Servo Controlled Clapping Monkey--Santa's Shop 2016

This servo motor controlled clapping monkey is one of many moving devices to be found in Christmas Display 2016. This jack in the box monkey will be joined by elves, Santa, and unusual toys to perform an electromechanical show.

I started with a basic clapping monkey, but the monkey claps, bobs his head and screeches in a mechanical sequence. I only want clapping and I need for the movement to be reliable. I've used off the shelf toys before in displays and they generally don't last more than a few days at 10 hours per day before something binds or the brushes in the motor give out.

With a little fearless "monkey skinning, internals removal and beheading" along with 3d printing of parts, this monkey can be changed.

Start at the battery compartment and pull the (glued down) fur back.

Peel the fur from the legs, then unscrew the legs from the main mechanism.

Three screws on the side are used to hold the body halves together. He still won't come apart until the head is removed.

A small lock ring must be removed on the main shaft to separate the head from the body.

Additionally, a pin must be removed to separate the mechanism from the head.

Gently lift the arm shafts from the sliding mechanism, then separate the body halves and remove the mechanical assembly.

Remove all the mechanical mechanism, including the squeaker bellows.

The 3d printed mechanism accepts a small servo motor like a Futaba s3153

The mechanism operates like this:

Install the mechanism, screw the body halves back together and place screws through the monkey body into the new mechanism.

Sew the fur back together and sew the head in place. Place the monkey in the printed jack in box base (tail through the tail hole in the back) and you have a controllable clapping monkey!