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Just got this beautiful Columbia phonograph with a huge 3 spring motor I've never seen before. Can anyone tell me what this is? It seems that with 3 monster spring barrels, it should be able to play a 200 pound concrete record all day but it poops out playing the first shellac record even after a full winding. I'm hoping it is just a maladjusted gear or governor, but I might have to break into those giant spring barrels. Anybody know what I can expect to find? Are there 2" wide springs in there??

Thanks! Cliff

What does the rest of the machine look like? Is it an outside horn machine or a Grafonola?

Bill

This is the motor supplied with the AR (front mount) and the BD (rear mount) Graphophones.

George P.

phonogfp wrote:This is the motor supplied with the AR (front mount) and the BD (rear mount) Graphophones.

George P.

This machine is a beautiful rear mount model BD. Cliff

Well, what does the rest of the machine look like ???

It is my machine he is working on. After winding it up, it will slow down pretty quickly once you put the needle on the record. Here is the only picture I have of it. Cliff has the machine.

Thanks Mike...

I have an early BJ "Imperial", same cabinet, but 2-spring motor. I believe my example was "transitional": front-mount cabinet, with rear mount like your machine. This puts the crank on mine on the left-side, as you face the machine, and the governor / brake plunger in the back next to the back-bracket mount. If it were outfitted with a front-mount horn, the crank and speed controls would be in the right places.

My machine was fitted with a later round-rod crank somewhere along the way... I am on the prowl for a flat-crank like yours has.


My machine has an issue where every couple of revolutions of the platter, it slows down a shade, then speeds-up again.

I haven't summoned to courage to dig into it yet.

I believe that is the same motor found in the Columbia Symphony Grand (looks like an upright piano). Horribly heavy!

Slightly different topic but still fits I think. I have the 800 model Viva Tonal machine an the motor in it is a tank. Yet it can slow on some loud passages, more so with a soft of medium needle than a loud. I think the smaller needles did in more. Also columbia records and some others tend to drag as well from age or storage conditions? Currently my 800 will only play about one large record without winding. That surely isn't right but its as far as it gets on a short winding. I need to have it worked on at some point.

Larry