Series versus parallel

[mjbarnes]

You really have to take this stuff apart to see how it works. I had no idea how the three springs in the Triton motor were connected or worked together. For all I knew there was one shaft and the springs all attached to it identically. But in fact it is like this: The winding arbor winds spring 1 in the double barrel. Spring 1 turns the barrel, which winds spring 2. Spring 2 is connected by another arbor to spring 3 in a separate barrel. As spring 2 tightens up it starts winding up spring 3. The barrel around spring 3 delivers the power to the motor. The double barrel only turns ⅓ of the time. Very nice slippery motion. Something like watching a planetary transmission. Video does not really show this. I took the video when I thought I had horrible gear noise. Turns out a gear was rubbing the plastic box the motor was sitting on. Not the quietest motor though.