silly, but real, plan requests for pump...operated by cats

[drysdam]

We got this crazy cat a few months ago that will only drink running water. And that cat trained the OTHER cat to prefer the same. So now I'm constantly finding running faucets when a child has watered the cats and then left it going.

I know you can get cat fountains, but:

• I don't want an unsightly cord at the cat feeding area (replacing batteries is just as bad)
• I'm always nervous about electrically powered water devices, especially where we are always going to trip on it, cats are going to bite it, kids are going to play with it, etc
• energy efficiency and self-sufficiency!
• why buy when you can make?

I'm envisioning some kind of treadle pump that a cat could operate. Paw down, water comes out. But I've never made a pump and I have no idea how to estimate some of the forces and volumes involved. Plus there are many types of pump (displacement vs suction, etc). So far, I think the following requirements apply to the cats:

1. low force: I don't know how hard a cat can reasonably be expected to press, but probably not more than a pound I'd guess
2. fast payoff: there's no way I'll be able to train a cat to pump for several cycles to get rewarded by water. Water should start coming out in one or two presses of the lever.
3. low flow rate: they are satisfied with very low flow rates. maybe a cup/minute?

these apply to me:

1. I have a 10" lathe and a benchtop mill that would probably fit a cat onto the table. (maybe machining a nozzle and water tank onto the cat would be a better solution.)
2. I've been machining for about a year
3. I have 100% imperial tools and no digital anything (conversion is not a mathematical difficulty but with no metric drill bits, taps, etc, it can present other problems)

Any ideas?

 

[ConductorX]

I love the project idea. I am trying to figure out some useful work my cats could do.

Perhaps a faucet like they use in public restrooms that you turn on and then slowly turns itself off, until you build the cat-pump of course.

Please keep your cats away from mine. My cats don't drink much, they eat only canned food. I use a one gallon automatic water dispenser. (gravity feed)

Good luck with your project!
"G"

 

[drysdam]

I had a gravity feed thing going on (two liter bottle in a pan), but without the daily attention of the water bowl it gets dirty.

Actually, any cat water pump is going to have the same problem, which reminds me of another requirement:

1. It should be fed from a bowl, not an enclosed reservoir, to facilitate cleaning

 

[n4zou]

This may be the answer to your problem.

Arduino Cat Faucet
http://squarism.com/2011/03/09/arduino-cat-faucet-with-mongodb-and-rails/

If I built something like this I would have used a solenoid operated valve and a separate spout similar to to the ones we humans use in water fountains.

 

[Noitoen]

You could use a stainless vessel, fill it with water, pressurize it with a bicycle pump or similar, and when the cat operates the spring loaded lever on the valve, the water would pour with some pressure. You could also use those fertilizer dispensing containers that operate in the same manner, just add the valve. If the container is dark, it wont spoil the water so cleaning will be easy.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000TAWBBC/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Paulsv]

I think I'd just put out a bowl of water, and when they get thirsty enough, they'll drink from it.

 

[drysdam]

None of these solutions are resulting in time in the machine shop making a hilarious, but useful, device. That's the primary goal here, naturally.

 

[ConductorX]

None of these solutions are resulting in time in the machine shop making a hilarious, but useful, device. That's the primary goal here, naturally.

I am very new to machining metals to make cool stuff. I am not really an engineer even though I play one on the internet. I am curious also to see how this pans out.

"G"

 

[drysdam]

Actually, your "slow off faucet" idea is a pretty good one. But it would still require an external power source. I think the cats can have ONE job around the house.

 

[ConductorX]

Actually, your "slow off faucet" idea is a pretty good one. But it would still require an external power source. I think the cats can have ONE job around the house.

Your post complained that the kids leave the water on. The slow faucet would let them "water" the cats without worrying if they left the water on.

"G"

 

[drysdam]

Well yes, but plumbing isn't fun. But I could use that concept for the cat waterer as well. It would solve the problem of keeping the cat pumping.

I had been thinking it could be a thing where the paw press immediately releases some water and also starts a flywheel to keep the water going for a bit so they don't have to drink and pump at the same time. But some sort of (mechanically) timed open dwell period would also work. But the water needs to get up to the reservoir somehow.

In fact, I think that dooms the dwell idea. The cats aren't going to go over there and pump their water up for later. The pumping needs to be intrinsic to the drinking.

I guess I should make a simple suction pump and just see how well it works, then iterate.

 

[Wagon173]

What about a spring loaded billow pump with a plank long enough for the cats weight to be enough levorage to force the water out the nozzle. Then you wouldn't need any pressure vessel and the water that drains out could drain right back into the holding tank.
Or you could build some device that shocks your kids everytime they turn on the faucet for the cat and let the cat drink from the toilet like mine does lol

 

[BronxFigs]

Many, many, times, not so long ago, I thought that dog and cat owners needed to have their heads examined, and that a good psychiatrist could probably help them out. Then...I got a dog. Now, I understand, perfectly, the whole water-pump/faucet thing. I'm still smiling...but, I understand.

Good luck with the quest for a self-watering system for the cats.

Frank

 

[Brian Rupnow]

I've had experience with fresh water and cats---and probably not what you're thinking!!!

 

[Brian Rupnow]

How about a pressure sensitive pad or a set of light curtains, even a photo cell so that when the cat walks into a "drinking area" an electronic signal is sent to a preset timer, which turns on the water valve for 3 minutes, then shuts off when the timer times out and can't be restarted untill the cat leaves the area (thus creating a second signal) and then re-enters it before the system will work again. Hell, you can buy those components off the shelf.---All it takes is money.

 

[jwcnc1911]

It's funny you mention this. I was thinking about small pumps all week. We needed a very small pump at work for lube. I'll show you what I was thinking. You could probably run it with a small treadly but you usually have to whack the flywheel on a treadle before pressing it. Maybe a 2 finger treadle? I've been drawing it up all week... give me a day or so. This kind of encourages me to get on it as I really love making things that make people ask: "why?"

 

[Mosey]

Obviously some of you are cat-challenged. Mine will only drink from the running faucet when we turn it on for her, and then only when she asks. This can be several times within 15 minutes. Talk to her first, before you build something only to be rejected. Ask how I know.
She wouldn't come near a contraption she had to work for. And if it made a sound, you wouldn't see her for 3 days.
Mosey

 

[jwcnc1911]

I got a .22 you can borrow!

 

[Anko]

jaja this is a very funny topic

dam cats, mine drink water for every place on the house or yard, but not from his water dish...

For your project the first thing to come in my mind is a "finger engine", something that the cat can press and make a flywheel to move and activate a water pump, but I dont think that a cat can understand and catch the rhythm of the turning of the flywheel, at least, no without severe months of training.

here is my idea, a simple foot switch activates a tiny valve that let the water flows from a open compartiment, at the same time the footswutch makes an electrical contac thats drive a small electric motor, this motor accionates a steam engine and water pump model attached to the main structure, making the effect that when the cats press the switch, the steam engine feeds the water pump making the water fall out.

just an idea...

 

[drysdam]

Mine will only drink from the running faucet when we turn it on for her, and then only when she asks.

This is a very good point. Sometimes our cat will be in the sink meowing so I turn on the faucet and he just looks at it and me like "what are you DOING?" I guess he wasn't thirsty that time.

I love the drawing of the cat pedal fountain and that would probably be the most practical solution. But I think the hilarity factor from a purely mechanical, cat-powered solution makes it worthwhile for me to keep thinking.

Someone above made the good point about the flywheel being locked and needing timing the cat isn't likely to be able to provide. Maybe I should dump the flywheel and go with a spring return. I did a little reading yesterday and this seems simple enough:

(image credit: Wikipedia Commons)

I can even make it look like a regular handpump, but with a handle suitable for a cat's paw. (Did I mention this is a polydactyl cat, so I need to make the pedal even larger.) The force requirement is easy to adjust by making the lever longer or shorter. And if the intake "bulb" is large compared to the volume of the tube, it might deliver water with only a single press.

I made a stupid little check valve last night which gave me enough experience to know how to make a much better, smaller profile one next time. With two of those, a tube, a spring and a shaft I think I'll have a start on a prototype...