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Automatic egg turner problems

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Greggorio

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Basically I've built a cabinet incubator from an old fridge. I have made a very basic egg turning mechanism based on this

**broken link removed**

the tray moves and the floor doesn't and this pulls the eggs along and the floor is made of something like rubber so it causes friction on the egg which means the egg rolls along. This is because an egg has to be turned a certain amount of times a day or the yolk or embryo can stick to the side of the shell and kill it.

Now this setup was made with bits of wire poking out either side of the incubator so you'd do it manually 4-5 times a day. What I want to do is run that wire as something a bit bendier into a pulley attached to the wall either side. The pulley will turn the wire 90 degress upwards. This will then run up through the floor above, where another shelf will be, and through another pulley and connect to that shelfs wire/string etc where it will then head up through the roof of the fridge. There will be then two more pulleys on the roof where both of these come through to turn them both 90 degrees again to meet each other in the middle of the top of the fridge.

(I thought it sensible to explain the whole process before i get to the electronics)
Now here is the bit that has stumped me. I want a motor that will run backwards and forwards at a low rpm and be connected to my wire that is connected to my pulleys and trays and so pull the trays one way and then back the other. Now the problem is I also need it to do it one way and then cut out for 30 mins to an hr and then go the other way.

So the motor needs to come on long enough to move the tray a limited distance. Now I can adjust some of that by gearing the motor upwards which would also lower the rpms but the rest of it is a bit beyond me.

I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense or is glaringly obvious or something.

Thanks in advance
 

I have a biology question. Does the mother hen do this rotating to the eggs? How is this done since birds have a pointed beak which seems would damage the eggs.
 

As far as I'm aware the mother does do this yes. If you mark eggs underneath a broody hen then they will be moved by her.

For what reason or how many times etc. I haven't a clue.

I presume they use the side of their beak to move them
 

They do have feet to so maybe they push them around like little soccer balls. Anyway...

About the egg turning contraption..
I would think you would want to use a Unipolor stepper motor with some kind of timer. Check out: www.parallax.com You should be able to find exactly what you need to build this device.

Here is a basic idea for device:
1. BiStep Motor Controller USB. (a bit pricey but you can control and monitor using USB)
1. Wall Wort 6.5V to 15V 2amps or so.
1. 4-Phase/12V Unipolor Stepper Motor.

This should cover the electronics I would think.
If you do not want to spring for the controller there are several other ways you could go about it. One last thing, you should do some calculations on how much force will be needed to push and pull egg turner. You are going to want a motor that can handle the load.

Eda
 

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