Myford Clutch Lever fouls the Belt Cover

Should the clutch lever on a Myford Super 7 foul the main belt cover, or is it that mine requires adjustment? When the clutch is disengaged (lever to the left), the belt cover hits the lever ball end if the cover is lifted or lowered.

Many thanks,

Mike

Somehting is wrong, when the clutch is disengaged, it moves away from the cover.

I can open the belt cover on my Super 7, 1958 early cone clutch when both the clutch is engaged and disengaged.

What is the age of your lathe and if an early lathe, which clutch?

Mike

On my Super 7B (1976) the belt cover also hits the clutch lever when opened with the lever in the fully left position and has always been like that since day one. But as Peter says that is when the clutch is engaged and the spindle turning, so I'm not sure why you would want to open the cover with the spindle running. I think this is normal.

John

My late 50s Super 7 is the same as John’s, the belt cover rubs on the lever if it’s opened in the “engaged” position.

Mike

What no electric interlock on the belt guard! tut, tut, maybe it's an early mechanical method of disengaging the clutch, when lifting the guard it pushes the lever to disengage position...? …. surely somebody has fitted an interlock to Myford guards by now... coat on & leaving the room now!

George.

Hmmm... that sounds as if it is working as designed then. Mine is a green Super 7 from the early eighties.

Many thanks to you all,

Mike

Just as an aside, I still have a single phase (no-variable speed) motor, and use the clutch all the time instead of stopping and starting the motor all the time. I assume that those that have 3-phase and a VFD would leave the drive from the motor engaged all the time, hence the lever being to the left, potentially fouling the belt cover. Am I right?

Mike

I was under the impression that that was what the clutch was for … leave the motor running & engage / disengage the spindle as needed, otherwise why have the clutch?. Doesn't the M10 have a similar set up... but via a belt tension lever at the back... push the tensioner to the rear, belt slack, spindle stops, operate in reverse the belt tensions & spindle starts ?

George.

Not in my case, I use the clutch all the time and use the VFD to change speed or direction ( so dangerous but, hey          

Cheers,

Rod

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 14/05/2019 09:06:10

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 14/05/2019 09:09:43

Blooody winkie 

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 14/05/2019 09:10:48

Something sounds wrong to me with what you have described as on mine (84 green model) the drive is disengaged when lever to the right. Even when engaged it does not foul on belt cover.

Edited By Phil Boyland on 14/05/2019 09:18:14

Mine, early 70's, does when engaged. There's probably some variation in the angle that the lever is set to on the shaft.

Rod

Phil

That is right, the drive is disengaged when the clutch lever is to the right and is engaged when the lever is moved to the left. The point that Mike was making was that the cover hits the lever when it is raised with the clutch engaged ie. to the left. In normal operation with the clutch engaged and the cover closed the lever is well clear of the cover.

John

I probably should have mentioned my reason for asking. The paint on the belt cover has worn off due to the clutch lever fouling it. Obviously this is only cosmetic, but as my lathe has had a hard life I was wondering if this was just another part of the lathe that is in need of adjustment.

Mike

The lever on mine is able to move from being comfortably clear to the ball just clipping the cover. With the clutch engaged there is clearance between the cam and the pushrod and a small ball and spring should prevent any rattle but I doubt is has any effect on the lever position, certainly on mine the friction of the lever is greater than the power of the spring and ball. To make a definite clearance I think you would need to tweak the cam or put a set in the operating lever.

Mike

My S7 is approx 1978 purchased new, I also have a short bed model about the same vintage, both are grey and have power cross feed. A few years ago I had one of 1960 vintage. On all machines the clutch engaged, spindle running the handle sits at 6 O'clock and moves to the right - anticlockwise to disengage the spindle. In either position the bely guard can be opened without fouling the clutch handle.

IMO there is probably something wrong on any machine that is not operating in this manner, I have never had occasion to dismantle the clutch assembly however looking at the manual cross section for clutch adjustment it may be that the spindle with flats that operate the push rod may be screwed into the handle unit and thus able to move ? If this was the case then the effect would be that on Mike D's lathe.

John

PS from a safety point of view I would advise not opening the cover with the spindle running

Edited By JohnF on 15/05/2019 23:00:51