Phonoland

My Rockola 494 was working like a champ, until it tried to return a record to the carosel.
The record became jammed between the gripper arm and the carosel.
I managed to remove the offending record, and replace it in it's spot in the carosel.
The turntable is still turning, but it seems like the mechanism is out of whack, as
far as sequence of operations are concerned. I powered down the machine, hoping it would
reset itself, but no joy. Any ideas on where I should look next, or what I should attempt
to get everything back in order again?

The keyboard still works as normal. I can make a selection, but nothing happens.
Just to clarify, as soon as I power up the machine the turntable starts to turn, but that's it.
I cannot move the tonearm, and I cannot scan the carosel.

Bigdog,
Try pushing the "mechanism circuit breaker"--It should then "take off"--BUT, your gripper needs to be oiled !
Ron Rich

First, my apologies for such elementary questions.
Ron, I searched high and low, and can not find a single circuit breaker.
I did find one slow blow fuse that it still ok.
My initial thoughts were a breaker as well, because the gripper did get stopped in it's tracks,
just short of where it should have been.

I just scoured a parts manual for my machine and see there are a number of fuses in the power supply unit.
I'm going to check those out, and see if that might be the problem.
Hopefully there is one fuse dedicated to the gripper.

BigDog,
Sorry, I don't know that model well enough to tell you where it is---
Can you turn the gripper motor shaft by hand ? If not, you will need to get the bind out of it before replacing any fuse, or pushing any breaker-- (BTW--it's on the 28vdc circuit)--Ron Rich

Thanks Ron, I'll give it all another look and see if I can move that shaft.

I just spent some time with my Rockola, and checked about 8 different fuses.
They check out ok. I'll get out the multi-meter tomorrow and start tracing wires.
I must have missed a fuse somewhere, but for the life of me, I can't find it.
So my question to you all....
If you had no power to the mechanics, where would you start looking?

BigDog,
As I understand your problem, the gripper is "not where it should be"--if that's the case, I would check the power to that motor, and the circuit that should be delivering the 28 VDC. Ron Rich

Thanks Ron, that was exactly what I was thinking as well.
I'll get right on it.

I'm having a struggle finding an electrical schematic for my Rockola.
Anyone got any leads??

Do you have the Service manual package ? There should be a schematic in it ? If not, purchase one
at www.alwaysjukin.com Ask first, to make sure the schemo is included. Ron Rich

I'm happy to report my Rockola is up and running again.
After a record jam, the gripper was either bound up, or I lost power
to the gripper motor. I suspected the latter. I check every fuse I could find, and
all checked out good. I was in the process of removing one of the gears on the gripper,
turning a bolt counter clockwise, and the darn machine started right up again.
I guess I accidentally freed everything up, and we're good to go.
Not a very scientific fix, but it worked.

Dog,
Glad it's up and running, BUT I have two "words" of advise---
First, if, as you suspect the gripper got stuck, it SHOULD HAVE blown a fuse, to protect the motor from burning up (or worse--a fire !). This makes me suspect that someone has installed fuses that are "over-sized". So, my "word of advise" is that you need to check ALL fuses, and be 100% sure that none are "over-sized". Second, I suggest that the gripper itself should be oiled, with a SAE 20 wt. ND oil. These do not like being dry ! Oil everything you see that "rubs" against anything and be sure to get a lot in between the two gears on the end that by-pass each other ! Get it in both bearings on the lower shaft and in between the "spaces " up top. Remove one record, and select that space. allow the gripper to start to lift that (missing) record, and stop the motor with the gripper mid air. Oil both sliding surfaces of the portion that holds the records.
If you do as above every year, you will probably never have another "gripper jam" and the gripper motor will run much more happily !
BTW, there is a small "oil hole" on the gripper (only) motor too. It is hard to see. It's a "drill hole" located to the rear of the gear area--you will need to fill it with the same oil--many times, as it has a large felt wick in there, and it's my bet that it is totally dry ! Ron Rich