Robotic Fireman. working ladder, siren, bell, walking, moving arms and flashing lights.

[robothut]

 

[robothut]

This all started because I wanted to build a working  automatic ladder set up that could raise and lower the ladder as well as tip it in and out.

Then I wanted to build a real working siren.

So putting them on a walking robot base was no big leap. I added a motorized bell, flashing lights and moving fire hose arms.

The feet each have 2 AA batteries in them. the power switch is on the back of the right foot.

To program the actions I used the POLOLU mini control unit. 

The sequence I picked could be anything but I went with Siren first "to clear the way for action", then walking to the job at hand. Then ring the fire alarm bell, extend the ladder both up and out. Then retract the ladder and turn off fire bell. And repeat..

[robothut]

The project is very time and money consuming so I probably will not build more unless you just happen to have a fat wallet. That leaves me out. Good thing I already have one.

[RoboDerby]

Magnificent John!

[nasa]

Really cool!

[Automaton]

Great robot. Does he work at the same station as the the chief

[6Stelab9]

Wonderful  but I wonder if he's a on the way to a real fire or if he's just happy to see his mechanical girl friend

[Andyman]

3 hours ago, 6Stelab9 said:

Wonderful  but I wonder if he's a on the way to a real fire or if he's just happy to see his mechanical girl friend

Yes, is that a ladder in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

 

Very cool, Mr. Rigg!

[Roboto]

What a Fantastic build!!!

[Brian..]

I'm trying to figure out how you got the ladder to do that double action, but I've no idea. Another innovative design, John.

[robothut]

I regret having not taken pictures as I did the build but the ladder and the siren were two seperate builds that happened over several weeks. But what I did was look at the picture of the prototype fire robot to see how they might have done the ladder mechanics. What I think I saw was the flexible spring steel like control cable. See picture. And I thought to myself what if I used the flexible metal in a small "key chain" type tape measure. So I printed the two ladder parts to nest together but move freely. then measured the distance that the ladder would travel and made a drive disc diameter that would move "control" that much of the metal measuring tape material. I used a 120:1 TT gear motor to rotate the control disc. I added 2 end stop switches, one for retracted stop position and one for extended stop position.  This way my control commands to the gear motor would just be reversing the polarity to the gear motor. 

I am just as proud of the how well the siren turned out. Only 2 mechanical parts use a standard DC toy motor. Then there are 2 cosmetic parts the front grill and back dome that can be added. works from 3 volts up to 4.5 volts quite well.

If I build a second one I will take lots of pictures to show how these parts work.

[Brian..]

I can see you printed the siren housing. What unit did you use inside? It makes a wonderful racket.

[robothut]

It is all 3d printed Brian, the stator "housing" and the rotor. The rotor presses on to a standard toy motor , the motor presses into the housing. Just 2 parts to make a working siren. But I did add a front grill and a back dome for cosmetics.

[robothut]

Here are the 2 STL files brian. And a few poor pictures of the parts. You will see the motor I use and the prototype siren that did not have he mounting base or cosmetic parts. The siren sounds OK at 3 volts but really nice at 4.5 volts and over the top at 6 volts. The motor presses inside the Rotor, then feed the wires in to the frame and press the motor/ rotor into the stator frame. No glue required.

RotorFixed.stl StatorWithBase.stl

[Brian..]

Thanks, John. i thought you might have used one of those siren chips but I see that it's an accoustic device. A triumph for old school.