2013 Vandal Pumpkin Cannon Owner s Manual

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "2013 Vandal Pumpkin Cannon Owner s Manual"

Jerome Hubbard
5 years ago
Views:

2013 Vandal Pumpkin Cannon Owner s Manual Warning:

1 2013 Vandal Pumpkin Cannon Owner s Manual Warning: This cannon uses compressed air to launch pumpkins at dangerous speeds. A direct hit at any range can cause serious internal injury and death. It must be treated with the same respect one would give to a loaded firearm. Read entire manual before operating.

2 Cannon Basics Figure 1. The cannon at its accessories This cannon operates by storing compressed air behind a butterfly valve. The pumpkin is loaded from the muzzle of the barrel and placed on the opposite side of the valve. An electro-pneumatic control system aims, charges and fires the cannon. Firing Valve Barrel Air Tank Figure 2. The cannon

Manual Controls Two controls on the cannon are manually actuated. Both control if the cannon can hold a charge.

It should be open (vertical) while the cannon is not in use and whenever the cannon needs to be depressurized without firing.

When this valve is closed (pointed towards the back of the cannon) the cannon must be treated like a loaded gun.

Figure 3 The dump valve in the closed position Figure 4 The firing valve in the closed position Figure 5 The firing valve in the open

into the cannon o Will maintain its own pressure at 125 psi automatically when it has power and is turned on A yellow operator s control

3 Manual Controls Two controls on the cannon are manually actuated. Both control if the cannon can hold a charge. A small red lever (the dump valve) should be closed (horizontal) during all operation. It should be open (vertical) while the cannon is not in use and whenever the cannon needs to be depressurized without firing. A larger gold firing valve is opened automatically when the cannon fires. It must be closed manually before the cannon can hold a charge. When this valve is closed (pointed towards the back of the cannon) the cannon must be treated like a loaded gun. Do not approach the front of the cannon while the valve is closed. Figure 3 The dump valve in the closed position Figure 4 The firing valve in the closed position Figure 5 The firing valve in the open position Figure 6 The dump valve in the open position Electric Controls An external air compressor to charge the cannon o Plugs directly into the cannon o Will maintain its own pressure at 125 psi automatically when it has power and is turned on A yellow operator s control box o Safety: Currently Out of Order: use the red-handled valve to safely drain the cannon o Power: Key needed to power the system: The operator should never leave the it unattended o Fire: Hold this button down when ready to fire: The cannon will fire when both this button and the red Figure 7 The Operator's Control Box

4 o o o firing box are pressed Charging: Allows air to flow from the compressor to the cannon: Hold this switch until the pressure gauge on the cannon reaches the desired pressure. User Aiming: Allows the user to aim the cannon: Hold this switch to power the users aiming controls Aiming: When lit, allows for aiming of the cannon: The cannon has safety switches built in to prevent over-aiming, but remain alert when using these controls. A clear user s aiming controls o Allows a user (customer) to aim the cannon A red firing box o Fires the cannon when pressed at the same time as the operator s Fire button Cannon Operations Operator Requirements Two people must be present for all testing; one operator and one spotter Operator and spotter must wear hard hats and protective eye wear while operating the cannon Only the operator and spotter can be within 20 feet of cannon while the cannon is charged Audience must stand at a minimum distance of 20 feet from the cannon A customer (called user) can be included in the procedure. Their role is clearly defined below. Any operator and or spotter must read the entire Cannon Basics and Cannon Operations section of this manual before working on the cannon Position of Cannon Figure 8 Firing Site Layout

Preparing the Cannon for Use 1. Remove all covers from cannon 2. Securely place obstacles (hay bales) in front of and behind both sets of large wheels. 3.

If either lead is disconnected, connect them correctly (red to positive, black to negative). Do not touch both terminals at the same time. 5.

Plug the air compressor into the power outlet on the cannon and connect its air hose to cannon s air socket Figure 9 The compressor and the controls plugged into the cannon 8.

Place the control boxes behind the cannon and as far from it as possible (do not leave the operator s key in the control box, it should be with operator at all times) 10.

5 Preparing the Cannon for Use 1. Remove all covers from cannon 2. Securely place obstacles (hay bales) in front of and behind both sets of large wheels. 3. Set air compressor on the left side of the cannon near the electrical outlet 4. Check the battery compartment near the front of the chassis. If either lead is disconnected, connect them correctly (red to positive, black to negative). Do not touch both terminals at the same time. 5. Ensure the barrel end cap is removed and the main firing valve is in the forward position 6. Plug the cannon s power cord into the generator or electrical outlet 7. Plug the air compressor into the power outlet on the cannon and connect its air hose to cannon s air socket Figure 9 The compressor and the controls plugged into the cannon 8. Connect the control boxes to the cannon (the plug is next to the power outlet) (See Figure 9) 9. Place the control boxes behind the cannon and as far from it as possible (do not leave the operator s key in the control box, it should be with operator at all times) 10. Turn the air compressor on (when using a generator, the compressor should only turn on when the generator is running) 11. Close the red dump valve(figure 3) Firing the Cannon Loading (To be done by operator and customer) 1. Ensure that the cannon is discharged. The gold firing valve should be in the forward position. 2. Lower the cannon using the Operator s Control Box so that it rests on the forward support. 3. Turn the key off to cut out all electric power from the firing system(make sure all the lights are off). Figure 10 Place the sabot in the tip of the barrel Figure 11 Place the pumpkin/watermelon in the sabot Figure 12 Use the plunger to push the pumpkin and sabot to the back of the barrel

6 4. Place the sabot in the tip barrel with the excess fabric pointing out. 5. Break off the stem of the pumpkin to limit the air resistance. 6. Place the pumpkin against the sabot and wrap the fabric around it. 7. Using the plunger, push the pumpkin and sabot towards the end of the barrel. There is a catch in the back of the barrel. Do not try to force the pumpkin further back. 8. Remove plunger and keep it to the side of the cannon. 9. Close the gold firing valve. Do not approach the front of the cannon until the valve is once again open Aiming (To be done by operator and customer) 1. Turn the operator control box on using the operator s key. 2. The operator can now aim the cannon using the controls in the yellow box. a. If a user wants to aim the cannon, the operator should hold down the User Aiming switch. At this point the green light on the user aiming controls should turn on. The user can control the aiming while the switch is held in the on position. b. Do not move the cannon more than is necessary to aim in the desired direction. The motors run off a battery that must be given time to recharge 3. Once the customer (user) is satisfied with the position the cannon is aimed in, the cannon is ready to be charged. Charging (To be done by the operator and spotter) The air compressor needs several minutes to charge. Moving air from the compressor to the cannon will drastically reduce the pressure in the compressor. Additionally, the compressor must be charged to at least 70 psi for the cannon to fire. The compressor should be left turned on while operating the cannon. If the cannon is plugged into a permanent power source, the compressor will always be working to maintain a pressure of 125 psi. If the cannon is powered by a generator, run the generator during your down time to build up as much pressure as you can in the air compressor. 1. Operator: Hold the charging switch on the operator s control box. Wait for the spotters signal to stop. 2. Spotter: Monitor the pressure gauge on the cannon and signal the operator when it has reached the desired pressure. Do not allow the cannon to pressurize above 45 psi. Use the dump valve to relieve any extra pressure. 3. Spotter: If using a generator, it may be necessary to run it to allow for the compressor build enough pressure. 4. Operator: When signaled from the spotter, release the charging switch. 5. Spotter: Run the compressor until the compressor pressure is at least 70 psi. 6. Spotter: Turn off the generator and compressor. Firing (Operator, Spotter and User) 7. Operator: Signal the spotter when ready to fire. Figure 13 The pressure gauge on the cannon

7 8. Spotter: Check the firing range for bystanders. If there are people on the range, immediately open the red dump valve to safely drain the cannon. Clear the range of people. 9. Spotter: If the range appears clear, shout three times Fire in the hole! in all directions. 10. Operator: Press and hold the red Fire button and tell the user to push and hold the handle on the red firing box. 11. Operator: After the cannon has fired, release the fire button and remove the power key 12. Spotter: Ensure the pumpkin and sabot have cleared the cannon and then shout All Clear Closing the Cannon for the Day 1. Bring the cannon to its original position (center and resting on the front support). 2. Turn off the operator s control (hold onto the keys until you are inside). 3. Unplug the controls from the cannon and wind up the extra wire around the firing handle. a. Make sure the control plug on the cannon is completely covered by the metal door. 4. Disconnect the cannon from the power source and coil up the wire on its hook. 5. Disconnect the compressor from the cannon and drain any remaining pressure by pulling on the bleeder valve. 6. If the cannon will be inactive for more than three days, disconnect the wires from the battery terminals. 7. Make sure the trigger valve is open. 8. Open the red dump valve. 12. Put the cap on the barrel to prevent debris from entering the cannon. 13. Put the tarp over the cannon and use straps to tighten it. 14. Store the controls, keys, and compressor inside. Maintenance and Troubleshooting Long Term Storage - Store the cannon in a cool, dry place - Secure barrel cap - Ensure the cannon is lowered completely (there should be slack in the winch cable) - Cover the cannon with a tarp to avoid accumulation of dirt/dust on it, and secure the trap with straps - Place obstacles in front and behind a tire to secure it - Ensure both the firing valve and bump valve are open - Never store the keys with the cannon - If necessary, the barrel can be removed to make the cannon shorter. - Ensure the battery is disconnected. Remove and charge the battery at the beginning of the firing season.

8 Leak Testing The cannon requires periodic leak tests to protect against failures of the pressure tank. At the beginning and ending of each firing season, as well as if a leak is noticed, conduct a leak test with soapy water. If a leak develops in the pneumatic manifold, tighten the joint or replace the defective part. If a leak occurs in the accumulator tank, disconnect the tank from its air supply and firing valve and lift it off the cannon. Apply liberal amounts of PVC cement to the seams on the inside of the tank. A pole is necessary to reach the farthest seam. Apply several coats with the proper drying time between each. Rust At the beginning and end of each firing season, thoroughly inspect the cannon for signs of rust. If any is found, use a commercial rust remover then apply a thorough layer of gloss, black spray paint. Joint Lubrication All joints on the lifting mechanism are self-lubricating bushings and do not need any maintenance. They may need replacing eventually, so be aware if they begin to seize-up during operation. Likewise, the bearings on the rear wheels can be greased with a standard grease gun, do this as needed. The two pivot points are cushioned by Teflon disks. If these need replacing, use best judgment on a suitable material. More Teflon might be available from the ME Department Machine Shop. Control System Overview Warning: Only a technician with an electrical background should conduct any maintenance or repairs on the control system. The pad-lock combination on the electrical control box is The cannon is controlled by a simple analog electrical circuit. A simplified schematic is shown below. A detailed schematic is available in the project files. The system is powered by a 12 VDC car battery mounted at the front of the chassis. The battery is kept charged by an AC/DC charger located in the electrical control box. This is powered by the GFCI plug which is powered by the long electrical cord attached to the cannon. The positive and negative leads of both the battery and the charger connect to the Junction Block shown in the picture on the next page. A ten-wire cable connects to the control boxes (only nine are used). These wires include a positive, negative, and seven control signals. Four of these signals indicate movement in one of the four directions. The other three wires control charging, firing, and the unused safety. (This was intended to control an automatic valve since replaced with the manual dump valve.) Upon entering the control box, the four directional wires are redirected out onto the chassis to limit switches. These switches cut off the current if the cannon has moved to the limit in each direction respectively. (This is a safety to prevent the motors from burning out.) The four directional wires then

9 regroup with the other three control wires and run through a series of fuses. These fuses should all be.5a 20mm fuses. The three non-directional signal wires then, together with a negative, leave the box in four-wire cable. It travels up the frame to the pneumatics control box were each signal actuates a different air valve. The four directional signals enter the relay array. A complete diagram of this array is in the detailed schematic. To put it simply, this system takes a positive and negative signal from the junction block and connects them with the appropriate winch, in the right polarity, depending on which (low-current) control signal is received. Near the winches are two, 50A in-line fuses. Two replacements were included in the original cannon. If more are needed, they are 50A Blade-style Maxi Fuses. Not shown on this schematic are numerous diodes installed to protect the components. Simplified Electrical Schematic

10 The pneumatic system is much simpler. The air hose connects to the air compressor, which should be set at 125psi. Inside the pneumatics box it splits into two separate manifolds. The larger of the two controls the charging and draining of the cannon. The air passes through a 45psi regulator to ensure the cannon is never overcharged. There is a redundant pressure gauge, then the electrically controlled charging valve. From there the line connects to the main pressure gauge, two redundant blowout valves (60 psi), a line to the cannon, and the dump valve. The smaller manifold is regulated at 90 psi. Before the firing valve there is redundant gauge and a half gallon reserve tank with a 100 psi blowout valve. This holds enough air to actuate the piston, so it will fire as soon as possible. Another electrically controlled valve then leads to the piston. Pneumatic Schematic

Sabot Construction Materials needed Styrofoam cylinder (8 diameter, 4 height) Available at Michael s Polyethylene foam (1/2 thick, blue camping mat) Available at Walmart Felt (Toughest fabric

Check to see if the cylinder fits into the barrel of the cannon.

11 Sabot Construction Materials needed Styrofoam cylinder (8 diameter, 4 height) Available at Michael s Polyethylene foam (1/2 thick, blue camping mat) Available at Walmart Felt (Toughest fabric possible) Mesh material (Additional High Strength Mesh included with cannon) Hot glue gun + glue sticks Approximate cost: $15 Construction 1. Check to see if the cylinder fits into the barrel of the cannon. If it doesn t, use the belt sander to sand the side walls of the cylinder till a uniform surface is obtained that fits snuggly into the barrel. 2. Cut out 2 polyethylene circular discs that would match the top and the bottom of the cylinder. Hot glue these disk to either side of the cylinder. Make sure to add a lot of glue around the edges of each surface. 3. The sabot now needs to be rounded down to a precise diameter. Tightly wrap the felt and mesh around the sabot and place it in the barrel. The sabot should be small enough to eliminate most friction in the barrel, but big enough to create an adequate seal.

4. If need be, turn down the sabot of a belt sander. 5. Now the felt can be glued around the cylinder.

Lay a strip of hot glue end-to-end on the sabot and apply the felt.

Add a strip of hot glue every few inches until entire sabot is wrapped.

12 4. If need be, turn down the sabot of a belt sander. 5. Now the felt can be glued around the cylinder. Mark one end of the cylinder as the pressure side, and one end the pumpkin side. Lay a strip of hot glue end-to-end on the sabot and apply the felt. Make sure that the felt does not extend past the blue foam on the pressure side. 6. Add a strip of hot glue every few inches until entire sabot is wrapped. Cut the felt so the two end meet but do not overlap. Add a layer of glue to the seam and blot it so the glue does not harden into a protrusion. Trim any excess felt hanging over the pumpkin side. (The felt prevents any air from deteriorating the Styrofoam cylinder.)

7. Before the mesh is glued over the felt, cut out material needed to cover up the circumference of the cylinder plus one inch of

Ensure the seam is not near the seam in the felt. The two ends should overlap by about one inch.

Ensure the glue soaks through both layers of mesh and into the felt. Spread the glue to prevent any protrusions.

13 7. Before the mesh is glued over the felt, cut out material needed to cover up the circumference of the cylinder plus one inch of overlap. The mesh should overhang about 6 inches on the pumpkin side. 8. Wrap the mesh around the sabot and pull it tight. Ensure the seam is not near the seam in the felt. The two ends should overlap by about one inch. At the end of the overlapping segment, apply a large bead of glue. Ensure the glue soaks through both layers of mesh and into the felt. Spread the glue to prevent any protrusions. (The mesh protects the felt from ware and reduces the friction.) 9. Add a bead of glue around the edge of each side and press the mesh into the glue to create a seal between the mesh and the glue foam. Allow the glue to cool before using the sabot.

Installation Operation Parts

OWNER S MANUAL BATTERY BACKUP SUMP Installation Operation Parts For further operating, installation or maintenance assistance, Call 98-8-05 PRINTED IN U.S.A. M-8 (/9) RULES FOR SAFE INSTALLATION AND OPERATION