Telescoping movement- Help please

Community General Discussions
1

I have been called into duty to build a prop for a children’s theatre- and I could use some help by folks more mechanical than I. I don’t know all the proper names for parts, etc., but think everything I need could be available at robotshop.

It is for a certain Disney character’s nasal extremity, and it needs to grow and shrink by control when the truth is not told…

Here is a link to what the broadway version looks like (go to 3:40) and watch for ~ 20 seconds:

facebook.com/video/video.php?v=581683809070

We are looking for something more scaled down, with the following parameters:

  • Ideal size to house in mask 4- 5 inches total length.
  • Should grow to 12+ inches, and be able to have an ‘intermediate’ growth phase. For example. Start at 5 inches, grow to 9 inches, and then to 12.
  • Actor can wear battery pack, etc.
  • We can have wires/small tubes running through mask and down arm or back.

An earlier post on this forum from 2009 indicated what I would need is a ‘telescoping electric actuator’, but at that time there didn’t seem to be any on the market.

Any help/suggestions are appreciated!!

2

Use the same principle as fork lifts: answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110125182118AAToZUr
This only uses one actuator, but the system is able to telescope much farther.

3

You can likely get away with using a small linear actuator and pulley system (like you’d find on a forklift). If you choose an R/C version, you simply hook it up to a small servo controller and 9V battery. Simple and effective - choose a size which makes sense (and be sure it’s a 6V model). Make sure the 9V battery is charged and fresh before each show.

4

Thanks for the quick response!

I think I understand how to get a powered actuator into the mask, but what I still don’t fully understand is how to get a ~5 inch length machine to extend to 12+ inches. The actuators in your link do not appear to be telescoping, and therefore do not double the length.