Friction-Fence Locks

[MartinHewitt]

Started to manipulate my Mosler 5H. That's going to be a struggle learning its language! Most often there is first no CP at all, then after a bit of a wiggling there will either appear a CP around 3.5 or around 5. It will continue most often the type of CP the previous numbers had, but then it jumps to the other and continues there. No idea, what the lock wants to tell me by that. Probably there has just something shifted inside the lock and it really doesn't say anything. There are also points and regions where it stays without CP even ofter wiggling, even when I had previously a CP at that same spot. And there are ocations, where there is a CP right from the beginning with the need for wiggling. Changes in the graphs so far are very small and most of it is probably noise. A full scan takes me well over halve an hour and there are four wheels. The Mosler 11 will probably be even more difficult due to the double gears (dial -> drive cam -> friction fence) and perhaps even higher manufacturing quality.

[MartinHewitt]

Hm. In the end it was quite easy. I manage to feel the gate of W1. With that the CP became quite clear. I found the gates then in the order of W2, W3 and W4. 3 hours for a 4-wheel lock is not that bad.

[femurat]

No, it's not bad at all. I've spent three hours with three wheels locks sometimes...

Congratulations!

[L4R3L2]

That's making good time! Did you find the first gate using the CP, or was the fence riding on the wheel?

[MartinHewitt]

W1 did ride on the wheel with AWL.

[edocdab]

That's great Martin! Did you find out what was causing the shifts in cp?

[L4R3L2]

I have locks that shift like that, not so much in an AW rotation, but when reversing directions while running a wheel. This is why I usually take both LCP and RCP as I can see the shift as a shift and not a gate. This works great when there are two CPs, not so well with a friction fence. LOL! That's why I'm so impressed with your manipulation.

[MartinHewitt]

Thanks.

3.5 is the middle of the fence and 5 would be near the end of the fence. No idea what happened there.

[MartinHewitt]

Got that 027 1/2, which is probably a 025 1/2. I have just one problem with it. W4 won't disassemble. There is a slight movement between outer and inner ring, but they just do not want to separate with thumb pressure. Tried soaking in hot water and soap, organic solvent and WD40 and 10 minutes in ultrasonic. Nothing helped. Any idea? I would really like to avoid extreme force.

PS: Forgot heat and freezer.

[L4R3L2]

Oh, YOU got that lock, huh? Well..O.K. then.
I've never had a hand change wheel that stubborn, so don't have anything to help in that regard. But, I'd love to see some pictures when you get the chance. And a description of your manipulation of this lock.
Do you plan to braze the broken tab on the cover? Or, does it hold O.K. the way it is?

[MartinHewitt]

Yeah, that lock, that everyone wanted and that has been auctioned at a miserable time for Germany. I have still no idea how I got that, even so I went to bed 2 hours before the end. But let me assure you, it feels here save and secure, because the mighty Mosler 11 is protecting it.

All holds very well even without screw. It sits much more tight than the Mosler. It probably needs to relax a bit. I will show photos when I got a screw and beautified it.

Wheel is soaking a bit more in WD40. My guess is, that it has to do with the clip.

[MartinHewitt]

This wheel is really a mystery. There is slight movement between inner and outer ring. I can move around the inner C clip in circles with a pointy tool. (That clip is visible where the fly is.) And I don't see any damage. But it doesn't want to part!

[MartinHewitt]

Got it! I turned the clip, so that the ends where visible at the fly. Then I pushed something pointy (a graver if you want to know) to spread the ring. Then I could easily push out the inner ring. So just in case you have this problem too, you know a possible solution.

[MartinHewitt]

Cleaned the wheel and put it back together at 50, so that I will be able to open the LOBC again easily. Strangely the two rings are again locked together, but now I know how to separate them. With mesh change locks like this it is very helpful to have precise pins and flies on the wheels, so that the number to be dialed is really the number set on the wheels. Mosler's wheels are perfect. When all wheels are set to 50 it is always a straight line left and right. With this 025 1/2 it is not that straight left and right.

[L4R3L2]

Great! Thanks for the tip.
It didn't dawn on me this was a LOBC lock. Now I see it. Do you know if this was one of the first models with that feature? Seems pretty early.