Remote trigger release???

[buratti]

Thanks to all who just answered my strobe light questions, but now I have something else for you all to pick your brains on. I am setting up a Halloween light show this year and for the finale of it I would like to have some kind of trigger release that releases a rope to have a dummy drop from a tree right at the end. I have done little searching online for such a mechanism but don't even know where to start looking. I'm sure somebody somewhere makes such a device, but like I said, I dont know what the official name would be or how to search for it.

I was figuring this "device" could release a rope when power was supplied to it, hence just power that channel on my controller only once at the end when I need it triggered. I am fine with having to manually reset it after each show.

Does anybody know where I can find such a device and hopefully it is fairly priced?

OR... Can anyone figure out some other way to have a automatic rope release system that will work with my controllers? I am open to all suggestions.

Thank you

Joe

[HowardShank]

Here's a couple options to consider. I searched for an "Electric quick release" and other variations of release mechanisms. Most of them are manual.

Option one. Magnetic lock release like the ones on the back side of doors. Pros: Electric operations. Cons: Expensive? Power is on until the unit is released.

Option two: Electronic door latch (deadbolt style). Could place a loop over the latch when it's extended and when the latch is pulled in the cord would release.

Option three: Probably the best bet would be to get a PUSH/PULL SOLENOID (preferably a PULL model) that when activated the pin is pulled in and will release anything hanging over it. You'd probably want to build a frame or something that it slides through to make sure the rope doesn't accidentally slip off the end.

Maybe you can find an old washer/dryer lid latch used from a repair shop.

Or try contacting the Mythbusters for ideas!

[Jack Stevens]

The washer/dryer latch sounds like a good idea. This application sounds similar to a cash register drawer release, which uses a solenoid to kick/pull a release latch tht keeps the drawer closed.

Most cash drawer solenoids aren't that big, just enough to kick the latch. A spring actually ejects the drawer. Something similar could be done for yor rope - the solenoid would kick a catch plate that holds up the rope, but the weight of the rope wouldn't have to be keld up by the solenoid, just the "catch plate".


Most cash drawer solenoids are around 12 volts; sorry, I haven't been a cash register tech for about 15 years now, and don't have any spare solenoids left. However, the washer/dryer solenoid is probably 110 volts. I don't know what the inductive kickback would do the LOR SSR's, though.

[Steven]

If you can't get a solenoid that's powerful enough, you could have the release pin connected to a string that gets wound around a pulley connected to a motor. You'd have to turn the motor on a slight bit earlier.