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Jason's No-power Elevator Design

For a long time I've wanted to build a little elevator for a tree house or loft
that didn't need electricity, and preferably didn't need any power at all.
Below is my best idea yet.

<ielevator.png<>

This elevator is basically a glorified seesaw. The weight is balanced so if I'm
at the end of the beam, I go down, and if I come in a bit I go up. Add in a
ratchet to hold the weight up when I get off at ground level and a switch to
disengage the ratchet, and you're pretty much there.

I start in my loft, I step onto the plank and take a step uphill to the end. In
this position I have more leverage so my end goes down. I hear the "click,
click, click" of the ratchet as I descend.

I can control the speed of my descent by positioning myself closer or further
from the end of the plank.

When I reach the bottom, I step off, and there is slight movement and noise as
my end moves up slightly and is stopped by the ratchet.

I step onto the end of the board. The board again touches the floor. I take
another step uphill, so I'm further up the plank, standing on the ratchet
disengage switch. Now that I'm closer to the fulcrum (and have disengaged the
ratchet), my end goes up.

I stay on until the weight is safely resting on the floor, and step off onto
the loft.

The speed of travel is controlled by three things:

1) Where you stand/lean: You can easily effect the speed by where you put your
weight.

2) Folcrum Placement: I've placed the fulcrum above the plank. This should give
you some extra acceleration for the first half of your journey, and slow you
down for the second half.

3) There is inevitably some friction.

<hComments<>

Nice, but what if I want to come visit you when you are home?  I have to wait outside until you come down.  --Paul

Yeah, there is that... It can't go the same direction twice in a row. It's also huge... and hardwired for my body weight.  -- Jason

Comments and questions are welcome here. (Just edit this page and put theme
below in this section.) If you'd like a reply from me in any kind of timely
fassion, please send me a quick note though my contact form:
<lhttp://jasonwoof.com/contact.html<>.

<lJason's mechanical inventions<>

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