We have a weird plug in the bathroom basin. It doesn't lift out of the sink but stays over the plug hole. Press and release it once and the plug hole seals. Press and release it again and it lifts allowing the basin to empty.
Recently the basin has started to take a long time to empty. I reckoned it was probably time to give it a clean out.
The plug assembly came out of the basin easily by unscrewing it revealing this interesting looking unit. I could make it work by pressing in and releasing the brass body to the right of the picture. Squeeze once to shorten the assembly, squeeze again to restore it to full length. Time to take it apart and see how it works.
I unscrewed the grub screw then removed the spring clip which released a steel pin. The pin was approximately 20mm long with both ends bent over at 90°. It was located inside the body in the position of the pink pin in in the picture above.
With those parts removed the main body came apart easily.
This heart shaped groove is, as its shape suggests, at the heart of the mechanism. The pin sits in the groove and controls how the body of the plug moves. To work properly, the pin has to keep moving round the groove in the same direction and not back-track on itself. This is the clever bit. As the pin moves round the groove it falls down little steps, these stop it returning in the direction from whence it came. Neat!
You can see how the pin and groove move in this animation.
I put the plug assembly back together and returned it to the basin where it now works beautifully again. Even #Truelove is pleased with this latest tinkering as the sink is now sparkling clean!
How does this relate to paper engineering? I think it could be a really useful mechanism for a variety for different automata but my first thought was that I could extend the Logic Goat range!
The flip flop is one of the core logic gates used in computer circuits. Apply an input once and it turns on, apply it again and it turns off. The Flip Flop Logic Goat would work in the same way. Just like with the plug mechanism , press the button and it would nod, press it again and it would raise its head. If I could connect a series of them together I could make Goat counting device!
And all that from cleaning the sink. Sometimes cleanliness pays off!
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And Goat works in the same way as the computer And Gate. Press either button on its own and the goat doesn't nod.
Press one button AND the other button and the goat nods.
For a limited time everyone can download the And Goat project for free!
And Goat is part of the Logic Goats collection. Click the banner above for more details.
Download the file. Print out the parts onto thin card. (230 micron 67lb) Notice that the part sheets are marked front and back. Print out one side, flip the card over, return it to the printer and print the other side. Let the ink dry completely before starting to make the model.
Score along the dotted and dashed lines before carefully cutting out the pieces.
Fold up and make the box as shown above.
Find four coins to act as weights. UK one penny pieces are perfect. 20mm diameter / 4 grams.
Wrap each coin in a coin holder.
Assemble both the buttons as shown and glue one of the coins into the marked area.
Glue the pushrod onto the grey pad.
Assemble the box top stiffener and glue it to the grey area.
Glue each of the assembled buttons onto the colour matched tabs making sure that the push rod is threaded up through the hole in the box top.
Make up the pivot and glue on the hinge.
Assemble the two lift links and glue them to the grey areas on the pivot.
Fold round and glue together the neck. Glue the heck to the hinge as shown.
Glue the two push rod ends to the lift links as shown.
Glue a coin pack to each side of the lift links in the position shown.
Fold round and glue together the side inners and glue them to the inside of the body.
Glue the legs to the grey areas.
Glue the alignment piece to the inside of the body.
Assemble the head and glue on the horns.
Glue the head to the neck.
Glue the head assembly to the alignment piece.
Join the two parts of the pushrods together.
Glue the feet to the box top.
Fit the body end into place and glue on the tail.
Done! Press one button AND the other and the goat nods.
Logical captain!
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The and-goat is part of the Logic Goats collection. I'm planning on creating a Flip-Flop Goat as a new addition to the set. While I'm thinking about it I've been making up the rest of the set so that I can create some animations like the one shown here.
In the heart of the computer is central processing unit a microscopic piece of silicon packed with transistors and logic gates. One of these logic gates is the and-gate. In the and-gate there is an output from the circuit if both one and the other input are powered.
The And-Goat works in the same way. She nods her head if one AND the other button is pressed. You can download the Logic Goats here. Logic gates are available here.
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Imagine my surprise when a giant or-goat appeared in my twitter stream! Matt Tancock - @mtancock posted this fantastic specimen to match with his previous and-goat. Nice work Matt!
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At the heart of every computer lies the central processing unit, a vast collection of microscopically small switches and logic-gates. Now, through the power of paper we bring you those same logic gates in goat form.
Presented here is the or-gaot, the goat will nod his head if you press the left button OR the right button OR both buttons.
Download the model, print it onto thin card then cut out and assemble following the clear, fully illustrated instructions. You'll need some small coins to act as weights, PVA glue ( white school glue), scissors, ruler and a sharp knife.
Buy All Four Logic Goats for Only £8!
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The central processing unit lies at the heart of every computer, a vast collection of microscopically small switches and logic-gates. Now, through the power of paper we bring you those same logic gates in goat form.
Presented here is the not-goat, the goat will nod his head only if you are NOT pressing the button.
Download the model, print it onto thin card then cut out and assemble following the clear, fully illustrated instructions. You'll need some small coins to act as weights, PVA glue ( white school glue), scissors, ruler and a sharp knife.
Buy All Four Logic Goats for Only £8!
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Finally! The xor-goat! Just what you needed to complete your Logic Goat set.
Just like the rest of our Logic Goats, the xor-goat is to silicon logic gates what the and-goat is to the and-gate. Download, print out and make this paper model then, when you press one button OR the other button the goat nods. But not if you press both. Hence the 'x', which stands for Exclusive.
As usual, the download comes with all the parts you need ready to print out, you'll just need add some glue, a few coins (to act as weights) and some basic tools.
You could get this model, OR the complete logic goats. (but not both)
Buy All Four Logic Goats for Only £8!
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The central processing unit lies at the heart of every computer, a vast collection of microscopically small switches and logic-gates. Now, through the power of paper we bring you those same logic gates in goat form.
Presented here is the and-goat, the goat will nod his head only in you press the right button AND the left button.
Download the model, print it onto thin card then cut out and assemble following the clear, fully illustrated instructions. You'll need some small coins to act as weights, PVA glue ( white school glue), scissors, ruler and a sharp knife.
Buy All Four Logic Goats for Only £8!
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