I am looking at trying to figure out how to make a string work on the Corgi Priestman Cub Shovel. I know how the clam shell on the bucket is operated, a black plastic part that goes thru the jib with a T and at the apex it opens then closes the clam shell just before and just after so as to empty the bucket. There is a one piece string that goes under the pulley wheel on the to of the bucket, up over the top of the jib on two pulleys and then over the two pulleys on top of the Motor box or housing and down into the inside of the model. It has a concentric wheel design so the arm goes up and down on a slotted arm over a shaft between two geared wheel that are connected to the winder wheel by another gear. This shaft has two gears, as you will see in the following pictures, but the far one carries the clacker flap, made of metal and it has worn that gear terribably
I am hoping someone has had to restring this model or has rebuild it and has the knowledge I need to restring the one I have, well two soon to be three. Rob and I have been knocking this around for over an hour or more and keep bumping heads as to why ideas won\'t work. Richard is good at these things but is out right now. Can anyone help me out please with either a description or photos or both??? Kev or Kelvin or Roland or Paul, any of you had this one apart???

Desperately seeking answers, Jim
First picture is of the second shovel that arrived today and no, I do not want to restore this one. It is way to nice. Re decal and re string, If I can.

If you follow the above 7 photos you will see the full range of movement of this toy. The black plastic but it supposed to have a \'T\' at the end and be thru the boom. You can see the string has to move with the boom and remain taught at all times.

So, I have another one that arrived here last week. This is a project for a customer and it has me, and Rob, stumped for now. We both have a couple ideas but.../ So. all photos are clickable and will take you to my Photo bucket pages where you can see them larger still than here.
This is the one I have taken apart to see how these things work. It has a bent steady arm on the boom, actually it would be a hydraulic ram, missing hub, no tracks and the screen is shot. Needs a good repaint too. So here is a set of shots that will show the toy coming apart and where every thing fits inside.

Fits snug enough. The gears are worn as expected but the one drive should have been metal where the clacker rides. Worn out badly on this model and skips if your not careful

Inside of the cab to show now paint damage from a dangling weight to control the tension on the string. We thought of that, round hole in the base but slot in the top that a round object can not get thru. Something that will be heavy enough would have to be made of metal and you would hear it clanking around even if it was wood or plastic. Can anyone here this is their complete model?? Anyone have a complete model with intact working strings?? There would be marks on the inside of the casting from metal.

No hole in the shaft that holds the drive gears and I can\'t see just looping it over the shaft. That would make it fixed length and it has to be variable.

Bottom of the movement so this would be the tucked in close to the cab position. Next picture show the all the way out position and then from the end.

Here is the end of the movement

there is now where to hook a string or loop a string with out it getting in the way of something or being fixed.

If anybody can help me on this one it would be greatly appreciated. I am sure there are others here and elsewhere wondering about this problem too so anybody that can figure this out will be our hero. Well for now, anyway.
Cheers, Jim

I\'m only guessing at this point that the string is only for show as it really isn\'t needed for the movement of the mechanical arm lifting by clockwork.

Also I don\'t think the string does anything. Its just for show and simply loops through.

The opening of the bucket is mechanical and automatic.

Yes, we have discussed that as well. I just bought one of these this morning that is complete and has the string in place. I\'ll have a good look at it when it arrives and see if I can work out the string rigging.