Clockwork 4x4x4 Cube by Timur

grigr

This puzzle is a 4x4x4 cube with geared bandaging where all layers turn simultaneously, but with different speeds. If we consider bottom layer fixed, lower middle layer will turn with speed A, upper middle layer - with the speed 2A, and top layer - with speed 3A. A single move is finished when the layers have turned by 1/4 turn, 2/4 turn and 3/4 turn, respectively. So the principle is similar to Bram and Oskar's Geary Cube (3x3x3), but the mechanism is vastly more complex.

I dreamed to build this puzzle ever since I've made the Clockwork Master Pyraminx. Because it's not really comfortable to play with the latter (you have to turn a corner 7 times around to finish a turn), the main and firm requirement for Clockwork 4x4x4 Cube was minimum turning job - only 270° outer layer's turn had to be made for one move, so that all layers turn by 90° with respect to its neighbors.

Throughout a year or so I made three or four attempts to develop the mechanism, but always failed. Each time I felt that I'm close to the solution, I would discover some conflict ruining the whole idea. Still I was sure that it's possible and it became a challenge to myself. Meanwhile, I worked with other projects, but never forgot about the 4x4x4 cube.

Finally, it cracked and I'm glad that it works decently from the first prototype. The mechanism contains 156 3D-printed parts, 21 screws and 18 nuts (nuts could actually be omitted). I think it's the most complex thing I've designed (Emperor Pyraminx goes next  ). The mechanism will be revealed in one of my next posts.

Can anyone calculate the number of possible states of this puzzle? I guess it's smaller than that of a normal 4x4x4 cube, right?

Video

grigr

puzzle insaide

grigr

xd07514 发表于 2012-11-22 21:51
I want to know about the corner-cutting
If you rotate middle lower layer 4 degrees
middle upper la ...

YES-YES.
this is possible