Messages

1

Antique Questions Forum / Re: Why does this antique record player not work?

« on: September 11, 2018, 10:42:25 am »

OK,...  with Multiple experts pointing at the Belt, I jury-rigged an additional rotating spindle, to stretch the belt out tighter.  That didn't help.
EXACTLY!, Cogar...  The Flywheel (C) moves a tiny bit "away" from the motor shaft, when swithcing RPMs.
However, B and C and D are not in a direct line with each other.
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Therefore, C CAN move away from the Motor shaft (B) while D stays in one place.
You can also see that the belt is wrapped around the Belt Driver (D).
And, new pictures show the "wear" patterns that have been left on the Belt Driver at different speeds.  The Belt Driver surface is still very smooth to the touch.
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The Make is Zenith.  The Model?...  there's a paper label attached to the underside of the turntable with 8838 and 169-196 on it, and the speed assembly has S-53315 on it.
I'm still looking.         

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Why does this antique record player not work?

« on: September 09, 2018, 12:30:47 pm »

Apparently, I am not explaining this clearly enough.
Well, Cogar, the belt IS rubber/elastic/stretchy.
And while the belt MIGHT be a problem Later, IT IS NOT THE CURRENT PROBLEM.
The drive motor does Not move the belt Directly.
The drive motor moves ONLY the "Flywheel" (C).
The Flywheel is SUPPOSED to contact the Driver (D), causing (D) to turn.
The belt is attached to that Driver (D).
I can see no method of moving the B, C, and D parts closer together, like slotted mounting holes.
There is a constant, but varying gap between the Flywheel C and the Driver D.
The gap is least at slow (16) speed, most at 78 speed.
In the last picture, you can sorta' see a gap between Flywheel C and Driver D.
IF those two parts, C and D, would be in contact with each other, I think the turntable would turn.
Does that explain it adequately?
Thanks for your time, people.
AntiqueM53

3

Antique Questions Forum / Re: Why does this antique record player not work?

« on: September 08, 2018, 10:20:53 am »

Thanks for the reply, Cogar, but I'm sure That's not the problem.
The problem is that the Flywheel (C) does not touch the Belt Driver (D).
Thus, there's no contact / connection from the Motor B to the Flywheel C to the Driver D.
?

4

Antique Questions Forum / Why does this antique record player not work?

« on: September 07, 2018, 06:22:40 pm »

Hello, people,

In an old Zenith Stereophonic High Fidelity AM FM Record player,
the radio parts work, but the record player needs some help.
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The Speed Selector (A) nicely changes between 16, 33, 45, and 78.
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That puts the Rubber Flywheel (C) at different positions on the shaft of Motor (B).
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The problem is that the Flywheel (C) does not touch the Belt Driver (D).
IF I push down on that (E) part, then (C) does touch (D),
but that also pushes the Flywheel (C) away from the Motor shaft, so (C) stops.
I cannot see how to get (C) closer to (D) while (C) still touches the Motor shaft.
A friend thinks that the Flywheel (C) has been worn down, so the diameter is now too small,
but I don't think that's it, because we would then see tiny dropped black rubber particles.

Any clues?

Thanks for your time.

AntiqueM53

5

Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 07, 2015, 07:15:54 pm »

Also, Mart,...  my reply #11 shows the letter from the Smithsonian Institution,
indicating that the patent #55217 for this device was issued on May 18, 1920
to the Electric Phonograph Corporation of New York City.  

Interesting...  the letter also says that the company's charter was revoked
in the state of Delaware in 1923 for non-payment of taxes.

Thus...  these things could only have been built during that span of three years?

Mark

p.s.  Maybe you'll see the pic Next year?
That's OK...  this thing will be worth even More next year !     

6

Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 07, 2015, 06:55:37 pm »

7Seas is correct, Mart...
My reply #6 on page 1 of this thread has a picture showing...
a label on the "needle pickup" part that says "PhonoLamp" and
"Electric Phonograph Corp" and "New York City".
But you cannot read it?  Here's a (maybe) better picture?...

You're on a dial-up connection?  Oh, I'm so sorry for you.   

Darn, I messed up...  in reply #19, I uploaded the wrong "232" picture.
The original upload was way larger than was intended.
Sorry, Mart (especially on a Dial-up).  I've now fixed that.   

Is there anything else that I can do to assist?

Mark

7

Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 07, 2015, 11:53:23 am »

And...  I noticed that the paint is falling off of Only the Steel parts.
On the Brass parts, the paint is not falling off at all.

?

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 07, 2015, 11:51:04 am »

and

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 07, 2015, 11:49:02 am »

and

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 07, 2015, 11:46:28 am »

Wow.  Yous peoples are being Just Too Kool !

Yeah...  "great patina"...  that adds at least $1.50 to the value, right?  

Mart...  "Welcome" apologies are not necessary at all, but Thanks.
You're All being Very Helpful, and I Do appreciate that.  With regard to Antiques,
I'm Extremely Unfamiliar, other than looking in a mirror.  

Dammit...  I TOLD my "metallurgist" friend to NOT TOUCH it,
but he further disassembled it while I was at work today.
Ah, well...  at least we do now have some additional information.

You mentioned a need for "marking, wording, label, on the lamp"...
I think I've already shown the available labels and markings, except...  
the "needle pickup" part, that says on it "SUPREME" and "PAT PEN"...
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OR...  do you mean JUST the Lamp part, not the entire "PhonoLamp" thing?
Here are a few more pics of the Lamp parts...
Of course, the cardboard sleeve fits in the metal cylinder,
then moves up and surrounds the light-bulb receptacle,
then snaps into the higher-up "base".  A familiar (semi-old) design.
The wires, though, are obviously unsafe to use.
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I mentioned that the lampshade fabric is dirty, but in fairly good shape...
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And our resident Metallurgist has thoughts as to the metals herein...
He opines that All of the CURVED parts are Brass,
while All of the Straight parts are Steel.  They're Soldered together.
I've confirmed...  the allegedly "brass" parts are Not magnetic,
and the allegedly "steel" parts Are magnetic.
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Recall that I mentioned the Base was dented / bent...
404 - bent base
That deformity causes the vertical alignment to be untrue.
Needs about 9/16" wedge to make the level actually Level.
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Some pics showing the attached (soldered?) artwork details...
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and the (brass?) cups, now holding the detached balancing Ball,
and a bunch of extra phono needles...
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Our metallurgist friend even turned this thing upside down,
and decided that there were at one time six cushioning feet...
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and he then removed the bottom plate, with thoughts of removing
the dents / irregularities in the Base, to make it all nice and level.
He surmised that the Base is filled with "plaster of paris",
surrounded by straw.  That white stuff is rock-hard.
Thankfully, he left all of that right where it was.
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Curiously, the wires are two Separate wires, only later "connected"
by someone with modern electrical tape.
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What can I do to further assist in any research?

Again, Thanks a bunch.

Mark

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 06, 2015, 10:34:53 am »

Thanks again for the input, people.

Rauville...  This piece appears to be in better condition than that old ebay listing.
And this one has metal artwork on it, not painted artwork.
And the two top lights are attached to the outside of the top of the "speaker".
No metal cracks, but the base is a bit dented / bent.
Looks like it was pushed downward, from above.

Mart...  I had to look up what "mica" is...  and I'm still not sure.
The shade is some sorta' fabric...  maybe silk.
Needs to be cleaned, but does not need to be replaced.  It's in good condition.

Darn...  we're a bit late for the "don't even touch it" advice.   
I cut some wires, in anticipation of the re-wiring.
A picture shows one light removed, the other just hanging there.

OK...  no further work on this thing until we know the value.
As I'm a newbie to the world of antiques, can ya' suggest an
inexpensive method of a legit / realistic appraisal?
Google says there are several appraisers locally, but
how can I be assured that they know what they're doing?

Mark

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 05, 2015, 09:15:46 pm »

and the letter...

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 05, 2015, 09:14:37 pm »

and...

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 05, 2015, 09:13:42 pm »

and...

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Antique Questions Forum / Re: Help, please: The value of a 1920s "PhonoLamp" 78 player?

« on: January 05, 2015, 09:12:31 pm »

and...