Automatic uncoupling mechanism
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.พ. 2023
- A look at the Automatic uncoupling mechanism I will be using on my N Gauge layout Wolverton North.
This system uses the Dapol easi shunt couplings and are opened using permanent magnets attached to a servo. This removes the need for any visable magnest on the layout and unlike electromagnets or solenoids there is no limit on how long the uncoupler can be active for.
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thanks for sharing this inspired approach - planning to do something similar on my H0m layout
Try stacking two magnets (using a total of 4) to increase the magnetic field.
Wow .... that's fantastic, well done with the design.
Thank you very much.
That... is brilliant.... I am working on figuring out full automation of my layouts moving forward and this is just brilliant :) Nice working!
Glad it was helpful! Its a nice simple solution and so far is very reliable.
Fantastic idea, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Excellent work! :)
Thanks a lot. Mel
That’s a genius idea. 👍🏻
Thank you very much. Mel
Very nice!! Thanks for sharing. Dave
GHello Dave lad you enjoyed it. Mel
Awesome :)
That's interesting. I have a OO layout, and faced the same problem and wanting the same end result. I too went with 2 permanent magnets, but I opted for a hinge system to move them away from the track, also driven by a servo. Rather than bar magnets, I went for circular magnets - don't really know why - but have found them too work fine and they also allow for delayed uncoupling. Possibly the only drawback is they are only effective over quite a short distance, so positioning the train to uncouple needs to be fairly accurate.
What a cool idea!! I've got the the Gaugemaster EM1's. I haven't managed to get them to work yet!! I have them in position.. just haven't figured the correct wiring to work with my ECOS Controller!! (Not high on the list right now!) But this is a cool idea.. Maybe on another build I'll come back to this video to find out more! Craig
Thank for watching. The control systems for the electromagnet-based systems is a little more complex. Its one of the reasons I looked to use a servo simply because I already have a number of servo control boards to hand.
Interesting.
I did something similar (assisted by a product developed by Dingo Servo) but using the linear solution.
However, an important point to note: you do not need to cut holes in your baseboards if your permanent magnets are strong enough. You can mount them *underneath* the baseboards for scenic perfection.
Thank you. I will have to try it out with some more powerful magnets and see if I can get it to work without cutting the holes.
Thank you for this superbly presented video. I just have a Graham Farish engine and stock so would probably try the lever approach to lift the coupler, perhaps it can be disguised as a small wooden crossing (I am in the 1930s sort of era). Very early days yet of course, haven't yet got a board or framework, just a tabletop.
Thank you very much.
The lever approach sounds like agood choice, it means you don't have to change any of the couplings and I agree a wooden crossing would be a good method to disguise it.
Where can I find more info about uncoupling knuckle couplers by rotating magnets.
That's the way Rapido uncouplers work, but for cars with steel weights, there's still the problem of unintended car movement caused by the magnetic field, no matter how it is oriented.
Hi, excellent idea I see Charlie of Chadwich Model Railway used a similar idea
Yes I did watch Charlies video. He is using the electro Magnet system that I was trying to avoid because it has a limit on how long it can be active which is why I have gone with the permeant man agents. Mel
@The Wolverton Workshop Hi Mel. Yes, I did understand why you made your choice. Happy Modelling
Congratulations, this looks a brilliant solution and i would be amazed if you or someone else doesn't come up with a commercially available model. I recently starfted a new N-Guage layout - my first forray back into the world of model railways for almost forty years!! Now i am retired and in my dotage i am enjoying the experience but finding N-Guage quite fiddly as my eyes aren't as good as they were 40 years ago!!! I have been wondering how to tackle uncoupling on my layout as this will be quite important as i am building an "L" shaped end-to-end track loosley based on the Bluebell Railway with Sheffield Park at one end and Horsted Keynes at the other (and missing out quite a bit of the rest!!!). I tried the Peco manual uncoupler but found it nigh on impossible to set up on the code 55 flexitrack and I really don't want long bits of wire sticking up for the manual control. At present the only solution i have is the "great hand" from above with all the issues this brings. I am very interested to understand how easy your solution might be to retro fit to an existing layout as at my age (75) I really don't want to have to start again!!!
Thank you very much. I'm still working to improve my mechanism and have been testing with various different magnets. Hopefully I will have an update on this in the coming months.
Currently it wouldn't be the easiest solution to retrofit because there is a need to cut large holes under the track but I will consider that and see if the design could be modified for retrofitting purposes.
Out of interest would the mounts you have created there be available to purchase at all?
I think this is a fantastic idea and would love to try to implement it into an exhibition layout I am planning
I haven't made any specific plans to release these for sale but the printed parts would be fairly easy to produce in larger numbers so it might be something I look at in the future.
Something functionally equivalent, but using the linear system, more powerful magnets and requiring no holes in the baseboards is available from Dingo Servo.
What brand are your couplings?
That's ingenious! Are you making this?
I am not planning on making these to sell at the moment. I will only be making enough for my personal layout. However once they are installed in the final layout and I’ve had a chance to test them thoroughly and refine the design I may look to market them.
Wow, great idea, will you be printing theses rotators for sale.??
I'm hoping to release the files and possibly print a small run of them once I've got the design exactly right. There are few tweaks left but I should have an update video on that soon.
What a brilliantly simple idea! Would you be willing to share the .stl files?
Thank you. I've still got a bit of refining to do on the design but once I'm 100% happy with it I will look to share the files. Not sure how long that will be at the moment though.
Has anyone thought about using electro magnets?
Yes there are a lot of layouts out there that utilise electro magnets and a number of off the shelf products that use them as well.
I didn't want to go down the electro magnet route on my layout though because there are limits to the length of time the uncoupler can be active as well as the power consumption of the units. I wanted a solution where the uncouplers could be left active indefinitely without drawing any current.
Ah, good point. I’ve not looked into them yet as I don’t do any switching. But if I build another layout I might use your method, thanks for explaining.
Your welcome
What size magnets are you using?
Currently I have been using magnets that are 20x5x2.5mm but I think I could use slightly larger ones without modifying the design. My concern with using magnets that are too large is they tend to pull lighter stock such as wagons towards the uncoupler.
Is it possible to share the 3d print file(s)?
Hello. I'm afraid they aren't quite ready yet. I need to refine the design and carry out a lot more testing first. Once I'm 100% happy with the design I will look to raise the files.
Why not just use electromagnets? There are plenty of options out there and since you're already using an electro-mechanical solution not much has to change as far as your control panel and wiring.
I did look into electro magnets but I'm looking to run the layout from a solar powered system so I want to limit power usage wherever possible and servos are much less power hungry.
Electromagnets need a power supply, and they are also limited as to how long you can leave them powered. If you leave them on too long, they can start to overheat, to the point of failure if left on long enough. Also, the proprietary ones that are available tend to be expensive, especially if you intend to include a number of uncoupling points around the layout.