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Original Post:
Posted on July 7, 2016
Here’s my Myers & Bro. O.K. Unloader as I’ve taken it from rusty beginnings to it’s current state.
This is how I found it along with lots of twisted track.
Since then I’ve had to bend back the cast iron side of the upper part. Got it almost to original spacing of track wheels. The trolley rides well on a small piece of salvaged track. The springs on the trippers are long gone, the spring inside the grapple hook release mechanism is long gone. Looked to me like the wire size is something less than 1/16″ dia. and I found that Amazon sells “spring wire” at 052 (something near that, at east) dia. wire for $3 and it might be that…
In any event, here’s the current state:
I’m seeking one or more of those devices that drop the CDP. Don’t exactly understand what I need yet, but if anyone has what will work for the Myers please let me know.
Dick[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
– Responses:
Nicely done, it would be difficult to form a spring without a mandrel.
Go online to the huge spring distributors.
The first edition of the HTH Newsletter (about to come out) has a complete guide to Myers Arrowhead and Roller coaster trips.
Dan
Here’s a link showing how to make springs. Don’t know how difficult it will be, but will let you know if it works at all.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-springs-in-seconds/?ALLSTEPS
I need to make the one compression spring for the release mechanism, and 2, possibly 4, torsion springs for the CDP side holders. I///////I where “I” is a longer end piece–would need 4 of these. Or I/////II/////I which is where the central part forms an inverted “U”–would need two of these. My mentor on these torsion springs? Various mouse and larger spring loaded traps in use in the barn.
Do you know what form the original spring has under the CDP holder arms?
Also, please advise if you have a Meyer OK Unloader trip for sale, or knows of someone with one. It seems to be the missing link in the puzzle of the hay trolley system. I’m starting to consider carving one out of wood and inserting brass side plates, but would prefer purchasing a original.
Dick
Here’s the latest on the Myers OK Unloader. The device that releases the grapple hooks from the CDP needed a new spring. I bought some .059″ spring wire (aka Music Wire) on Amazon.com, put the right size bolt in a hand drill that would rotate with torque at a creepingly low rpm, stuck that in a vise, used all cautions like welder’s glovers, short piece of wire. On my 3rd try it was “good enough.” Put it in the device it … it worked! Clicks ope when the top device is pressed down, and clicks back when the opened jaws are forced onto the grapple hook pivot pin. I replaced the ground off rivets with bolts, but the pivot bolt for the jaws really wants a rivet–for the time being I ground down the bolt head and the nut.
Dick
The track is up! Lots and lots of support hooks, bolts, nuts. Soon on to the torsion springs for the side holders of the CDP, but yesterday got the Myer trip.
This is the middle sized trip, H428 (maybe, about 1.5″ high) and it just makes it.
This is done on the workbench. Trip spreads the flappers/CDP holders…looks good…so far.
Here’s a bit of head scratching for me. So the trip released the CDP, and then, as in this photo, it allows the holders/flappers to snap back. Now, I don’t understand how I’ll be able to move the trolley forward … but I’ve yet to put it all together and see how it actually works. Some thoughts?
I’m planning on making up two metal “stops” to keep the trolley from falling off the ends, although it does seem as if the double arrow trip would also be a trip. Nevertheless it is a long fall if it goes over the end outside of the barn.
Springs coming up…torsion ones for the flappers.
Dick
The torsion springs. Making them was a easy task, but a few practice tries were “educational.” .059″ spring wire.
Power drill was in a vise and capable of very slow speeds.
Dick
Still don’t get it. Now I’ve set up the stop so that when all the way out the trolley opens the holds on the CDP. Is that the way it is done?
Dick
Wonderful work thus far, really thoughtful.
The trip has the double arrow head so that, just as you noticed, the spreader arms of the double latch fall back into the center. That is done to HOLD the trolley in place at the end of the rail. That is done for a number of reasons:
1. The chassis is held so that the payload can be managed on the ground without shifting above.
2. So that the trolley does not run to the actual end of the rail and constantly hit the end trip.
3. The same trip can be used in the mow as well, or mows.
Now you asked how does the trip release? Simply by sending the center drop back up to the chassis! That will strike the locking lug facing and open those very same spreader arms apart, off goes the chassis back into the barn.
Dan
Thanks for your kind remarks, and for your expertise. As soon as I get back to it, Ill check out what you described. It does sound reasonable and sensible as all one hauling of the rope motion. I like it. That means I’ll move my “never enough suspenders to go with the belt” metal stop back toward the end of the track as my last ditch fail-safe.
Our plans are to bring in the third hay cutting (rowan, for winter feeding of sheep) and bring that hay to end of the 30′ of track, working forward. So any trip inside the barn does not seem to be workable as we’d be continually shifting where we choose to dump the hay. The loft is only 12′ wide but over 70′ long. We cut the track to service the front 24′ of loft.
There’s a wonderful rumble sound as I move the trolley by hand on the track.
Dick
Right on. Haul up and click and in it goes. Looks like I’m about out of here! Last to do: cut hay, pitchfork it to cart, haul it up. If there’s an issue with the grapple hooks opening, for sure I’ll be back.
Using anchor rope from boat (1/2″ nylon) and hauling by hand from the loft. With some hay, I suppose I might add a pulley at end of loft to get some advantage. No need now, as I see it, of routing the line down to the tractor.
Dick
I’ve developed a problem with the connector between the CDP and the grapple hooks, and an issue with the grapple hooks. So I’m not yet finished.
The connector device, into which I’d wound and inserted a new compression spring, seems to be disconnecting when under a load. It was my first spring and I suspect that the spring needs to be long enough so that, when inside the device that it exerts spring pressure, not–as it is now–merely at rest. So I’ve taken it apart and will wind another spring.
On the hooks, when I was testing them out with a half empty cart of mulch hay, I saw that the hooks were “full out” and were essentially going to take the entire load out of my small hay cart. I’d like the grapple hooks to take a smaller “bite.” And for that I’m guessing I can mess about with the chain lengths (extend them?) to get the hooks to open less full.
On yet another issue, driving along a back road yesterday to revisit about the only hay trolley/grapple hooks/railing setup that looks like it is still operational, I took a picture of it. Unfortunately the barn/farmhouse are vacant now but not run down. Perhaps no more than a year or two being unused? The field beyond is cut so someone is haying it, but probably baling the hay. Here it is, and I have no idea what kind of a trolley/hooks it is. I just see that there’s no hook release but instead just a simple hookup. I’d guess one lowered the hooks, took the release off and adjusted the hooks and reattached the hooks to the CPD.
Dick
Final shots. Chains back to original settings–can set depth of grapple hooks by hand. New spring in dis-connector but not perfect in operation…. Nevertheless the test with the old mulch hay shows that the old hay trolley/grapple hooks have a new life here. Thank you to all for help, encouragement, and that wonderful trip.
Dick[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
