Type 1 backgear
Very rare indeed, this first version of the Round Bed Drummond (fitted with bolt-on spindle bearings), has been equipped with what we shall call the Type 1 backgear. Taking advantage of the separate bearing housings, the designer has made new, one-piece units with an extension at the back of each to carry the backgear shaft. Although this arrangement did away with the separate bearing caps (an illustration of the original design is on this page) the new units would, presumably, have had some means of setting the bearing clearance…. or perhaps not. In addition to the new bearings it was also necessary, in order to make room for the backgears, to replace the original 3-step flat-belt pulley with a 2-step of considerably narrower proportions - though it appears that a previous owner has modified this to take either a round rope or narrow V-belt..