Meccano Magazine Models

The problem of finding a new subject for a nice Meccano model has become a familiar one, but around February 2004 I decided to build models from the old Meccano Magazines. These models for the most part are not too difficult to build while also being good looking. The first model I built in this series was the Ford Quadracycle. This model was described in the March 1969 Meccano Magazine.
Introduction:
Henry Ford is perhaps the most famous name in the history of the motorcar. It was Henry Ford who originated the production line system for motorcar manufacture and it was Henry Ford who, from starting with practically nothing, built up the colossal "Ford Motor Company" into one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the entire world.
The "Ford Motor Company" was officially incorporated in 1903, but it was some years earlier, in 1898, that Ford, himself, built his first "horseless carriage". This was a weird-looking affair, spindly in appearance and with handle steering.

This view of the right side of the vehicle reveals that I have used a different motor from the one named in the partslist. Here I have mounted a Calais motor #700 with the accompanying battery box instead of the Emebo motor. For the drive I have used a 3/4" sprocket wheel #96a on the motor shaft, and a 2" #95 sprocket wheel on the rear axle. These sprocket wheels are joined to each other by a chain #94.

This view of the rear of the automobile shows the petrol tank, which is built up from two curved plates #199, as well as the battery holder. Visible near the front is the handle of the handbrake which consists of a narrow strip #235d attached to a coupling #63 fixed on a rod held in the angle girders. The rod carries a collar #59. A short length of cord is connected to the collar. This cord goes around a pulley #22, which is fixed on the rear axle, and from there back to the frame. Pulling on the handle causes the cord to tighten around the pulley, which has a braking effect on the rear wheels.

The model consists of three different parts, namely the chassis, the boiler and the firebox. The chassis also includes the steering mechanism. The photo shows the bare chassis, which is constructed from various plates and angle girders.
I have built up each of the big wheels by bolting together a hub disk #118 and a circular girder #143.

This photo shows the details of the steering mechanism. In a free spot on the underside of the chassis, I have mounted an MO-2 motor #770 with a gearbox #760 instead of the Emebo motor from the parts list. There was even a space perfect for the battery box. The rear wheels are driven by a driving band #186 around a pulley #23 on the motor shaft and a pulley #19b on the rear axle.

The boiler is originally built up from six plastic plates #194e, but I have substituted flexible plates #192. On the top of the boiler two flanges are constructed from two corner brackets #133, which carry the crankshaft. The crankshaft is connected to the two cylinders #163 by a narrow strip #235g instead of the strip #6a from the parts list. The crankshaft is built up from two short couplings #63d and one coupling #63.

When construction is complete, the Meccano model looks as shown is this photo. For making the cultivator it is necessary to bend the strips #90 and #90a. The firebox is built simply according to the description, and the chimney is easily mounted. It was a pleasure to build this model but I have a small comment on the description, namely that the parts 2x 9d and 2x #108 are not in the parts list from this article.

This photo shows a full view of the completed model. I used a “TEMSI” motor mounted under the hood (bonnet). The front wheels are steerable through two sprocket wheels #95a and 96a and a sprocket chain #94 connected to the steering wheel. Next to the driver's seat is mounted a handle, made from a strip #2a, which provides the up and down movement of the drill.

These two photos show the the chassis from above and belwo, respectively. The picture on the left shows the placement of the motor and of the two rear mudguards. The upper side of the mudguards consist of two 5,5” flat girders #103 which were bent by knocking a plastic hammer onto the round part of a small anvil, followed by smoothing with a small plate-bender.
The picture on the right shows the steering mechanism and also the central drive shaft #14. This shaft is journaled in two trunnions #126 and is connected at one end via a driving band #186 to the motor. On the other end of the central rod is fixed a contrate #29 that provides the drive to the rear wheels and to the drill mechanism.

The pinions and the gear wheels which provide the drive to the wheels and to the drill, can be seen in detail in these two photos. A sliding axle rod #15a switches the drive to either the wheels or to the drill. The to and fro movement of this rod is provided by a lever made from a narrow strip #235 which moves a threaded pin #115a to the left or right. This threaded pin is mounted via a collar #59 on the rod. If the lever is in the left position, then the drill is operating. When the lever is moved to the right, the gear wheel #27 driving the drill comes out of mesh, and the gear wheel #27d fixed on the rear wheel axle comes into mesh, thus driving the tractor.
The drill is built up from an axle rod #16 carrying two collars #59, to each of which is bolted one end of a 100mm (4”) strip of sheet steel, which is easily bent into a spiral.

This picture shows the whole orrery. The Meccano model is restricted to the sun, the earth and its moon. The vertical axis of the earth is, just as in reality, tilted at an angle of 23½° with respect to the orbital plane so that it can be made clear how the seasons elapse over the year.
The picture clearly shows that the Meccano model is build-up from five modules i.e. the base, the central drive, the rotation arm, and the earth and moon rotation mechanisms.
The base is build up from various angle girders with a bearing #168 on top. Concentric with the bearing a flanged ring #167b is mounted separately, with four double angle strips, to the wooden bottom plate. In this way the flanged ring is insulated from the remaining construction so that it can be used as a separate electrical conductor.

The left picture shows the under-side of the earth-moon rotating unit. The unit is driven from the main axle by way of a set of helical gears #211a/b. Two bevel gears #30 keep the whole system in place so that the earth can rotate around its own axis and the rotation of the arm around the central year-axle makes the seasons visible.
The right picture shows the gearing for the moon. The whole pinion-system rotates around a gear-ring #180 that is mounted at a short distance above a circular plate #146a.

This picture shows the construction of the year rotation axle. The toothed disc #168b is driven by a chain from a sprocket wheel #96a on a vertical axle. A 133 teeth gear wheel #27b on that same axle is driven by a pinion #26 on a second vertical axle at the other side of the arm. A pinion #25 on that axle is driven by a worm-wheel #32 on the main axle.

Also visible is the collecting shoe that is mounted to the rotating arm but is electrical insulated from it. The weight of the rotating arm presses the two pulleys #23a firmly to the flanged ring #167b ensuring a good electrical connection. From the collecting shoe a single wire goes to the motor. The return lead from the motor is connected directly to the rotation arm. No loose wires are visible when the orrery is operated.

This picture shows how the main axle at the side of the arm is constructed. It consists of two parts. The first part has pinions #26 at both ends. The left one is driven from the motor by a worm-wheel #32, the right one drives another #26 on the second part of the main axle. A worm-wheel in the middle of the first part is driving the short vertical axis as already described above. De division of the main axle and the gearing used, ensures correct movements of earth and moon with respect to the sun.