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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2

    Default Badge-less Mill Identification

    I cant seem to find any identifying plates, any ideas would be welcome.

    There is a plate on the Motor, but it does not look to my eyes to be an original part (see photo). The gearbox? that the motor connects to via belt has a serial on it: XICPBD 22197.

    1_small.jpg3_small.jpg2_small.jpg4_small.jpg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Werribee, Melbourne
    Posts
    177

    Default

    I can't identify the mill off the cuff but the gearbox looks to be from a pre-war Ariel single motorcycle with v-belt pulleys fitted in place of the clutch & rear sprocket.
    I think that is a 4-speed gearbox but I'm not that familiar with them.
    I would guess this mill was originally fitted with a flat belt/v-belt multi-step cone with has been replaced by the single v-belt pulley and the motorcycle gearbox/electric motor added.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    35
    Posts
    1,522

    Default

    I have seem a few of this bramdless mill over the years, I think Kryn (kbs_pensnmore) has one.

    Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
    Age
    71
    Posts
    5,942

    Default

    Ralph, it is close to mine, but doesn't have that humongous support arm. The gearbox reminds me of something similar to a Howard Rotavator, I think it was called, where the power in was on the inner shaft and power out was on the outer shaft. The one I remember had something like 6 speeds.
    I do like the idea of the gearbox instead of the flat belt for speed variation though.
    I'd say at a guess, that they were built for the war effort, putting an emblem/name would have used valuable metal resources that would have been unnecessary, as the machines would probably then have served their purpose and scrapped.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2

    Default Cheers

    A genuine thanks for your all your input, some incredible historical insight amongst you.

    A motorbike gearbox, who would have thought?.. It really is incredible what people do to make things work. So much of that sort of ingenuity seems lost these days with all the off the shelf product available at the snap of the fingers.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Werribee, Melbourne
    Posts
    177

    Default

    I have been poking around and found this reference to the Burman CP gearboxes fitted to Ariel motorcycles. This might be of use to you as it covers the original lubrication recommendations.
    This UK company carries quite a few parts for these as well.

    The ‘BA’, introduced in 1931 and the ‘CP’ introduced in 1933 were 4 speed gearboxes of identical design and sharing many parts, the difference was in the size of the components, the ‘BA’ being much more robust. Initially the gears had large engagement ‘dogs’ as on the ‘Q’ box but these were altered to many more smaller dogs in 1934. Although a foot change mechanism was fitted to the 1932 VH it was a bolt on external after thought, a proper enclosed footchange mechanism appearing in 1934, initially as an option, later to be standard with the hand change version becoming optional. Until 1936 the clutch push rod was adjusted at the clutch end and the clutch operating arm was cast steel mounted within a fork cast into the outer gearbox cover. In 1936 the outer cover was altered to accept a push rod adjuster and the clutch arm became a pressing mounted over a single pillar on the case.

    The ‘CP’ was fitted to the 600 cc O.H.V. SQ 4, the 350 cc models and in 1948 to the KG/KH 500cc Red Hunter Twin. The so called ‘heavyweight’ or ‘BA’ gearbox was fitted to the VH, SQ 4, VB and the 1949-51 KG/KH models. The CP and BA types can be readily identified by having an external clutch operating arm, the ‘CP’ has a hexagonal steel filler plug towards the back of the shell whereas the ‘BA’ has a zinc die cast filler cap towards the front. Lubrication, up to 1947, is by ordinary ‘LM’ grease only, in 1948 a crude seal was fitted behind the gearbox sprocket and a 50/50 grease and oil mixture was used. Needless to say this lubricant is a bit messy! These gearboxes should be filled initially with 1 ¾ lbs (800 gms) of grease or grease/oil mixture and ¼ pint (570 ml) added every 2000 miles (3200 kms). The 1939 OG/OH models used a Burman model ‘H’.
    - Draganfly Motorcycles.
    https://www.draganfly.co.uk/burman-gearboxs/history

    Ray
    Last edited by Ray-s; 6th Aug 2020 at 10:38 AM. Reason: Add Draganfly credit.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Southern Highlands NSW
    Posts
    1,894

    Default

    That's quite a neat application of the Burman gearbox, although it's odd that the large slotted lug on top of it isn't used for belt adjustment.
    It pivots on the bottom lug - that's what the P in CP stands for - but a light slotted strap is used instead for some reason.
    With the 3 stepped pulleys, it offers 12 speeds for this milling machine.

    A curious feature of Burman gearboxes of this era is that the gears, dogs and shafts are not fully hardened.
    It's easy to file or drill them.
    The multiple-toothed dogs are probably necessary to provide enough strength for the loaded surfaces.
    They also make for a slow-changing gearbox, not the sportiest.
    Nevertheless, it was a cheap to make gearbox that is very tough.

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