Design Challenge/Problem: Rubber Bumper Testing

Greetings all,

Im currently working through a design challenge, I have a rubber bumper that will be stopping a metal plate thats free falling.

I'd like to test the adhesion of the bumper to the base by simulating the shock loading operating conditions it will see. The operating conditions will be stopping a 5 lb mass (the metal plate) free falling from 11". Now the challenge is how to raise and release the 5 lb mass, over and over. (besides me picking up the plate and manually dropping it)

My ideas so far include creating:

1st idea: A belt/pully set up. On outside of the belt is a tooth of some sort to haul the mass up, then when the tooth rounds the pulley at the end, the mass slips from the hook and falls. The mass will be on a seperate vertical track to keep in line with the belt.

2nd idea: Use a cantilever set up (like a see-saw), and use a cam/cam-follower to move the mass up and then free fall.

Any other ideas?

Some info. m= 5lb, or 2.49kg, t= 1.32s, vf=-17.07m/s, Impulse force is roughly -42.5 N, or -10lbf (negative signs because its traveling down)

Thanks in advance

-Cmnky