Science for Dummies

Experimentation.

So, what have I learnt so far?

1. Sarrus' linkage looks extremely good on paper and You Tube
2. Stability depends on the play in the hinge and the stiffness of the support plates.
3. There has to be a more efficient way to do this, material and space wise.

What I attempted was to have the linkage extend from under the base, and attach to the frame of the unit, using the support beams as attachment points.  The hinges are made from m8 nuts, spaced on the m8 support beam.  This provides stability in that the play can be eliminated by off setting every second nut.  It pushed the thread closer on both sides.

The problem came in the arrangement of hinges.  In order to save space, I opted for under platform hinges.  This limits the placement of the hinges because they cannot occupy the same space.  Additionally the support beams are not rigid enough by any stretch of the imagination, being designed to resist pulling forces, but not worth much in terms of lateral support...

It will be extremely hard to have the stability you need over the whole platform without placing the plates on the outside and on all sides, making it a bit ungainly.

Looking for plan B... and I think I have an idea.  A crazy one perhaps