My first S3

[Marc Sova]

Scored my first century S3 yesterday. What can you tel me about it?
What year?

Pot metal or no pot metal?

Is it Japan or black paint?

The little switch on top of the gearbox does not move and I don’t want to force it. Any tips on that?

What’s the best method for getting oil in that little ball bearing type oiler? (My zoom spout oiler didn’t really do a good job of pressing the ball in and putting oil in… I have a couple old metal pump oilers, but I just haven’t got them cleaned up and loaded with proper oil yet). 

Also, the switch is missing the plastic/bakelite(?) cover piece. Do the usual suspects that make these have them for this model? 

It works great on all five speeds. Pretty distinct too. Obviously a total tear down of the gearbox at least is in order, but I’m not ready to monkey around with this yet since I’ve never had one of these. 
   

Cage has seen better days. But it is all brass and fixable. I’m sure. Maybe with a couple new S wires, etc..

Also…,whereas Emerson’s have that adjustible Collar, those seems to have a sort of cogged mechanism that you can rotate the top half of the fan with  am I correct in that? 

thanks 

Edited March 28, 2024 by Marc Sova
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[David Kilnapp]

Hi Marc. Every good collection should have a skeletal S3. The switch is perfect as it is. There is no bakelite covering on it. You'll see why when you open the bottom as there is a hard leather part of the speed coil switch that insulates. You can see it below just peering out from beneath the switch.

The only pot metal on this fan is the gear box as far as I remember. The fan is definitely japanned.

This is a five speed fan but the issue with some of these speed coils is that sometimes, there isn't a lot of difference between the speeds. Be gentle around the speed numbers as you clean. Those are nice to have and hard rubbing will remove them. As I recall, one of our members produces a decal that will replace these numbers with Slow, 2, 3, 4 and Fast.

This fan's gears are a marvel of engineering and very clever. Remove the rear plate on the gear box and you will see this gear:

The two little ball bearings compress into the shaft so that the little lever (the one you say doesn't move) has a nub on the end of it that fits into the far right groove pushing the center gear on and off of these ball bearings which locks and unlocks the oscillation. The rotor looks like this:

The little lever appears on the far right of the picture below. You can see the nub on the end of it. As i recall, there is a set screw on the back of the gear case that must be removed to pull this lever up and out. That set screw fits into the center groove on that lever.

The press oiler on top of the gear case can be removed with a small open end box wrench for cleaning so that it will depress more easily (above picture far left).

The worm gear (below) can easily be removed so that you can slide the gears out of the rear case to clean them repack in red and tacky grease.

That center cog mechanism, allows the re-orientation of the fan's arc swing. You would move that while the fan is off. It controls where the arc begins and ends. Very clever design.

The stator comes out easily on these fans. Take care to label the wires so you know what wire goes where on the speed coil. I attach diagrams which you may find useful.

Hope this information is helpful to you, Marc. Congratulations on a nice acquisition!

 

Edited March 28, 2024 by David Kilnapp

[David Kilnapp]

I should also point out, that there are two covers on either side of the gear box. They are made of brass (painted black) and can be pried off with a putty knife. Take care when you do this as they are very pliable and will bend. You can see one in the picture below.

[Marc Sova]

Wow. Thank you SO much for this through reply. So as far as getting the osc on/off lever working…. I guess I pretty much have to go into the gearbox and gently pull things out and see what I got. Do you think the little nub or something might be broken off as to why it doesn’t move?

[David Kilnapp]

Hi Marc. No, I don't think the little nub is broken off. That would be very unusual. Unscrew the set screw and lift the lever up and out and you can examine it. A good clean of all those gears will loosen everything up nicely - not to worry.

[Marc Sova]

What year is mine btw???

[Lane Shirey]

All cast iron. They are very good fans but many have shot bearings from being run to death. 

[Russ Huber]

Oscillating mechanism patent filing 1915. 

Edited April 3, 2024 by Russ Huber

[Russ Huber]

Stamp steel base Century models were introduced in 1914. This would be the earlier oscillating mechanism for the 1914 introduction models. The first/introduction Century cast base desk fan models were introduced in 1911. 

1911 Century Skeletal 12" Oscillating Desk Fan 1st S3 Oscillator All Original - Antique Fan Supply Co (antiquefanparts.com)

 

Electrical Review and Western Electrician with which is Consolidated Electr... - Google Books

Edited April 3, 2024 by Russ Huber

[Marc Sova]

Thank you Russ!!!!! Great info. 

[Russ Huber]

23 hours ago, Lane Shirey said:

All cast iron. 

Cast iron bases 1911-13. Possibly some early models in 14?

[Andy Cornish]

Great info here gents. Russ do you know when the S3-15 five speeds became three speed? I've recently picked up examples of both (220V) here in Hong Kong

[Stan Adams]

When the three speeds came out, so did the pot metal. Three speed = run away

[Andy Cornish]

Really? I don't think my 3 speed is pot metal. You mean in the back of the motor housing and gearbox?

[George Durbin]

5 hours ago, Andy Cornish said:

Really? I don't think my 3 speed is pot metal. You mean in the back of the motor housing and gearbox?

Yup...

[Andy Cornish]

Guess I got lucky as the gearbox isn't pot metal on this one. Magnet sticks as strongly to the gearbox as it does to cast iron on other fans

[Stan Adams]

Andy I'm pretty sure that motor should have a five speed switch. I have never seen an S3 Model 15 with a three speed switch. The five speed stayed on after the skeletals & into the S3 totally enclosed motor. The three speed came with the new style with pot metal.

[Andy Cornish]

Interesting thanks. Here's the 3 speed switch

[Anthony Lindsey]

That looks like a GE Loop handle switch.

[Stan Adams]

Bingo Anthony, that looks like an early 30s GE switch, not Century