Wurlitzer Style-HG Enclosed
"Self-Oiling" Heavy Gear Standard

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson)

This appears to be an early Heavy Gear Standard with brass oil cups above each crankshaft bearing. It is in Wurlitzer Style C Orchestra Piano No. 20006. It bears no nameplate or any pin-holes where a nameplate might once have been mounted, nor does it have any other obvious identification markings, although it is clearly a large Wurlitzer worm gear standard. Like the nameplate identified Heavy Gear Standard, it has the same characteristic centralized rectangular depression at the top of the cast iron cover to put oil into the unit.

(Photograph courtesy of Dana Johnson)

Here is another example of the mystery Heavy Gear Standard look-a-like, with brass oil cups for the crankshaft bearings. It is in Wurlitzer Style C Orchestra Piano No. 20083. As with the previous example above, the unit bears no nameplate or pin-holes where a nameplate might once have been mounted, nor does it have any other obvious identification markings, although it is clearly a large Wurlitzer worm gear standard.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

This restored Wurlitzer Style-HG Heavy Gear Standard, Type SA 200 HG 3, is sitting comfortably in its nicely repainted oil pan. The unit stands about 9-1/4" high, a tad over 2" taller than the smaller and more commonly used Style-B Worm Gear Standard, which is only about 7-1/8" high. This gear standard is installed in a (circa 1913) Wurlitzer Style DX piano, #20,787, restored by Reblitz Restorations for the AMICA Adopt-a-Piano project.

(Photograph courtesy of Don Hein)

Here is a restoration progress photograph of the above Style-HG Wurlitzer Heavy Gear Standard, Type SA 200 HG 3, showing it before it is ready to be repainted and then reinstalled in its (circa 1913) Wurlitzer Style DX piano, #20,787. Notice the "oil level gauge" at the case bottom and to the right of center. It has a rotatable sleeve that when twisted opens a hole into the hollow tube making up the gauge. Then by peering into the "oil gauge" hole it can be quickly determined if the oil level is low; if no oil shows in the hole more lubricating oil needs to be added.

(Photograph courtesy of Rusty King)

This Style-HG fully enclosed Wurlitzer Heavy Gear Standard, Type SA 200 HG 3, serial number 1043, is unrestored, but complete, and is from Wurlitzer Style CX, #17,566, circa 1912. The top cover and front crankshaft bearing cap has been removed to reveal interior components. Note the gray colored pot metal bearing bushing insert for the crankshaft still in place, but free of the bearing cap. The upper portion of one (brass colored) oil ring is visible just behind the pot metal bearing insert, which collects splash oil and delivers an abundance of it to the crankshaft bearing. The cast trough below the crank bearings collects any excess oil passing through the bearings and returns it to the oil sump in the bottom of the worm gear unit.

(Photograph courtesy of Rusty King)

Crankshaft and gear assembly for the circa 1912 Heavy Gear Standard, serial number 1043. One of the crankshaft bearing oil rings is visible, draped around the pot metal crankshaft bearing insert still stuck to the crankshaft. The small straight pin in the stub shaft (one side has been accidentally bent) is to prevent a wooden pulley clamped around the shaft from slipping.

(Photograph courtesy of Rusty King)

Numbers 1200 / 74 stamped into the front side end of the crankshaft for the circa 1912 Heavy Gear Standard, serial number 1043. These numbers indicate the ratio between the motor speed and the crankshaft speed.

(Photograph courtesy of Rusty King)

Here the cast iron base for the (circa 1912) Style-HG Heavy Gear Standard, serial number 1043, has been cleaned up and is ready for reassembly. In this view, with the top cover and main gear removed, the worm gear in the bottom of the base is visible. To its immediate right and nestled against the removable worm shaft bearing is the thin ball thrust bearing. Further to the right is the cylindrical shaft bearing, with a clearly visible milled slot in the top side, which serves to collect splashed oil to lubricate the bearing. Shown in the left side inset (surrounded by a purple halo) is a removable cylindrical cast iron worm shaft bearing, laid bare for easy examination. The protruding worm gear shaft (at left) has a machined oil-saving groove and shoulder, easily visible, that coincides with a matching recess in the shaft bearing, and whose purpose is to recover oil seeping through the bearing and return it to the oil sump in the bottom of the gear standard..

(Photograph courtesy of Rusty King)

Top cover for the circa 1912, Heavy Gear Standard, serial number 1043. The brass nameplate proclaims: The Rudolph Wurlitzer Co.; Heavy Gear Standard; Type SA 200 HG 3 (notice that only the trailing digit 8 is die stamped); Gear 81 Teeth; Worm 5 Thread; Motor 1150 R.P.M.

(Photograph courtesy of Dick Hack/Dana Johnson)

The pictured cast iron worm shaft bearing end cap for a Heavy Gear Standard, Type SA-200-HG-3, clearly shows the die-stamped serial number 1178. The unit is from CX #17587. In this instance the gear standard's serial number is stamped on the motor side bearing cap, but it can be on either cap. Not all gear standards of the enclosed type have a serial number, but many do, and these numbers provide a sense of the quantity of gear units manufactured.

(Photograph courtesy of Art Reblitz)

Backside view of the Wurlitzer pipe organ player installed at the Denver Auditorium, Denver, Colorado. In the bottom of the case is a large vacuum bellow powered by a Heavy Gear Standard. The is an installation that probably saw a lot of continuous use, giving credence to the idea that the Heavy Gear Standard was developed for situations where continuous heavy duty conditions prevailed.