Hello,  I was asked by a local to "look at an old nickelodeon we
have."  As I suspected, it was just a build-up from a player into
an O-roll machine.  In this case it is a Wing & Son.  It has been in
storage for a number of years until recently.  Since I don't have much
interest in build-up machines I haven't really paid much attention to
them.  I am aware that there have been a variety of roll frame designs
with gear motors built over the years but I am not immediately familiar
with who built this one.

For starters, the rubber drive belt is broken.  That isn't a big deal,
but I can't get it to operate at all in "Play" mode because the vacuum
box does not run.  The roll frame has two pneumatically activated
switches on one side and in spite of fooling with them the motor still
doesn't run.  The manual switch is in the "On" position, the speed
control (in this case a light dimmer) is turned all the way up.  I see
no burned wires, nothing disconnected --  just no results.

I'm guessing there must be a hidden relay somewhere that needs to be
thrown into the correct position but I haven't been able to locate it.
It is a tight fit inside and I'm really not enthusiastic about tearing
it all apart.  I just want to get the motor running, put a new belt
on it, hope that the system is air-tight enough that it will work, and
leave.

I have uploaded a few pictures on Flickr.  From the pictures does
anyone recognize this configuration and know where the open circuit
for the motor might be?  Anyone want to take a guess as to who built
it (see link)?  http://www.flickr.com/photos/80274703@N05/ 

Rob Goodale
Las Vegas, Nevada

 [ Spool frames with two motors and rubber drive belts to the
 [ take-up spool were manufactured by George Cooper in the 1970s
 [ for "nickelodeon conversion kits".  Other makers were Player
 [ Piano Co. (two motors, chain drive) and MSI, Lubbock, Texas
 [ (single motor).  -- Robbie