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I was able to locate a return mechanism that was missing on an Edison Home that I found right before Christmas. I have it cleaned up and it works to pick up the carriage and move it back, but it hits that bent square rod and hangs up. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated. If a photo is needed, please say so and I will post one. I have studied the old posts with pictures and some You Tube videos showing these in action, but I still can't make it work.


The last picture shows it riding back with no problem. The other two show it stuck at the square rod.
Thanks,
Dave D

Please post pics of your setup.

I had one of those, it had evidence that the original owner had twisted and bent that rod until it worked properly. It also helps to set the horn crane to raise the horn up and lighten the load on the carriage.

Take another pic showing the whole setup including where the arm attaches to the carriage.

Is this problem happening with no horn on the reproducer?

Does the piece that engages the square rod swing back and forth very loosely?

Andersun wrote:Take another pic showing the whole setup including where the arm attaches to the carriage.

Is this problem happening with no horn on the reproducer?

Does the piece that engages the square rod swing back and forth very loosely?

There is no horn on it yet, the hanging piece (name??) is very free and loose.
I hope these are the pics you wanted.
I really appreciate all your time spent trying to help me.
Dave

I would loosen the arm and adjust as shown in pic then tighten down again. I believe the arm should be more perpendicular to the carriage rod. You will have to keep adjusting little by little until the orientation is such that the arm is able to be kicked off with no binding. Also, it looks like your arm has a slight tilt to it which means the bolts in the back are not tightened equally. Let me know if that helps. These can be a pain in the ars but eventually you will get it to work.

Andersun wrote:I would loosen the arm and adjust as shown in pic then tighten down again. I believe the arm should be more perpendicular to the carriage rod. You will have to keep adjusting little by little until the orientation is such that the arm is able to be kicked off with no binding. Also, it looks like your arm has a slight tilt to it which means the bolts in the back are not tightened equally. Let me know if that helps. These can be a pain in the ars but eventually you will get it to work.

Thanks for the excellent advice. I also found instructions for adding this to the Home model in the October 1904 Edison Phonograph Monthly. I hope to find time later in the week to try and follow these directions to the letter. I don't know I did not think to look in the EPM earlier. It occured to me that the dealers would have needed some help installing these and a few minutes looking paid off.
Dave