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Understanding the Direct Drive Gear System

Anyone who was accustomed to dealing with the incessant maintenance issues common with the early flat belt drive systems, namely those installed in the Wurlitzer Tonophone and Pianino, must have exuberantly welcomed the introduction of the Direct Drive Gear system as a godsend, at least initially. The first instrument to be mentioned in the de Kleist Journals and that was also advertised as being equipped with the Direct Drive Gear was an 88-Note Player Piano, listed on February 6, 1906. No serial number is given, but by comparing the de Kleist journals with the Wurlitzer 10,000 series ledger it is reasonable to presume that the first 88-note player in both documents represent the same instrument. The first 88-note player shown in the Wurlitzer ledger is serial number 10104, and it is dated February 24, 1906. Thus, a few weeks after the de Kleist journal entry the first 88-note player turns up in the Wurlitzer ledger. This delay of a few weeks between a de Kleist and Wurlitzer ledger entry date is not unprecedented, albeit unusual, and so it is probably reasonable to presume that the first 88-note player mentioned in the de Kleist Journals was number 10104. The next 88-note player to be listed in the Wurlitzer ledger was number 10292.

The introduction of the 88-Note Player Piano is key to the discussion of the Direct Drive Gear system because it is the first de Kleist coin operated instrument specifically advertised as featuring this new drive system. Hence, it suggests a starting date for its use. According to a Wurlitzer catalogue description for the 88-Note Player Piano, “It contains our newly patented gear arrangement which transmits the motive power directly from the motor to the bellows without the use of the troublesome belts or pulleys.”

Then on February 24, 1906, the first Mandolin Quartette, #10210, is listed in the de Kleist Journal. The Mandolin Quartette is another instrument style that was initially equipped with the direct drive gear system. At this point there were now two de Kleist instruments known to be featuring the new gear drive system.

The New Direct Drive Gear Pianino?

Following quickly on the heels of the first Mandolin Quartette, three days later, on February 27, 1906, Pianino #10177 is entered into the journal, and also specifically noted as a “new style.” Does this refer to a new case style, or new mechanicals, or both? How this new style differs from previous Pianinos is unknown, and there has been nothing obvious in the de Kleist Journals up to this point that suggests or details a new direct drive gear system for use in Pianinos—other than it is known through Wurlitzer advertisements that the 88-note player and Mandolin Quartette featured the direct drive gear from the get-go. Although this is mere speculation, it is possible that Pianino #10177 was the first Pianino to feature the new direct drive gear system, and the timing would seem to make sense.

However, confusing the issue, on March 30, 1906, Pianino #10276 is shown as shipped to Wurlitzer in Cincinnati, Ohio, with the notation: “New style action and new arrangement on rewind spool.” What is the new style action, and what does this new style action include? Was it just a new wind-chest with attached pneumatic action, or all new action, i.e., bellow, wind-chest, etc., including the new direct drive gear system? What was the new arrangement on the take up spool, and does this change have anything to do with a new kind of drive system? Currently, from what is contained in the de Kleist Journals, there is no way to answer any of these questions one way or another.

The upshot here is that either Pianino #10177 or Pianino #10276 might be the first Pianino to incorporate the new “Direct Drive Gear” system. Whether one of these, or a different Pianino, was actually the first one is quite unknown. Keep in mind that anything postulated here is only speculation, and it is possible that neither of these two instruments mark the Pianino's transition to the new direct drive gear system.

Who Made It?

Who made the direct drive gear mechanism? Nothing has been yet observed in the de Kleist Journals that sheds much light on this question. But in the “Materials” and “Machinery” accounting sections various suppliers are mentioned, and sometimes, especially for machinery vendors, there is a terse often cryptic, indication of what had been supplied. Occasionally a description is detailed and thusly provides a real glimpse into the scope of what on-site machining capabilities de Kleist might have enjoyed. Here are some exceptionally detailed “Machinery & Equipment” entries for March 16, 1906, and that are specifically noted as to where they were used:

• Boiler House: 1 - 50 H.P. 3 phase Alt 440 Volt Induction Motor complete – $765.70.
• Machine Shop: 1 – 15 H.P. 3 phase Alternating 440 Volt Induction Motor complete - $405.80.
• Transformer House: 2 – 40 K.W. Transformers Alt 440 Volt Primary, 440 V. Secondary & 110 Volt Secondary for lighting circuits complete with oil, hanger & cutouts - $1,078.50.
• Transformer House: 1 – 3 Pole Automatic Oil Circuit Breaker for 4400 Volts, 300 Amperes mounted upon Marble Panel.

From this evidence it seems certain that de Kleist at the very least had some sort of minimal machine shop and was actively doing at least some degree of metal machining work. Various castings were used in de Kleist instruments, which included parts for roll mechanisms and crankshafts. It is reasonable to assume that the company did machine the small and relatively simple castings, but did the company also machine the crankshaft billets, or not? This would have required lathes and skills beyond that of a simple machine shop. How extensive the machine shop facilities might have been remains unknown.

During the early part of 1906 the de Kleist company did deal with at least two companies that could have supplied castings: Acme Foundry Company and Frontier Iron Works. Thus, there is tangible evidence that de Kleist was buying castings, albeit what these castings might have been is unknown. Moreover, it is unlikely that either of these two aforementioned foundry enterprises also did machining of castings produced. So, then, there is the real possibility that de Kleist bought raw iron castings from one or both of these companies and did some or all of the machining in house, and, in the case of the direct drive gear system, they could have bought steel rods, gears, and other hardware from already established accounts with hardware companies, of which several are regularly mentioned throughout the Journals.

While it seems plausible that de Kleist had some degree of machine shop capability, the extent of the company’s capability remains a mystery. However, a brief article titled, Strike Delays Work on Organ, provides a glimpse into the de Kleist company and somewhat answers the machine shop capability question.

This above article implies that the machine shop was not only a substantial part of the factory operation, but an integral one, too, if this kind of work stoppage basically caused the factory to be idled. It is thought from other research that the de Kleist machine shop staff may have included about twenty-five people.

From research by Dana Johnson there is more than just an idle hint as to the person who may have been directly responsible for thinking up and/or designing the direct drive system. The 1925 Wurlitzer Factory Department and Key Employees list shows Frank L. McCormick as Wurlitzer's "Master Mechanic" in the Metal Working Shop, which included the machine shop. Moreover, over the years there are numerous Wurlitzer patents with McCormick's name affixed to them. Although unknown, it is possible that McCormick was the head of this department. But what does this have to do with the de Kleist operation? Patent #899993, applied for in 1908, was a joint patent between de Kleist and McCormick and assigned to de Kleist. Thus, de Kleist and McCormick very likely had an ongoing business relationship prior to 1908, which in turn poses the interesting question: Was McCormick also de Kleist’s “Master Mechanic?” But there is more to the de Kleist - McCormick business relationship: The basic mechanical arrangement found in most Wurlitzer pianos takes shape around 1910 as shown in another joint de Kleist - McCormick patent #1043056, applied for 5/6/10 and issued 10/29/12, and assigned to Wurlitzer.

When Did the “Direct Drive” Idea Take Shape?

When did development of the direct drive gear system begin? When was the idea initially hatched? Because the 88-Note Player Piano and Mandolin Quartette were first delivered in February of 1906 (and both featured the new open gear standard), obviously the direct drive gear system has been more or less “perfected” by then. So, then, how much lead time was necessary? Once the basic idea had been formulated, there had to be some lead time in finding suppliers, making patterns, setting up jigs for machining and probably experimenting with gear materials and gear ratios, etc. How long this incubation period took is unknown, but it is reasonable to suggest that development was probably underway by the middle of 1905, and probably for good reason. It is very likely that the old, troublesome flat belts and pulleys crammed into the Tonophone, and especially so in the little Pianino cases, were indeed a source of constant complaints to Wurlitzer, which would in turn have been passed on to de Kleist.

Durability

The direct drive gear system was probably, at least in theory, a lot more trouble free than was the older flat belt drive with counter-shaft system. But how trouble free was it? In September of 1906 the honeymoon with the new Direct Drive Gear system appears to have abruptly ended. Journal entries suddenly and consistently indicate a lot of sustained activity in regards to both mailing and expressing replacement “worms and shafts,” “steel worms and shafts,” “brass worms and shafts,” and, if the journal descriptions are accurate, at least one order for four "cast iron worms and shafts." “Gear Drive complete” assemblies were also shipped to various Wurlitzer customers, but relatively few compared to the "worm and shaft" only orders. In an effort to avoid confusion with some of the above quoted wording, and although not explicitly stated as such in the journal, it is presumed that "brass worm and shaft" refers to a brass worm gear on a steel shaft, and, similarly, "cast iron worm and gear" implies a cast iron worm gear affixed to a steel shaft. While a brass worm and brass shaft would be serviceable, economic, and easy to construct, a cast iron worm on a cast iron shaft would be neither durable or economic. Machining a straight cast iron shaft, without a gear as part of the structure (compared to using readily purchased inexpensive steel shaft stock) would be relatively difficult and expensive, and once the small diameter shaft was installed it would be brittle, fragile, and subject to easy breakage.

The frequency of drive gear related journal entries hint that there may have been a sense of desperation in finding a solution to the rapidly accelerating spate of gear drive failures, trying steel versus brass worms and who knows what else in an attempt to forestall what may have seemed like an accelerating calamity. Perhaps de Kleist and Wurlitzer even flirted with the painful idea that maybe the direct drive gear system might not be less troublesome than the old flat belt system. Nobody knows the answer to this question, but it is known that quantity orders for the “Worm & Shaft” assemblies had suddenly become common, with up to 12 units per order observed, and at a unit cost of $2.15 each (or $2.75 each for a cast iron worm and shaft). In contrast, the complete Direct Drive Gear unit was usually ordered one at a time and cost $7.25. But while the number of replacement gear drive parts and complete assemblies sent out to customers may have been relatively minor when compared to the total number of gear units shipped, these journal entries do, nonetheless, suggest a serious and ongoing failure issue for the early style Direct Drive Gear units. But what is not made clear in the journal books is whether the worm gear units failing were the "short" gear units that required an 1150 RPM motor (as in the 88-Not Player Piano and the Mandolin Quartette), or the taller ones that were installed in the Pianino, which used a 1725 RPM motor. It seems logical that the higher speed units would be more susceptible to lubrication woes and any resulting troubles, but there is no way to ascertain from the historical record which type of gear standard (short or tall) was most prone to failure, or if both were equally troublesome.

The early Direct Drive Gear units had brass oil cups to keep the two crankshaft bearings oiled, but relied on a small oil sump in the cast iron base to keep the fiber gear, the high-speed worm, and the cast iron worm shaft bearings lubricated. There was not much leeway here for negligence. If the instrument saw heavy use oil would be gradually but continually be lost due to seepage through the worm shaft bearings. And there was no provision for recycling oil that wicked out through the cast iron bearings from being flung off the high speed shaft, thereby slowly depleting the remaining oil in the sump. Failure to keep the oil sump full enough and, in turn, the rotating parts sufficiently oiled may have been a contributing factor in direct drive gear failures. By 1912 a redesigned gear standard had become available, known as the Style-B, with the gears being self-oiling and all but the actual cranks themselves being completely enclosed and protected from dust and grit. While it is obvious that improvements in the gear assembly design had occurred over the years, the timing of such changes is yet somewhat of a mystery. Nevertheless, with the introduction of the fully enclosed unit, in or around 1912, the Direct Drive Gear system had become much more durable, rugged, and better able to suffer the normal negligence imposed by route operators. It was fitted with a large oil sump and had bearing end plates on the high speed shaft that captured any oil that seeped past the actual bearing area. Although the early Style-B worm gear standards still had brass oil cups for the crankshaft gears, in its successor, the Type SA-1B, the oil cups were replaced by two internal large diameter oil-rings that rode on the crankshaft, each one dipping down alongside the fiber gear and catching drips and oil splash from the worm gear, so as to deliver an excess of oil to the crankshaft bearings. Narrow external catch basins beneath the crank bearings captured any oil that seeped out of the crankshaft bearings. With the Style-B design all oil seeping through bearings was recycled, which probably eliminated most, if not all, of the earlier lubrication failure issues, or at the least it provided enough of a safety net to eliminate the majority of the former lubrication failure problems.

Chronology of Improvements

At its inception the Direct Drive Gear unit, albeit a great improvement over the earlier flat belt drive system, was, nonetheless, rather basic in design. Fundamentally, it consisted of a base casting with a small central oil sump and upward extensions on either side to support the crankshaft bearings. On top of the base casting was a hollow cast iron extension that protected the worm gear, the bottom third of the fiber crankshaft gear, and more or less kept oil from being freely slung out and splattered all over the interior of the instrument. The bearings for the high speed worm and shaft were nothing more than a hole bored through the junction line between the base casting and the upper hollow cast iron extension. There was nothing in the design that attempted to recapture oil that escaped through the worm and shaft bearings, or oil from the brass oil cups that dripped off of the crank bearings. Such shortcomings were eventually resolved in later designs, but the improved worm gear standards introduced circa 1912 were never used on the Pianino.

Oddly enough, while Wurlitzer made great strides in improving the reliability, durability, and serviceability of the worm gear standard, it continued to use the early tall open gear design in the regular Pianinos up until the introduction of the flat front Pianino circa 1921, and in the Violin-Flute Pianino right up to the point when production ceased. Moreover, Pianinos with the tall open gear standard used a different motor, gear ratio, and pump than did other coin piano models, such as the Mandolin Quartette and 65-note pianos. Violin-Flute Pianino No. 106468 is next to the last one shipped, and it has a 4-pole, 1725 RPM electric motor driving a tall open gear standard that contains a 50-tooth fiber gear, with a gear ratio of 25 to 1.

There has been a lingering question as to why Wurlitzer continued to use the old style tall open gear standard in the Pianino up until the introduction of the (Jameson) unit valve stack, when better alternatives were available. The answer may be as simple as the type of rewind trip system used in conjunction with the belt driven spoolbox. When the early de Kleist-originated horizontal rewind pneumatic with mechanical latching system was abandoned, a new more powerful and positive acting mechanical rewind trip mechanism was devised, and it was integrally connected with— and part of— the tall open gear standard. A triangular cam was added to the side of the crankshaft gear with an attached cam-follower and lever. This assembly was bolted to the side of the open gear standard. A small pneumatic next to the base of the gear unit moved a latching lever in such a way that it hooked the cam-follower lever and set the rewind linkage attached to the spoolbox into action. The tall open gear standard with the rewind cam and linkage therefore remained in use after the fully-enclosed standard was used in keyboard-style orchestrions.

When the unit block valve (or Jameson chest) was introduced into the Pianino the rewind system was also dramatically changed. Now a single large pneumatic with a unit valve lock and cancel system standing next to the roll frame engaged the rewind function, completely obviating the need for the old style complicated rewind linkages involving the gear standard. At this point at least some Violin-Flute Pianinos, with unit valve chests, do not have the tall open gear units, but instead have a short open gear standard mounted on a tall wooden block, to bring the shorter unit's high-speed shaft in line with the motor shaft. But, then, why not install a more modern Style-B enclosed worm gear standard with the same gear ratio and spatial requirements? This much improved worm gear standard was available and used in the 65 note pianos. Perhaps it was an opportunity to use up a few remaining short open gear units still sitting unused on a stock room shelf. Or perhaps it was thought that it would be easier for someone to apply oil to the top of the large gear if it was unenclosed than to try and drip oil into the oil-saver rim of an enclosed standard, since it was located behind the pipes and hard to reach. (In contrast, it was easier to reach the gear standard in the bottom of a keyboard piano).

What follows is a rudimentary chronology of improvements, which will probably become more detailed and accurate as more and more information is accumulated and analyzed.

Introductory Open Worm Gear Standard (1906):

Functionally quite basic, with an exposed main crank gear design. Requires frequent attention to make certain that unit is properly lubricated. There are three observed variations of this early worm gear standard design, as follows:

1. "Short" Gear Standard: This style stands about 6-5/8" high to the top of the fiber gear, or 6-3/4" to the top of the brass oil cups. The base footprint is 4-7/8" deep by 5-1/2" wide (as viewed when installed in an instrument). It was commonly installed in the early 88-note player, the Mandolin Quartette, the Mandolin Sextette, and early 65-note pianos. It featured brass oil cups to lubricate the crankshaft bearings, which consisted of either brass or pot metal bushings inserted into the cast iron bearing supports and caps.
2. "Tall" Gear Standard: This style stands about 8-3/4" high to the top of the fiber gear. The base footprint is 4-3/4" deep by 5-1/2" wide (as viewed when installed in an instrument).It was commonly installed in Pianinos. It featured brass oil cups to lubricate the crankshaft bearings, which consisted of either brass or pot metal bushings inserted into the cast iron bearing supports and caps. It was usually fitted with a 5" O.D. wooden belt pulley to power the spoolbox.
3. "Tall" Gear Standard with rewind trip cam-work: This variation is nearly identical to the aforementioned "tall" unit, standing about 8-3/4" high, except for the following: The base casting is different so as to allow for a flat space on its front side, where a cam-follower and rewind trip lever assembly is firmly bolted. The front-side cast iron support flange for the fiber gear is also different, and has an integrally cast triangular cam, which is machined on its three outward facing surfaces. This cam is followed by a roller and lever arrangement that acts as the rewind trip mechanism, which is activated by a small pneumatic located near the gear standard. This variation was also usually fitted with a 5" O.D. wooden belt pulley to power the spoolbox.

Key features include:

• Cast iron base with oil sump area and hollow upper casting that encloses the worm gear and protects the lower 1/3 of the main crank gear.
• Minimal oil sump in base. Gears and worm shaft bearings splash (and/or manually) oiled.
• Short" open gear standards are rated for an 1150 RPM motor, with a motor to crank speed ratio of 17-to-1, and utilize a 3-thread worm gear and a 51-tooth fiber gear.
• Tall open gear standards are rated for a 1725 RPM motor, with a motor to crank speed ratio of 25-to-1, and utilize a 50-tooth fiber gear.
• Worm shaft bearings consist of a simple hole bored through the split in the cast iron base and its upper hollow cast iron section, forming what amounts to a pair of split cast iron bearings, with a hole drilled in the topside to capture splashed oil.
• Thin steel washers are used to space the worm gear to minimize end play and act as a thrust bearing.
• A cast iron flange on the crankshaft supports the fiber main crank gear.
• Crankshaft bearings are either brass or pot metal bushings, depending upon the vintage of the unit and/or whether the bushings have been more recently replaced.
• Brass oil cups are used to oil the crankshaft bearings.
• No oil saver options and no protection from dust and grit.

 

Style-HG Fully Enclosed “Self-Oiling” Heavy Gear Standard (circa 1912):

Functionally rugged and quite durable and with a relatively large oil sump, this style features a fully enclosed self-oiling gear design with oil capture and recycling capabilities for any oil that weeps through bearings. There are what appear to be two variations of this design—an early and late version—as follows:

1. Early Heavy Gear Standard that looks like the more commonly observed Type SA-200-HG-3 (as identified by nameplate), except that of the several specimens observed this mystery look-a-like bears no nameplate to designate its type, and it has brass oil cups on the crank bearings (like those used on the early open gear standards) Like the nameplate identified Heavy Gear Standard, this unit has the shallow rectangular depression in the top of the cast iron cover with a small hole to administer oil as may be necessary.
2. Heavy Gear Standard Type SA-200-HG-3 easily identified by nameplate and its sheer size. On the brass nameplate the "Type" designation reads, "SA 200 HG 3," but only the last digit—in this case the number 3—is die-stamped; while all other "Type" characters ("SA 200 HG") were permanently embossed on the nameplate when it was manufactured, and were not intended to be altered. It is unknown what the digit "3" designates. Does it represent the third design iteration for the Heavy Gear Standard, or something else?

Key features include:

• Unit stands about 9-3/8" high to the top of the cast iron cover. The base footprint is 5" deep by 7" wide (as viewed from the front when installed in an instrument).
• Rugged cast iron base that fully encloses the worm gear and the lower half of the fiber gear, and with a removable cast iron top cover that encloses the upper half of the fiber gear and effectively seals off and protects the entire interior mechanism from dust and grit, or accidental contact with the moving gears.
• Large oil sump, with a simple oil level gauge.
• Top cast iron cover has a centrally located shallow rectangular depression cast into it with a small hole, so that the unit can be easily oiled and/or have oil added.
• Unit is rated for an 1150 RPM motor, with a motor to crank speed ratio of 1200/74 often die-stamped into one end of the crankshaft.
• "Self-Oiling," according to the Wurlitzer literature, but obviously "self-oiling" applies only so long as someone keeps the oil reservoir sufficiently full.
• Uses a 5-thread steel worm gear that is partially submerged when the oil sump is at least partially full, but it is also fed oil from the sump by means of several thin 10-tooth “fiber star oilers.” On the front side of the base casting, near the bottom, there is a small slotted head machine screw centered left to right in the vertical rib in the casting. Removing this screw exposes the axle for the fiber star oilers.
• A ball thrust bearing is used as a thrust bearing instead of thin steel washers as used in the early open gear design.
• Worm shaft bearings consist of removable cylindrical cast iron bearings with end caps; the end caps secure the bearing in place and make it easy to remove. Each bearing has a small splash oil capture reservoir on its top side, whereupon oil makes it way into the bearing by splash and by oil dripping off of the fiber gear. Next to the outside edge of each bearing cap (and in the hole through which the shaft passes) is a machined recess that corresponds to a groove in the high speed shaft. The purpose of this arrangement is to capture any excess oil that weeps past the actual bearing surface and onto the high speed shaft, and which is then spun off of the shaft into the oil capture recess, whereupon it drains back into the oil sump.
• Uses an 81-tooth fiber crankshaft gear.
• Crankshaft bearings consist of are either brass or pot metal bushings, depending upon the year the gear unit was made and/or whether the bushings have been more recently replaced.
• Large diameter oil rings ride on the crankshaft, which collect splash oil slung off of the worm gear, flooding the bearing reservoir with oil. Oil weeping through and off the outside edge of the crankshaft bearings flows by gravity into a small trough that surrounds the upper part of the base casting, which is fitted with several tiny drain holes that empty into the main base casting, and into its oil sump.
• The gear standard may have a small sized 3 or 4-digit serial number die-stamped into one of the worm shaft bearing caps (often on the motor side, but it can be on either bearing cap), and it is easily visible if and when present.

 

Intermediate Style-B Fully Enclosed “Self-Oiling” Worm Gear Standard (circa 1912):

In many ways the Style-B Worm Gear Standard—not to be confused with the Style-BB described below—is mechanically like the Heavy Gear Standard mentioned above, except that it is smaller, more compact, and commonly uses the same gear ratio as do the much older short open gear units introduced circa 1906. It also features a fully enclosed self-oiling gear design with oil capture and recycling capabilities for any oil that weeps through bearings, although in one specimen examined the crankshaft bearing caps were drilled for oil cups, but the holes were plugged with some kind of hard material. The sampling of the SA-1B units is still relatively small, but it seems as though some of the earlier made units used the Heavy Gear Standard nameplate (instead of the Worm Gear Standard nameplate), with the Gear Type field in the format of "SA-200-HG-1B." In most instances the "200-HG" portion of the type designation is scratched out and/or otherwise obliterated, leaving intact only the text "SA-1B." It is currently unknown if there are any variations to the basic Style-B design, which for the time being seems limited to the Type SA-1B, as follows:

• Type SA-1B: Fully enclosed with removable cylindrical cast iron worm shaft bearings with narrow machined slots for oil rings on the top half of the bearing. Oil makes its way into the bearing by means of the oil rings, which dip down into the oil sump and provide a continuous flow that floods the bearing reservoir with a surplus of oil whenever the shaft is spinning. In contrast, the earlier Heavy Gear Standard, used a machined groove in the top of the worm shaft bearing, which served as a little splash oil reservoir.

Key features of the Style-B, Type SA-1B include:

• Unit stands about 7-1/4" high. The base footprint is about 4-7/8" deep by 5" wide (as viewed from the front when installed in an instrument).
• Cast iron base that fully encloses the worm gear and the lower half of the fiber gear, and with a removable cast iron top cover that encloses the upper half of the fiber gear and effectively seals off and protects the entire interior mechanism from dust and grit, or accidental contact with the moving gears.
• Large oil sump, with a simple oil level gauge.
• Unit is commonly rated for an 1150 RPM motor, using a 53-tooth fiber gear, with a motor to crank speed ratio of 17-to-1. However, one specimen has recently been observed in a Wurlitzer Style W Organette, circa 1926-27, that is different, and rated at only 1000 RPM, using a 40-tooth fiber gear, with a motor to crank speed ratio of 13-to-1. Thus it is probable that the style type (SA-1B) designation referred to the overall mechanical design layout, and not specifically the gear tooth count or gear ratio, which for each unit was stamped independently on the nameplate.
• "Self-Oiling," according to the Wurlitzer literature, but obviously "self-oiling" applies only so long as someone keeps the oil reservoir sufficiently full.
• Uses a 3-thread steel worm gear that is partially submerged when the oil sump is at least partially full, but it is also fed oil from the sump by means of several thin 10-tooth “fiber star oilers.” On the front side of the base casting, near the bottom, there is a small slotted head machine screw centered left to right in the vertical rib in the casting. Removing this screw exposes the axle for the fiber star oilers.
• A ball thrust bearing is used as a thrust bearing instead of thin steel washers as used in the early open gear design.
• Worm shaft bearings consist of removable cylindrical cast iron bearings with narrow machined slots for oil rings on the top half of the bearing, and have end caps; the end caps secure the bearing in place and make it easily removable. Oil makes its way into the bearing by means of the oil rings, which dip down into the oil sump and provide a continuous flow that floods the bearing reservoir with a surplus of oil whenever the shaft is spinning.
• Worm shaft oil-saver groove. Next to the outside edge of each bearing cap (and in the hole through which the shaft passes) is a machined recess that corresponds to a groove in the high speed shaft. The purpose of this arrangement is to capture any excess oil that weeps past the actual bearing surface and onto the high speed shaft, and which is then spun off of the shaft into the oil capture recess, whereupon it drains back into the oil sump.
• Uses a 51-tooth fiber crankshaft gear.
• Crankshaft bearings consist of are either brass or pot metal bushings, depending upon the year the gear unit was made and/or whether the bushings have been more recently replaced.
• Crankshaft oil cups have been replaced by large diameter oil rings that ride on the crankshaft, and that collect drips and splash oil slung off of the worm gear, flooding the bearing reservoir with plenty of oil. Oil weeping through and off the outside edge of the crankshaft bearings flows by gravity into a small trough that surrounds the upper part of the base casting, which is fitted with several tiny drain holes that empty into the main base casting, and into its oil sump.
• The gear standard may have a small sized 3 or 4-digit serial number die-stamped into one of the worm shaft bearing caps (often on the motor side, but it can be on either bearing cap), and it is easily visible if and when present.

 

Late Style "BB" Fully Enclosed “Self-Oiling” Worm Gear Standard (circa 1920):

This style is essentially identical to the above described Style-B Worm Gear Standard, but with the following improvements and/or changes:

• Unit stands about 7-1/4" high to the top of the cast iron cover. The base footprint is approximately 4-3/4" square.
• Worm shaft bearings consist of ball bearings (#6301 - SKF equivalent available today), protected by removable cast iron end caps. The ball bearings are essentially splash oiled.
• There is no noted provision to capture oil that seeps past the ball bearings for the Style-BB, which suggests that the design of the ball bearings was a sufficient leakage barrier.

Accessories

• Wooden Pulley: A single wooden pulley (usually about 5" O.D.) was installed for belt drive systems. The pulley was of a split design with the two identical halves clamped together by two large wood screws. In examples observed the stub shaft (extending outward from either the front or backside of the crankshaft) always has a cross pin whenever a pulley was installed, and the pulley has a corresponding slot perpendicular to the shaft hole to surround the pin. This arrangement guarantees torque without slippage on the crankshaft. The wooden pulley is grooved to receive round rawhide belting, which in turn transmits power to a roll mechanism and/or other components, such as the ribbed spline that generates the reiterating mandolin action in the Mandolin Quartette or Sextette. In some later instances the crankshaft pulley belt powered an early transitional version of the vertical drive shaft located at the right side the instrument, whereby another belt at the top of the vertical shaft powered the roll mechanism and/or a 2-ramp rewind trip cam. This interim design was soon replaced by the all geared drive system common in the late teens and used until production of coin pianos altogether ceased in the early 1930s.
• Oil pan: Some instruments were fitted with a black-painted sheet metal tin oil pan situated under the worm gear standard, with sides about ¾” high. The right end (as viewed by facing the instrument) is rectangular, conforming to the base of the gear standard, while the left end is triangular in shape, extending outward past the left end of the vacuum bellows and/or mounting shelf. At the tip of the triangular area is a small drain hole, with a machine screw nut soldered underneath the hole on the bottom side of the pan. A plug in the form of a short round head slotted machine screw is inserted through the hole and screwed into the nut from the top side, with a gasket under the screw head. A thin rounded metal blade, about ½ inch wide and extending upward above the sides of the pan, is soldered into the machine screw’s slot, forming a handle for easy removal without any tools. By removing the screw excess standing oil in the pan can be drained into a small container.
• Oil Shield. The exposed crankshaft gear design came with one or two little black painted tin oil shields that prevented oil seeping out of the worm shaft bearings from being flung out and onto the mounting shelf, the piano sounding board, the inside of the furniture case, or even onto spectators if the front access doors were open. On the motor (or left hand) side of the gear assembly the oil shield was lightly clipped or hung from the oil sump lip, and on the other or opposing side—if the worm gear shaft extended beyond the edge of the cast iron bearing—another little oil shield would be similarly positioned. Oil caught by the little oil shield would then drip down into the deeply recessed areas of the gear standard's base, where it would gradually collect and could then be mopped up and away as might be prudent. Unfortunately, because these little tin oil shields are merely clipped into place by a fold in the sheet-metal they are easily knocked off and/or lost.
• Grease Pan: On later instruments with the full Direct Drive System (no belts) a drive shaft extended from the right hand side of the Direct Drive Gear to a worm gear mated with an approximately 2" to 2-1/2" fiber gear, which was attached to the vertical drive shaft going upwards to power the roll mechanism. These speed reduction gears had to be occasionally greased, and so to prevent excess grease from being flung out onto parts of the woodwork these gears were partially surrounded by a black painted tin sheet-metal enclosure. The purpose of this grease pan was not to fully enclose and/or hide the gears, but merely to catch grease escaping from the high speed worm gear. With the enclosure in place grease could still be easily smeared onto the gears. The grease pan only lightly tacked onto the inside of the case, and so its removal was rather easy if necessary or due to rough handling, which may account for the likelihood of the grease pan having been lost.

Wonder Light

The Wurlitzer Wonder Light remained basically the same throughout its use by Wurlitzer. It was more or less a truncated brass cone with narrow mirrored facets around the edge, and with a belt driven rotating brass bulb centerpiece, which was fitted with an assortment of colored glass jewels. Inside the brass bulb was a stationary electric light, which when lit shone through the glass jewels onto the surrounding mirrors to produce a dazzling effect. The unit was belt driven, although the method of getting the belt up to the Wonder Light pulley varied over time. Although the Wonder Light design remained constant, the wooden gallery that hid the belt drive and support structure for the for the device changed to fit the design of the furniture case.

The inspiration for the Wonder Light probable came from the “Magic Lamp” (or “Wunderlampe”) used for certain Philipps Pianella Orchestrions (imported and sold as PianOrchestras by Wurlitzer). For example, the Philipps Pianella Model 47 (a.k.a. the Wurlitzer Style 47 Mandolin PianOrchestra) featured two “magic lamps,” one on either side of the instrument, and with a Peacock light effect in the center.

Wonder Lights are known to have been used on various styles of Wurlitzer 65-note Orchestra Pianos, the 44-note Bijou Orchestra, and on at least one special keyboard style 65-note piano, which incorporated three Wonder Lights across an upper case extension. Whether Wurlitzer made the Wonder Light in-house or bought them from an outside supplier is unknown.

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The Wurlitzer Coin Piano Database

Much of the primary information that went into building up the Wurlitzer Coin Piano database has been gathered meticulously over a long period of time by Dana Johnson, an expert in the restoration of automatic pianos and organs and the fabrication of reproduction parts for them, and a long-time Wurlitzer band organ aficionado. Whenever Dana has had access to, or enjoyed the opportunity to repair or rebuild a Wurlitzer instrument, he has carefully recorded mechanical and historical details of interest and collected photographs of many examples. Another major source of detailed information, especially for Wurlitzer orchestrions equipped with the Wurlitzer Automatic Roll Changer, was restorer and music arranger Art Reblitz. Dana and Art have spent countless hours painstakingly researching various mechanical details and working together to document them, while Terry Hathaway painstakingly compiled the thousands of details into the well-organized and easily-understood Wurlitzer registry presented at the end of these history pages.

Of course, there are many other mechanical music friends who have graciously contributed, and that are listed under Acknowledgments in the Introduction to the Registry. The wonderful upshot here is that this treasure trove of information, now in database format, and never before brought together in any comprehensive, easily searchable, understandable, and displayable way, is now conveniently available to anyone interested. And as more and more details emerge regarding mechanical details and usage patterns for various inventions and improvements employed by Wurlitzer (i.e., pneumatic stacks, roll-frames, rewind trip mechanisms, feeder pumps, the Direct Drive Gear system, etc.) and are pulled together into a logical database format, a clearer picture of the development and evolution of Wurlitzer systems begins to reveal itself in new and interesting ways.

Updating the Database and Reporting Errors

We cordially invite and solicit additional information for instruments currently not listed, and additional details for those already listed but that have little recorded information—every little bit more information helps.

To ADD ANOTHER ITEM TO THE DATABASE or to facilitate the reporting of errors please send an e-mail message to and include the following information:

• Wurlitszer Coin Pianos, Photoplayers, and Organettes:

1. Click here to download the Wurlitzer Survey Form and then copy (press Ctrl + A to select all text) and paste the text into the body of an email. Then, at your leisure, you can answer the survey questions pasted into your e-mail message. You can also easily "Save As" the file to your computer or print the Survey Form and use it as a reference guide.
2. Attach a series of photographs showing the instrument's exterior and interior mechanisms to the e-mail message (for answering many technical questions often overlooked or misunderstood when answering questions on the Survey Form).

• Wurlitzer Direct Drive Gear (only for orphaned units):

1. Click here to download the Direct Drive Gear Survey Form and then copy (press Ctrl + A to select all text) and paste the text into the body of an email. Then, at your leisure, you can answer the survey questions pasted into your e-mail message. You can also easily "Save As" the file to your computer or print the Survey Form and use it as a reference guide.
2. Attach a series of photographs showing the instrument's exterior and interior mechanisms to the e-mail message (for answering many technical questions often overlooked or misunderstood when answering questions on the Survey Form).

Thank you for any assistance you may provide. If we have any questions or need further information regarding your e-mail submittal someone will contact you.

Distribution of Database Information
Last Updated on February 4, 2021

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Coin Pianos and Photoplayers	Direct Drive Gear
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41 Pages	7 pages.

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