How to make Mechanical Iris Diapraghms?

[heavyporker]

 I stumbled over some pictures of an mechanical iris... and I felt things. Things deep within me, that one does not speak of in polite company.


I must have mechanical irises! Loads of them. Scads of them. I want them bolted to anything where they might be remotely useful. Huge ones... let's not even go there. Although I do wonder if one is permitted to marry inanimate objects.


 
(This is from a scientific article, which I'm leery of leeching from...)   



This should let you know what I'm referring to, and some idea of how to build it.

Apparently, it's first one ring with pits in a concentric circle for holding pins, then shaped blades with pins at the very end for pivoting upon, and pins a bit further along the length for sliding upon slots. Next up is another ring, but with slots cut in a diagonal as paths for pins to slide upon. Apparently, it is upon the slotting ring that motive force is applied, so that the turning ring forces the blades closed or open.

[Blinding_Gold_Goggles]

I don't have anything to draw and post with but here's an idea I thought of while looking at your drawings:

1) Replace the retaining pins with small shafts with gears on them that are fixed to the "blades".

2) Put an outside "ring" gear that when rotated activates the inner gears and opens or closes the "blades" depending on direction of rotation.

It's hard to put into words but I'm not in a position to draw what I mean at the moment.

[Darksmith]

I'm with you in your love for mechanical iris diaphraghms. I've always loved how they look and move, but height of this interest peeked while watching A Series of Unfortunate Events. The character Aunt Josephine has this massive round window, and the shutters for it is a giant iris diaphraghm opperated by a chain and winch system. Sadly I could not find an apporpiate picture to share this wonder if you have not yet seen the movie(and if you havn't you should).

I must say that that diagram you have provided makes alot of sense. It seems a lot less complicated than I had ever thought that it would be. I'm sure it would still take a but to get it all to fit right and work smoothly, but the basic concept doesn't seem that hard. Thanks for sharing.

[Lilithgow]

I would highly appreciate it if you could keep us posted on your progress. I'd be interested myself in fashioning them.

And then, as you say...larger models. Who needs doors, anyway?

[Professor Fzz]

Oh, I just love mechanical irises.  For a door though, you'd probably need one that could close completely - I don't think the design in that figure can close completely.  Here's a slightly different design (from this article) that can close completely.  The figure only shows five petals, but you obviously need ten.



I've been thinking for a while of making shutters for my study using an iris design - one of these days...

- Fzz

[Blinding_Gold_Goggles]

Oh, I just love mechanical irises.  For a door though, you'd probably need one that could close completely - I don't think the design in that figure can close completely.  Here's a slightly different design (from this article) that can close completely.  The figure only shows five petals, but you obviously need ten.

Much cleaner than what I was thinking of - thanks for posting the link and the image!

Although you could obviously cut outside teeth into the outer ring and run it using a motor so that's good too.

I've been thinking for a while of making shutters for my study using an iris design - one of these days...

I'm of the contingent that would love doors like this in my home.  Unfortunately I do not have such a large living area so as to accomodate them nor would the lady of the house be enamoured of said idea... :|

[Obadiah Askew]

I believe it goes with out saying that if anyone had an abandoned missle silo for their abode, that they would make the effort to put iris doors in as many places as possible.

-O.A.

[heavyporker]

I believe it goes with out saying that if anyone had an abandoned missle silo for their abode, that they would make the effort to put iris doors in as many places as possible.

-O.A.

You know, I remember that abandoned missile silos DO GO ON SALE AS LIVING SPACES from time to time!

[Blinding_Gold_Goggles]

I believe it goes with out saying that if anyone had an abandoned missle silo for their abode, that they would make the effort to put iris doors in as many places as possible.

-O.A.

You know, I remember that abandoned missile silos DO GO ON SALE AS LIVING SPACES from time to time!

*grumble* *grumble*  They used to go for pennies on the dollar too.  Now they're expensive unless you're used to California pricing.

http://www.missilebases.com/

But yes I could easily see making those for all the doors, AND the silo "caps" as well.

[Dr. Tobias Archer]

Close the iris!



:p

I appologize... I don't know what came over me!

[sidecar_jon]

Never mind all that, what i want to make is a musical box like the start of Trumpton!... I like those iris thingys too.

[Jake of All Trades]

I stumbled over some pictures of an mechanical iris... and I felt things. Things deep within me, that one does not speak of in polite company.


I must have mechanical irises! Loads of them. Scads of them. I want them bolted to anything where they might be remotely useful. Huge ones... let's not even go there. Although I do wonder if one is permitted to marry inanimate objects.


 
(This is from a scientific article, which I'm leery of leeching from...)   



This should let you know what I'm referring to, and some idea of how to build it.

Apparently, it's first one ring with pits in a concentric circle for holding pins, then shaped blades with pins at the very end for pivoting upon, and pins a bit further along the length for sliding upon slots. Next up is another ring, but with slots cut in a diagonal as paths for pins to slide upon. Apparently, it is upon the slotting ring that motive force is applied, so that the turning ring forces the blades closed or open.

Yup, I've got one from an old SLR in front of me right now and that is indeed exactly how it works!  There are probably several different designs, but this seems like the simplest.  It does close completely too, in the same manner as the Stargate one shown above.  They are exceptionally flash, and I guarantee you'll be seeing one on something of mine some day (sort of) soon   I can post some pics and details of the one I have if you need it.

[heavyporker]

Do please, Mr. Trades. Any and all information is extremely valuable.

[Tinker]

If it isn't for a camera, it can be made of polished spring brass sheet.  Shiny!  Was always faintly dissapointed in the matte black appearance needed by camera innards.

A.

[Professor Fzz]

Yup, I've got one from an old SLR in front of me right now and that is indeed exactly how it works!  There are probably several different designs, but this seems like the simplest.  It does close completely too, in the same manner as the Stargate one shown above.

OK, there's nothing like a quick experiment to see what the constraints on the problem are.  Beyold, the quick and dirty (actually quite smelly) beercan iris:







The rest of the pictures are here.  I just cut the pieces by eye from an old beer can, so they're fairly thin aluminium sheet.  I didn't optimize the shape in any way and, for this purpose, I didn't need to deal with a fancy closing mechanism - fingers work fine.

Conclusions:

1.  Jake, you're completely correct - it does close completely.  Or as near as makes no difference.

2.  Whatever you make the petals out of, it had better be flexible.  The petals have a noticeable S-shaped bend when the iris is fully closed and the upper cover is on.  If they were more rigid it would not close completely.

3.  My iris would have a problem opening up again - the pivot pins (read "wire brads") stick up just enough that the petals catch on them as they open.  Perhaps the petals should have been wider at the outside end, so they didn't clear the pivot pin of the next petal when fully closed?

Anyway, hope that helps you.  Certainly helped me understand the problem a bit better.

[AlexTheGreat]

I have an iris too.
You have just motivated me to make a large plywood iris, thanks.

[Tinker]

Ah...  I just remembered where I saw an iris diaphram used as a door.  Trevor's secret underground library, in the Aeon Flux movie, is reached by an iris diaphragm built into the floor, and has another iris diaphragm hiding its emergency exit.  They appear to be made out of polished hardwood.  Very pretty.  The leaf shape isn't exactly like a camera iris though:  there are fewer leaves, perhaps five,  and they don't overlap as much, so the opening doesn't have a smooth profile in its half-open state, but rather more of a star.

A.

[Jake of All Trades]

Wasn't an iris door part of the Get Smart opening sequence?  It's been parodied so many times I can't recall which was "real"...

[Lilithgow]

Unfortunatly, having an Iris Door does kind of make it harder for disabled peoples to access your home. Unless of course, they had some kind of spider walker.

[Darksmith]

Unfortunatly, having an Iris Door does kind of make it harder for disabled peoples to access your home. Unless of course, they had some kind of spider walker.

I'm fairly sure that it wouldn't be that much difficulty to get a ramp going up to the edge of the acuating ring, and give the bottem of the both rings a flat section, and then have a ramp going down the back side. Or else just have the bottem third of the whole iris sunk into the floor so you don't quite see the full circle, more of just a horseshoe.

[Jake of All Trades]

Or else just have the bottem third of the whole iris sunk into the floor so you don't quite see the full circle, more of just a horseshoe.

Exactly what I was thinking.  I think that would look cooler anyway...

[Lilithgow]

I suppose. When the maker closes a door, he opens a horseshoe...

[Jake of All Trades]

I suppose. When the maker closes a door, he opens a horseshoe...

"Come, gentlemen, step through THE OMEGA!!!"

[CapnHarlock]

the Dreaded Return of Naqada-Punk

I love it

[Obadiah Askew]

Unfortunatly, having an Iris Door does kind of make it harder for disabled peoples to access your home. Unless of course, they had some kind of spider walker.

Depending upon what kind of success the Mondo Spider has, we may very well see the mobile-ly challenged gents and ladies out there using a modification of such spider contraptions. Granted you'd have to add an analytically engine of somesort to be able to handle stairs and other modes of vertical travel.

-O.A.