VEX Winch and Pulley Kit – P/N: 276-1546 - $14.99
This kit provides the ability to implement a winch and pulley system and create block and tackle mechanisms to utilize mechanical advantage.
[LIST]
*]-Lift, lower, hang, drag and more.
*]-Configurable for many applications.
*]-Ratchet and Pawl can be engaged to prevent back driving.
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This kit will be available for ordering in January and will be legal for VEX Round Up.
Now THAT is cool. I’m excited to see what teams can come up with using these tools.
Agreed, and a good price. The ratchet gear will likely be used by teams in all kinds of interesting ways. Namely in lift designs.
Do MORE of this…
-Cody
THANK YOU!!!
My days of mangled PWM wires and attempts to braid surgical tubing are over! This is a very gook kit, the ratchet alone is worth the price. Is the rope the same stuff we were allowed to use in previous years? Thanks again guys!
P.s. Will this be compatible with Foster’s turntable?
So does this now mean that string will be legal?
Looking at some of the non obvious features the setup looks very cool.
You can put the pawl on a servo to make a stupid simple engage-disengage system. That’s really cool for kickers, punchers, and anything else that winds up stored energy.
The block and tackle kits are perfect for those who are trying to figure out how to high hang using only surgical tubing and string. Mechanical Advantage is your friend!
The bracket, winch, ratchet, pawl, string, AND pulleys all come in one kit for less than 15 bucks. It’s an absurdly good value.
Put this on a “must buy” list for any serious VRC competitor.
Rough calculations: 2 Motor 269s driving this winch can lift a 10 pound robot 18 inches in roughly 6 seconds.
sweet, the best part i like about this is the string ^^
and the ratchet gear is also awesome for “non-slip” hang once the power is cut
I don’t mean to be a downer, but everything in the kit can be made out of existing Vex parts, besides the string. I admit, though, it would take a bit of time to make those idler pulleys. I suppose this saves some time for VRC competitors, but me being a hobbyist, I can’t justify spending $15 for a bit of time. Looks great though…
Wow, that is a good value, as far as Vex parts go. However, doesn’t this feel like Vex is just capatalizing on how everyone is trying to use something like this?
On the bright side, we get to use string! Prepare for robots made mostly of and held together by zipties and string!
You can’t make a ratchet and pawl out of existing Vex parts. Or pulleys, really.
Ratchet and Pawl watch this video… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1TPAhUmDys
Pulleys Toss some gears on the lathe and you are golden
This kit is convenient…
~DK
Oh yeah, that Design Challenge, I really should submit my entry to that…
I don’t have time to watch the whole video, where is the ratchet and pawl?
the ratchet and prawl is at 3:10
just a gear and a bent 1x3
That sounds like a pretty quick way to chip gear teeth. I’d be a lot happier with this solution.
I mean, did people say “oh, you could do this with Vex parts already” when the rack and pinion gears came out? Sure, doesn’t mean they’re not incredibly useful.
I replaced “incredibly useful” with convenient. We are saying the same thing.
~DK
Since string comes as a part of that official VEX component, it’s legal under those guidelines…or that’s how I understand it.
**emphasis added.
Thanks, it looks lovely.
Can you be more specific regarding the type of tensile material is used?
It looks like 1/8" braided nylon rope.
I suppose an axle, a U bent 1x bar, and a couple shaft collars could make the idler pulley into a traveling block, to justify the “block and tackle” description.**
This a great product, in terms of use and the price. This may bring my team more lenient towards hanging with the winch again. With string being legal, my arms will not just consist of rubber bands and zip ties…
guess they are really stressing the point of a hang eh?
An interesting addition which will likely find lots of use in this game, and thankfully fairly inexpensive… unless you happen to have a dozen or more teams at your school and they ALL want one or two of them.
Perhaps a more important point is that while I see the rope is “nylon braided” and 4’ long, I don’t see a diameter spec. That will be very important for tech inspectors as now teams can purchase and use up to a 4’ length of braided nylon rope from pretty much any supplier. Tech inspectors will need to know what diameter or other specs are required to ensure legal rope is used.
I also wonder is whether VEX has a strategy for releasing new components during the competition season.
For instance I have seen several teams put a lot of effort into desiging around the “no string” rule, and now their efforts have been made somewhat redundant. Not a big deal, that happens a lot in the real world as technology advances, but it could be a big deal as we get closer to the Championships.
I’d be interested in hearing from VEX on their thoughts behind the impact that intoducing new technologies has on teams, and on the game.
Jason