Home

Overhead Crane "Works Like" Sketch Model

The actual game for Meltdown Mayhem was inspired by the claw game that is a mainstay of carnivals, supermarkets, and other locations where parents want to provide distracting activities to their children. These games require a high degree of precision (and some measure of luck) to successfully win one of the prizes.

Sketch Model Inspiration

The first degree of freedom which must be provided by the works-like crane is the depth or x-direction. This is accomplished with a framed wooden bridge with glider wheels on the bottom which sit into channels at either side of the ‘room’ which has been framed with upright 2x4’s. The channels had to be carefully beveled to ameliorate walking or ‘bite’ when the bridge is exposed to any asymmetric pulling forces. For the sketch model, the actual pulling force is accomplished with a cable guided through eye hooks.

The second degree of freedom which must be provided by the works-like crane is lateral y-direction motion. This motion is accomplished with a roller trolley which also sits in a set of channels routed into the top of the bridge. Once again, these channels had to be carefully beveled to prevent the trolley’s wheels from biting in the channel.

The final degree of freedom which is provided by the works-like sketch model is the z-axis height of the hook cable. In the final model, this will likely be accomplished with an electric motor which allows it to be isolated from the other two degrees of freedom. In the sketch model, this was accomplished by simply threading a cable through the center of the trolley and guiding it around the top corner of the room frame.

Storyboard Concept Sketches Sketch Model