Wednesday, December 29, 2021

Documation belt replacement done, adjustments must await arrival of a spring scale

 MADE USE OF THE BELT FROM MY M600 READER

The other reader, my model 600, has some picking challenges that will require quite a bit of downtime rebuilding the mechanism. However, it has the same belt that broke in the M1000. I removed it from that unit so that I could get back to reading before my stock of new belts arrives in the mail. 

BELT INSTALLED BUT TWO SETS OF ADJUSTMENTS ARE NEEDED

Installing the belt requires me to remove the timing wheel for the magnetic pickup, remove three pulleys, loosen and partially unmount the main drive motor, then maneuver the belt. Reverse the process and everything is together, but two key adjustments must be performed before powering on the reader.

First, the main drive belt must be set up at a proper belt tension. That is performed with a spring scale pulling back on the motor assembly until it registers 24 ounces of force, after which I tighten the motor mount screws to lock it in. If it is too low a tension the belt can skip over teeth on the pulleys which will cause misreads. If it is too high, it can wear the belt prematurely or even damage some bearings. 

Second, the timing mechanism requires that the timing wheel be rotating so its teeth are passing right past the center of the sensor pole, and the gap between the pole and wheel is set with a feeler gauge. I have done this previously and have everything on site for that operation. 

SPRING SCALE ON ITS WAY FROM AMAZON

I will need to wait a few days for the spring scale I bought to arrive, before I can complete the two adjustments and put the reader back in operation. 

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