Columbia Whatzit?

[randyjaco]

I am still working on my Columbia Bell. I reassembled the mech but I had the pictured 3 sided nut. Can anyone tell me what it is and where it goes? I have spent an hour looking over Columbia pictures, but I can’t find it.
The third picture is another question. The piece with the red “X” on it. What does it do? It has a spring on it and I presume it has some function, but there is no linkage to make it do anything.
Thanks in advance

Randy

Sorry, I couldn't get the pictures in order

[marsonion]

I am still working on my Columbia Bell. I reassembled the mech but I had the pictured 3 sided nut. Can anyone tell me what it is and where it goes? I have spent an hour looking over Columbia pictures, but I can’t find it.
The third picture is another question. The piece with the red “X” on it. What does it do? It has a spring on it and I presume it has some function, but there is no linkage to make it do anything.
Thanks in advance

Randy

Sorry, I couldn't get the pictures in order

I don't know the name or designation of the "red 'X'" part (in fact, my "Hail Columbia" parts list indicates a blank instead of a part number) but its function, as best as I can determine, is to deflect the kicker so it engages the reels and provide a little extra "oomph" to the spin via the spring-action there. Watch the kicker swing up and hit it during a cycle and you'll see what I mean.

The "3-sided nut" has me flummoxed. The concavity implies that it sits alongside a post or shaft, and the rectangular projection suggests that it is a retainer or pawl for something adjacent to that post or shaft... but where--? I don't recall ever pulling this item from any Columbia I've ever worked on... but that doesn't mean I haven't seen it before and drooled on it a thousand times. Getting old. What model did this thing come out of?

[randyjaco]

Thanks for the response. The machine is a Columbia Bell Double Jackpot.

My book also showed a blank for that part. It does have an effect on the kicker. At the moment it is causing the Kicker to jam on the reel cogs . Right now I am also having another problem with the Kicker. It is not spinning the reels. The torsion spring on the end of the kicker is missing. I have made a couple, but I can't seem to figure out which direction the end piece to to be pushed.

As for the other mystery part, the hole in the center is threaded 10-32 and has a 1/2" screw attached to it. I am wondering if it is some sort of adjuster? The problem is that I can't find a unfilled 10-32 screw hole in the mech.

Randy

[marsonion]

Thanks for the response. The machine is a Columbia Bell Double Jackpot.

My book also showed a blank for that part. It does have an effect on the kicker. At the moment it is causing the Kicker to jam on the reel cogs . Right now I am also having another problem with the Kicker. It is not spinning the reels. The torsion spring on the end of the kicker is missing. I have made a couple, but I can't seem to figure out which direction the end piece to to be pushed.

As for the other mystery part, the hole in the center is threaded 10-32 and has a 1/2" screw attached to it. I am wondering if it is some sort of adjuster? The problem is that I can't find a unfilled 10-32 screw hole in the mech.

Randy

Check that little flippity-do (part# A-19, the "Reel Spinner Finger") at the end of the kicker; there should be a rectangular tab extending to the right, which rides against a wart on the kicker arm casting. This little tab gets a lot of strain and can break off so cleanly you'd never know it was there. Without it, the RSF will rotate 360 degrees around its pin and never engage the reels properly; it should only deflect a little on its spring and ride that wart during the kick. Replacements are available from Bud Gott.

The "X" part is designated part# A-18 in another illustration, but heck if I can find that part# anywhere in the index! The other mystery part looks to me more like one of those little clamp-down brackets that line the inside of the cabinet. Could it have come from anywhere around the jackpot, reel window, etc.? I see you have a 20-stop mech, so maybe there were a few more advanced parts associated with your otherwise "Standard" model than I'd find on any of mine.

[randyjaco]

I got the kicker working. I just removed the spring on the "flipper do". It originally had part of a spring on the pin, so I presumed it needed one. (It don't need no stinking spring )
As for the mystery part, I agree, it could hold glass or something to the wood cabinet. I checked the inside of the cabinet and around the jackpots and I saw nothing like it there either. I am almost positive I took it off the mech. As I disassembled it , I put all the parts in a divided plastic boxes.

I sure am learning a hell of a lot more about Columbia machines than I ever intended to

Randy

[Chkita]

I've restored a dozen Columbia's, working on number 13 now and I have never seen that part... But, it looks like it could be a variant of the piece that fits in a groove on the Main Shaft. When facing the machine from the front, look on the left side of the mech. where the Main Shaft comes through the Side Bracket. There should be a piece similar to that that fits in a groove on the end of the shaft, secured by one screw, to keep it from walking side to side.

Vance

[randyjaco]

Thanks Vance,
I guess there is no guarantee that it is a Columbia part, since I don't know the machine's history, but it came off this machine somewhere.
I believe that this is the location you are talking about?

Randy