Seek Welte Box Pump Specifications
In the shop for restoration is a mid-1920s Welte (Licensee) box pump.
I don't do a lot of Welte work but it looks pretty straight-forward.
A concern is the flexible, woven heavy strap segments that connect the
exhauster pneumatics to the eccentric hub turned by the large sheave.
In the attached photo, this is designated Unit "A". One of the four
straps was completely severed and the others thoroughly deteriorated.
Obviously, they had been replaced once before and so were not original
and of questionable dimensions. In the shop, I have only one other
Welte pump (Unit "B") with which to compare this one. Unfortunately,
its straps are also not original, and vary in all three dimensions.
I have access to plenty of this woven strapping material, I just need
to confirm the proper dimensions. I'm inclined to think Unit "B" is more
or less correct, since the width is closer to the width of the metal
brackets to which it attaches. The width of the Unit "A" strap is so
wide that a sliver had to be cut away in order that it didn't rub on the
eccentric as it rotated (the red ovals in Unit "A" image). Obviously,
not factory either.
My new material is 0.185" thick, which is a little thicker than either
sample, but my sense is that it should work OK as long as I have the
length and width correct. Can anyone confirm whether the dimensions of
Unit "A" or Unit "B" are correct, or if not, what should they be?
Thanks in advance.
John Grant
[ https://www.mmdigest.com/Attachments/23/11/19/231119_172954_Welte%20Pump%20Spider%20Straps.jpg
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