevated structure for the needs noted or similar purposes. Servicing of the system can be difficult and hazardous due to having to climb or the efforts to lower the system for maintenance. Design an easily installed system which allows for the pole or mast to be raised or lowered with minimal effort and special equipment. Consider a system with a built in "gin pole" or other raising device. Consider ways to make the raising or lowering loads on the foundation consistent with the foundation loads during normal use so as to avoid an excessively costly foundation.

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Fluorescent Light Installer

Design a device which will install/remove fluorescent light tubes without requiring a ladder. The device should allow the installation/removal of tubes from a fixture in which they are spaced .75 inches between tubes and have a reflector .75 inches above the tubes. The device should allow a 5 foot tall person to install lights 12 feet above the floor without climbing on some support. Long and short reach models are acceptable in order to achieve ease of use for the average operator.

Folding Bicycle

Design a bicycle which folds up to a reasonable size for carrying. Your design must maintain appropriate gear ratios, weight, and provide protection from a greasy bicycle chain.

Folding Components for a Bicycle

When an attempt is made to pack a bicycle(s) into a car, (assuming the wheels are removed), the volume occupied by the bicycle is greatly exaggerated by the fact that close packing can not be accomplished due to the way in which the handle bars, pedals and derailleur extend. Design folding or quick detachable handlebars and pedals and a "greasy chain"/derailleur protector.

Folding Motorcycle or Bicycle Helmet

One of the major objections to the regular use of safety helmets is that they tend to be bulky and difficult to store. When the helmet is intended for use with a compact transportation device such as a bicycle or motor cycle the bulk of the helmet directly defeats the criterion of compactness, and interferes with the ability to carry a spare for a passenger. Design a helmet which can be reduced in size for storage while retaining comparable protective function when in use.

Freeze Proof Water Piping

Failure of water pipes is a common problem in cold climates. Some pipes will stand several cycles of freezing before rupture, e.g. copper tubing. Other piping materials are insufficiently mechanically strong for some applications, e.g. plastic piping. Design a system of metal water piping which will resist 4000 freeze-thaw

cycles without failure. Cost and compatibility with existing systems must be considered as high priorities. Consideration should be given to cross-sectional shapes other than round. Consideration must be given to strength at pipe joints, elbows, etc. So called "brute force" solutions which involve using high strength materials or extra thick walls for the majority of the piping must include comparative cost analyses and examination of the effects on installation costs, extra supports etc.

Functional Shutters for Hurricane Force Winds

Shutters are normally thought of as frilly accessories to the exterior decor of a house these days, but our ancestors knew better. Real shutters were intended to provide protection from severe weather or even assault. We are reminded of the need for weather protection when we see preparations being made for hurricanes, as residents of the affected area board up their windows with plywood, etc. in a makeshift effort to protect themselves. A proper shutter would be strong enough to resist hurricane force winds, be safely deployable in high winds (possibly without going outdoors), have a jam resistant, weather durable, support and deployment system, and might even provide for some degree of being able to see out rather than totally obscuring the window.

Garage Door Balancer Take-Up Reel

Torsional coil springs are commonly used to assist in lifting garage doors for both manual and powered systems. These compact mechanisms use a spring driven shaft above the door opening with take up reels on both ends. Unfortunately these systems are often very crude, utilizing set screws on a thin wall tube to attach the reel. This can suffice if the system is set up properly and the set screws maintain their integrity. However, if the system must be later readjusted the crude set screws prove a problem for precise adjustment and the stored energy in the spring presents a hazard to the worker. Devise a simple take up reel of moderate cost which will alleviate this problem. Some system such as a clamp on hub with a worm drive attachment of the reel that allows continuous adjustment could be

one possible approach. The continuous adjustment of the take up reel under load is the key feature being sought. Reliability and safety are key issues.

Gas Spring Replacement for "Hatch Back" Cars

Compressed gas springs have gained great popularity among auto designers for use on rear hatches and lift gates on automobiles. They provide a useful force displacement characteristic and have a relatively safe failure mode in that they are not particularly subject to sudden catastrophic failure. Unfortunately gas springs seldom last as long as the useful life of the car, function poorly in cold weather, are expensive to replace, leak oil, and pose an injury hazard when their performance is insufficient and the user forgets to duck his/her head and gets a nasty cut on the head from the edge of a door which should have been much higher or when the prop-stick which had to be rigged as a supplement slips out. Design a spring mechanism to replace a gas spring in such an automotive application, either as a new design to manufacture or as an after-market replacement for a specific existing gas spring application. Consideration should be given to all sorts of springs including torsion bars, coiled torsion springs, belville springs, coil springs, spring driven linkages, etc..

Gear Box for an Escalator

An escalator must raise people from one floor to another in a department store. Design a gearbox which will move the escalator which is driven by an electric motor running in the range of 1700 to 1800 rpm. The escalator is to work between floors 20 ft apart and carry a maximum of 30 people at one time. The idle load of the system may be assumed to be 15% of full load.

Generator Exhaust Heat Exchanger

When ordinary supplies of electrical energy are unavailable as in recreational vehicles and power outages, gasoline powered generators are quite useful. However along with the need for electricity there is often the need for hot water. The exhaust of the gasoline engine usually contains more than enough heat for the purpose. Design a co-generation retrofit for gasoline powered generators

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which will provide heated water. Special concerns include: Boiling of the water in the unit Increase of engine back pressure. Contamination risk to the water due

to failure in the unit or during normal operation.

Thermal shock resistance in the heat exchanger when adding cold water to a hot, empty heat exchanger.

Geneva Mechanism

Design a geneva mechanism to rotate a steel mass 12 inches in diameter and 3 inches thick. The cylinder is to be rotated in a vertical plane (horizontal axis of rotation) the driving shaft of the geneva mechanism is rotating at 300 rpm and the mass is to be rotated 90 degrees about its cylindrical axis at each step. The objective is to design a geneva mechanism and its frame, which will provide the desired motion with a reasonable life expectancy for the machine.

Grinder Head With Minimal Interference

Most bench grinders consist of an electric motor with grinding wheels on each end of the shaft where it emerges from the motor. This configuration leaves the motor frequently in the way of maneuvering the work piece. Design a grinding wheel drive system which eliminates interference to a far greater degree.

Ground Effect Assisted Suspension

When it is necessary to take a repair vehicle into a farm field to repair machinery, the soil will often not support ordinary suspension systems. On the assumption that such fields are generally flat and open, design a ground effect assist system for a one ton or larger repair truck which would substantially lower the ground pressure of its wheels to allow passage over the field.

Ground Grabber for Vehicle Winch

Many an outdoorsman has purchased a winch for his/her truck, 4wd, or ATV only to find that when stuck there is no tree or rock etc. to fasten the cable to. There is of course some ground nearby since the vehicle drove there somehow. Design a device which will "grab the ground" well enough to make the winch useful. The device should be able to accommodate frozen rocky ground or soft ground.

While perhaps not generating enough resistance for the full capacity of the winch in all cases, the device should be strong enough that the winch will not break it when it does get a good grip. As a safety issue, the device should not elastically store sufficient energy that it can let go and snap back to cause an injury.

Gun Display Case and Safe

Given the concern over secure storage of gun collections and the simultaneous desire to display a gun collection, design a combination display case and safe that allows the guns to be readily viewed while at the same time keeping them safe from theft. Both systems that maintain full security and reduced security in a viewing mode can be considered.

Hand Installed Sights for Rifles

Given the current availability of cheap optical sights for rifles many rifles are being manufactured without any other means of sighting. However there is a certain demand for "iron sights" on rifles. The cost of retrofitting such sights is prohibitive because of the difficulties of drilling into the barrel of the gun in exactly the right place without accidentally penetrating the bore. Design a set of good looking rifle sights which can be attached rigidly to the barrel of existing rifles with the use of only simple hand tools. Glues can be considered but are probably inadequate for other than sealing and non-slip purposes due to the rugged treatment to be encountered.

Height Controlled Toilet

A standard height for a toilet is no longer satisfactory as society seeks to more generously accommodate those who use wheel chairs, and others with mobility impairments. Leaving feet dangling or excessive pressure on the backs of the thighs is an irritation to the majority, while making the seat too low makes arising difficult for those with mobility impairments. Raising the seat relative to a fixed toilet bowl produces problems of sanitation and backsplash. Design a toilet which can be raised and lowered by an electric motor driven system (or possibly by water pressure or other method) to accommodate various users. The system should be able to lift the toilet and user as

some may wish to use the system's motion as an aid to arising. Give special consideration to supply and waste pipe sealing, control positioning, and safety.

High Powered Rifle Bullet Stop

As population increases, good rifle ranges become more and more remote from the shooting public. To properly prepare for hunting, there is need for considerable practice and sighting in of high powered rifles. The primary difficulty for indoor ranges suitable for high powered rifles is stopping the bullets behind the target. Even heavy steel plate deflectors (e.g. 2 inch) are subject to sudden failure from fatigue after repeated pounding. Devise a bullet stop which will stop high powered rifle bullets reliably without a significant risk of sudden complete failure.

High Pressure Hand Pump for Airguns

An article in the December 1992 American Rifleman magazine provides a technical evaluation of an airgun which utilizes a high pressure reservoir. The reservoir needs to be pressurized above 3000 lbf/in^2. Normally this would require powered equipment to achieve. Devise a human powered air pump which can achieve these pressures. An evaluation of both ergonomics and mechanical efficiency should be provided.

House Elevation System

An elevated house can escape substantial damage when flooding occurs and may be safer from vandalism, but an elevated house can be inconvenient to use. Design a house elevation system which can raise a house to avoid flood damage. A meter of lift may suffice in areas subject flooding in hurricane storm surges or 3 or more meters may be required in river bottom areas. Attention should be paid to lateral stability of the system and horizontal flood water loadings. To prevent damage the house must not suffer from twisting or sagging in the raising & lowering process.

Home Hydro Therapy Tank.

There are various forms of physical therapy for aging or injured bodies that utilize immersion of the body in an erect position in warm water. The buoyancy of the body makes possible certain exercise that is otherwise impossible. Often these are used with a floatation ring under the

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armpits. Normally this requires a large pool at a physical therapy center. Design a single occupancy tank which can be set on, not into, a floor within a house for this purpose. Special considerations include: Ease of entry for a partially disabled person Storage and recovery of warmed water Drowning safety considerations Emergency escape

House Support Brackets

In various locations, such as steep hillsides, high water table areas, flood prone areas, seashores, etc.; houses built on poles are a popular design. One problem in such construction is getting the house level and keeping it that way. Design brackets which will allow fastening the house structure to the poles so that the height of the attachment can be adjusted as an aid to construction and leveling in the event of settling or other disturbance of the poles. The brackets should be designed for use with wood, steel, pre-cast concrete, poured at site concrete, and in each of these cases with poles which terminate at and support the floor platform as well as poles which continue to upward to support the roof. Variations of the design may be considered to accommodate the various pole materials and styles or a single design may be used. The range of adjustment of the brackets should not be less than 0.3 meters, but assessment of the appropriate range should be included in the analysis.

Hunter's Hoist

Small "block and tackle" systems are often sold as "hunter's hoists" for raising game for dressing out. Such devices are usually flimsy and poorly designed. They are also of limited usefulness. Design a simple system which can be used for hoisting, but which can be reconfigured to allow the hunter to drag the game up a steep incline while pulling down the incline. Such a system should be as light weight as possible, resistant to tangling, and quick to be reconfigured for various tasks. Winch type mechanisms as well as "block and tackle" devices should be considered. Variable degrees of mechanical advantage

for various uses should be included in the design.

Hunter's Transport, Plus

Hunters often need to transport supplies or equipment to a camp in rugged country, on foot, over narrow trails. Pack animals are effective but often not practical. Light weight is essential. Design a device which will increase the carrying capacity of one or two hunters under such conditions. In order to increase the value of this device it must be possible to transform it into another useful device once the destination is reached. (e. g. A one wheeled cart which becomes a ladder type or free standing type of elevated hunting stand.)

Hunter's Tree Stand

In many areas, hunting is conducted from tree stands. Many devices have been made which will attach a platform and/or seat to the side of a tree trunk for this purpose. The currently available devices generally work well only if the tree is straight, vertical, and of uniform diameter if the device is of the "climbing" type. Unfortunately the trees in the best hunting locations rarely cooperate. Design a device which can be attached to a tree trunk in order to support a hunter. The device must allow for crooked non-vertical irregular trunks while allowing the platform/seat to be positioned in a level configuration in both directions, regardless of the side of the trunk it is mounted on. Show by comparison that your device is comparable/superior to existing devices in both cost and weight.

Ice Chest That Folds

While in use keeping items cold, the size of an ice chest is essentially pre-determined. However once empty the large size can be a real nuisance for transport or storage. Design an Ice chest that folds. Key points to consider include: Adequate Wall strength Leak resistance Single item whether assembled or

folded to avoid lost parts. Insulation value.

Landing Gear Retraction Modification

Design a retractable landing gear modification for an existing aircraft. The design may be for a micro-light size or a 2

to 4 passenger plane with fixed gear. You pick the plane.

Landing Gear for Light Plane

Design shock absorbing landing gear for a light plane (micro-light to 4 passenger size). You pick the plane.

Laser Grenade

Laser technology has been applied effectively in creating a gun sight which projects a spot of laser light at the point of impact of a gun. Since any technology can and usually will be misapplied by those with evil intent, counter technology is desirable. Design a "Laser Grenade" which can be tossed into any situation where terrorists or assassins are using laser sights. The grenade would project a myriad of laser spots randomly moving about to confuse the gunmen as to where their own laser is pointing. Advanced features should include matching colors with those commonly available for laser sights and realistic motion for projected beams (e.g. dwell and jump rather than continuous motion).

Lawn Mower Automated to Cut Runway or Fairway

Small plane pilots and golfers have need of long mowed strips of grass and may need to maintain their own. The object of their hobby is not to mow grass, so devise a means to automatically mow such a space. The mower system should be both simple and efficient. It would be highly desirable if the system could be a special adaptation of existing self-propelled mowing equipment but could be designed from scratch.

Lightweight Rental Trailer

As cars become smaller their cargo capacity decreases, and the utility of a small trailer becomes more valuable. Rental trailers have the problem that even the smallest of them typically weigh 350 kilograms or more when the towing capacity of the car may be 450 kilograms. Using an existing rental trailer design as a reference, design a lightweight rental trailer having similar capacity and durability but only half the weight.

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Linkage compounded Come-Along

Typical "Come-Along" fence stretchers and load lifters work by having a handle to ratchet a cable drum. Some of these devices multiply the force produced by a factor of 2 by having a pulley at the hook. Design a come-along which uses a simple linkage to compound the force from the handle to the cable drum. This might be a simple 4-bar linkage.

Linkage Type Boat Lifter Trailer

The difficulty in getting a boat onto a trailer and out of the water might be eased if the boat could be lifted and placed on the trailer rather than simply floated and dragged onto the trailer. Design a trailer which takes this approach. consider the use of a balanced linkage to perform the task. Water fillable counter weights might prove an effective way of assisting this task.

Low Frequency "Rocking Chair" Mechanism

Rocking chairs can be very comfortable and have proven health benefits. For this reason "rocking chair features" have been built into many pieces of furniture. With the possible exception of a porch swing on a long chain, few if any such devices have the comfortable low frequency rocking action of an "old fashioned" rocker. The classic rocker has problems of tipping over, migrating across the floor, requiring a hard floor, floor wear and floor marking. Design a mechanism which will give a satisfactorily low or adjustable rocking frequency. Analysis should be made of satisfactory classic rocking chairs to establish a standard of satisfactory rocking action. A simple 4-bar mechanism may be considered, since the path may not be "simple" a differential equation should be written for the approximate motion and used to analyze the frequency. A "lockout" type feature should be considered for safety of access by those who need a steady chair while rising or seating themselves.

Lug Nut Lock Remover

In order to keep valuable high performance/appearance wheels from being stolen, special lug nuts are used. If the special socket for these is lost, then the nut requires a special removal tool. Current designs involve a tapering set of

hardened blades which are driven down over the special nut to bite in and get a grip which allows removal. This destroys the nut and the blades dont last very long. Design a lug nut remover which will grip a typical locking lug nut and remove it. The first level of improved design would be indefinitely reusable. The second level of improvement would not destroy the lug nut. Designs involving glue and low melting alloy metals should be considered as well as pin-sockets which replicate the interior of the special keyed socket.

Magician's Stage Gun

Design a mechanism to be fit to a modified version of an existing common firearm which will allow smoke and projectiles to come out of the barrel when not activated but will capture the bullet and allow the smoke to exit normally when it has been activated. The mechanism must function with all standard ammunition. This is to be used for a "catch the bullet in the teeth act" and a high degree of reliability is required.

Manual Automotive Window Mechanism

With the advent of electric windows as a popular option, the design of manual mechanisms has suffered. Poor compromises to allow commonality of parts between power and manual options has resulted in poor handle placement, excessive operating forces, and awkward motion requirements. Select an existing design which suffers from such problems (e.g. Chrysler Mini-Van) and design a better system. Reliability and low cost are key elements in this design.

Manual Elevator Positioner Escape Mechanism

One of the problems with elevators is that they can get stuck between floors. Due to people performing stunts on elevators, (elevator surfing), elevator escape hatches are not necessarily the best choice, not to mention the hazards associated with using such an escape hatch. The seriousness of the situation if caught in an elevator during a fire etc. are obvious. One solution would be to provide a method for repositioning the passenger car of the elevator manually in the event of a stuck elevator. This might involve a car which is movable relative to a lift chassis or

possibly a manual cable take-up device might suffice. Motion equivalent to about one floor of lift should suffice. Design such a mechanism consistent with good elevator design practice.

Measuring Dispenser for Spices and Condiments

When dispensing salt, spices, sugar, or other condiments; getting the right amount can be a bit tricky. This is especially true when, for instance, sprinkling white salt on white mashed potatoes, over a white plate, on a white table cloth. The ambient lighting and the lack of contrast between the salt and food can make this tricky, (especially if the shaker holes are large). Design a simple dispenser for such materials which allows a visually perceptible, measured amount to be dispensed.

Mechanical Wood Splitter

Many hydraulic wood splitters are available. Most of these are driven by electric or gasoline motors. When the wood is split the motor is allowed to pump fluid into the splitting cylinder and the wood is slowly split. Design a system (not hydraulic) which has some sort of energy accumulator which will allow the motor to be smaller and yet split the wood faster when actuated. (e.g. flywheel system, guillotine, spring system, etc.) The system must be possible to build with the range of tools, materials, and components which might be readily available in a typical small farm situation. The level of safety must be reasonable assuming a moderately competent, moderately knowledgeable operator.

Mechanics Wrenches Improvements

When working on machinery it often seems that every extension for use with socket type wrenches is either too long or too short to fit. Design a set of tool improvements for use by mechanics. These might include: a. Variable length socket wrench extensions. b. Variable offset box and open end wrenches. c. "Bendable" "goose neck offset" wrench, which has a handle curved in the plane perpendicular to the bolt shank. Such tools would have to stand all the forces which are standard for wrenches or the forces to which good quality, commercially available, wrenches can

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stand up. It is anticipated that superior material properties and careful analyses will play an important part in these designs or that clever design will be required.

Mine Sweeper

Peasants returning to war ravaged lands frequently find that the fields they must bring quickly back into production have been sown with anti-personnel mines. Adapt an existing rotary tiller or similar tillage implement to an existing farm tractor to make a minesweeper which will prepare the ground for crops while destroying/detonating antipersonnel mines.

Motor Home Boat AND Car Trailer

Most motor homes are used for recreation travel, and recreation often means boating. However many motor home owners like to take a small car along to avoid having to move the home every time transportation is needed. Each of these items may be pulled on a specialized trailer, but in most jurisdictions only one trailer can be pulled. Design a single trailer which will function as a boat trailer and a car towing trailer, simultaneously. The size of the towing vehicle is normally substantial but consideration should be given to the minimum size motor home for which this concept is appropriate.

Motorcycle Shoulder Helmet

Current motorcycle helmets protect the head, design a helmet which also protects the neck from spinal injuries. Consideration might be given to a helmet which rests on the shoulders, but other approaches should not be ignored.

Multi-Amperage 220 V Outlet

There are a maddening multiplicity of 2