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View Full Version : Yoke dampening device...



ak49er
10-03-2008, 07:22 PM
I was in the process of insulating my garage, while moving around some boxes I looked inside one and saw a device I had not thought of in a long time. I came across a surplus "automatic" door closer, you know, the type that does not let a door slam shut, but at the end of the stroke pulls it closed tightly. I started to play around with it, it has three different "screw-valves" controlling three different ranges, opening force, closing force, and "pull-in" (to latch the door.) With the included linkage I believe one could have a hydraulically dampened yoke, this could work on both column mounted yokes, and "slide" yokes, single and dual-linked. Just an inspiration I thought I'd share, much easier than the hydraulic cylinders in a tube design I emulated earlier last year.

NicD
10-03-2008, 07:34 PM
We've used these, and I think Westozy did too. They work reasonably well, although getting a balance of force is difficult if you have them opposing each other.

ak49er
10-03-2008, 07:38 PM
Just playing around with the one I have I do not see why you would need to oppose it, what am I missing?

Michael Carter
10-03-2008, 07:43 PM
Because you would have to balance the closing force of each cylinder to maintain the yoke in a neutral position.

It's nice having the adjustment though. You can set the push/pull force to your liking or whatever requirement you need. As long as both are the same force.

NicD
10-03-2008, 10:51 PM
That's right. And the problem with opposing force is they tend to cancel each other out a fair bit.