Alps Rocket Man Help Please

[chilli]

Hi,

really pleased to have received a rocket man.

Can anyone tell me how the rockets work. Mine are missing and I have never seen one before.

I know I can buy replacement rockets, with or without springs.

I am guessing that the spring is attached inside the rocket and then just hangs down. You then press the rocket onto the backpack and the clips hold it down under tension.( one of the 4 clips is broken on mine,damn)

What I need to get my head round is how the release wheel works. ( I have the bot in bits at the moment as I needed to free the clock of as it was jammed up.)

So, I assume the spiral wheel only rotates one way. I could imagine it firing one rocket but how does it release the second rocket?

If anyone can point me to a close up video that would be great.

Also, if i bought the rockets without springs would it be possible to fit springs. I'm not bad with a big hammer and a bag of nails.

cheers

Chilli

[robothut]

The spiral cam rotates all the way around, releasing first one rocket then the other.

[chilli]

Thanks John, but what does it press on, the fins of the rocket?

I am just trying to understand how the mechanism works. What causes the release? its just a bit tricky when I have not seen one work,

Thanks M

[robothut]

Here is a you tube of one operating fully.

http://youtu.be/tI5A135CVgM

I don't think I have any pictures of the clip and release parts , I have repaired a few in the past, as I recall it was not fun.

[robothut]

This you tube shows the back rocket side more.

http://youtu.be/bclmd2EcC1I

[chilli]

Hi,

thanks John, I had found those but I think I have worked out now how the release works.

I assume the rocket is held under tension with the plastic clips then as the cam rotates it just pushes against the fin and budges the rocket sideways off the clip retainer and the rocket flies.

I am still wondering if I buy repro rockets without springs , a third of the price of fitted springs, would I be able to fit springs myself?

The strip down of the outer casing of the rocketman was easy to the point of the cogs etc, they look very complicated but luckily I did not need to touch them.

The problem was that the crank handled shaft of the clock that is rotated by the main shaft that also rotates the rocket cam had become locked together like you would link your 2 index fingers,

The shaft is suppose to rotate the clock shaft but the 2 were too close together and the upright shaft on each had slipped together causing the whole thing to lock up.

I think this might have been the clock had been slightly knocked backwards into the robot causing the shafts to lock. Although there was no visible signs of this. I simply bent both shafts uprights slightly back so they could not slide over each other as easy and it works fine and dandy.

I will video the fella when he is up and ready which should be very soon.

Hope these shots help anyone else with any problems.

It is not a difficult robot to work on,nothing just falls out as some do ( I would imagine the missile version is a nightmare) and is a lot easier than the Cragstan Great astronaut. Once it is open there is a lot of space to work.

Just as a useful tip, if anyone strips a robot down and want's to see if it is all working when back together, hold the halves of the body together with rubber bands rather than bend the tabs back into place, if the repair is good then you can bend the tabs, you really dont get many chances to with a tab so keep it to just once if you must repair.

The silliest but easiest mistake is getting the wire polarity the wrong way as this will cause jamming with things like noise making springs as the mech runs backwards.Again it is useful to hold the body with rubber band to check all ok.

Cheers

Chilli