Novelty Merchantman Crane

Show us what you found. Make us jealous!
churchfayreuk
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Novelty Merchantman Crane

Post by churchfayreuk »

I've just acquired a Novelty Merchantman Crane as an office show piece. I work as a repairer alongside my arcade crane processor business,
http://WWW.CHURCHFAYREUK.COM. Any of you out there who own arcades and operate cranes (Toppers, Megas, etc.) probably have my Powerplay box in it.
I was working at a small arcade when I see this crane in the corner. It's been missing the motor for 15 years I've been told. It's now been rescued from those delightful little urchins we call customers :lol: from kicking it and twisting the working handle. Now I own it and it sits pride of place in my office.
I would like to have it as a working piece. HAS ANY BODY GOT A SUITABLE MOTOR or any other spares please?
Martin.
Churchfayre UK
01268 511363
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badpenny
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by badpenny »

Welcome on board churchfayreuk and congrats on your crane. Usually we can be a bit wary of new members that advertise their business in their first post as they often just disappear leaving us feeling used and abused. !!HIDING!!
However as you're also asking for help we'll give you the benefit of the doubt and guess that you're an OK kind of good guy who should be invited into our inner sanctum. !!YIPPEE!!
Please draw up a rusty old SEGA, sit down, share a biscuit and tell us lots of lies, we love lies.

I personally am all out of the kind of motor you seek, but they are out there as they often crop up in the room at our yearly slots auction in Coventry.

So if there's anyone out there who can help or signpost churchfayreuk let's hear from you.

Badpenny

(edited as even I couldn't understand my shpeling)
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grabber
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by grabber »

Hello,
Can you send some pictures of the crane cams etc. and some of us may be able to see what parts are missing - also a full length front picture.
churchfayreuk
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by churchfayreuk »

Thanks for the response. I've just tonight had a reply back from the USA in relation to a motor, but it's 110 volt :(
BUT I'm following a lead given to me from the UK (will keep you posted). But please keep looking for me,
UPDATE 19/Feb: I've just opened the L/H door - it was locked with old non-original lock, and I was pleasantly surprised to find all is present, including the mercury tilt switch :D
All that is missing is the motor and attached gearbox. The retaining bolts are even still where the person removed the motor over 15 years ago. The small connection flat bar is still there. Tonight I turned the shaft and it all works fine - drops grab, closes and returns closed, then opens up.
I'm like a kid with a new toy. Just can't wait to see it work under its own power.
Someone must have a spare :cry:

That's for the board forum, \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ I didn't realise so many like-minded people have a love for these great old machines.
Fingers crossed, will keep you posted.
Will post some more pictures soon,

Martin.
P.s I will be keeping a very close eye out for any old machines when I'm working in Swanage this weekend. !OMFG!
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arrgee
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by arrgee »

Beautiful old machine Martin, many of us out here would love to own one!
malcymal
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by malcymal »

Nice machine. I'm not a sparky but with the 110 volt motor - can't you use some form of transformer? We (being me and nephew) own seven Japanese pachislos and they are all 110v with a transformer put between power supply to step the power down. Some are internal transformers that we cannot see, neatly screwed inside machine casing (costing £25) and a couple have external transformers that we put out of view. We just took the plug off and put the wires into the connecting grips on the transformer and off we went. These cost us £35.00. Can anybody clarify for the poster if this would work with the 110v motor?? Malc

http://www.newmarket-transformers.co.uk ... ormers.asp
coin-op
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by coin-op »

malcymal wrote: I'm not a sparky but with the 110volt motor - can't you use some form of transformer?
Can anybody clarify for the poster if this would work with the 110v motor?? Malc
Hi Malcymal, I'm no sparky either. However, I think there are two things (and a third which probably isn't crucial) which would put me off an American motor...and this is mainly due to keeping the machine true to itself. Firstly, by the time you buy a 110v motor and a suitable stepdown transformer you might as well put the money towards a good old 240 V motor and have the machine as it should be. Secondly, it would possibly mean having two power supplies; one via the transformer to the motor and one to the lights (which would be 240v), although you could run the whole thing at 110V and I guess the light would just be dimmer, so maybe that's being pedantic. Third thing is that the 110v motor would run at a slower speed as your transformer wouldn't change the cycle of the current (American stuff has a different cycle). This wouldn't be crucial, but at the end of the day in practical terms I'd say that it all adds together to mean it's better to hang on for an English motor...unless someone tells me that some of these American cranes ran on USA motors with a transformer in the first place.
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badpenny
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by badpenny »

I agree with Coin-op, I knew somebody who imported a Wurltzer and merely wired a transformer in line with the motor, it ran but played the records slower due to it being a different Hz.
willborl
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by willborl »

Not sure if this one on ebay would be suitable, item number 220559271127
churchfayreuk
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by churchfayreuk »

Hi Guys, (oh and Ladies )
I've just checked the ebay one, and that's from a pusher - it's quite a bit bigger, plus main problem is the speed ratio needs to slower. But THANKS
I've located an original motor :burp: , and had a TEXT conversation, but that's as far as it's got :!?!:
Now need to get a price :dammit:
Buts me still looking.
Martin
churchfayreuk
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by churchfayreuk »

After a few textings and a couple of calls I finally got to meet the guy and see the motor. It's a UK Replacement with gearbox !PUZZLED!
So we agreed a price and off I went - I was like a kid with a new toy, straight to the workshop to fit my find and bring the old man to life :shock:
!PUNISH! !PUNISH! short lived !!! It doesn't fit. The spacing is wrong and the gearbox fouls up on the mech.
So back to the drawing board - well this board. Now I need help. My waters have been wetted but I cannot get wet :evil:

Any help - need to be happy '!'
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bob
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by bob »

The way to go here is to go with an original 120 volt motor and gearbox that I think you were offered previously. This is the way the machines were operated originally in countries with a 240 volt supply, ie by adding a 240 to 120v stepdown transformer, rather than by replacing the motor and gearbox. The speed difference caused by the change from 50 to 60 cycles is minimal and is only of concern on jukeboxes where it affects the sound. By putting a light dimmer switch control in the circuit you can control the speed. There is no difficulty in keeping the light bulb supply separate and still at 240 volts.
pennymachines
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by pennymachines »

Here's what was fitted as original on the UK export models - may be hard to find, but at least you'll know what you're looking for:

Dumore Type XAL (Spec No. 3211) manufactured by The Dumore Company, Racine, Wisconsin, USA.
Volts 240
Watts (not recorded)
Full Load Speed R.P.M. (not recorded)
Rating (not recorded)

The gear ratio is 40 to 1.

Alternatively, as Bob says, a stepped down 120 volt motor would suffice - a slower speed is no disadvantage on a home amusement crane.
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churchfayreuk
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by churchfayreuk »

That's the kiddy, is that in one of your machines?
I even have the original wooden block, and the nuts!!
I think the 110volt is going to be my only option. I'm sure at least I can keep looking.
As soon as I'm running I will post again. It's been great hearing from all, and THANK-YOU all very much,
Martin.
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operator bell
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by operator bell »

Dumore Type XAL (Spec No. 3211) manufactured by The Dumore Company, Racine, Wisconsin, USA.
Volts 240
Watts (not recorded)
Full Load Speed R.P.M. (not recorded)
Rating (not recorded)

The gear ratio is 40 to 1.
From that spec and the look of it, I believe it's a shunt-wound motor with brushes and a commutator. That means its speed won't be affected by the 50/60 cycles difference, since these motors can run on AC or DC, but will be quite linear with voltage.
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grabber
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by grabber »

You could always send a message to James Roller, the crane man. I think he would know the spec. of these motors: http://www.jamesroller.com
churchfayreuk
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by churchfayreuk »

Hi Guys, you have been outstanding in helping me with my quest.
There seems to be the general consensus that a 110v will do - so looking down those lines, not only here in the Good old UK, but now I've got friends far and wide scouting for me too (more Christmas cards on the list). One question - mounted on the underside of the play bed (top-mounted in workings door), I have what looks like a rheostat!!!
Is this to adjust the motor speed? (It's an 8 to 10 inch long black box with a slider),

Martin.
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operator bell
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by operator bell »

One question - mounted on the underside of the play bed (top-mounted in workings door), I have what looks like a rheostat!!!
Is this to adjust the motor speed? (It's an 8 to 10 inch long black box with a slider)
Almost certainly, yes. That's standard for speed control of shunt motors. Put it in the 110V side of the circuit, not the 240.
churchfayreuk
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by churchfayreuk »

Oh well it's Easter <well been and gone> Now I'm going to book a nervous breakdown in for April late!! It's been manic on my repair side. Everybody from South Shields Newcastle, right down to Weymouth has been serviced, NOW IT'S MY TIME!

The Merchantman is going to work by the end of April. I'm getting fed up showing everybody how it works by turning the spindle.
The last motor all though said was from one turned out to be too big on the output gearbox :evil:
So in my travels I've found a small 240 V with gearbox, so I'm hoping a bit of machining to accept the fly bar and using the rheostat reducer I can make the old man turn on its own steam.
I'm still looking for something more age related - someone must have one. Everybody I show it to says, "I remember them! But where are they now?" :#:

Martin
churchfayreuk
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Re: Novelty Merchantman Crane ??

Post by churchfayreuk »

The latest Up-date: Well like I said in my last post, it's going to be working by the end of April. Well it is. !!YIPPEE!!
I was digging through a mountain of old spares and came across, what I think was a old pusher motor. It looked like it might do my job! So wired it up on the bench to see the RPM and looked good to me, so off we go: cut a slit in the shaft and drilled a hole (nowhere near centre ha ha), and into the crane; fitted a small bolt through the drive shaft and fixed it down to the base; wired the motor through the Rheostat, stood well back and plugged it in. !!YABBADABBA!! !!RAYOF!!
It only bloody worked. %|% Small adjustment on the tilt to correct the early stop, and Hey Presto!
It even sounds like what I think an old 1930s crane should sound like.
Now I'm as happy as a pig in the poo !!
I will post a couple of pics soon.
Still would like to find an original one (motor) if possible,
Martin
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