Automatic Chicken Coop Door - Auto Closes Coop - Beta Version 1.0

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BTW, an update:

The auto coop door closer is working WONDERFULLY!

I still go out almost every night to make sure they are all in safe, but it is a super great feeling to be out with the family (dinner, trick-or-treating, hanging with friends) and not worrying "OH NO... We need to rush home to lock up the chickens!"

It is especially hard during the Fall/ Winter months when the sun goes down at 5:00 pm. At least during the Summer when the sun sets at 9:00 we tend to be home, but right now, we're still out and about.
 
I'm getting a little excited!
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I use to ride my bike to Radio Shack when I was a kid (yes, geek) and pick up hobby motors... this project is bringing back memories!

Also, I found some really cool motors that would be PERFECT for this:

Ebay items "DC gear motor torque"

Two look very tempting:

12 volt 120 rpm with 2.5 Kg.cm "stall torque" (guessing that is the load at which it stops?)

To run it on a couple AA cells:
3 volt 39 rpm with .9 Kg.cm "stall torque"

Wondering:

1) How to attache the threaded bolt
2) How to put it on a timer
3) How to turn it off and switch polarity (open / close)
 
How do you determine how much RPM are needed?

I think I need a rough sketch to conceptualize this threaded bolt design, though I think I have a grasp of it. Could it just be mounted beyond where the door opens and closes?
 
attaching would probably best be done with a collar that joins threaded rod get it large enough to fit over the motor's shaft, drill a hole a pin the hole. may have enough play for an imprecise alignment too.
 
if you measure the threads per inch and know the rpm, then you can figure the inches per minute

i think


oh and you can still use a guillotine door with the screw thing



edit:

ok lets say 1/4 - 20

20 tpi at 120rpm means 120 turns per minute which then means 120/20 is um 6 inches a minute, maybe
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RPM by itself doesn't mean much other than you don't want one of those 2800 RPM motors from Radio Shack... they just spin too fast for something like this. For the most part you want high torque which usually means low speed (geared down).

Here is a small linear actuator that could be used in place of a screw drive.
 
so a couple of harbor freight timers and a motor. sounds like i have some planning to do, but i'm going to do the screw thing and start with a closer and later put an opener. i have to decide on closing the man door or the chicken door, either one works but for the man door, i don't have to open anything in the am.
 

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