Very old motor - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Tractorfan · 24th Aug 2023, 10:23 am

Hi,
I thought you may be interested in this ancient motor of (almost) local manufacture I found for a few euros. It's a commutator motor with cylindrical brushes the seem to rotate as it runs according to the wear on them. Whether by design or otherwise I know not.
The bearings are lubricated by a wick immersed in oil cups and it was supplied via two terminals on the base plate and had a straggly bit of twin flex. No earth, of course! The whole thing is cast iron cased.
It runs well after fettling but was never balanced, so I'm wary of running it up to full speed!
Cleaned and rewired, it now looks a bit tidier and safer.
Cheers, Pete.

The Philpott · 24th Aug 2023, 11:38 am

Proper lubrication!
-Just pondering how one would go about balancing this without the proper equipment.. can't rely on seeing where it stops after repeated runs, as the ancient bushes and brushes would spoil the results.

Dave

NottsIan · 24th Aug 2023, 1:37 pm

Dave,
You'd balance the armature supported on two knife edges.

Ian

The Philpott · 24th Aug 2023, 5:36 pm

Ah yes. I had in mind a perfectly level black & decker workmate with the top opened out but i can see how a couple of clamped steel rules would be better.

I wonder if it was an off-the-shelf item or whether it had a specific application.

Dave

G.Castle · 24th Aug 2023, 5:40 pm

I've seen similar driving a vintage sewing machine.

Ed_Dinning · 24th Aug 2023, 7:09 pm

Similar types were used on early dentists drills with a "string " drive cord

Ed

G6Tanuki · 25th Aug 2023, 8:11 am

I remember similar motors being used by the sort of pantograph engraving machines they had in jewellery shops, places that engraved dog tags, sports trophies etc.

I was always fascinated by the geometry of the pantograph linkage that transposed the letter stencilling from a flat surface to the curved surface of something like the circumference of a sports trophy cup.

broadgage · 28th Aug 2023, 3:54 pm

Similar motors have been used to belt drive a large fan such as for a forge or furnace.
This was a "high value" use of electric power since it saved employing a second person to work bellows.

24th Aug 2023, 10:23 am	#1
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,144	Very old motor Hi, I thought you may be interested in this ancient motor of (almost) local manufacture I found for a few euros. It's a commutator motor with cylindrical brushes the seem to rotate as it runs according to the wear on them. Whether by design or otherwise I know not. The bearings are lubricated by a wick immersed in oil cups and it was supplied via two terminals on the base plate and had a straggly bit of twin flex. No earth, of course! The whole thing is cast iron cased. It runs well after fettling but was never balanced, so I'm wary of running it up to full speed! Cleaned and rewired, it now looks a bit tidier and safer. Cheers, Pete. Attached Thumbnails __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

24th Aug 2023, 11:38 am	#2
The Philpott Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Colchester, Essex, UK. Posts: 4,019	Re: Very old motor Proper lubrication! -Just pondering how one would go about balancing this without the proper equipment.. can't rely on seeing where it stops after repeated runs, as the ancient bushes and brushes would spoil the results. Dave

24th Aug 2023, 1:37 pm	#3
NottsIan Tetrode Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 88	Re: Very old motor Dave, You'd balance the armature supported on two knife edges. Ian

24th Aug 2023, 5:36 pm	#4
The Philpott Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Colchester, Essex, UK. Posts: 4,019	Re: Very old motor Ah yes. I had in mind a perfectly level black & decker workmate with the top opened out but i can see how a couple of clamped steel rules would be better. I wonder if it was an off-the-shelf item or whether it had a specific application. Dave

24th Aug 2023, 5:40 pm	#5
G.Castle Heptode Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Swaffham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 515	Re: Very old motor I've seen similar driving a vintage sewing machine.

24th Aug 2023, 7:09 pm	#6
Ed_Dinning Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 8,014	Re: Very old motor Similar types were used on early dentists drills with a "string " drive cord Ed

25th Aug 2023, 8:11 am	#7
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,446	Re: Very old motor I remember similar motors being used by the sort of pantograph engraving machines they had in jewellery shops, places that engraved dog tags, sports trophies etc. I was always fascinated by the geometry of the pantograph linkage that transposed the letter stencilling from a flat surface to the curved surface of something like the circumference of a sports trophy cup. __________________ TURN IT UP! [I can't hear the Guitar] - TMBG.

28th Aug 2023, 3:54 pm	#8
broadgage Nonode Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: North Somerset, UK. Posts: 2,112	Re: Very old motor Similar motors have been used to belt drive a large fan such as for a forge or furnace. This was a "high value" use of electric power since it saved employing a second person to work bellows.