Gearless Right Angle Drive Mechanism
Built by Alan Wenbourne in January 2022
I first saw videos of this mechanism on Facebook from Mark Bezanson, Jordi Valles Gaarretta and Antoni Gual Via.
The original mechanism is a heavy-duty drive, probably designed for use with steam powered or agricultural applications via flat belt transmissions. The drive incorporates precision ball and socket joints and a long cylindrical slider running in an oil sump, providing a 1:1 drive ratio. It would not be as efficient as say, a bevel gear set, but maybe more efficient than a worm gear – but then a worm gear would inherently have a high reduction ratio.
In my version I used Threaded Bosses and Screwed Rod Adapters for the intermediate links in order to allow rotational freedom and allow all Shoulder bolts to be tightened. All parts are standard Meccano except for the Axle Rod stubs to secure the Shoulder Bolts.
The mechanism can be demonstrated manually or motor driven using a PDU.