Pathé Model VII Restoration: Motor Disassembly

[Inigo]

Have you installed the springs in the right direction? They must be installed the same when you have both barrels on a table, lids up. The direction of the spiral must be that of a pathé center-start record groove.

[JerryVan]

"I'm trying now to re-attach the arbor shaft. I managed to get it in the clip of one of the springs, but the other one is eluding me. Not sure if I'm missing a trick?"

Is the inner end of the spring curled in tight enough to snuggly grip the arbor shaft? Sometimes a bit of reshaping is needed. It's very hard to get a spring to hook up with the arbor shaft if the inner curl is a sloppy fit to the shaft. Also, the pin that engages the spring should have a bit of a hook to it, or a flange, that prevents the spring from popping off once engaged. Sometimes that hook/flange can be worn or distorted and needs to be reworked.

I'm sure you paid heed to the direction that each spring is wound before removed them. If not, Inigo's sketch would be the correct direction.

[Inigo]

The arbor seems to be reversible, if both ends are exactly equal. The attack edges of the pins or mushrooms that engage in the inner spring holes are: the upper one at the right side, and the lower one at the left side, when the barrels are engaged on it, being opposite one to the other (lids in opposite sides).
The barrel lids aren't interchangeable because of the (seemingly) different gears on their edges.

[derik_olson]

Thanks. Yes I put the springs back in the same way they were, and they match your drawing.

What about the felt washers? A good idea?

[jimlewis1126]

Congrats on the springs — usually the hardest part, but my motor yielded a few surprises. I'll yield to the pros on the felt washers, but I wouldn't think it's necessary. The arbor should be holding everything in place. Moreover, you've just packed the barrels with more grease than an a cheap burger joint. A bunch of moving parts in that motor with nothing between them but some very slippery fossil fuel. Once you've got it running, please post a video so we can see and hear it!

[JerryVan]

Thanks. Yes I put the springs back in the same way they were, and they match your drawing.

What about the felt washers? A good idea?

I'd leave out the felt washers. Some grease leakage is normal. While you should be generous with grease, it's not necessary fill every last void.

[derik_olson]

Congrats on the springs — usually the hardest part, but my motor yielded a few surprises. I'll yield to the pros on the felt washers, but I wouldn't think it's necessary. The arbor should be holding everything in place. Moreover, you've just packed the barrels with more grease than an a cheap burger joint. A bunch of moving parts in that motor with nothing between them but some very slippery fossil fuel. Once you've got it running, please post a video so we can see and hear it!

I got the motor re-assembled (without any felt washers) and would it up a bit. Seems to run nice and quiet so far.

Next is to slap a coat of stain on the cabinet. I managed to get a match at the local True Value, using their computer. I also bought some wood filler, to replace a few spots on the side of the cabinet veneer that had been damaged.

The cabinet lid hardware has previously come detached from the cabinet inside, and I need to do some work on it to get it working. Hope to get all this done in the next 2 weeks, then I'll post a video of it.

I'll need to find a beige grill cloth as well. The final part will come in rebuilding the reproducer. I will have to do some research on that. I have already acquired a new old stock saphire stylus.

Thanks Jim for originally creating this thread. It helped a lot.

[derik_olson]

Sharing a video of the motor, after re-assembly.

IMG_1318.MOV

(48.87 MiB) Downloaded 56 times

[Inigo]

Looks like a Heineman motor. Looks robust, powerful and smooth... Very well!
French pathé machines used to have very weak motors, but those American pathé machines are in another League. How well they play! I'm amazed with those revolver straight tonearms with the big soundbox.... I've seen several of them in yt and here, and the sound powerful and warm! They have good horns too...

[JerryVan]

Sharing a video of the motor, after re-assembly.IMG_1318.MOV

Looks like you've done some good work there!