Author Topic: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine  (Read 428375 times)

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #525 on: January 02, 2017, 03:42:39 AM »
In between holiday events/visits, and another trip to the local Y pool with the RC submarine group, I've been getting some more done on the parts for the track roller chains. So far I have all the rollers made, and have now gotten all the side rails bent

and with the aid of a newly whipped up adjustable length stop on the mini chop saw set up with an abrasive cutoff wheel,

now have the side rails cut to size:

Last jobs before assembling the chains will be to cut the pins, and drill the side rails. I've decided to cut the pins on the chop saw, can do that lots quicker than stopping/starting/rechucking the lathe for each pin.

For those who may have missed it, these roller chains are actually used as roller bearings, not for driving any mechanism. The roller is taller than the side rails, so that they sit between the track plates and the track support frame, and act like a linear set of bearings:

This setup is unlike the rows of wheels that most crawlers use today - Lombard actually started with using the wheels, but I think he switched since he could not get the wheels to bear on more than every other track plate, and the chains get one or two on every plate.

« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 09:03:52 PM by crueby »

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #526 on: January 02, 2017, 08:46:06 PM »
Continuing on the roller chain process with todays entry in Boring Pictures Of Parts, I got the pins for the chains all cut to length after doing some more experiments with lengths:

I now have enough of the rollers, pins, and side plates for all four of the roller chains, time to start drilling the side plates and assembling the chains.

Then, can start again for the drive chains, which are simaler, slightly different dimensions and with a smaller center roller.
« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 09:04:02 PM by crueby »

Online sco

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #527 on: January 02, 2017, 08:50:49 PM »
Chris,

Been following your thread quietly for a while - takes a special kind of person that can do both quality and quantity  :praise2: for your efforts on both counts!

Simon.
Ars longa, vita brevis.

Offline Kim

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #528 on: January 02, 2017, 08:54:39 PM »
Very nice Chris.  I really love seeing the jigs and fixtures you make to help with your mass production.  You'll have these chains done soon!

Will the drive chains be the same? Or will the rollers be smaller for those?
Kim

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #529 on: January 02, 2017, 09:01:51 PM »
Very nice Chris.  I really love seeing the jigs and fixtures you make to help with your mass production.  You'll have these chains done soon!

Will the drive chains be the same? Or will the rollers be smaller for those?
Kim

The drive chains will have a roller that is a little narrower and also a smaller diameter, and the side plates will be 3/16" wide rather than 1/8" wide, to leave a little more meat around the pin holes to take the drive stresses. The shape of the side plates will be the same Z, so the chains look very simaler. Fortunately there are only two of those chains, even though they are a little longer each.

The drive chains will go around a large sprocket at the rear, and a smaller sprocket that sits on the end of the output shaft from the differential assembly.  If you go back to the first post in this thread there are pictures of the differential and the drive chains as well as the real roller chains for comparison.

In between drilling/assembling chains, I am going to start on the 3D modelling for those parts this week...

Offline Don1966

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #530 on: January 02, 2017, 09:12:38 PM »
Even starting the New Year with a bang! Damn Dog you don't come up for air do you? Some amazing fixture work and craftsmanship Dog.


 :drinking-41:
Don

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #531 on: January 03, 2017, 02:20:20 AM »
Even starting the New Year with a bang! Damn Dog you don't come up for air do you? Some amazing fixture work and craftsmanship Dog.


 :drinking-41:
Don

Thanks Don! Actually did take a bunch of time off during the holidays, lots of other fun stuff going on.

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #532 on: January 03, 2017, 02:27:49 AM »
With the roller chain work going on (and on) for the foreseeable future, I have been alternating time with modelling up the next set of parts in 3D (as well as the usual assortment of other hobbies and projects). I started with the drive chain parts, which are derived from the roller chains, with larger side plates, smaller rollers, and a 10% longer pitch:

From there, did some more research into the formulas used to derive sprockets, and drew up the front drive sprocket that goes on the output shaft from the differential

and the rear sprocket, that goes on the rear shaft of the track drive axle (still need to add the spokes to the design, fortunately as that is done, the application carries the changes forward into the other assemblies that this one is in)

and then put the three parts together (with lots of copies of the chain components) into the full drive chain

and also pasted that assembly into the full hauler design (as it is so far)

Looking quite busy in that picture - the Fusion 360 app I am using got a bit slow when moving those components into place!
« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 09:04:16 PM by crueby »

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #533 on: January 03, 2017, 03:13:09 AM »
Chris--I can fully appreciate how much work there is in 3D modeling all of those connected chain links. I just found out about 2 months ago that my Solidworks 3D software now has the capability to pattern chain-links around a sketched line. Of course, you have to do the math and have the segments of sketched line all add up to a length divisible by the chain pitch. It is a nifty piece of software, but not something I would probably use on normal "for pay" jobs. I love the work you are doing, and check every day to see your progress.---Brian

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #534 on: January 03, 2017, 03:34:59 AM »
Chris--I can fully appreciate how much work there is in 3D modeling all of those connected chain links. I just found out about 2 months ago that my Solidworks 3D software now has the capability to pattern chain-links around a sketched line. Of course, you have to do the math and have the segments of sketched line all add up to a length divisible by the chain pitch. It is a nifty piece of software, but not something I would probably use on normal "for pay" jobs. I love the work you are doing, and check every day to see your progress.---Brian
Thanks Brian!

The full chain was pretty easy to copy and paste up once the base link was done, kept copying all that were there and pasting them in a multiple of the pitch down the line till the straight line was done, copied all that for second side, then just had to manually position the curved ones. I bet there is a path/paste option or plugin, just don't know how yet since I am still learning the package. This way only took about 5 minutes, given its not set up for animation at all. That would be more complicated for sure.

The feature I really appreciate is the timeline, can edit an earlier step with different parameters and it automatically updates all the later operations and dependant drawings. Very cool.

Offline ///

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #535 on: January 03, 2017, 04:51:18 AM »
.... can edit an earlier step with different parameters and it automatically updates all the later operations and dependant drawings. Very cool.

The video/audio editing world calls this NLE, or non-linear editing.
I wouldn't touch a 3D package that did't have this, I'm not aware of any that don't.

Really ejoying following your build, great stuff (and educational!)
Simon

"The reality is that without cheap imported machines, I would be spending my time doing something less creative and less enjoyable" - Captain Jerry

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #536 on: January 03, 2017, 05:03:07 AM »
.... can edit an earlier step with different parameters and it automatically updates all the later operations and dependant drawings. Very cool.

The video/audio editing world calls this NLE, or non-linear editing.
I wouldn't touch a 3D package that did't have this, I'm not aware of any that don't.

Really ejoying following your build, great stuff (and educational!)
Thanks!

It would be great if the lathe had that feature, change one cut in the past and all the rest of the part grows! Gotta keep debugging my time machine....  :Lol:

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #537 on: January 03, 2017, 05:16:36 AM »
Good explanation on your roller chains. I remember having one of those "ah-ha" moments when I was looking at some of your earlier pictures, showing these chains, and realized how they were being used. OK.........I'm a little slow...........but I do get the idea eventually!  :shrug:

I've moved some heavy stuff with pipe rollers on the floor using the same principle. I was amazed at how little effort it took once set up. Stone for the pyramids were probably moved the same way.

Jim
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Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #538 on: January 03, 2017, 06:19:51 AM »
Thanks Jim, it was pleasantly surprising to me how well it rolled the first time I slid a short section of the roller chain (all that is made so far) under the frame for the track to ride on. Those guys were very clever. It still amazes me how heavy machines like this  locos, and traction engines were.

Online crueby

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Re: Chris' Build of a Lombard Hauler Engine
« Reply #539 on: January 03, 2017, 07:29:05 PM »
I did some more work on the chains this morning before having to head off to other things, with the drilling jig it is going fairly quickly, looks like I can drill, debur with a file, assemble, and rivet about a dozen or more links per hour. Not quick, but not that bad. Here is the first section:

and how they sit under the track frame and come around the end

and going back across the top

The first couple links I did the other day needed some rework since they were binding a bit, the ones done with the longer pins are flexing just fine. I think I will need to grind the lower edge of the track frame trim at the rear down a little so it clears the chain rails better, the rest is looking good.
At this pace (about 2-1/2 hours per chain), I'll probably have the roller chains done this week, and get started on cutting parts for the drive chains.

« Last Edit: May 31, 2018, 09:04:34 PM by crueby »

 

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