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Part 139/a: Flanged Brackets


139	Flanged Bracket (RH)	1923	-	0	0	0	n/a
139a	Flanged Bracket (LH)	1923	-	0	0	0	n/a

Right-hand and Left-hand Flanged Brackets, in 1950s medium green

The parts

This is a very unusual pair of parts, which have never appeared in any outfits during their lifetime, not even the great pre-war outfits 7 or L. They disappear from the 1983 French parts list but are back again in the 1995 one.

When the original Radio Receiving outfit was found to breach Post Office rules, it was very quickly replaced two months later (in November 1922) with the New Meccano Crystal Radio Receiving Set. The photograph from that issue reproduced below shows that it clearly contains two brackets, which are Corner Gussets (then called "Architraves"), part number 108, that have been bent at right-angles.

Illustration of Radio Receiving set, November 1922 MM

Introduction of Flanged Brackets, May 1923 MM

Loading picture Flangedbracketannouncement

A few months later, in the May 1923 issue, the new parts 139 and 139a were introduced, as shown to the right.

It's pretty easy to remember which is which: place the part down with the 'long' part of the flange pointing up, and the shaped part will point left on the left-hand version and right on the right-hand version.

Close-up of dark blue flanged brackets stamped L and R
This image does not belong to the webmasters and is copyright.
Please do not download or copy it for any purpose. It has been
kindly provided for use on this site by the image owner,
William Irwin

Chronological variations

As with the Corner Gusset, there are no changes to this part throughout its life other than the change in finish.

Well, no, not absolutely no changes. The 1978 dark blue flanged brackets are in fact marked with the letters L and R to identify left and right variants. And they say Meccano has only dumbed down recently!

Variations and oddities

None known.

Dealer spare parts boxes

Box of six light green flanged brackets from 1958-63
This image does not belong to the webmasters and is copyright.
Please do not download or copy it for any purpose. It has been
kindly provided for use on this site by the image owner,
William Irwin

Loading picture Flangedbracketspareparts

Box of six medium green flanged brackets from 1955-57
This image does not belong to the webmasters and is copyright.
Please do not download or copy it for any purpose. It has been
kindly provided for use on this site by the image owner,
William Irwin

Loading picture Flangedbracketspareparts2

The boxes above show that these parts were supplied post-war in boxes of six at a time. The left-hand box is for part 139, in light green because of the light green label. The right-hand box is for part 139a and earlier, signifying that it contains medium green parts.

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).

Description	from	139	139a
Nickel plated	23	.ni	.ni
Light red	26	.re	.re
Dark red	27	.dr	.dr
Gold	34	.go	.go
Medium red (pre-war stamping)	34?	.mr1	.mr1
Medium green (pre-war stamping)	37?	.mg1	.mg1
Medium green	45	.mg	.mg
Light green	58	.lg	.lg
Silver painted	64	.si	.si
Zinc plated	66	.zn	.zn
Dark blue	78	.db	.db
		ALL	ALL

Please send us pictures of missing parts! Hints and tips for pictures
Take a picture of the part in very good light, preferably on a plain yellow background, without a flash but with a tripod.
Ideally, trim the picture to about 150 pixels per inch of the Meccano part (unless the part is particularly big or small), save it as a reasonably good quality jpg file with a filename of exactly the part number, for example 19b.ni1.jpg, and email it to us by clicking on 'Contact us' at the top of the page. Thanks!

A greyed-out box shows that no part exists for that colour combination.
Part number codes with a green background have an attached picture of the part, just click once on the code to show a photograph of that part in a separate window.
Parts marked "†" were temporary or economy parts, or existed only within specific themed outfits. The previous part continued throughout or afterwards.

Further information

Barry gerdes (at 7:31pm, Tue 2nd Nov, 10)

Hi Charles
Being a radio ham I was always intested in the Meccano crystal set. I have looked at the original which showed more ingenuity in its design with the "Meccano" variable condensor for tuning. I know the old British GPO had some funny rules but I am intregued to know what the objection was.

By the way the old crystal set will disappear into history in a couple of years with the change to digital radio. A sad thing. No more being able to make a radio out of old junk. eg telephone earpiece, galena xtal made from lead and sulphur (or an old Gillette blue razor blade) and wire from old transformers or motors and cardboard for the formers.

Barry

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