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I spent part of the day today working on a complete overhaul of the motor from a U.S. Opera cylinder phonograph. I thought the barrels appeared wide before starting in on it, but was amazed when I removed the springs. They are by far the largest springs I have ever seen used in a phonograph motor. There are three, each 18' long and 2" wide!! Needless to say that after cleaning them and re-greasing each as I repacked them, my forearms are worthless and I will be sore for a week! I am curious if anyone knows what company or model used the largest springs. Does anyone know?

Here are some pictures of the Opera's springs for reference. This is the first one before it was cleaned.
Here it is cleaned and ready to repack in the barrel.
And here you can see the excitement on my face when I realized I was only on spring #2 out of 3.

WOW, those are indeed whoppers!

Clay

I've seen mainsprings in disc music boxes that big, but as far as phonographs are concerned, that English spring-driven tinfoil, Amet-era/type motors, Hexaphones/Multiphones, etc., and the Columbia Type N have the widest springs I've seen besides this.

How long? I wonder how the'd compare to a diamond disc or Triumph spring for example?

Triton-motored Triumphs (through model E) have springs that are 2" wide, .022" thick and, I believe, 15' long. How thick are the US Opera springs?

Jim

Valecnik wrote:How long? I wonder how the'd compare to a diamond disc or Triumph spring for example?

Frow says most DD springs are 25 feet long, 1 ½ inch wide, 0.027 inch thick. Many of the earlier models used shorter, lighter weight springs.

phonojim wrote:Triton-motored Triumphs (through model E) have springs that are 2" wide, .022" thick and, I believe, 15' long. How thick are the US Opera springs?

Jim

I thought I remembered reading that the triton motor had 21 foot springs but can't find it anywhere.

SonnyPhono wrote:I spent part of the day today working on a complete overhaul of the motor from a U.S. Opera cylinder phonograph.

I think you Photoshopped those pictures, your clothing is way too clean
That is a big spring though, way bigger than most machines. Hope it all went back into its happy little barrel without a major fight.

That is a big spring,im thinking thats where all the crazy spring wives tales came from.i wont list them till you have them back in there nests.

Valecnik wrote:

phonojim wrote:Triton-motored Triumphs (through model E) have springs that are 2" wide, .022" thick and, I believe, 15' long. How thick are the US Opera springs?

Jim

I thought I remembered reading that the triton motor had 21 foot springs but can't find it anywhere.

Frow says Triumph A through E springs are 14 feet long, 2 inches wide, and 0.022 inches thick. The longest spring in an Edison cylinder machine appears to be in the Amberola A1, at 16 feet, again according to Frow.