The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

The peg off the axle had become disengaged from the slot in the centre of the spring.

This happened because the last centre spiral was not tight enough to hug the axle, matter of fact the last spiral was hugging the spring.
In the photo's, I have started working the spring to become tight up against the axle.
I think once it's engaged the center will properly wrap itself around the axle again once it's would to the top.

How did this happen, it can't be wound backwards ?

Theory:
The dried out Sulphur and graphite (lead ?) grease does not allow the springs (triple spring motor in the case) to unwind evenly and eventually it lets go and causes the spring barrel(s) to violently let go.
This causes a sudden jerk in the opposite direction of its natural rotation, and it's this sudden movement in the wrong direction of the spring barrel that caused this "unwinding" of the spring on the axle.
Something like this would take many years to affect the centre part of the spring.

I also have a question, are all the springs would simultaneously, or does one spring get fully wound (that would be the first one closest to the big drive gear) and the next and then the last spring ?

From the looks of how it's put together, it seems that all three springs are wound at once.

Also, what kind of grease is best for the springs, I was thinking of standard wheel bearing grease or even this synthetic stuff.

EDIT:
Found a number of videos where "Waterproof Green Grease" is used, but it isn't readily available in Canada.
There is Lucas Green Grease that appears to by the same, it's a polyurea grease _ don't know if that is the same as the Green Grease which is a polymer.
I'll just have to keep digging to find the answer.

Yes and yes. That could be the reason for disengaging. Also, it is always advisable not to let the motor run down completely, as this can disengage the center hub, better to run down until the point where the springs still keep some tension.
About the grease, oothers may come in, I don't know this product.

Thanks for the tip on not letting wind down.
I did curl the centre of the spring so it locks in nicely, so with it all cleaned with a new modern grease in there, it should be fine.

In all honesty any of today's grease will be light years ahead off what they had over a century ago, just like motor oil.

There are pages and pages of discussions if it's OK to run synthetic motor oil in a collector vehicle, but the argument is the same, it doesn't really matter, the quality of todays products are miles ahead of what they had back in the 30's, 40's and 50's.
Even the cheapest motor oil an grease of today is far superior t what they had back then.

If no one answers for sure though, I will find out and post it here.

That's true, although I've seen a Garrard motor shooting barrel with the original calcium grease that still was working very well. But I think the same. Modern lubricants are much better. And they don't have grapphite, which is what does the spring to get stuck when the grease gets drier... Well, you still have grapphited grease in the market, but there are other products, as synthetic grease, Teflon grease, silicone grease, molybdenum grease, etc... Al very good and versatile.