Slightly OT: automated garden gazebo inspiration

["Paul Gordon paul_gordon@xxxxxxxxxxx [ukha_d]" <ukha_d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all, bear with me, there IS an automation link in here, of sorts...
:-)

My spring/summer project this year will be to construct a timber framed
garden gazebo, approximately 4m x 6m (ish), open sides (2 sides are
sheltered, 2 sides will have standard issue outdoor curtains. The plan is
for this to house my pool table outside for use during the summer months...
There really isn't a big enough space anywhere inside the house... In
addition I have a half-plan to also house an electrically raised &
lowered platform, probably the full size of the internal dimension, upon
which I can leave my slot car track permanently set up for use... It's this
last bit I'm seeking inspiration for...
I already have a suitable motor.. A Powercord curtain motor, which has
automatic limit stop, and is most certainly powerful enough to raise the
weight..
I plan for the motor to be housed way up in the apex of the roof ridge, and
via a system of ropes & pulleys be able to raise & lower the
platform...
When raised, the platform will become a false ceiling within the gazebo, it
will lower to the point it sits atop the pool table which will then become
the base for the platform.

The motor has a single pulley wheel connected to the shaft, around which
the pull cord from a curtain track is meant to sit... I will need to use a
cord larger (stronger) than a normal thin curtain pull type I suspect...

For stability, I think I should be looking at a cord attached to each of
the 4 corners of the platform, rather than a single cord, and I don't
really want the cords to be "in the way" when the platform is
lowered, so I think I want to take a cord from each corner of the platform,
and take it straight up the inside surface of each of the 4 main support
legs, around a pulley mounted at the top of each leg... So far so good... I
now have 4 cords I can pull on evenly to raise & lower the platform. I
also have a half idea that perhaps each corner of the platform could be
fitted with a small wheel which runs inside a guide channel secured to (or
routed into) the inside of the gazebo legs, thus further restricting it's
possible movement to straight up & down only...

Where I'm struggling to conceptualise the mechanics, is how to get those 4
cords from each corner to a single motor shaft, such that the motor will
spool each one evenly... Anyone have any ideas or links to designs I can
look at for inspiration?

My other as yet unresolved question is how to effect the limit stop on the
lowering cycle... Raising limit stop is easy.... But how the get the motor
to stop once the platform is resting on the pool table?

Anyone fancy a holiday in Oslo in the summer to help with construction!?!
:-)

Sent from my iPad

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Posted by: Paul Gordon <paul_gordon@xxxxxxx>
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