Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion How does it come apart?

I'm currently working on an Erie 753 clockface with a Trident clock and I want to take the glass faces off to clean the clock up and install reproduction faces but one side has a center reset knob that the glass won't slide over? The knob has to come off before the glass can be removed. How the heck is that knob removed? I sure don't want to wreck anything or lose any small parts that are spring loaded! Anyone know how it comes apart? I'm sure some of you do!

Remove Pin from shaft, then remove the knob.
Or, Break glass & replace w/ one that has a bigger hole

Torch it Kevin. LOL

I sometimes am able to get things done using a BFH.

BFH = "THE PERSUADER" AROUND HERE!

Kevin, I tore one of those apart several years ago. If I remember correctly, the little brass nut on one side that holds the hands on is left hand threaded. Be real careful while disassembling that stuff. Sam

Sam --theres a reset knob on one side only and when turned one way, it moves the hands to reset--when turned the other way, it freewheels and moves nothing but theres a clicking sound when you make a full revolution--kinda like a spring loaded pawl snapping into place! There is no pin thru the knob but there is a hole down the center of the knob??? What its for, I don't know? Theres also a straight slot in the face of the knob thats shaped like a screwdriver slot but its a little different too??
Heres a photo of the knob.

Kevin,
The slot looks like a one way screw slot, made to turn one way with a screw driver and slip when turn the other. I manufacture Security Storm doors and use one way screws for extra security, also used in bathrooms. Try holding knob and turning center the only way it will go. Also could be made so it can't be removed easily. (general public) Just a guess.

Kevin, I no longer have the pump or a mechanism to look at. I can't remember how to get that knob off. As I stated in my previous post, even after you get the knob off, there's more tricky moves to make. Somebody on this site will surely know how. Good luck! Sam

Kevin, I have an Erie 10 with the same knob. It is threaded, to remove turn it clockwise. Richard

Is it a one-way screw or just a screw slot that has been damaged?

Richard, do you have to hold the shaft stationary using a screwdriver in that slot while you turn the knob?

Wes

Most likely Wes. That would be the End of Shaft.

Wes my glass was broken when I first took it off. I put a pair of vise grips on the shaft and turned the knob and it came unscrewd. when I put it back on with the glass I never tighten it all the way. I'm not sure if you hold the outside of the knob and turn the interior part, or the other way around. Richard

I have the whole clock assembly sitting on my workbench now, so I can easily hold the shaft and turn the knob clockwise! I'll try it tomorrow morning---I HOPE THIS WORKS!

The shaft is brass and small. You should see the threads. Double check which way go. Hope it works too. I don't want the responsiblity if it doesn't. Richard

Kevin make sure there is not a jam nut on the back side of the knob. If there is you will have to loosen it first. Richard

OK gang--Heres the scoop! The threads are left handed and that means the knob comes off by turning clockwise. You can't turn the knob clockwise tho because it won't grab anything going in that direction! You have to use a screw driver in the one-way screwdriver slot! Makes sense that they didn't want it turned the wrong way, so they made a one way slot for the screwdriver! The glass comes off easily then and you're only left with the dial hands. Heres the tricky part! The first hand is screwed onto the shaft, same as the knob and turns off clockwise. The smaller hand has a jam nut on it that holds the hand in place and is easily removed but be careful as there is a small spring inside there too!
It all comes apart rather easily, once you know that it is left handed threads. Its a very small brass shaft, so a person wants to take it easy. I'll try to post pictures of it tomorrow.

Glad to see you got it apart with no problems!

Wes

No ones more glad than me that it came off. That shaft is really small. Richard

Woo Hoo

Really want to see pics of LH threads!Why were they used?

Steve--The knob resets the hands in a counter clockwise direction and if it had regular threads, you could end up unscrewing the knob instead of resetting the hands! The modified screw driver slot allows you to only turn the center of the knob clockwise and is the only way to remove the knob, as the outside ring is for reset only and only grabs when turned counter clockwise. Knob removal comes with turning the center part.---KEVIN

WOW ,really?

LOL--Well, some of us don't have the experience that you old airplane mechanics do and it takes a little while longer to figure these things out! Having never been around one of these clocks before, I was more worried about breaking something by doing it wrong!
Not sure if you really didn't know or you're just being facetious here but I would bet the latter!

Your lucky it's a very simple clock mech. w/ 1 shaft turning both gallon hands.
On the Bowser 300, no matter which face your looking at, the hands move in a clockwise direction.

most facial reset clocks
have left hand threads for the reset knob.
Some do not have the slot to be able to remove them with.
I have had to use copper tubing cutters to cut the reset knob at the base where the ratchet assembly is in order to remove them.
Then had them made at the machine shop with the same thread back in the knob but no ratchet....loc-tite
Always take left hand threads into consideration when working on clock mechs.
I have had to buy several L-h dies and taps to fix some of the
clocks I have worked on, most are some odd-ball size too,
R-H and L-H.