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Meston Bronze End Bells


Jim Kovar

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Screenshot_20221204-173344_Chrome.thumb.jpg.9ff7bce4d97e3da3e308c20164850a71.jpg

As the late Paul Harvey
     would have said,...
"And now you know the
       rest of the story!"

So sad, but true.

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1 hour ago, Steve Cunningham said:

That’s the back switch model.

And that one is not a Meston in spite of being marked MESTON.   The same casting was used for the Meston and later Induction Motor Emerson.

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On 12/4/2022 at 8:21 PM, Steve Stephens said:

And that one is not a Meston in spite of being marked MESTON.   The same casting was used for the Meston and later Induction Motor Emerson.

You'll have to correlate data cross-referencing individual serial fan numbers; Class -- the "make" (e.g. FI-1, etc.); and patent dates from individual fan motor tags and sequence this information so that you can prove that no Meston is an Emerson.  You'll need to comb through company engineering data to accomplish this task. Catalogs and old industrial trade journals are insufficient to prove your point; hard data is necessary to present a compelling argument. Absent this structure, your contention is based on little more than anecdotal observation.

Do this and you'll have an argument.

Don't do this and you're premise is weak.

Edited by Jeff Whitfield
clarity
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59 minutes ago, Jeff Whitfield said:

You'll have to correlate data cross-referencing individual serial fan numbers; Class -- the "make" (e.g. FI-1, etc.); and patent dates from individual fan motor tags and sequence this information so that you can prove that no Meston is an Emerson.  You'll need to comb through company engineering data to accomplish this task. Catalogs and old industrial trade journals are insufficient to prove your point; hard data is necessary to present a compelling argument. Absent this structure, your contention is based on little more than anecdotal observation.

Do this and you'll have an argument.

Don't do this and you're premise is weak.

Alexander Meston went to his just reward in spring of 93. Charles Meston was a pencil pusher with thick skin. Both he and Alexander contracted TB and Charles survived, his brother did not. Charles knew time wasn't standing still, and neither was technology. Edwin Pillsbury and Fred and possibly Charles Briner WERE involved with Emerson motor engineering between 94-97. In 95 Emerson introduced their first AC CF that operated on 133 cycles with a commutator and single brush and it was referred to as a MESTON CF. In the same year the brushless induction desk fans were introduced. The brushed MESTONS were the ESTABLISHED EMERSON STANDARD desk fans. Taking them abruptly off the market would have not been a smart move with established customers familiar with what was. Starting in 1895 Charles Meston knew their organization had to keep moving forward with progressive technology to remain competitive.  To have a BRUSHED AC Meston be it 1892, or their last season sharing the market with the NEW DEPARTURE brushless induction desk and CF fan motors, you own a Meston based on the patented engineering from Alexander Meston.

 

 

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As a competitive business, if I had a bunch of bronze endbells with the name Meston on them, I would find a way to utilize them other than the dumpster. PotAto,potato,tomAto,tomato,Emerson,Meston.

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On 12/6/2022 at 6:37 AM, Jim Henderson said:

The spirit of Doc Hoehn.....it's time to chime in.

He wouldn't like my opinion, he didn't back then, along with many others. It can be challenging standing out from the crowd. 🙂 . 95 electrical trade simply starts to differentiate between the standard Meston and the new back lever model. You now see Meston and the back lever induction fan motor. Both remain on the market through 97 season. The porcelain back switch hits the market in 98. I am not sure if the old standard Meston Alexander designed was still marketed in 98 or not at this moment. There was a cut off either 97 or 98. The Meston name fades away in 98+ in reference to the Emerson desk fan. I did find a few examples of the Meston name in 98 electrical trade with the porcelain back switch model. 

 1895 Meston FI1 Back Switch Tripod Desk Fan - antiquefanparts

Edited by Russ Huber
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Now.......this is June of 95, the introduction of the brushless back lever.  Keep in mind the electrical field and fan motor momentum is in its infancy. Marketing an established Meston fan motor model 92-94 has gained consumer trust. Charles Meston and Emerson management were not idiots. Notice "Meston Motors" is the title, but, also notice the subtle introduction of an induction fan motor without commutator.

MestonInduction95.v1.jpg

Emerson95.v1.jpg

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1896 Emerson catalogue a year later is a tad more bold in differentiating between the brushed "Old Reliable" ESTABLISHED standard Meston, and the brushless induction model.

1896 Emerson catalog p.7.jpg

1896 Emerson Catalog, Meston fan motor, p.4.jpg

Edited by Russ Huber
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Alexander Meston had one year of single-phase motor schooling in 89-90. He died days before his 28th birthday in 93. The Meston's were smart cookies. Fact Jack.  🙂

 

Edited by Russ Huber
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On 12/5/2022 at 8:11 PM, Jeff Whitfield said:

You'll have to correlate data cross-referencing individual serial fan numbers; Class -- the "make" (e.g. FI-1, etc.); and patent dates from individual fan motor tags and sequence this information so that you can prove that no Meston is an Emerson.  You'll need to comb through company engineering data to accomplish this task. Catalogs and old industrial trade journals are insufficient to prove your point; hard data is necessary to present a compelling argument. Absent this structure, your contention is based on little more than anecdotal observation.

Do this and you'll have an argument.

Don't do this and you're premise is weak.

BTW....The American Electrician in 1902 compared the Holtzer Cabot fan motor to the Eck Hurricane fan motor. Eck didn't like that and made a point of it to the American Electrician. Back in 1895-97 I am sure Charles Meston would have done the same. Charles Meston had a bit of a temper to say the least. 🙂

 

HoltzerEck02.jpg

 

 

 

 

HoltzerEck02-2.jpg

HoltzerEck02-3.jpg

Eckarticle02.v1.jpg

Eck02-2.v1.jpg

Edited by Russ Huber
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33 minutes ago, Jeff Whitfield said:

You have a good argument up to that last post.  Eck/Holtzer Cabot ... ? It's interesting, but, well, nobody would ever know. 

I was simply pointing out with Eck's letter to the editor if electrical trade was printing their interpretation and representation of a manufacturer's machinery incorrectly, the manufacturer may step forward to correct electrical trade error. And yes, there is a d amn good argument. 

The new 95 introduction Emerson brushless induction desk fan is the gradual departure from the "Old Reliable" brushed Meston desk fan 95-97.

 

 

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Emersonlever.v1.jpg

Emersonlever-2.jpg

Edited by Russ Huber
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On 12/4/2022 at 11:08 PM, Steve Stephens said:

People may want to know what a Meston IS and what it ISN'T.   What some see is not what it is in this case.

Gotta give Steveo credit for putting his head out on the chopping block against overwhelming odds here. The patented brushed Meston and the brushless back lever are proven two different machines that operate on AC current.

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Thank you Russ for your support.  As many have seen I have fought for years to make clear that a Meston is NOT the back switch Emerson with bronze end bells.   I decided that years ago but, for some time, was not totally sure.  After reading many cuts for the two fans it was clear to me, finally, that the Meston is a Meston and it is not the back switch Induction Motor which itself, if NOT a Meston.  The information I had to go through may not have made it clear to most people but I have been convinced now for many years.    There were and are quite a few advanced AFCA members and old timers who would not agree with my final decision so I lightened up on my fighting on the subject but, still, had to put in an occasional post about the old Mestons and Induction Motor fans in the hopes that more would come to a correct decision

.

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