MADE@TU designs, builds trike for disabled boy

Last Saturday, students and faculty from MADE@TU completed their first project, which gave a family an inventive way to exercise together.

Junior Mechanical Engineers Laura Waldman and Andrew Parker were the primary workers on the project, advised by John Henshaw, the Chair of Mechanical Engineering.

The students provided the Dittus family with a custom two-seat tricycle. This tricycle allows the family to exercise together, a favorite activity that is sometimes complicated by their son’s developmental disability.

Within days of getting the trike, the family has used it several times, according to Laura Waldman.

Funding, provided by President Upham, allowed the trike to be donated to the Dittus family.

The project idea originated with Henshaw since he is a friend of the Dittus family. Henshaw had known ofin even the most remote areas on earth. The described drilling system includes a detachable mast, shuttle, winch assembly, power unit, and diverter valve which are easily disassembled from a support table to aid in transport. The winch assembly is attached to the mast and shuttle assembly through a chain to move the shuttle and power unit (connected to the shuttle) vertically up or down along the mast. The winch assembly includes a modified hand winch which accommodates a roller chain sprocket and is positioned on the mast as not to interfere with the travel of a power unit mount bracket attached to the shuttle. The hand winch has two gear ratios for varying pulldown or hoist loads or applications. The shuttle utilizes a hinge arrangement to allow