Operating rotary coal dumper

[Petz]

I did that once and I could never get it to work well, the walnut shell coal kept getting in the gears that turn it. Also the clamps had to be modified, they don't have enough range to clear the locomotives and still grab the cars.

I would consider the Walthers dumper poseable and not really animateable. It can be made animateable but isn't robust enough to withstand much use without a lot of modifications.

I had adapted the clamp bars for fitting my very old Walthers LS&I Ore Jenny´s set (and also european EAOS type cars); both end rings and the lead plates had been mounted in 180° turned position so falling gravel pieces could not enter and block the leading system or gear anymore - also i use a bit bigger 2 / 3 mm aquarium gravel for loads.

Two added brass bars support the clamp bars side to provide them from being bent by the sliders. Also the bottom got cutted out sectors so the gravel could fall into the deeper placed transparent plastic reservoir that could be seen at the picture too.

I had split the drive shaft in two pieces to be able to fix the two small gear wheels heavily on it, could insert the pieces through new holes from the outer sides in perfect position and the shaft connectors allow a perfect synchronisation between the gears and geared motor coupling too.

Also i used a cable fitted standard piece of track inside the dumper so small locomotives are able to drive inside the dumper´s area. The cars get fitted with Neodym magnetic jewellery chain connenctors as couplers allowing the car´s rotation.

The rather heavy gravel could not be manipulated with the buckets of Märklin or WIAD - cranes so a partially damaged cheap Märklin crane "cadaver" got a second electric winch and a new longer boom transforming it into a nice working dragline...

 

[kjd]

Good job, Petz, on overcoming some of the Walthers challenges. The dragline is neat!

 

[Petz]

Many thanks Paulus!
Similar experiences i had done at function models from the german Vollmer company; it seems they spare the testing of their constructions in practice....
Troubles had been shown by their large coal bunker, conveyor and also the gravel plant too so some modifications are necessary to get reliable functions.