Roverbot Construction Guide

Rover chassis

For more detail on the construction, click on the photos to view the image full size.

Step 1

Start by picking out:

two black 1 x 16 beams;
two black 1 x 12 beams;
two grey 2 x 10 plates;
two 24-tooth gears; and
two connector pegs with axle;

Combine these as in

Note the 1 stud offset between the ends of the beams, and that the gears are secured to the outer beams using the seventh hole from the rear of the rover (the end towards the back of the picture).

Step 2

Now pick out:

four wheels;
four black 8-stud axles;
four 40-tooth gears; and
16 grey bushings.

and combine these to obtain four wheel assemblies:

Each axle has, in order, two bushings, the wheel, another bushing, then the gear. If the wheel is correctly oriented with respect to the axle (click on the lefthand photo to see an example of correct orientation), then when the wheel is added to the chassis

The four spare bushings you see on the right will be used to attach the wheel assemblies to the chassis.

Step 3

Adding the wheels is is the next step:

The wheels are positioned so that the gears all mesh and the extra bushings are fitted onto the ends of the axles.

Step 4

Take:

one black 1 x 8 beam
one grey 2 x 2 angle plate;
two grey 2 x 2 plates
two grey 2 x 10 plates; and
two grey 1 x 10 plates

Add these to the chassis as shown:

In the front, the angle plate goes on top of the 2 x 2 sandwich.

Step 5

For the next layer we need:

two black 1 x 8 beams
two black 1 x 10 beams
two black 2 x 2 blocks

These are added as shown, with a stack of 2 x 2 blocks over the junction of the three beams at the back of the chassis:

The motors (with connectors) can then be added, along with the light sensor:

Note that each motor has a 16-tooth gear added it its axle; this should mesh with the 24-tooth gear when the motor is in place.

Before we go any further, we need to construct the simple double bumper

Step 6

Collect together:

one grey 2 x 6 plate;
one grey 2 x 4 plate;
two grey 2 x 2 plates;
one grey 1 x 2 plate; and
one black 2 x 2 block.

Assemble these as shown:

and use to connect the double bumper to the chassis:

The RCX-brick can then be placed on top of the chassis, and connected to the motors and sensors.

Connecting up

The various control programs for this robot assume that the motors are connected to ports A and C, the touch sensors are connected to ports 1 and 3 (each is connected to the nearest port), and the light sensor is connected to port 2.

Parts required

four wheels (the ones that are just larger than a 40-tooth gear);
two black 1 x 16 beams;
two black 1 x 12 beams;
two black 1 x 10 beams;
three black 1 x 8 beam;
four grey 2 x 10 plates;
one grey 2 x 6 plate;
one grey 2 x 4 plate;
seven grey 2 x 2 plates;
two grey 1 x 10 plates;
one grey 1 x 2 plate;
four black 2 x 2 blocks;
one grey 2 x 2 angle plate;
two 16-tooth gears;
two 24-tooth gears;
four 40-tooth gears;
two connector pegs with axle;
four black 8-stud axles;
16 grey bushings;
two motors;
one light sensor; and
two short wires.