Advice for lowering screen

I have a framed projector screen that I have hanging from the ceiling. I need to lower the screen from the ceiling along two axises.

First axis: The screen begins flat against the ceiling. When it opens, it opens along some type of hinge or pulley, similar to an attic door. When it is fully open along this axis, it will be perpendicular to the ceiling. That is, it will be hanging vertically. The type of pulley system that I need cannot attach to the bottom of the screen since this would get in the way of the image when the screen is viewed from the side. The attachment point must be high on the screen in order to avoid this image obstruction when viewed from the side. See the picture for a description for what I mean. Please ask if it is not clear.

Second axis: After the screen is vertical, it must be lowered vertically. If it is not, it would be way too high as the top of the screen would be close to the ceiling. As this is a projector screen, the image must be around eye level. Therefore, once it is vertical then it must be dropped about 2.5 feet in order to be positioned correctly.

I realize that I need some type of pulley system and a continuous servo motor. However, I am not sure how to set it up. I was originally just going to setup some manual system, with the first axis being done by a regular door hinge and the second axis being done with drawer tracks. However, if it is manual, then I can't quite reach it to lower it down as it is on the ceiling and there's no way to slowly lower as it will just swing open uncontrollably. I figured having it on a pulley system with a servo motor would solve both of these problems but then I do not know quite how to setup the pulley system.

I'd really like the insight. Please let me know what your thoughts are.

This seems to be a mechanical problem, not the right topic on this forum.

What if you let the screen swing forward, so that these wires are hidden by the vertical screen?
Then you need two pairs of wires, connected to the the top and bottom of the screen.

Or you let the bottom of the screen move down along rails at the wall, and make its top follow a curve that also ends up at the wall? This would allow to control the entire movement by one motor, adjusting the height of the screen bottom on the rails.

Otherwise a counterbalance or spring can be used, that allows to tilt the screen with moderate power (garage door). Then you can lift that construction using another motor.

No insight at all? Surly someone has some insight to this matter.

There are a number of surly someones here who can help. :slight_smile:

Whoops, first I posted before I saw the response by Dr. D. and then a typo. My bad. Thanks for the help. : )

There are probably a lot of reasons why this arrangement isn't more popular. If it was, then the equipment would be readily available.

Can the frame be extened by 2.5ft at the top to turn it into a purely hinged device without the second step of lowering it?

I would do this with a sort of a track along the ceiling on both sides of the retracted screen. A pulley on each corner and a complete loop of string that always stays tight between the pulleys adjacent to the sides of the screen. Then a 'dropper' string goes from that down to the bottom corners of the screen. The dropper gets wound around the loop when it is retracted so there are no strings left hanging when it is retracted. When open, the dropper is left very close to the sides of the screen.

Image from Original Post so we don't have to download it. See this Image Guide

...R

There are linkage mechanisms that can do this, but the kinematics gets complicated.

Can you hinge it from the back, so the supports are behind the screen when it is down?

Have you looked at all the options for ceiling mounting a TV? A quick google search provided many many options including height adjustable and folding. I am surprised that they aren't more expensive.

Would incorporating drawer slides or similar hardware hinged at the ceiling be too ugly? - Scotty