Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

cirrus_oxide · 20th May 2021, 10:17 pm

Hello. I have an Uher Report Monitor with a non-latching Start button. The transport seems to work fine as long as the Start key is held down. All other buttons latch and function properly. I don't have the service manual but Ulrich at SDS said this issue is uncommon and is not addressed in the manual.

Wondering if anyone has any tips, or better yet images or videos showing wjat part of the linkage is responsible for holding the key down.

Thanks!

Uncle Bulgaria · 21st May 2021, 3:18 pm

Are you sure it's the button rather than the solenoid to engage 'play'? My 4000 Report-L is not with me at the moment, but I seem to remember a solenoid inside. Here's a picture of the Report-L. I imagine parts were carried over to the later models as they're in a very similar form factor.

Have you taken the bottom off to have a look? As you can see here, there's a lot of metalwork that could also do the job of latching, and operating it without power will show you which bits move, if the Report Monitor has a similar construction inside.

DMcMahon · 21st May 2021, 10:29 pm

Hello and welcome to the Forum. Just had a quick look at my 4000 Report Monitor. A lot going on with the Play mechanism.

No good at videos plus have never uploaded a video so will try and partially explain with a couple of photos.

Photo 1 shows the back open and PCB hinged up. Note the aluminium drive wheel (drives the capstan shaft) with rubber bonded tyre (tire), the drive wheel has to be removed to see the area of interest.

Photo 2 shows a forked actuator arm, the top corner of the fork is touching the lower edge of a metal plate (brass coloured), this is with the Play key not pressed. The metal plate pivots a little and is is sprung loaded.

When the Play key is pressed down the forked arm moves down and moves a lever arm down (the forked arm is engaged with a pin/post on the lever arm) there is a little tab on the lever arm that when the Play Key is fully pressed down the tab moves just below the lower edge of the brass coloured plate and the brass coloured plate then springs down to latch/lock it in position. Photo 3 shows it latched, the watchmakers screwdriver is next to the tab.

So would suggest you remove your drive wheel and press the Play key down and check that the tab is not broken off and drops below the lower edge of the brass plate and then the plate should spring/drop down which will stop the lever arm from moving back up.

Looks impossible without a major strip down to see how the brass plate is sprung and also how the latch is reset.

David

cirrus_oxide · 23rd May 2021, 2:39 am

Very helpful. Thank you!

DMcMahon · 23rd May 2021, 3:56 pm

I should have said that the location of the area of interest is next to the small black tape counter pulley, you can see the pulley in all 3 photos, top left side of the drive wheel in photo 1. The belt is not fitted in the photos.

David

cirrus_oxide · 25th May 2021, 7:17 pm

Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction. Th two little tabs are intact, but they don't seem to travel quite far enough to fully lift the plate and catch on the other side of it. Having the rewind latching mechanism adjacent to the start is very handy because I can clearly see what is supposed to be happening. So my best guess is that something blocks the linkage from traveling that last little bit, or maybe the tabs are slightly worn and aren't able to lift the plate.

DMcMahon · 26th May 2021, 12:45 pm

From your feedback I now realise that my photos 2 and 3 in Post 3 show the Rewind actuator (sorry about that). I must have been so intent on getting a photo showing the tab that I inadvertently pressed the Rewind key (next to the Play key), another senior moment !!

As you say the Play actuator tab operation is identical to Rewind.

With my Play key latched down, if I press the Play key strongly, the tab can be moved down further by around 0.5mm

cirrus_oxide · 26th May 2021, 6:25 pm

Solved! It turns out that the Start key needed a firm pull to bend it out and give it more leverage to pull the tabs under the Stop plate. This machine was shipped to me from Spain and I suspected it may have had a rough trip

Thanks for the help. It was definitely good to familiarize myself with the inside of the deck.

DMcMahon · 27th May 2021, 2:10 pm

That is great news, well done.

I had a further look at the extra travel on the Play actuator if the Play key is pressed strongly after it has latched down. Measured the extra travel of the Play actuator tab as around 0.8mm

This extra travel was not normal travel, all the the various sprung loaded Play mechanisms were just being pushed past their normal movement range.

David

Uncle Bulgaria · 27th May 2021, 2:17 pm

Well done! There are a few adjustments I remember from the Report-L that are purely mechanical - 'bend tab B until...' etc. It's good there's this flexibility with such linkages.

20th May 2021, 10:17 pm	#1
cirrus_oxide Diode Join Date: May 2021 Location: Oakland, California, USA. Posts: 4	Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage Hello. I have an Uher Report Monitor with a non-latching Start button. The transport seems to work fine as long as the Start key is held down. All other buttons latch and function properly. I don't have the service manual but Ulrich at SDS said this issue is uncommon and is not addressed in the manual. Wondering if anyone has any tips, or better yet images or videos showing wjat part of the linkage is responsible for holding the key down. Thanks!

21st May 2021, 3:18 pm	#2
Uncle Bulgaria Nonode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 2,339	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage Are you sure it's the button rather than the solenoid to engage 'play'? My 4000 Report-L is not with me at the moment, but I seem to remember a solenoid inside. Here's a picture of the Report-L. I imagine parts were carried over to the later models as they're in a very similar form factor. Have you taken the bottom off to have a look? As you can see here, there's a lot of metalwork that could also do the job of latching, and operating it without power will show you which bits move, if the Report Monitor has a similar construction inside. Attached Thumbnails

21st May 2021, 10:29 pm	#3
DMcMahon Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 6,604	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage Hello and welcome to the Forum. Just had a quick look at my 4000 Report Monitor. A lot going on with the Play mechanism. No good at videos plus have never uploaded a video so will try and partially explain with a couple of photos. Photo 1 shows the back open and PCB hinged up. Note the aluminium drive wheel (drives the capstan shaft) with rubber bonded tyre (tire), the drive wheel has to be removed to see the area of interest. Photo 2 shows a forked actuator arm, the top corner of the fork is touching the lower edge of a metal plate (brass coloured), this is with the Play key not pressed. The metal plate pivots a little and is is sprung loaded. When the Play key is pressed down the forked arm moves down and moves a lever arm down (the forked arm is engaged with a pin/post on the lever arm) there is a little tab on the lever arm that when the Play Key is fully pressed down the tab moves just below the lower edge of the brass coloured plate and the brass coloured plate then springs down to latch/lock it in position. Photo 3 shows it latched, the watchmakers screwdriver is next to the tab. So would suggest you remove your drive wheel and press the Play key down and check that the tab is not broken off and drops below the lower edge of the brass plate and then the plate should spring/drop down which will stop the lever arm from moving back up. Looks impossible without a major strip down to see how the brass plate is sprung and also how the latch is reset. David Attached Thumbnails Last edited by DMcMahon; 21st May 2021 at 10:36 pm.

23rd May 2021, 2:39 am	#4
cirrus_oxide Diode Join Date: May 2021 Location: Oakland, California, USA. Posts: 4	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage Very helpful. Thank you!

23rd May 2021, 3:56 pm	#5
DMcMahon Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 6,604	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage I should have said that the location of the area of interest is next to the small black tape counter pulley, you can see the pulley in all 3 photos, top left side of the drive wheel in photo 1. The belt is not fitted in the photos. David

25th May 2021, 7:17 pm	#6
cirrus_oxide Diode Join Date: May 2021 Location: Oakland, California, USA. Posts: 4	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction. Th two little tabs are intact, but they don't seem to travel quite far enough to fully lift the plate and catch on the other side of it. Having the rewind latching mechanism adjacent to the start is very handy because I can clearly see what is supposed to be happening. So my best guess is that something blocks the linkage from traveling that last little bit, or maybe the tabs are slightly worn and aren't able to lift the plate.

26th May 2021, 12:45 pm	#7
DMcMahon Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 6,604	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage From your feedback I now realise that my photos 2 and 3 in Post 3 show the Rewind actuator (sorry about that). I must have been so intent on getting a photo showing the tab that I inadvertently pressed the Rewind key (next to the Play key), another senior moment !! As you say the Play actuator tab operation is identical to Rewind. With my Play key latched down, if I press the Play key strongly, the tab can be moved down further by around 0.5mm

26th May 2021, 6:25 pm	#8
cirrus_oxide Diode Join Date: May 2021 Location: Oakland, California, USA. Posts: 4	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage Solved! It turns out that the Start key needed a firm pull to bend it out and give it more leverage to pull the tabs under the Stop plate. This machine was shipped to me from Spain and I suspected it may have had a rough trip Thanks for the help. It was definitely good to familiarize myself with the inside of the deck.

27th May 2021, 2:10 pm	#9
DMcMahon Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK. Posts: 6,604	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage That is great news, well done. I had a further look at the extra travel on the Play actuator if the Play key is pressed strongly after it has latched down. Measured the extra travel of the Play actuator tab as around 0.8mm This extra travel was not normal travel, all the the various sprung loaded Play mechanisms were just being pushed past their normal movement range. David Attached Thumbnails

27th May 2021, 2:17 pm	#10
Uncle Bulgaria Nonode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 2,339	Re: Uher Report Monitor 4000 Start button won't engage Well done! There are a few adjustments I remember from the Report-L that are purely mechanical - 'bend tab B until...' etc. It's good there's this flexibility with such linkages.