Windmill Feed Table Not Rising

Can you post a photo of the side pile lift gear? I’ve seen machines that have broken teeth on the gears or a worn pawl that prevent the pile from rising.

Brad.

Some folks put a rubber band from the pawl linkage bolt to the lift gear stem to reduce the “bounce” when the bar hits the stack. After a few decades of use, the linkage may be a bit more lively than when young.

The adjuster bolt of the ratchet/release-lever can come loose from vibration. It is an eccentric bolt that gets adjusted allowing the ratchet to engage the teeth of the lift-gear. I’d ensure that bolt is tight and adjusted to catch a tooth at the end of a lift cycle.

There is also a small wedge-shaped weight under the feed table connected to the pawl linkage bolt. I’d ensure that weight is in place

table rise ratchet-RubberBand.JPG

Thank you both for the replies. I like the rubber band trick, but it seems so odd to me that all of the sudden, one day, this became a problem. Until yesterday I’ve never had a problem with the lift.

Brad, I have a couple of pictures here. I don’t see any broken teeth. What do you think of the pawl?

I think I also may be experiencing a bit of loss of suction.

Thanks again so much.

image-11.jpeg

image-12.jpeg

image-13.jpeg

you could also check to see that your hoses aren’t cracked or broken, also make sure you clean the filter in the feeder hose.

The proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back” is just an allegory for the usual cumulative nature of failures… the problem may have been progressing un-noticed until reaching crisis.

Two things to note from the pix: the crank handle is broken off, which is a nuisance I’m sure, and the locknut on the linkage rod is not against the rod… neither of which may be at the heart of the problem, but worth addressing.

I would check the head of the bolt in the upper-left of image 11 and ensure that is still tight.

I’d ensure that the gross adjustment bolt is tight.

I’d adjust the weight on the pawl to extend toward the front of the press. It has a grubscrew to set its angle.

I’d also watch the area where the pawl pushes the gear-wheel each time the press cycles… I’d start with the feed table a few inches lower than pickup height and observe the action of both the pawl and the ratchet during and after the table & pile reach pickup height. The pawl should engage regularly until the pile reaches the bar, then it should lift away from the gear each time the press cycles, stopping the table from advancing.

Does the pawl linkage move freely? If the action is stiff, the pawl may fail to drop onto the gear.

The floor under the press looks very clean and dry. Is the press being oiled daily? The yellow ports get oiled weekly and there are numerous red and yellow ports on the lift linkage and along the horizontal shaft that drives the tables.

C.P. a little thought/observation from a long time back, from your picture, image 13, picturing the pawl at bottom left, showing apparently, in full contact at the point pictured, (i.e.Male and Female parts of the *V* in 90% contact at that point and at rest)?? If you can with an extra pair of hands and eyes, and with safety PARAMOUNT!!! turn the machine over by hand, and watch the angle of approach between the dog, and the ratchet wheel, *Alter,* which, up to a point it should, and you MAY see the worn down heel, of the dog, throwing over the next *V instead of slipping into it, causing the slip or delay as described???
Or perhaps post a request, for an On Line shot of the same part, either unworn or in good condition, or even better an actual stated dimension/length , from the dead centre of the bolt/fulcrum to the exact tip of the dog, !! No need to remove, a simple 2 point V compass will suffice.
Hopefully helpful, or if it be rubbish!! apologies.