Hello everyone, I’m looking for a clearer trip-print lever system diagram or blueprint than the one in the manual.
My no. 4 was pretty complete parts-wise, besides a few knobs and bumper springs, but one thing I noticed at the beginning was that the trip-print lever mechanism was “disengaged” and wouldn’t do a thing.
I seriously wanted to avoid looking at this for as long as I could, but since I’ve made a lot of progress in the restoration of this press, it’s time for me to face the facts.
And so I did. I started looking at the manual, and trying to feel up the parts, trying to look at the parts, which are pretty much hidden behind the rails.
But after some time I figured out I was missing a couple of screws. A retaining or set screw for the lift arm to the lift rod, and a screw on the handle support near the lift arm.
I also tightened a screw on the handle support near the lever, and one in the middle of the lift handle.
For a moment everything worked, the trip-print lever would lift the rear trip wedge, and lower it to, and stay on either position. But then after trying it a few times, the lift handle would disengage from the lift arm and stop working.
At least when trying to lift the lever to go into print mode it would lift the wedge. But when lowering it to go to trip mode it would feel disengaged.
Also where the lift handle (MS-138) meets the lift arm pin (MR-170), I’m suspecting the piece is broken. It has a shape that allows it to disengage, from what I’ve felt it doesn’t feel broken, but it certainly doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Let me use this photo to explain myself better:
Does anyone have any advice? I hope we haven’t hit an online impasse with this issue, since there is no onsite help near.
Please bear with me to figure out how to fix this. I’m willing to go as far as lifting the bed (I’d actually like to take the Ink Drum off for EvapoRust soaking if given the opportunity).
So.. that’s it.. I’ve highlighted all the pieces I worked with so far. I think everything is there.
Thanks again Enrique. I’m going to try to find the right wrench for the job when the stores are open again tomorrow. Best in 2013! Kyle
Kyle, you are welcome. Yes, if you read all the comments, I was actually concerned about the same thing, thinking it didn’t make sense with that design, but it actually works like that.
I had your exact same problem: working ok for 3 or 4 times then coming loose again.
The thing is, also mentioned in the other comments, that it will keep disengaging if the short bar and it’s bolt are not tightened. The short bar is threaded, so pay attention and try to feel if there’s space there.
If it’s not tight enough it will keep disengaging. It musn’t be TOO tight either or it’ll be difficult to shift the position.
If you cannot feel it, then you might need to pry the sheet metal for more space.
Try and re-read the comments so you get a feel of what I thought I did and what I did afterwards.
https://vandercookpress.info/vanderblog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/adjustment.gif
Enrique, thank you for this very helpful diagram. One more question: does the lift handle simply rest under the lift arm pin, or are they connected somehow? The trip can work properly now, but not consistently because the lift handle disengages from the lift arm every 3 or 4 times I hit the trip.
Kyle, I think that the lift arm is put on upside down.
The securing bolt is inserted from the bottom up.
I’m positive about this because I made this repair. In the diagrams above it might not look like it or the fact that the hole is drawn might confuse you, but that’s just to show where it would be if it were transparent.
The fact is that that bolt is secured from bellow. I’m sure that’s why you’re seeing the wedge being wrong.
I ordered a newly machined lift arm and pin from NA Graphics (thanks Fritz!) and I’m attempting to install it on my 4. Everything looks pretty straight forward, but when the bolt that secures the flat side of the lift rod makes contact (entering through the top of the lift arm) the rear trip wedge is upside down. I believe the thick side of the lift arm that connect tot he lift handle should be on the operator’s side. Can anyone let me know what’s wrong with this picture? Much appreciated.
On my end is all good for now. Thank you, Fritz. :)
Please let me know if you do find a worm gear! It’ll save me a lot of trouble.
I will be having both the MR-170 pin and MS-276 Lift arm made shortly but if these are problem parts, I’ll increase the order.
Fritz
I’m very happy! I was able to finally get it working. And now the trip-print lever stays firmly where it should. What I did was to losen everything up again, and noticed that what I had actually failed to do is to tighten the pivot but on the washer side, so it still had a little play. And that was it. Hopefully this can help someone who might have this problem in the future.
Actually, now that you mention it, there was some paper stuck in the lever when I first got the press. But I’m always striving for making things work as they were designed, so I’ll give it another go today. It might get solved by turning the short bar. And I’m hopeful since at a certain point it would stay in either position. So it might just need more adjusting. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything else here.
Thanks for all your help, Paul.
I think the nut is tightened against the bracket, but there is slack between the bracket and the short bar (because it is threaded and/or between the short bar and the lift arm.
Try loosening the nut and then turn the short bar clockwise on the bolt, then retighten. Here I think that rust maybe helpful in keeping tension.
If this doesn’t help, stuf some old tympan in the lift handle wedge (MS-269).
When the mechanism fails the default is print mode. The instances when the operator needs to shift the lever to trip are few and it is a convenient position that one hold can hold it until the carriage clears the rear trip wedge. Not bad as workarounds go.
Hi Paul, thanks for your answer.
At a certain point, I re-loosened everything to be able to access that specific nut on the pivot.
And so I did, really well, then put everything back in.
Actually what I was missing on the pivot was the nut, so I got one at the hardware store.
But it would still disengage, even though that part is tightened and secure.
On the other hand the lift arm pin is there, since I could feel it, and by logic I figured there should be a pin there. I’m almost positive it was there.
Oh well.. I don’t know what else to do.
Enrique, as you’ve found out, it is difficult to access.
The shape of the right end of MS-138 lift handle is correct as is. What is missing is a horizontal pin on the left side of the lift arm (MR-170), which would keep the lift handle end from separating. This is less important than tightening the bolt and keeping the short unlabeled bar (highlighted in the side view drawing) horizontal. This is the pivot point of the handle and where the necessary tension to hold the desire mode happens.
You’ll need to get a 1/2″ box wrench on the head of the bolt (usually, the sheet metal must be pried out) and a socket or racketing wrench on the nut. Inspect the threads on the bolt, they may be stripped., but can be found in a hardware store. The short bar is threaded.
Here’s a thread from a few years ago on the same topic. https://vandercookpress.info/2010/08/no-4-trip-issue/