Wheellock sear repair ...

[Flint62Smoothie]

These wheellock kits were sold in 2 styles by J. Schroeter of Costa Mesda, CA back in the 1990s. Sword-of-Keith happened upon one where the sear piece was missing. These wheelie actions use a hardened ball bearing that is pushed into a dimple on the back of the wheel, to hold it before the horizonal sear releases it, that allows the turning force of the wheel to push the ball out of the way.

I'll be documenting my replacement of his sear piece, using mine (the German ball or pear 'puffer' pistol kit as a guide.

 

[rickystl]

Hi Flint

The internals of both locks do appear to be very close. Just a bit of difference in the mainspring to accommodate the different lock plates. It's good you have the sear from your lock to use as a pattern. Hopefully, this will allow making a new sear much easier than guessing. I've never really studied the internal workings of the wheellock to have a better understanding of how they were designed to work. And I understand the Schroeter lock works are different than the originals. Will be interesting to see your work in progress. The ball bearing feature is an interesting idea.
I remember seeing Schroeter's small, block adds in a couple different magazines back then.

Rick

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I remember seeing Schroeter's small, block adds in a couple different magazines back then.

I wish someone had a picture to show us!

 

[rickystl]

I wish someone had a picture to show us!

Am I wrong ? Or do I remember seeing those adds somewhere back in the 1980's ? It seems it was pre-internet times. I remember there was a German (Saxon) and an Italian kits.

 

[Pukka Bundook]

That ball bearing works the same as the brakes on a Massey Ferguson 65, Flint!
LOL.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Am I wrong ? Or do I remember seeing those adds somewhere back in the 1980's ? It seems it was pre-internet times. I remember there was a German (Saxon) and an Italian kits.

Here are pictures of the 2 types, the 1st below is that of the actual W-L pistol I'm repairing the sear assemby for, a 17th century Italian Brescian, or so I've been told.

The other picture is not of a Schroeter kit as shown, but it represents the design or model of a ball or pear-handled 'puffer' W-L pistol, which is the kit I have.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Here's an interesting tid bit of info for wheellock assemblies using ball bearings (BB). With a solid sear nose, one can't lose the 'nose' unless it breaks off. But on a W-L with the BB, it will drop out unless there is some way to 'trap' the BB in the lockplate. Note that the diameter of the BB is roughly the thickness of the lockplate.

A BB sear lever has 2 steps on it. Remember this lever is under spring pressure, so the 1st (lower) step traps the ball so it can't fall out of the lockplate. At the 2nd (higher) position, the sear sits on the engagement surface of the sear notch on the lever. In this position the sear nose drops and pushes the BB into the corresponding 'dimple' on the back of the fully-wound wheel, that traps/holds the wheel at full cock.

From here, the trigger will pull away the sear lever against the spring pressure, to allow the energy stored in the wound-up wheel, to release and rotate.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Now ... for the bad news ...

As reported YEARS ago on these Forums, from multiple owners, there are at least 2 design defects on the Schroeter wheellock assembly, Defect #1 - The cam to push the pan cover open is oriented at the wrong position (once the V-spring is hung). Without a spring and ball bearing/sear installed, it is possible to orient the tumbler so that the pan cover is closed and the pan cover cam is correctly positioned to push it open.

However, once assembled with a spring, it is impossible to wind up the assmembly to that height. The eccentric cam that attaches to the strirrup, cams over at the top-most of its travel and actualy starts to lower the spring due to this cam over. I've tried every permustation of orientation ... and as others have reported ... I cannot get it to operate the pan cover correctly, as designed/machined.

My resolution on my lock will be to cut off the existing pan cover cam and silver solder on a new pan cover cam to the tumbler. If that works, then I'll tackle the wheellock assembly that Sword-of-Keith owns, as that this post initially started with.

Defect #2 is that the dimple in the wheel is not positioned for maximum stored energy, more about that in the next update.

As you can see from the photo above, if the tumbler were to continue to rotate counter-clockwise, that eccentric cam 'cams over' and begins to lower the stirrup/spring once it gets past straight up or the 12 o'clock position. As you can further see, it would still need to rotate another 90-degrees or 1/4-turn MORE in order to get the 'straight edge' of the pan cover cam to align to the 'straight edge' of the pan cover lever.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Update for testing and timing:

Testing - A picture tells it all ... use an elastic to spring a Wheelie assembly ...

Timing - One can change, if needed, the position of the 'dimple' in the wheel to achieve maximum torque.

As shown in the 2nd pic above, the wheel could continue to be wound counter-clockwise, but due to the curved design of the stirrup, it cams over too soon and actually starts to lower the stirrup end of the V-spring, instead of raising it (which would increase the spring pressure).

 

[TobJohn]

These diagrams/annotated pictures are a great visual aid. Thanks for including them!

 

[Rudyard]

All very interesting There where others sold by a Paul Jacobi & Navy Arms seemed to sell the same style , different from the examples you show . Sort of re inventing the Wheel Lock . But why not, Bring it on ,its all a matter of taste Ime making snap Matchlock Arqubusses( like you would) . I don't understand the CVAs and No idea what a' Traditions' looks like as for TCs I've seen them with gold inlayed Buffalos on them, but Ime happier with the Snap matchlock stuff . certainly no cap supply problems . Compliaments of the Wheellock fixing season .
Regards Rudyard

 

[Rudyard]

Am I wrong ? Or do I remember seeing those adds somewhere back in the 1980's ? It seems it was pre-internet times. I remember there was a German (Saxon) and an Italian kits.

No you'r not wrong the adds where about the 80s
Rudyard

 

[rickystl]

No you'r not wrong the adds where about the 80s
Rudyard

And I do vaguely remember that wheellock in Navy Arms catalog very briefly about the same time.

Rick

 

[PathfinderNC]

I got a wheellock lock through Dixie Guns in the late 1980’s. It is quite good, though I am no expert on them.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

LOVE it!

 

[Rudyard]

The Jacobi ones ' Felt Wad ' made a rifle from one & I made a pistol though they where on the big side for pistols, it made its way to David Edge who was Curator of the Wallace collection & he used it to add to his talks on Armour as a cause of Armours demise or evolution, Both I suppose .
Regards Rudyard

 

[rickystl]

I got a wheellock lock through Dixie Guns in the late 1980’s. It is quite good, though I am no expert on them.

Any idea who made this one ?

Rick

 

[PathfinderNC]

Any idea who made this one ?

Rick

I made the pistol. I don’t know who made the lock though.

 

[Rudyard]

Looks like a Jacobi who actually made them unsure but he marketed them .in Europe . Rudyard

 

[Jim in San Diego]

I just found this web site for wheellock kits.

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/wheellocks/wheellocks.htm
Apologies if this is a repeat. I'm new here.