Gustav Becker Non-Locking Barrel

[armyguber]

I was recently gifted a Gustav Becker wall regulator, circa 1895. The major issue appears to be that the mechanism (as opposed to strike) arbor turns without tightening. When the arbor is turned, the ratchet engages but the spring barrel housing rotates freely as does the engaged cam on the gear wheel (the cam turns freely without turning the larger gear wheel). I suspect that the gear wheel cam should lock somehow to allow spring to tighten. Comments?

 

[dickstorer]

What you are calling a cam is actually the pinion for that gear. From your description I believe the pinion and arbor have become un attached from the wheel. This movement will have to be taken apart and the wheel and pinion restaked.

 

[armyguber]

What you are calling a cam is actually the pinion for that gear. From your description I believe the pinion and arbor have become un attached from the wheel. This movement will have to be taken apart and the wheel and pinion restaked.

I can take apart the movement. What is involved in restaking the wheel and pinion?

 

[roughbarked]

Get the wheel out of the clock safely and then you will need to re-rivet the arbor with pinion to the brass wheel.

 

[shutterbug]

It might be cracked too. If so, you'll have to repair that first. When you get it out, show us what you have both with the pinion on and off the arbor.

 

[armyguber]

It might be cracked too. If so, you'll have to repair that first. When you get it out, show us what you have both with the pinion on and off the arbor.

Here’s the wheel-pinion-arbor assembly. The pinion-arbor turn as one; they rotate freely where they join the wheel. It looks to me that the pinion is flanged to grip the point at which it attaches to the wheel. The ‘star-pattern’ showing on the flat side of the wheel appears to be the splines of the pinion. The pinion-arbor does not freely separate from the wheel. I’m guessing that the ends of the pinion are grooved to fit the opening in the wheel.

I am tempted to tap the pinion-arbor free from the wheel and then use J-B Weld to re-fasten the assembly back together. I only worry that this is not a strong enough fix to withstand the high torque of a tightly wound spring, but I don’t have the tooling to evenly spread the splines of the pinion.

There is no evident cracking/damage to any part of the assembly

Thoughts?

 

[shutterbug]

Normally the pinion is part of the arbor. It's odd that yours came loose. I think staking is not going to work. Maybe hard solder - the high temperature kind, would hold it. There is so much torque there that any kind of lead solder or adhesive is likely to fail in time.

 

[armyguber]

Normally the pinion is part of the arbor. It's odd that yours came loose. I think staking is not going to work. Maybe hard solder - the high temperature kind, would hold it. There is so much torque there that any kind of lead solder or adhesive is likely to fail in time.

The pinion and the arbor are secure to one another. It is the wheel that turns freely about the arbor & pinion, but without the wheel separating from the assembly. Is it worthwhile to try forcing separation before attempting to refasten the wheel?

 

[armyguber]

The pinion and the arbor are secure to one another. It is the wheel that turns freely about the arbor & pinion, but without the wheel separating from the assembly. Is it worthwhile to try forcing separation before attempting to refasten the wheel?

My inhouse level dealing with this problem is J-B Weld packed into the splines of the pinion, on both sides of the wheel, and secured to the wheel (staying well clear of interfering with the splines interfacing with the barrel teeth). Comments?

 

[shutterbug]

I think you could just stake it tighter. Put it into a bench vise and secure it with a small punch and hammer.

 

[armyguber]

I think you could just stake it tighter. Put it into a bench vise and secure it with a small punch and hammer.

Let me make sure I understand your recommendation. I secure the wheel-pinion-arbor assembly in a bench vice with the flat face of the wheel up. Then using a hammer and a small punch I tap each of the spline ends to splay each end out to grip the wheel. I’m worried that my ‘punch taps’ might not be enough to withstand the high torque exerted by the tightened spring.

 

[shutterbug]

Yes, that's the idea. When the wheel is tight, it will be as it was coming out of the factory. That's how they assembled it
It will be your first experience in staking wheels.

 

[armyguber]

Yes, that's the idea. When the wheel is tight, it will be as it was coming out of the factory. That's how they assembled it
It will be your first experience in staking wheels.

A hollow punch did the trick. The punch slipped just over the spindle with the edge of the punch resting on all splines simultaneously. A couple of taps expanded all splines to grip the wheel. Thanks for the help.

 

[shutterbug]

That lesson will serve you well in coming years.

 

[armyguber]

That lesson will serve you well in coming years.

Here's the finished restoration. Serial number indicates June 1899. Clock was in a mostly disassembled state when found in a thrift store dumpster by a friend. Luckly all pieces/parts were in the case and luckier still the friend remembered that clock repair was a hobby of mine.

 

[shutterbug]

Very nice find, and an even nicer save! I'm glad he salvaged it from the land fill!