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I have an Edison Home model A that has a gear that is lose on the shaft. I will try and explain, looking upside down at the motor, there is a large gear coming off the main spring, then a small gear which on the same shaft goes to a larger gear, that is shaft one, from there is goes to a tiny gear on the second shaft, this gear spins freely, what holds it tight to the shaft so it can drive the next big gear to the third shaft. Mine spins free so it can't turn the shaft. It is the fourth gear in the drive train. Other than that, the motor look fine. This is one of many that my father gave me recently, I am wanting to get it restored ASAP as he is not very well and I want to show him I can carry on the hobby and make him happy.
The serial number is H48855 and idea of year of manufacture?
I also noticed something odd, when I removed the mandrel and the fine lead screw, on the mandrel shaft it has another small diameter fine lead screw, what goes on there ?
This is not a suit case model, it has the catches on the ends of the case, the oak bed plate frame is missing except for the hinged rail, it measures 15" long, not sure how wide if anyone can help with that. Does anyone have a bed plate frame in good condition for sale. It also has the scroll on the bottom case with red writing. I will also need some top side parts as well if anyone can help, will need to look at a parts list to see what I need.
Will post photos when I go inside to my other computer tonight.
Sorry for long post, but I am a very keen newbee with all the skills to make this machine sing again, with the help of this great forum.
Peter, Australia

Hi, Peter!

Well, judging from the red lettered decal, you probably have an early Model A from 1901: they used the old stock of lid decals before switching to the black letter banner.

As for the motor gears, I believe they were originally heated before they were placed on the shafts; when the brass gear cooled and contracted, it was supposed to grip the shaft very tightly. Obviously, something has occurred over the last century to loosen that particular gear.

Your first step should be to mark the proper position of the gear on its shaft, to insure that it meshes properly when re-installed; use a scratch awl, and mark either side of the gear.

After you've removed the gear and shaft, thoroughly clean and de-grease them; then sweat-solder the gear back on the shaft, using a jig of some sort to hold the gear in its marked position.

The Home I have is somewhat later, and had a 2/4 minute attachment added still later; so I can't really give an opinion on the internal appearance of the mandrel shaft.

Hope this has been of some help to you. Good luck with your restoration!

-Bill

Thanks Bill, every reply is of value to me as a beginner, I thought that gear must have been shrunk on, I can take care of that.
Peter

I found a spare motor with the gear and shaft I need so I swapped it over and the motor works fine and governs well.
Peter

This is a common problem with the A Edison Home Phonograph, it is most likely the 19 tooth pinion gear, made of brass, Antique Phonograph Supply Co.,Ron Sitko, and Wyatt's all cary this gear, now made of steel, with a set screw, you will find the old grear is probably craked.

Your question about the feed screw, I believe you have a machine that was converted to two/four minute operation after 1908, when the Amberol record was introduced. For the early models, usually a new mandrel and feed screw [controlled by planetary gears] were installed to play the new records [with a Model H reproducer], and the old mandrel was returned to the factory. I wonder if the factory just replated the mandrel and slipped a new feed screw sleeve on the feed screw end of the shaft [however, I just remembered the original feed screw was the same diameter as the new one---I just shot my own theory out from under myself ]. Perhaps the old feed screw was turned down on a metal lathe to make it accept the new sleeve? Who knows? I find it hard to believe that all those old mandrels went un-recycled.