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Subject: 
Rhombic pantographs
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Thu, 7 Sep 2000 12:24:14 GMT
Viewed: 
745 times
  
Hi all,did anyone ever succeed in realizing a rhombic pantograph?
I mean,that also moves up and down...

Lego ,in early 80s made these pantographs using plates,on 7740.
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=7740
Of course they were static,but they were so similar to real ones ....
I also copied them in my italian class E656 "Caimano" locomotive
http://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=5644

Recently Lego produced movable single-arm pantographs (Metroliner ones)
,that are made with a smooth hinge ,two arms on it and an arch (don't
know how you call it in English,I mean the crosswise part that closes
the circuit crawling under the catenary wire ans providing electric
feeding to the locomotive - in Italy we call it "arch")

Now,if you want to make a rhombic pantograph,you'll surely begin with
four smooth hinges at the base and four couples of arms on them,as you
were building 4 single-arm pantographs . But then? How do you link the
tops of the arms to themselves and to the arch?
Some days ago I was looking at this:
http://1000steine.de/gallery/g25/index.html
Here you can have a closer (but fuzzy) look at the pantograph:
http://1000steine.de/gallery/g25/3.htm
http://1000steine.de/gallery/g25/4.htm
http://1000steine.de/gallery/g25/5.htm

This last pic shows that the arch is made of upside-down plates.I guess
that the linkage between it and the arms is made by two 1x2 tiles with
grid. Fine idea,but it is a forced linkage and the grids are deformed.
(I know it because I also tried it...)
After thinking a lot (it is since I got my first Metroliner,in early
90s,that I've been designing and making tens of tests...),last night I
SUCCEEDED in making the (till now!) perfect rhombic pantograph.

Listen to this: my pantograph is made of 2 identical halves (left &
right).
Start from a 1x2 plate with one centered stud:under it you put a 1x2
technic brick,the ones with 2 holes. In these holes you put 2 technic
half-pegs (light grey ones,with a studded end),with both studded ends
in the same side of the brick. In these studs insert the nozzle (where
water flows out) of 2 taps (spigots).
Under them you put two of these pieces that are like a pantograph
arm,but end with a stud on their top. You can see 4 yellow ones on the
side of the 2nd wagon of 4563:
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=4563

Now,put below two pantograph arms and two smooth hinges,as the lower
part of single-arm pantographs,and a 1x6 plate below to link them
together.
This is the first half.The second is the same.
Link together the tho-holed technic bricks with a 1x2 plate below and a
crosswise plate (the "arch") above.

If you followed well my instructions (or,if they've been clear
enough...),now you have a thin but strong,moveable pantograph!
I've been a bit long....I hope I havent bored you!

Regards
Gianluca
PS:visit my creations on :
http://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?m=gm



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Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: Rhombic pantographs
 
(...) [snip] (...) I think the best solution would be a picture: that would tell more than 1000 words (to be honest: I couldn't follow your description). BTW: I think you know about my pantograph? Ok, it's kind of impurity, because I have used (...) (24 years ago, 7-Sep-00, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Rhombic pantographs
 
(...) In the US it's commonly called a "shoe" as in pantograph shoe. I agree, a rhombic panto that is symmetrical AND dainty will be tough. Very tough. (24 years ago, 7-Sep-00, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Rhombic pantographs
 
(...) Here's my version: (URL) fairly bulky, but it is fully hinged, pure unmodified Lego, and since I use it on a fairly bulky locomotive I think it looks fine. :) Steve (24 years ago, 8-Sep-00, to lugnet.trains)

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