Category: GBC Utility Module

  • Lego GBC Tower Crane (Bridge Module)

    Lego GBC Tower Crane (Bridge Module)

    Lego GBC Tower Crane (Bridge Module) is a Utility Module for bridging gaps in  Table Layouts and was designed by Lawrie George.

    The module stands over 80″/200cm tall (when on a table) and spans gaps of 36″/91cm, it is fully self-supporting and uses a 750gram counter-weight to balance the jib.

    Idea and Research

    My research was broken into finding real life cranes I could style my model from and search for key mechanisms to use.

    The dimensions of the Crane are based on Stuarts bridge module, which is designed around a standard doorway 80″x30″.
    I also took queues from Philo’s tower crane in regards to stringing the trolley.

    Type AU US
    Doorway Height x Width 2440mm x 760mm 80″ x 30″
    Table Height 733mm 29″
    Bridge Height x Width 1300mm x 920mm 51″ x 36″
    Crane Height x Width 1700mm x 2070mm 67″ x 42″
    Crane Boom Height x Width 1370mm x 1220mm 54″ x 48″

    Prototype

    Once I had settled on the idea of a Tower Crane the next step was to create a prototype that would confirm that a structure of this size was even possible.

    As you can see from the photo all the main elements are in place, the tower, jib, counter-jib, and counter weight.

    Night Lighting

    The module is setup for nighttime running using a mix of my custom Lego UV/Led lights, and 12V DC LEDs wired to Lego plugs.

    Videos

    Videos of the development and operation of this module.

    1. Inspiration and Prototype – 0:0
    2. Digital Design – 1:26
    3. Ordering Parts – 3:44
    4. Building – 3:56
    5. Assembly – 5:54
    6. Running – 9:00

    An early testing video.

    Building

    The Mast and Jib were made up of identical sub-assemblies, making the basic structure quick to assemble.

    Assembly

    • The crane is designed to fold up and fit in a lamp style box, this makes setup and teardown very quick with the tradeoff being space needed for transport and storage.

    Stringing Trolley

    1. Attach string to side of trolley opposite pulling direction
    2. Thread the string around the tensioner and run in through the middle of the jib
    3. Run the cord around the inner pulley on the jib
    4. Wrap the thread around the drum 3 times.
      1. This when tensioned provides enough friction to move the trolley.
    5. Run the string under the jib and attach to opposite side of the trolley.
      1. Ensure the spring is ½ way depressed to provide tension.

    Stringing Hook

    1. Attach the string to the drum gear.
      1. Wind 2-3 turns around the drum
    2. Run the string under the boom and over the trolley pully
    3. Thread through hook.
      1. With the crane assembled, ensure the hook touches the ground
    4. Thread over the other pulley on the trolley
    5. Attach string to side the pin at the end of the jib

    Weaving Catch Net

    Nets are woven together using string to form a cone shape.

    There are 3 rows

    1. 7 nets
    2. 3 nets
    3. 2 nets

    Balancing the Jib

    The jib needs a counter weight of 750grams to balance effectively.

    The counterweight is designed to take Lego train weights but can also be filled with other objects to achieve the required weight.

    Modules

    Pieces Cost Difficulty
    >3000 $$$$ Complex

    A render of the completed model.

    Revisions to the digital model

    For this module, I have maintained the digital design and you can read about the changes below.

    • Update design of anti-jam kicker to have more weight
    • Raise the hight of the lift conveyor to give balls more time to drop
    • add more chain guides to stop chain jams at bottom
    • Add a ram to eject balls that return down after triggering the anti-jam kicker.
    • Increase counterweight size to fit 14 train weights
    • Add a blue double pin to the end of every liftarm to brick connection
    • Add missing inner bracing to bottom of mast
    • Remove bracing that was fouling with input
    • Add missing bracing to top of mast
    • Add pins to reduce bowing under load
    • Fix two pins in same hole
    • Fix missing connector
    • Some improvement to order of assembly steps
    • Change gear transfer between crane and input bit as knob-wheels were jamming.
    • Add a clutch on the input bin drive
    • Increase the height of the catch arms at the end of the boom
    • Shorten the Jib stay to make the boom flatter
    • Add additional lift arms to reduce load on jib support axle
      Make support axle longer
    • Increase Counter-Jib ballast weight to 750g to flatten the jib
    • Stop flag from rotating
      Note: bar should be swapped for tube if the light is lit up
    • Space IR receiver out more to stop it fouling on motor when jib is folded down
    • Fix pin misalignment indrawing
    • Add ½ pins to stop liftarm from moving
    • Modify Platform to accept downlights
    • Make drivers cab removable for easier packing
    • Remove battery pack as it is inaccessible during shows.Requires cable run down mast instead
    • Change Jib Pivot to stop it fouling on tower platforms
    • Add a positive stop for motor rotation of hook up/down motion
    • Split out ramp for packing
    • Change gearbox design to
      • Support removal for packing
      • Have auto up/down mechanism
      • Be disconnected from input bin
    • Reduce size of tabs on counter weight to make more room for battery
    • Increase bracing on top
    • Additional lift arm bracing in top
    • Remove last guide lift arm as the balls fouled with it when going around the gear
    • New counter jib tie design
    • New jib tie design
    • Updated Kicker to an anti-jam design
    • Updated jib end to improve drop accuracy and stop balls bouncing off the top
    • Add more wheels to trolley to stop jamming while moving
    • Tensioner for trolley in-out rope
    • Update Chain links to have a spacing of 9 between pins and a total of 233 links (9 x 26 = 234 – 1 = 233), this gives a top speed slightly faster than 1 ball per second and will allow the crane to keep ahead of surges.
    • Add initial wedge to guide balls to chain
    • Add more black support liftarms to inner structure
    • Increase strength of bottom support frame
    • Drive gearbox update
    • Update input bin to include agitator
    • Change output ramp design
    • Add feet to tower
    • Add braces to increase tower rigidity
    • Add remote for trolley movement and hook up down (from Sariel’s design)
    • Wheels stop chain from moving and the pins jamming on the tower
    • Ball guide stops balls from falling off pins
    • Change the cab opening so the mini-figure can be replaced

  • Lego GBC Ball Return

    Lego GBC Ball Return

    Lego GBC Ball return is a Utility Module designed by Lawrie George that allows Lego GBC Balls to be easily returned to the loop.

    It uses a four corner skate ramps to make the bucket and is combined with a Lego GBC Donahue variation and Brickworld ball pump variation to make it into complient GBC module as well.

    The modules creation occured in three phases.

    First I built the bucket from the skate ramps and configured it so that balls could drop into any module.

    This looked a bit plain though so I then built the flip sign, this was inspired by the old style rotating billboards (they are almost all LED’s these days) that I saw while on holiday.

    At this point it was looking good but it still wasn’t an actual module, to do this I modified a Lego GBC Donahue and Brickworld ball pump to pump balls into the bucket,  then carry them from the output into the next module.

    1. Ball Return, 2. Hand Holding Ball, 3. Hand Dropping Ball

    Night Lighting

    For this module I used a Lego Led light shining through trans blue (to diffuse the light) onto the sign so that it could be seen at night, as well as one of my custom Lego UV/Led lights in the ball pump to charge the balls before they got pumped into the bucket.

    Videos

    Video of this module in operation

  • Lego GBC EV3 Truck

    Lego GBC EV3 Truck

    Lego GBC EV3 Truck or G.E.T GBC EV3 TRUCK is a Lego Great Ball Contraption Module It is a utility train module for recirculation balls or filling large gaps in a table.

    The initial idea was to be trackless and uses IR Beacons for detecting the start and ends, however using train tracks as a guide has proved to be more reliable and allows the module to fit behind other modules.

    Night Lighting

    The reservoir has a custom Lego UV/Led lights, with the UV shining on the balls and the Lego light passing through a trans-colored brick to color the module.

    The Trucks headlights and taillights both light up and change their pattern depending on the direction of travel.

    Loading and Unloading

    Loading is done from an elevated bin that the truck opens via a spring-loaded trap door.

    Unloading is done by the truck tilting its tray.

    Videos

    Videos of this module in operation.

    Boxes

    Lego GBC EV3 Truck packs into a single 24x18x10″/60x46x25cm  bespoke cardboard box.

    In order to fit, it breaks into several key pieces.

    • Truck.
    • Input feed conveyor.
    • Input tower reservoir.
    • 20ft / 6m of tracks are broken into 3 piece segments.
    • 2 EV3 Batteries, 3 PF Rechargeable batteries, and 3 chargers.
    • A few curved and flexible track pieces.
    • It is also packed with a Lego GBC Reservoir Lift in Yellow.

    You can read about other boxes here Boxes for Lego GBC Modules.

    Modules

    Builds and revisions to this module.

    Version 1

    Pieces Cost Time
    1500+ $$$$ 2 Months
    • The module uses an EV3 programmed using Python (Programming Lego EV3’s)
    • The front and rear IR sensors are used for collision detection.
    • The bottom color sensor is used for start and end validation.
    • The loading mechanism is triggered by the truck and fed by a slow conveyor.
    • The unload module is a reservoir that will return balls at 1 ball per second.

    Version 2

    Pieces Cost Time
    1500+ $$$$ 1 Week
    • Add an anti-jam flap to chain lift and adjust chain speed.
    • Add gears to drive motor and racks to track for better traction.
    • Update the software to slow the truck down on shorter runs.

  • Lego GBC Reservoir Lift in Yellow

    Lego GBC Reservoir Lift in Yellow

    Lego GBC Reservoir Lift in Yellow is a variation of Stuarts lift module with the aim of showing the inner mechanism.

    I have a pair of these modules as they have capacity well over 200 balls and will output them at exactly 1 ball per second.

    This makes them great utility modules, that when spaced around a GBC layout will even out the flow of balls.

    These modules have the same mechanism as the Lego GBC Rainbow Lift modules.

    Night Lighting

    These modules are set up for night running with each module having a custom Lego UV/Led lights, with the UV shining on the balls and the lego light passing through a transparent colored brick to color the module.

    Videos

    Videos of this module in operation

    Boxes

    My pair Lego GBC Reservoir Lift in Yellow packs into two separate 4x18x10″/60x46x25cm bespoke cardboard boxes.

    The first is packed with Lego GBC Rainbow Lift and Lego GBC Donahue in Red and Blue. And the second is packed with Lego GBC EV3 Truck.

    You can read about other boxes here Boxes for Lego GBC Modules.

    Modules

    Builds and revisions to this module

    Original

    Pieces Cost Time
    300+ $$ N/A

    This module is designed by Stuart Roll and can be seen at 43:58 in the video below.

    My Variation

    Pieces Cost Time
    300+ $$ 2 Weeks

    For these modules, I wanted to highlight the inner mechanism.

    • Re-designed shell to incorporate clear panels to show off mechanism.