Renold drives Mini up the wall

A new exhibit in the Xperiment gallery of The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester enables visitors to drag a mini up a vertical wall by simply turning a small handwheel.

A new exhibit in the Xperiment gallery of The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester enables visitors to drag a mini up a vertical wall by simply turning a small handwheel.

The interactive exhibit is designed to enthuse visitors in technology and innovation by demonstrating the power of engineering and stimulating enquiring minds.

The 15in-diameter handwheel can be turned almost effortlessly, and with relatively few revolutions the Mini is pulled up the vertical wall.

The mechanical system was designed by Renold after the Xperiment team approached the company with an exciting, but seemingly impossible challenge.

The objective was to make a car move dramatically up and down a wall, with only the minimal amount of effort, while at the same time ensuring the absolute safety of visitors.

Renold's engineers achieved both of the key objectives by designing a counterbalanced system with the car secured to a steel frame and running on tracks hidden within the wall of the display.

The counterbalance weight was the same as the car's and was suspended by Renold Synergy chain at the rear of the structure.

The counterbalance provided an important safety feature and reduced the amount of mechanical effort required to raise and lower the car to the minimum.

The handwheel was attached to a new Renold e.PM series, PW35 worm gearbox with a 70:1 ratio and inbuilt self-sustaining characteristics.

The latter would ensure that an operator could let go of the handwheel at any stage of the Mini's ascent or descent without the risk of overrun.

The primary drive, attached to the gearbox, was designed with 1in-pitch Renold Synergy chain between two 19-tooth sprockets; this was connected to a secondary drive with 19 and 38-tooth sprockets, respectively.

The secondary drive was connected to a cam-and-lever mechanism that would effect the raising and lowering of the Mini.

The display was constructed by Engineering Design Models, of Manchester, and the Xperiment exhibit is now open to the general public.

Entrance to the museum is free of charge.

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