Two problems. The same Edison "Home".

[bangster]

Problem 1: It runs, and plays, without the horn. When I add the horn, the extra weight causes it to bog down unless I support the carriage with a finger. Theoretically, it shouldn't do that. The floating weight should eliminate the weight of the reproducer as a factor; or so I understand. But it doesn't. Unsupported weight of "witch's hat" horn bogs it down.

The model came with a crane-supported Cygnet horn. Does it need a crane support even with the lighter horn? Gimme advice, please.

Problem 2: The "O" reproducer has a handle attached to a yoke to switch between 2-min and 4-min styli. The yoke has a small flat spring under its forward end, to provide stability so's it doesn't wiggle out of line. The spring has a bow, to press against the yoke, and a hole in each end to fit over a corresponding pin on the reproducer.

This one won't stay in place. The little pins aren't tall enough to keep the spring from falling out.

Gimme advice, please

bangster

[Lucius1958]

If the machine is bogging down with the 14 inch horn, one culprit might be the half nut tension. Try easing that off by either (on earlier Homes) bending the spring slightly upwards, or (on later models) easing off on the screw that presses on the spring.

There are of course other possible causes for the problem, ranging from a weakened mainspring, to bearing adjustments in the motor, belt slippage, tightness of the center bearing (on later models), or roughness and corrosion on the straight edge and carriage rod.

Look at the power train at every stage, and check for flaws: once you have eliminated all other factors, you will likely find the problem.

Bill

[bangster]

Thanks Bill. I'LL check the half nut.

[bangster]

Carefully adjusting the half-nut seems to have solved that problem.

Now, what about the yoke tension spring? I've half a mind to cement one end of it with LocTite, and see if that will keep it in place

[phonojim]

Regarding the yoke spring on the O, I'm not sure why it would not to stay in place unless someone has done some poor work on it in the past or has made up a spring to replace a lost one. The the purpose of the pins is to both hold the spring in place and to act as a stop for the yoke when it is in position on either side. I have provided some photos which show the parts involved so you can see what things should look like. First, are 2 views of the spring and yoke in place on one of my Os. Next are 2 views of the spring and last is a view of the spring in place on the weight. Note that the cutout edge of the spring faces the hinge block.
I hope this helps.

Jim

[donniej]

A problem I had on my (very early) Home was that the wheel that rides along the "knife edge" part of the carriage, in front of the record was pretty much seized. After oiling the heck out of it and getting it to spin freely, the half-nut was much more capable of advancing the horn & reproducer.

The half-nut on mine isn't adjustable, it pivots and has a weight to hold it down on the threaded shaft. This was also fairly well seized. After freeing up both is at the aforementioned wheel, (as well as oiling everything and replacing the spring, anyway...) it now plays great.