Tom Kaye's riddle solved... by fat people!

[halB]

Ok, I just saw a commercial that finally beat inspiration into my head.

Tom Kaye has challenged us to make a barrel that can curve a ball in multiple directions, with the press of a switch. I have been trying to figure out the mechanics of it... but it seems that we have been beaten....


by the lap band system. Haven't you seen the commercials? It adjusts to either be wider or narrower. This is exactly what is necessary for the barrel system. We just have to make it asymmetrical.

Carry on.

[Temo Vryce]

Theory is good. You need multiple thin rails running down the barrel tip that could be used much like the apex barrel. I don't think that injecting saline into the barrel would be practical though. You would need it to be mechanical like the apex or something electronic controlled on the marker. Interesting direction to take it.

[kruger]

There is a wire that will contract when voltage is applied to it. It was sorta played around with several years ago thinking that it could be used for robotic arms. No hydraulics. You could stretch it down the length of a semi rigid barrel, or just at the last two inches. Control the curve with a flip of a switch.

[Temo Vryce]

So the wire would be used to arc or bow another material that could be used to cause the spin on the ball. Nice idea Kruger.

[zondo]

I guess you could also use this to automatically size your barrel too. Who needs freak inserts?

[halB]

There is a wire that will contract when voltage is applied to it. It was sorta played around with several years ago thinking that it could be used for robotic arms. No hydraulics. You could stretch it down the length of a semi rigid barrel, or just at the last two inches. Control the curve with a flip of a switch.

Your theories intrigue me, and I wish to subscribe to your newspaper. Could you tell us more about this wire? Some way to search for it?

[zondo]

There is a wire that will contract when voltage is applied to it. It was sorta played around with several years ago thinking that it could be used for robotic arms. No hydraulics. You could stretch it down the length of a semi rigid barrel, or just at the last two inches. Control the curve with a flip of a switch.

Hmm, or a spin of a dial?

[Ruler_Mark]

there is metal when under an electrical current changes shape

[kruger]

Try googlin' shape memory alloy wire. That will get you in the ball park