Victor "scissor" brake

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CharliePhono
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Victor "scissor" brake

Post by CharliePhono »

I don't know if "scissor" is the right word, but that is what the action of this brake reminds me of. This is being readied to reattach to the VV-X I'm currently working on. What strikes me as odd is that I have literally scoured the web (and, to the best of my ability, this forum) and cannot find even one picture of this type of brake. I'm sure they aren't rare per se, but I was curious to know how long this particular brake was utilized and around what year(s). Paul Edie's site mentions only when Victor generally began using the "tab" brake, but there is no mention of this one specifically. The donor VV-X cabinet in oak had the bullet brake and the mahogany donor with an "A" suffix had this style of brake.

Anyway, just my old collector curiosity wondering what the folks here have to say about this iteration of the Victor/Victrola brake.
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ChesterCheetah18
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Re: Victor "scissor" brake

Post by ChesterCheetah18 »

I agree. There seems to be very little info out there regarding the "scissor" brake. I can say this. I own two VV-IV Type M machines, and until recently a Type A, as well as two VV-VIII Type A machines. They all have the "scissor" brake, and are circa 1911-12.

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jamiegramo
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Re: Victor "scissor" brake

Post by jamiegramo »

I have encountered this brake on an HMV hornless model so it was also used by the Gramophone Company in Europe. It appears identical to your example so I presume Victor also made these for export to her sister company.

In the book ‘His Master’s Gramophone’ it is shown as the ‘Dennison brake’ circa 1912-14 and also 1920.

Probably named after ‘Wilbur N Dennison’ who assigned many patents to Victor and worked at Camden NJ.

As a kid I always thought of it as the ‘pantograph’ brake. :D

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alang
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Re: Victor "scissor" brake

Post by alang »

The Victor Data Book calls it a "Friction #1918" use on the VV-X type A and B 1911-1912, but it does not provide a picture or any other information on it. The earliest VV-X type M used the "Barrel #561", commonly knows as bullet brake. Starting with the spider leg VV-X type C they used the common "Friction #2721" style brake. My type A also uses the "Friction #1918" scissor brake.

Andreas

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startgroove
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Re: Victor "scissor" brake

Post by startgroove »

Interesting! My L-doors all have that brake. One is pictured here, and it is the only one that has an additional spring on it which appears to be an aid to the stop position.
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CharliePhono
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Re: Victor "scissor" brake

Post by CharliePhono »

startgroove wrote: Thu May 27, 2021 2:20 pm Interesting! My L-doors all have that brake. One is pictured here, and it is the only one that has an additional spring on it which appears to be an aid to the stop position.
Ah-ha! Thanks for posting your pic, as I do have a second one of these (unusable at the moment and needing repairs) that has the spring as in your picture. I wonder if I should attempt to install the spring from the bad one onto the new one. I can see where it could aid in braking force against the turntable.

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