HELP WITH AUTOMATIC SHUT OFF SET UP.

[Pete Stratford]

Hello,
I have a Victrola that has an automatic shut off. When the reproducer gets to the end of the record and the needle hits
the center kick back groove it is not enough to trigger the shut off? Can you tell me what adjustment I should make.

Thnaks

[JerryVan]

The little spring that pulls on the ratchet pawl is not at all stretched while the brake is off, meaning it's doing nothing. That spring is too long. When it exerts a bit of tension, as it should, you should be able to hear it lightly ratchet across the toothed piece as you swing the tone arm towards center. Only the slightest tension is needed or else it will trip the brake prematurely. You need to shorten the spring by a few loops. It may be a trial & error process.

EDIT: Another thing jumps out to me from your photo. You can see evidence where the toothed piece was once located in a different spot. It may be that the previous owner didn't like the automatic brake, (they can be touchy!), and moved the toothed piece "out of the way", cancelling the auto function. See the marks where the screws once "bit in" in a different spot?

Try this. Put a record on the turntable. Manually move the tone arm to the return groove position of that record. Slowly swing the arm back out towards the start of the record. Does the brake eventually trip, even if in the wrong place? If so, then the toothed piece needs adjustment/relocating.

Here's mine. Seems to support the mislocated toothed piece theory.

[Pete Stratford]

Now that I am looking at the enlarged picture I can see what you mean. It does look like that toothed piece was in
a different position when it was new!

Pete

[JerryVan]

Something to try anyway.