Greetings. I want to build an unusual clock that will operate by pulling a weight up a 12' pole for 12 hrs. then letting it go back down for 12 hrs., etc. The weight will be in the range of 5-10 lbs. and it should move 1 ft. every hour, thereby telling time by the position of the weigh. The lifting mechanism will be a small steel cable that runs up the inside of the tube, around a top pulley to the outside, and down to the weight. There'd be a motor box at the base of the pole.
What kind of motor would work best for this? Stepper? Servo? Simple geared DC motor? I'd need to be able to vary the speed of the motor precisely to regulate the clock, and the speed should be consistent over several months. I'm assuming the cable would wind around a spool that wouldn't require stacking the cable, e.g. always having the same diameter.
The clock will be outdoors, so it will experience temperature changes of ~120 degrees F, but otherwise it'd be protected from the elements.
Thanx for your help!
What kind of motor would work best for this? Stepper? Servo? Simple geared DC motor? I'd need to be able to vary the speed of the motor precisely to regulate the clock, and the speed should be consistent over several months. I'm assuming the cable would wind around a spool that wouldn't require stacking the cable, e.g. always having the same diameter.
The clock will be outdoors, so it will experience temperature changes of ~120 degrees F, but otherwise it'd be protected from the elements.
Thanx for your help!