MOUSE BROTHERHOOD

UMAR MUNIR

ABDUL SUBHAN

FEYNMAN’S TRAP CAR MAHAD H.BANGASH

M.SAIM

ABDULLAH KHALIL
Abstract:
The project aims to power a car with using the elastic potential energy stored in the spring
of a mouse trap. The resulting car is to be fully mechanical with no electrical components used.
The car developed must be able to move for a considerable distance with as little as deviation from
its straight path as possible. The car is aimed to fulfill the criteria set with as little as mechanical
and design complexity as possible.

Development:
• Design Philosophy:
The Design Philosophy for this project is focused on fulfilling the objective with least
components as possible to reduce complexity, while there being negligible compromises on
performance.

• Research:
Research regarding Different models of already existing mouse trap cars were studied to find
the model which offers the least construction complexity while being efficient. Along with what
model to use, research was carried out regarding what materials and mechanisms can employed
which would beneficial.

• Material Used:
The main criteria upon which the materials were selected, included cost, integrity and weight,
the materials employed for this task are as follows:

1. Plastic Sheet
2. Wooden Skewers
3. CDs/DVDs
4. In-extension able String
5. Welding Rod
6. Adhesive
• Working:
The car’s main power source is a Mouse Trap. The power train consists of a lever, which with
the help of a string drives one of the axles. The axles in turn drive the CDs moving the car forward.

• Construction:
Frame:
A Plastic Sheet was selected for forming the foundational frame of the mouse trap car. The sheet
being light, and rigid served as the perfect material for this purpose. Every other component was
mounted on the plastic sheet.

Axles:

The Axles should be light, as to have a small moment of inertia, for this reason Wooden Skewers
were used.

Wheels:

CDs and DVD Disks were employed as wheels because of their small contact area reducing the
force of friction acting at the wheels.
Lever:

A Welding rod was used as the lever because the Welding rod offers structural integrity, which is
necessary for tolerating the force exerted by the spring of the mouse trap. It does weight but no to
any significant extent.

Assembly:

The mouse trap was drilled into the plastic sheet and held into by using bolts. The lever was welded
to the side of the mouse trap. The skewers were joined to the CDs by using adhesive from an hot
glue gun, the axles were also joined to the frame by using adhesives. A thread was tied around the
lever and the axle opposite to the end to which the mouse trap was placed at. Thus, completing the
Car.

Free Body Diagram:

Weight: The weight of the car acts directly downwards from the Center of Gravity. The COG
would be located somewhere in the vicinity of the mouse trap.

Torque: There would be two torques; one which drives the wheel because of the rotation of the
axle, abouts its center. The other which rotates the lever along with the arm of the mouse trap.
Driving force: The rotation of the axle results in the rotation of the two wheels to which the power
is being delivered to. The other two inert wheels move in synchronization with the powered
wheels. Therefore, the same driving force acts at all the wheels.

Reaction Forces: There would four reaction forces, one acting at each wheel countering the
weight of the car.

Friction: Due to the contact between the ground and the Wheels friction act at each of the wheels,
the value of which depends upon the coefficient of friction of the contact surface.

Testing And Results:

• Performance Metrics Employed:
The performance of the car would primarily be measured by:

1. The Distance Covered

2. The Deviation from the straight path
3. Speed of the Car
• Methodology:
The Car was released along a straight path, the distance covered and deviation from straight line
was measured using a measuring tape and a stopwatch was used to measure the time of the event.

• Initial Test:
The prototype developed was then tested the lever delivered the P.E of the mouse trap to
the axle and the trap moved as expected but after the lever delivered all the power there was to
deliver the car did not move due to its inertia.

It was because the CD wheels were not aligned properly and resulted in deviation from the
straight path as well as unwanted friction and resulting in the observations made about the
performance of the prototype.

• Troubleshooting:
For properly aligning the wheels with the axle and the frame, Cardboard pieces were used in
the construction of the axles.

• Final Test:
 After the development made in the design the vehicle was again tested and this time there was
considerably less deviation and resulting in greater distance covered.

Findings:
Our Findings Regarding the project are:
1. Reducing the weight increases the speed of vehicle.
2. Increasing the length of the lever, increases the torque and distance covered.
3. The axles should have as little of rotational inertia as possible.
4. The wheels should have a small point of contact with the ground.

Future Improvements:
1. Use of ball bearings to reduce friction.
2. Using a Smaller axle.
3. Placing the Mouse trap further back to increase lever length.