The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Hello I am from England and would like some help please , I have an Edison home phonograph with sun and planet gearing, which I believe will enable me to play 2 and 4 minute cylinders. When I pull the gearing out to play a 4 minute cylinder it just works it's way back in again? I don't have a lever that says 2 or 4 minute, it's just a pull out one. I am new to all this and can not find anything to do with sun and planet gearing. Can anyone help me how do I make the small wheel stay in position and not keep sliding back into the larger one. Thanks Gordon.

There is a little spring, on the clutch that holds a pin down, on the right end of the clutch,and this pin locks the clutch in place, it locks into a groove on the main shaft,and keeps it from wandering. Perhaps the little spring, or pin is missing or the spring is weak.

Many thanks, it looks like the spring and pin are missing. Thanks for all your help. Would anybody know where I may be able to get these items.

Does anybody have a photograph they can post up so that I know what it may look like. So that I know what to look for? Only I cannot find any photo's on the internet. Being new to all this and the internet I can't seem to find anything I'm looking for

I hope this is current, I have not obtained parts for anything in a long time, other than purchasing parts directly at the Union show from Ron Sitko. It is a little blue curved spring with a rounded end. it has has a hole in one end for the flat headed shoulder screw and the other is rounded, and covers the hole where the pin goes in, just measure with a dial caliper from hole to hole. The pin is a cylinder, that fits in the hole, and the spring exerts pressure and keeps it from falling out. and the pin sits in the hole to the right of the transmission pulley. Ron Sitko should have all the parts you need you can contact him below, which I hope is current.

Ron Sitko 56 Church Hill Road
Waterford, NY 12188
Pnone 518-371-8549

Great that is very helpful and I will contact him. Thanks again Gordon.

Here's a picture that may help you. The arrow points to the spring in question. There should be a small steel ball under the end of the spring closest to the arrow. The other end of the spring is screwed down to the pulley hub. The mandrel shaft has two parallel grooves machined in it which hold the ball and therefore the moveable part of the pulley in place for the selected feed setting.

Jim

That is Ron Sitko's current contact info.

Jim

Hi Jim, thank you very much that is exactly what I needed to know. Mine is missing the spring and ball. Your help is much appreciated. Now to get my spring and ball. Gordon.

Thanks for all your help Ron Sitko sent me the parts I needed and was very helpful, really nice chap. Now my home is working properly.