NSM Festival E160

Hi - I own an NSM Festival E160 - Have problem with record selection pick up arm getting caught (not retracting correctly/or prematurely rising up) and getting caught in rack - any suggestions welcome - KR TIM

Hello KR TIM

With so little information we can not imagine what happened exactly. Does the machine work properly before the problem occurred? Is the motor running or stuck? Is a record clamped to play? Is it possible to push down the lift arm with a screwdriver? The more accurate your description is, the easier it is to help.

Best regards - charly49

Hi charly49

Thank you for looking to help here.

The Motor and Rack are all good - It is the Pick Up Arm that raises during the journey along the rack for next selection (and the arm gets stuck in the record rack preventing the motor to continue) - Or After successfully playing a record, the arm does not retract correctly and again gets caught in the record rack on its way to next record selection.

The mechanism works correctly once I reset it for and plays say 10-15 times without a problem. It appears to occur when I start up again after a few days, either getting jammed straight away on its way to first selection or after successfully playing a couple of records the issue reoccurs.

The selection arm can be pushed down to and unjam yes and moves freely.

Hope this is clearer.

Many thks

Omit

Hello Omit

What do you do to "reset it"? I thought, the mechanism is stuck and no longer moving. In order to avoid further misunderstandings, with "Pick Up Arm," You mean the arm that lifts the record from the magazine to the turntable? The correct term for this is "transfer arm" or "lift arm".

Have you observed whether the error occurs regardless of whether an A-side or B side to be played, or it happens when the tone arm unit must be shifted in order play the left or right side?

Best regards - charly49

Hi

Yes - "transfer arm" or "lift arm". Correct.

When this "transfer arm" does not retract correctly and starts to get caught in the "magazine rack" I switch of straight away to avoid damage.

I have had a chap that has serviced the JukeBox and he says he resets it - Having disengaged the Turntable from the Magazine Rack to do so. He is now at a loss as to what is happening.

Was "A" Side this time although previously played 20 records continuously after having been reset last week and these were a combination of A & B without issue

The problem occurred this time after the JukeBox had been off for 3 days - Played first selection "A" Side perfectly but as advised then went off to play next selection and the "transfer arm" became caught in the magazine rack before reaching the correct selection.

Sorry hope the above clarifies your earlier query.

Many thks

TIM

Hello TIM

I slowly begin to understand what happened. But I still can not imagine how the transfer arm can get caught in the magazine. While scanning the arm is held down in its rest position by the main cam. Therefore he can not move up and get caught in the magazine. When a selection is found, the trip solenoid pulls in. Thereby, the carriage is switched from "scan" to "transfer". First, the carriage is locked and can not move to left or right. At this point, the transfer arm should be placed exactly between two magazine shelves. It is nearly impossible that the arm will get caught if he goes up or down.

You write that the problem occurs after the device was three days off. This might point out that the carriage requires maintenance. You should take out the carriage, and look for sticky or jammed parts. Such parts must be disassembled, cleaned and lubricated. It is advised to take photos before disassembling. This helps to find the correct position of the parts during reassembling.

You can watch the working of the carriage when removed. There is the rod which is clamped in front of the carriage (I hope she's still there). The rod is inserted into the hole. Then you can put the carriage on the top end of the rod. On the bottom of the carriage there is a pin for this. If you then plug in the carriage and make a selection, you can watch all the functions of the carriage. First, the carriage is in scan mode. To initiate the transfer mode, you have to actuate the plunger of the trip solenoid manually. The trip solenoid is the coil which is located on the bottom of the carriage. As soon as the (nonexistent) record is clamped, the carriage is in play mode. The game mode must also be ended manually, because no record exists that could lead the tone arm to the cutoff. If you move the tone arm in the direction of the turntables, the carriage returns to scan mode. in the scan mode - AND THAT ONLY IN THE SCAN MODE - you may also switch the running direction. This is done by moving the lever on the front of the box next to the magazine.

I hope I got you with my explanations not too much confused.

Best regards - charly49

Thank you charly49 for your further advice/suggestions but think the carriage is good as is well lubricated but of course will check this - thank you .

The reason I say this, is that when the "arm" appears to elevate prematurely the carriage is still running but eventually the arm gets jammed between records stopping the carriage from continuing to its next selection or rest position.

I do however believe that the "transfer arm" is lifting/not resetting correctly (on occasions) after each play or not keeping in the hold position on its travels - You mention the "solenoid" perhaps it is the fault? or the "main cam" maybe? - I was hoping that this fault may have occurred with others and a solution would have been easily recognised - Obviously a bit of a unique issue here - If you have any other thoughts very welcome - Thank you again in the meantime - Omit.

Hello Omit

I do not think that the lifting arm is not returned properly. It is pulled downward by the main cam. The upward movement is effected by a spring. If the arm would not be pulled into the resting position the carriage could not run.

The problem seems to be that the carriage is not locked properly when the transfer arm starts to move up. If a selection is found while scanning, the trip solenoid is energized. Then the carriage should first be locked. The locking is done by a lever (called Locking Pawl) which engages in the toothed rack. On this lever, a further lever (called clutch arm) is mounted which operates the clutch. The clutch disconnects the motor from the drive of the carriage and connects it with the drive of the main cam for the transfer mode. When the lever is not in the toothed rack engaged the clutch can not be actuated. The part of the lever that engages the toothed rack, is a tooth made of plastic. It is possible that this plastic tooth is damaged or broken. It is also possible that the clutch arm is bent or something with the connection to the clutch pin is wrong.

Best regards - charly49

Thank you for possible solutions or parts to check - All the best Omit