[PSUBS-MAILIST] Manipulators

Alan James alanlindsayjames at yahoo.com
Sun Jan 26 17:48:31 EST 2014


Thanks Phil, great system description.
I tried Googling for the sea urchin manipulator but couldn't even find the Sea Urchin.
Would appreciate seeing any pictures of it.
One question. How do you counter the variations in pressure as you dive & ascend
from causing the cylinders piston to move in & out or do you just live with this?
From the frustration I've heard from K boat builders through ambiguities in the plans,
dangerous elements in the design (hard ballast tank) & antiquated parts, it might be timely to 
ditch the Kitrege plans & replace them.  But I might get shot for saying that.
Alan



________________________________
 From: Phil Nuytten <phil at philnuytten.com>
To: Personal Submersibles General Discussion <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> 
Sent: Monday, January 20, 2014 9:52 AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Manipulators
 


Yes, as Vance says we did work up a pneumatic manip for the original ‘Sea 
Urchin’ sub. The design criteria was: brute simple, three functions 
(extend/retract, swing 90 degrees each side/ jaw open/close) and, above all, 
CHEAP!! we used air cylinders, plastic tubing and three-way valves – one for 
each function. The valves exhausted back into the sub cabin. The system pressure 
was about 200 psi, as I recall, and the manip was operated independently from a 
scuba pony tank mounted outside for that purpose. System  pressure was kept 
at 200 psi over bottom, regardless of depth  by the first stage of a scuba 
regulator with the spring shimmed to 200 psi and the reg yoked to the tank in 
the usual fashion. Very simple system and it worked well – the exhaust into the 
cabin was so small as to cause only a slight increase in cabin pressure because 
the piston area is only a couple of square inches. Over pressure on a move into 
shallower water was avoided by a circle-seal non-return vent valve – same one 
used to suck a vacuum on the sub before diving. 
I have some pretty good pictures of the manip on Sea Urchin which I’ll try 
to dig up and post. Speaking of Sea Urchin, I have often toyed with the the idea 
of putting out a  Sea Urchin Kit – ala Kitteridge - but don’t know how much 
interest there would be.
Phil
 
From: Alan James 
Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2014 11:54 AM
To: Personal Submersibles General 
Discussion 
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Manipulators
 
Here is a great looking manipulator for .31c US.
Not 
sure what the postage is from Poland. I tried the "buy now" on another link but 
couldn't 
initiate a purchase. 
http://http://robosklep.eu/sklep/pl/p/Hydraulic-Arm/231

Alan
 

________________________________
 From: Alan 
James <alanlindsayjames at yahoo.com>
To: Personal Submersibles General 
Discussion <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> 
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 1:20 
PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] 
Manipulators

 
Thanks Vance,
I'll 
have a look in to the pneumatic manipulator; however there are 
problems
that 
come to mind, like how do you stop the whole unit going in & out like a 
concertina
with 
water pressure changes.
Alan
 

________________________________
 From: "vbra676539 at aol.com" <vbra676539 at aol.com>
To: personal_submersibles at psubs.org 
Sent: Saturday, January 
25, 2014 10:50 AM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] 
Manipulators

 
I can't answer, as I have precisely 
zero experience with pneumo manips. Nuytco did in fact cook one up for the Sea 
Urchin, which seemed to work okay, but I don't know anything about it. Sorry. 
That said, if it's cheap and it works (even if it's a pain in the ass) then it's 
worth having. Subs should be able to DO something, not just cruise around like 
an oversized camera housing with motors. I'd give serious consideration to the 
ball and socket arm, which functions adequately down to about 600 feet 
(according to the boys who have used them). We figure one would cost about 
$500-600 USD to machine, plus material and welding. A thousand bucks or a little 
more isn't bad, considering there are exactly three moving parts in the whole 
thing (as opposed to a hydraulic system which has about 3 moving parts to the 
running inch).  
Vance



-----Original 
Message-----
From: Alan <alanlindsayjames at yahoo.com>
To: Personal Submersibles General Discussion 
<personal_submersibles at psubs.org>
Sent: Fri, Jan 24, 2014 
3:12 pm
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Manipulators


One more question Vance & I'll leave you in peace
for a week.
For a small non commercial submersible operating to 500 ft
that has a very limited use for a manipulator other than it being there 
just in case we come across some item of value. Is a pneumatic manipulator 
a good
option? Air is already there & wouldn't be consumed much because
of the limited use. No noise & expensive space consuming hydraulic 
system.
And as you say there are options for lifting heavier items.
Thanks,
Alan

Sent from my iPad

On 25/01/2014, at 8:01 am, Joe Perkel <josephperkel at yahoo.com> wrote:


I particularly liked the PVC tube with the furled lift  bag and air source, now that's got real "get work done" utility.
>
>It seems to me that a permanently mounted air 
        source terminating just aft of the claw is a natural companion set-up 
        for anyone with a manipulator on a PSUB. 
>
>Joe
>
>Sent 
        from Yahoo Mail for iPad 
> 
>
>________________________________
> From: Alan James <alanlindsayjames at yahoo.com>; 
>To: Personal  Submersibles General Discussion <personal_submersibles at psubs.org>; 
>Subject: Re:  [PSUBS-MAILIST] Manipulators 
>Sent: Fri, Jan 24, 2014 6:09:42 PM 
>
>
>Thanks Vance,
>that's  shed some light on the subject.
>Alan
> 
>
>________________________________
> From: Vance Bradley <Vbra676539 at AOL.com>
>To: Personal  Submersibles General Discussion <personal_submersibles at psubs.org> 
>Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 5:42 AM
>Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST]  Manipulators
>
> 
>Alan,
>I've seen the discussion. The smallest sub I know of with a  manipulator on board is the Deepworker. No exfra tanks there.  Metacentric vs CG works in all directions. Yes, you get movement and no  it's not a problem in my experience. I did operate the bigger subs but  also smaller ones, to include Aquarius, briefly in a DW, plus three  different K-boats, so speak with some experience. You put everything you  imagine on a small sub, you get a big sub. In any case, It's probably  best to think of a psub as a work in progress. Get the boat done, go  play, scratch head, get more work done, go play, scratch head......and  so it goes.
>Vance
>
>Sent from my iPhone
>
>On Jan 24, 2014, at 3:20 AM, Alan James <alanlindsayjames at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
>Vance,
>>a couple of people have mentioned lately the problem of the  shifting of
>>balance as you reach out with a manipulator & have talked  about countering it with
>>trim tanks. Is it a big deal if you go nose down, tail up?  Possibly more of a problem working on a 
>>vertical face than picking something up off the bottom. 
>>Some of our subs will be a lot smaller than the working subs you were in so the problem would be 
>>accentuated in our case.
>>Can you give us some of your experience on  this thanks & in your opinion is it worth messing
>>about with the trim while operating the  manipulator.
>>Alan
>>
>> 
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