The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hey everyone,

I have had a Pathé No. 0 for about 2 years now, rarely I play something on it. But since a while the belt keeps slipping of the wheel when playing.
Is there an easy way to fix this? Please let me know.

If you have any violinist mates try a bit of their rosin on the belt for some grip

What is rosin? Unfortunately I don't have violinist friends

Wikipedia to the rescue!

Rosin (/ˈrɒzɪn/), also known as colophony or Greek pitch (Latin: pix graeca), is a resinous material obtained from pine trees and other plants, mostly conifers. The primary components of rosin are diterpenoids, i.e., C20 carboxylic acids. Rosin consists mainly of resin acids, especially abietic acid.[1] Rosin often appears as a semi-transparent, brittle substance that ranges in color from yellow to black and melts at stove-top temperatures.

In addition to industrial applications such as in varnishes, adhesives, and sealing wax, rosin is used with string instruments on the bow hair to enhance its ability to grip and sound the strings, and it provides grip in various sports and activities. Rosin also serves as an ingredient in medicinal and pharmaceutical formulations and can cause contact dermatitis or occupational asthma in sensitive individuals. It is an FDA approved food additive.[2]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosin#:~:text=Rosin%20(%2F%CB%88r%C9%92z,resin%20acids%2C%20especially%20abietic%20acid.

If the belt is slipping off the pulley, it sounds to me that this is a misalignment problem. Perhaps the drive pulley has a set screw that, when loosened, will allow the pulley to be aligned with the driven end and then tightened.

Raphael