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I recently acquired my first VV-XVI with L-shaped doors (VV-XVI D Serial No. 46081). I need to clean and make repairs to the motor/spring barrel but was surprised to find this contraption tightly secured around the motor. It appears to have been manufactured for this Victor motor as seen in the photos, and not something that some former owner invented. My question is; has anyone seen this before, and what is it’s purpose? It is a spring-steel band. I am guessing it is to adjust contact between the bull gear and spindle worm gear maybe? I have worked on many Victor motors but this is the first I’ve encountered with this attachment. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

I believe that was part of the factory packing to help protect the castings that supported those heavy spring barrels. Jerry B.

I looks like it may be a special tool for removing the shaft from the barrels, (or positioning).

Jerry is correct - - it's a device designed to prevent the mainsprings from fully unwinding during transit. On rare occasions these are found still attached to a motor.

George P.

It doesn't look to me like like it would keep things from unwinding, it does look like it would provide support for the weight on the castings and so help prevent breakage or damage if shippers were rough. Does it engage with the spring casing in some way? Interesting item

Thank you all so very much for responding. It makes sense to me now, especially since I removed it, that it was made to help support the castings that hold the spring barrels. Apparently it did not impede operation of the motor in the 108 years it was attached. I was concerned that it may have been a repair clamp of some sort. This machine was always owned by the same family until I acquired it, and has apparently never had the motor board opened or removed. There is still a large amount of original excelsior/shredded-wood packing material inside the back bottom of the cabinet, as though the dealer never properly cleaned it up from the factory shipping.

I have learned a great deal from reading posts on this forum and am glad to finally be a member. Thank you all again!

Daniel A wrote:Thank you all so very much for responding. It makes sense to me now, especially since I removed it, that it was made to help support the castings that hold the spring barrels. Apparently it did not impede operation of the motor in the 108 years it was attached. I was concerned that it may have been a repair clamp of some sort. This machine was always owned by the same family until I acquired it, and has apparently never had the motor board opened or removed. There is still a large amount of original excelsior/shredded-wood packing material inside the back bottom of the cabinet, as though the dealer never properly cleaned it up from the factory shipping.

I have learned a great deal from reading posts on this forum and am glad to finally be a member. Thank you all again!

It's a neat item to have. In my XVI owners instructions there is a section on un-crating and setting up. It do not recall it mentioning removal of a device like this, but my machine is a later model with a different motor. By the time mine was shipped the motor board and motor were in separate box attached to the top of the crate. Maybe that was a later way of achieving the same ends

This was part of the packing for the XVI, to prevent damage to the motor during transportation. I have the same part, as well as the card that came with the packing materials explaining unpacking the motor (and recommending keeping the contraption for future moving).