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Unknown Control Lever on Symphonion Musical Box
By Tom Sendall

Hello --  While cleaning and lubricating my Symphonion music box that
plays 7-9/16-inch discs, I was puzzled by one control.  In addition
to the crank at the right side of the case and a sliding lever in
the front for Start/Stop-at-end-of-disc, there is also a hook-shaped
lever inside at the left rear of the mechanism.  It can be moved
left-to-right about an inch.

Down below, past the pivot point, a wire has been riveted to the lever.
It is a couple of inches long and has a small, square white felt pad
crimped to the end of it.  It is in the area of the governor shaft and
could strike either the thin revolving wire that hits the stop lever
(and ends play) when it has popped up at the end of a disc, it could
impinge on the two thin, curled, leafy brass wings that "catch the air"
and regulate tempo.  When I got the box, the wire and pad were bent out
of the way of any moving part.

Is this some sort of a tempo control that is supposed to restrict the
wings from flying out?  I find that any pressure on the wings slows the
mechanism way down.  Can anyone suggest the levers function?

Thanks a lot,
Tom Sendall
gsendall@yahoo.com.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]


(Message sent Mon 22 Feb 2010, 17:24:03 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.)

Key Words in Subject:  Box, Control, Lever, Musical, Symphonion, Unknown

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