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Part 24: Bush wheels and wheel discs

The odd name for this part makes more sense when one refers to the original MME description, "Bush for wheel".  This was intended as a central hub, around which a wheel could be constructed with strips for spokes and/or a cardboard disc. The word "for" was dropped by 1904, and the part was known as a Bush Wheel from then on.

 
24Bush wheel, 8 holes 1901-584N°0
24aWheel disc, 8 holes 1932-n/an/a2N°3part 217a until 1945
24bBush wheel, 6 holes 1954-n/an/a2N°10
24cWheel disc, 6 holes 1954-n/an/a2N°5
5181'' 6-hole bush wheel 1962-n/an/an/an/a

The parts

The four types of bush wheel / wheel disc
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The bush wheel (top left) was included in the very earliest MME outfits.  In 1932, as part of the ill-fated budget X-series outfits, a small steel disc with eight holes (and one in the centre) was introduced.  This part was transferred across to Meccano as part number 217a.  Another part (219) was at that time named the wheel disc (later called the conical disc), but both of these were dropped and in 1945 the new part 24a Wheel Disc was introduced into outfits.  This part was identical to the bush wheel, but without the boss, and is shown top-right in this photo.

In 1954, the 6-hole bush wheel and wheel disc was introduced.  This allowed many more mechanisms to be built because of its 60° rotational symmetry, in particular it was useful for clocks and spur differentials.  These parts are shown in the lower half of the photo.

Part number 518 is also a 6-hole bush wheel but only 1'' overall diameter, nickel plated, and thicker than the others.  This part was introduced in the Electrikit and later in the equivalent 4EL outfit.  It subsequently gained a new use as one of the parts of the three-part road wheel p/n 187c, supplied in the 1978/79 outfits 3, 4, 5, and 10.  Thus it is also found in matt brass and iridescent finishes.

Chronological variations

Variations and oddities

None known

Dealer spare parts boxes

Part 24, bush wheel, in two different types of boxes
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Part 24c, 6-hole wheel disc
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William Irwin
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Part 24b, 6-hole bush wheel, in two different types of boxes
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These pictures show a range of parts (24, 24b, and 24c) in post-war yellow spare parts boxes.  The boxes all contain product codes, dating them from at least 1954, but since the parts within are brass these labels remained unchanged right through the light red/green period, so they could easily be early 1960's parts.

'Korean war' blackened steel parts from 1951/52
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Loading picture 24Sparepartskorean To the right, a pair of instantly datable spare parts packs of parts 24 and 24a. The light green sticker with black dashed line marks these as blackened steel parts from the Korean War period (1951/52), due to the restrictions on the use of brass and nickel at that time.

Individual part numbers

Part numbers for the parts on this page are as follows:    Unique part numbers
For identification, each variation has been given a suffix to the main Meccano part number. These suffixes consist of a two-character code for the colour, and if there are many variations, a further number and sometimes letter code to identify each variation. See the bottom of the 'Parts' page for further details.

You don't need to worry what the codes are, just click on any one for a photograph.

The button above turns on and off the display of DMS numbers (where they are known). The DMS (Development of the Meccano System, Hauton and Hindemarsh) published in 1972 and added to in 75 and 82, suggested part numbers for every variation of every Meccano part. These numbers aren't perfect, but they are recognised and also referenced in the EMP (Encyclopedia of Meccano Parts, Don Blakeborough).

More about bosses More about stampings More about paint colours
Descriptionfrom24
24a
24b
24c
518
Cast brass, four holes, feather key01.mm    
Cast brass, 4 normal and 4 large holes, feather key04.mm1    
Cast brass, 4 normal and 4 large holes, tongue key??.mm1a    
Bronzed steel two-part wheel, 4 holes??.mm4    
Machined brass, eight standard holes, tongue key11.mm2    
Disc 1/16'' thick, 1911 short boss, tongue key12.mm3    
Disc 1/16'' thick, patent short boss, tongue key12.mm3a    
Disc 1/16'' thick, 1911 full boss, tongue key12.mm3b    
Disc 1/16'' thick, 1911 boss, single-tapped12.br1    
Nickelled steel disc, 1911 boss, single-tapped15.ni    
Nickelled thicker disc, patent boss †??.ni1    
Brass thicker disc, patent boss??.br2a    
Brass disc 1/16'' thick, patent boss??.br2    
Brass disc 1¼'' diameter, patent boss??.br3    
Steel disc, brass plated, recessed boss single tapped??.br3a    
Brass disc, recessed boss single tapped??.br3b    
Brass disc 18swg, 1 3/8'' dia, standard boss20s.br4    
Brass disc 18swg, 1 3/8'' dia, boss double tapped27.br5    
Steel disc 21swg, unpainted (X-series part X475)32 .st   
Steel face enamelled blue34.nb.nb   
Steel face enamelled red37.re.re   
Steel face enamelled red, painted over Mazac bush40.re1    
Olive green, only two holes in face (Mech Army) †39-41.ma.ma   
Post-war brass face, standard boss double-tapped45.br.br.br.br 
Blackened steel face (Korean) †51-52.bs.bs   
Brass, 1 7/16'' diameter, edge not chamfered60s.br6.br1.br1.br1 
Nickel-plated steel disc, not chamfered62 .ni .ni.ni
Zinc-plated steel disc, not chamfered68 .zn .zn.zn
Black fibre insulated face, Electrikit part †62.xx .xx  
Brown fibre insulated face, 4EL part †??.xx1 .xx1  
Steel with matt brass finish71.mb.mb.mb.mb.mb
Iridescent79.ir.ir.ir.ir.ir
ALLALLALLALLALL

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Further information

Total number of messages on this page: 23.  This is page 2 of 4.   Previous  Next

Andrew      (at 4:39pm, Wed 5th Jun, 13)

I see no mention of the 5 hole bush wheel 24d which I've seen in zinc and red, could someone confirm if these are original Meccano?

Richard Payn      (at 11:38am, Fri 15th Mar, 13)

A bush wheel can be bolted to a circular part without a boss to create one for it. Eg wheel flange or a circular plate. They can also be bolted onto a plate to provide a substantial bearing for a rod to be journalled in.

Martin      (at 11:00am, Fri 15th Mar, 13)

Okay, maybe I'm just stupid, but I still don't understand: what are bush wheels *for*?

Bill Watt-Smyrk      (at 7:44am, Tue 4th Dec, 12)

Hi Richard; once again, thanks, that's very helpful. I'll swap them all back to correct colour!

Richard Payn      (at 10:34am, Mon 26th Nov, 12)

Hi Bill,
Set screws are brass during this period. When bolts were brassed in the early S/Y/B period the set screws were nickel. I guess it would help to distinguish between them. Check out part 69 on the OPM section of the website.

Bill Watt-Smyrk      (at 8:38am, Mon 26th Nov, 12)

Thanks Richard, that's very helpful. Contents of outfits have been amended accordingly! Does your encyclopaedic knowledge extend to set screws? (see second part of my original query)


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