Locomotive Battery Motors

about clockworks

 
The Gebr. Bühler company also produced - besides the clockworks - most of the battery motors for Biller toys. Advertising from 1954.
 
The 1st battery-driven 4,5 Volt motor. On principle same construction as the clockwork. On this picture you clearly see the three fixation points for forward / neutral / backward operation. However, the angular switch-arm - outside frontward at the clockwork - is now positioned internal backward.
 
also available in Blue - at the 1020 E, 1500 E und 1501 E and in Blue-Red - as shown on this mirror image - and NOT an individual case !!! On this motor a red and a blue tin were manufactured - and the bottom section of the blue tin was later hand-painted in Red.
 

obviously as a test Biller also issued yellow motor covers - seen at a 1500 and now on this 1510. Possibly the yellow colour around the wheels was considered too "fancy" - and they changed it again by hand. All these motors, which were produced until 1966, had the plate-shaped switch - theoretically

 
 

 

 
Battery motor covers were NEVER available in dark- or bright green
 
on ALL black and green tin steam locos the plate-shaped switch with 18 mm guiding spike was used. Plate-shaped switches in a on-top-view: 2nd left for the 1500 E and 1510 E, right side fort he bright-blue - orange 1013 E respectively 013.
 
1962, as the 1550 was issued, the motor construction was essentially changed. The slant at the rear "vanished", the top clockwork cover was straight - the bolt including the spring was no longer necessary and was omitted as well. This cutaway-model shows the motor with flat switch. It also fits the after 1966 produced cog wheeled switch with a 9 mm displacement - and the later available switch with "normal" approx. ca. 6,5 mm displacement. Upon implementation of the 1013 Diesel in 1966 it was necessary to create a new, higher switch. Result was the cog wheeled switch with 9 mm displacement. An additional tin-angle - fixed at the front fishplates of the top cover, the installed hood gave the necessary pressure to fix the motor in the frame. 

 
Until somebody realised, that the locos with the 9 mm switch do not pass through the 017 engine shed. So the displacement was reduced to 6,5 mm. as well in black - for the plastic steam locos and the coloured Diesels - 18 mm guiding spike. In case of a 15 mm guiding spike the at the clockworks described distance washers were used as well - sometimes two can be found.
 
And some day after 1966 the old Bühler brass motor was replaced by the silver version. The silver motor has a larger diameter - and that's the point at which the frames with angled cut-out  were created. For the steam loco 1550. All 3 versions of the switch fit on this motor - even though the flat switch shouldn't be used anymore. Silver motor installed in a Diesel frame. You can see the on-top axle-cover - as to be expected the above listed loco. Motor side tins seldom without - mostly with the already mentioned matrix dotting.

 

 

However - most of the collectors and "gamblers" have realised that many of the above listed versions are theory - and Biller, especially during the period of changes from old to the newer switch, delivered all sorts of hodgepodge. But that was of no interest to seller and customer - main issue was to play.

 

about clockworks

generated Christmas 2008

last update: MAR-20-2011