Rising candles?

[Timothy48310]

Hello, I am trying to figure out a way we can make various battery operated tea lights rise from a wooden box that is 80" L x 20" W x 4" H. We have very limited space for this effect. Cost is a consideration, possibly a few hundred dollars. We would like to have about 15 of these candles rise at various heights from just on the top of the box up to about 2 feet.

Because of the limited height of the box, I was thinking it might be possible to take advantage of the horizontal space and use a linear actuator to possibly push a wire horizontally (Something along the lines of the metal fish tape or maybe a bike brake cable through its housing) and route the wire through a 90 degree bend which would change it from horizontal movement to vertical movement and have the tea light platform permanently mounted to the end of the wire/fish tape, but am not sure if this would even work. We would like to have small trap doors which conceal each candle and also open and close electronically. I was thinking that some of the tea lights could just be on the underside of the trap door (Upside down) and we could just rotate the trap door, which would reveal some of the lower tea lights.

I've considered servo motors, pneumatic telescoping cylinders, but just don't know if this is really possible, or if there is a better way to accomplish it.

I appreciate any help!

Thank you!

 

[Timothy48310]

Hello, I am trying to figure out a way we can make various battery operated tea lights rise from a wooden box that is 80" L x 20" W x 4" H. We have very limited space for this effect. Cost is a consideration, possibly a few hundred dollars. We would like to have about 15 of these candles rise at various heights from just on the top of the box up to about 2 feet.

Because of the limited height of the box, I was thinking it might be possible to take advantage of the horizontal space and use a linear actuator to possibly push a wire horizontally (Something along the lines of the metal fish tape or maybe a bike brake cable through its housing) and route the wire through a 90 degree bend which would change it from horizontal movement to vertical movement and have the tea light platform permanently mounted to the end of the wire/fish tape, but am not sure if this would even work. We would like to have small trap doors which conceal each candle and also open and close electronically. I was thinking that some of the tea lights could just be on the underside of the trap door (Upside down) and we could just rotate the trap door, which would reveal some of the lower tea lights.

I've considered servo motors, pneumatic telescoping cylinders, but just don't know if this is really possible, or if there is a better way to accomplish it.

I appreciate any help!

Thank you!

This is how I imagined it (The concept, vey basic to start )... Using a micro pushrod from a R/C airplane...

 

[venuetech]

How about electric auto antennas
http://www.carid.com/nippon-america/nippon-america-antennas-38189444.html

 

[Timothy48310]

Hi Tom,

Thank you for the suggestion, I would have never thought of using a power antenna. The issue with that would be the vertical space, we are trying to get this to fit in about a 4" vertical space. All of the power antennas I could find needed about 10" of vertical space or so, plus the tea light would be on top of that and we want that below the top of the box (Unless I split the antenna from the motor and route the nylon cord somehow). I am considering possibly using mini scissor lifts... I saw some videos online of people using Popsicle sticks and wooden dowels, it doesn't require much horizontal movement to produce a nice bit of vertical movement. There are some little aluminum beams available at ServoCity.com (https://www.servocity.com/html/aluminum_beams.html#.VGqAe2fthRE)... Just trying to figure out if that would work and how much it would cost when all is said and done, or if I should just use Popsicle sticks. Thanks again though, and if I had more vertical space I would have definitely considered it!

 

[SHCP]

The scissor lift would work. And along those lines, you could perhaps use an expanding gate and attach the tea lights to the face of it. Of course, you still need to figure out how to expand the gate. What is the background?