Identifying a model motor

[rob worthingtonParticipant @robworthington89563]

Good afternoon all.

I recently bought a box of Live Steam items, specifically wanted a few pieces. In amongst the bits and bobs was a vintage electric motor. I am sure this will be of some use to someone but it has no identification on it whatsoever so I am unable to offer it as I dont know what it is!

Do any of you experts out there have a clue what this is? Thanks in anticipation.

[rob worthingtonParticipant @robworthington89563]

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The gears look like Meccano ones, ( 19T and 57T, and the collar, so the shaft would be 5/32" diameter) but the motor is not an E20R or an E 20, nor is it an S E L (to my knowledge)

It looks as if the brushes live at the end remote from the gears.

The green plate seems to be the means of mounting it in whatever it powered.

Howard

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

If 55 (ish) year old memory is to be trusted it looks like the one in the monster box of Meccano that was passed down through the family until binned by the unthinking cousin who got it after me.

Not a Meccano one as it wouldn't fit when I tried to build one or two of the models either out of the really advanced Meccano books or from Meccano Magazine.

Presumably Meccano compatible motors could be got from other suppliers, possibly as a cheaper option.

Clive.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

I have a very similar motor – 12V IIRC – that I was told was WW2 surplus possibly recovered from equipment – I’m away from the workshop at present so cant check

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

It's very well made, not a toy originally. I suggest it was a war surplus item, probably aircraft. I don't recognise it specifically though. Anyone got any old Proops or "Service Trading Co." catalogues?

Robert.

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

Mine was acquired with other things I wanted in a rummage sale – somebody suggested it came from a film camera used in reconnaissance aircraft possibly to wind on the film.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Very common to find motors adapted for use in a Meccano model or Meccano, especially gears, used to make something real, or for prototyping.

I'm pretty sure the motor isn't a Meccano item, and Frances could well be right about it being WW2 surplus.

The green plate has been made from a fire-extinguisher label or perhaps a fire control lever from a console. The engraved letters probably spell out:

IN CASE OF FIRE
TURN HANDLE TO LEFT AND
PULL TO FULLEST EXTENT

For some reason thie instructions remind me of aircraft engines?

The two knurled brass terminals on top were common electrical items and I guess got used because BA screws were handy to the maker. The lower screw also appears to be BA. They're not Meccano threads. The gears and collars are genuine Meccano as Howard says.

As parts have been painted Meccano Red and Green, and the two support strips ave been rounded to resemble Meccano parts, and because the output shaft is Meccano size, I think this was put together by a serious Meccano modeller to drive something big. It could have been made yesterday, but the colours and motor construction make 1955 more likely.

Dave

[rob worthingtonParticipant @robworthington89563]

Thank you all so much for your replies, you really are a helpful bunch!

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 25/09/2018 14:32:35:

<SNIP>

The green plate has been made from a fire-extinguisher label or perhaps a fire control lever from a console. The engraved letters probably spell out:

IN CASE OF FIRE
TURN HANDLE TO LEFT AND
PULL TO FULLEST EXTENT

For some reason thie instructions remind me of aircraft engines?

<SNIP>

Dave

Aircraft "fire" handles are normally two motion, Pulling shuts down the engine and closes fuel, oil, hyraulic and (on jets) bleed air valves at the firewall behind the engine. Turning operates the extinguisher(s). I also thought it was a aircraft placard.

Robert.

[Adam MaraParticipant @adammara]

I can tell you exactly what the motor is! Its from a WW2 aircraft bombsight computer, there were two in it and they are 24 volt. There were also lots of gears, bellows and dials in it, Mine was a present in the early 50s and still have a few gears left from it!

[rob worthingtonParticipant @robworthington89563]

Brilliant, thank you so much everyone.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I think you may find that the gears in a lot of war time equipment such as bomb sight computers were actually made by Meccano.

Ian S C

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

My father in law got one of these mechanical computer bomb sight mechanisms in the 1950s from a war surplus shop in Derby [Potts] if there is anyone on here is familiar with the town and that famous 'magnet'

It finally came into my possession when we got married and I can confirm that the internal fittings were all made in the USA, I found markings on parts of it that named a well known organisation, possibly Sperry based in Chicago, who I believe also made navigation gyroscopes .

The quality of all that material was quite superb and a world away from Binns output for Meccano

Shaft trunnions were dowelled to the frame for example and a lot of space was taken up with very nicely made metal bellows for altitude determination.

Brian.

[Adam MaraParticipant @adammara]

For anyone that is interested there is an article on bombsight computers at

http://www.glennsmuseum.com/bombsights/everything.html

I have a few bits left from all those years ago, much has been lost, used or thrown away over the last 60 years. In the photo the brass gear are ex a Mk XIV or similar, the top aluminium gears are from some Canberra bomber equipment, but not sure what the dial was from. I also have a couple of heavy duty relays, which I believe were Lancaster spares.

My dad was a keen radio amateur, I used to go to ex WD sales with him, he bought loads of stuff at these sales, there was a lot to get rid off when he passed away!

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