Upside down pin jammed in #7 chute

[jim seay]

Thursday night league: "BLACKOUT ON LANE 15". Moving deck had shifted on a head-down pin in #7 chute. Jammed in tight. Had to move the bowlers to another pair. I finally got it out today by removing deck chute and spotting finger with moving deck chocked to keep it from slamming on MY fingers. I tried backing the GB up manually, but it stopped at 270 at respotting height. Is there an easier way to clear this jam?

[drhookmec]

Sometimes I find it easier to just lower deck down to 270 and remove the moving deck cable from the deck post.
This relieves all forward tension on the moving deck.

[Steve Stafford (JBEES)]

Many times mechanics have issues clearing deck jams because the machine stops just after the moving deck cam follower has reached the high dwell of the moving deck scissor cam. At this point, the moving deck scissor latch will have moved back into its blocking position preventing the moving deck cam follower from being able to go back into the low dwell of the cam. When they start to back the machine up by hand...they hold the deck holding hook up but do not look at the moving deck scissor latch. You must position the latch under the scissor cam follower first...back the machine up a few turns of the worm shaft and then reach over and hold up the deck holding hook. It won't take long for the moving deck cam follower to get into the low of the cam and from then on the latch can not get in the way.

Backing the gear box up until it reaches 270 will not clear the moving deck. It happens right at 0 degrees and the couple of degrees just before it. If the moving deck did not start to retract within the few degrees you have backed it up...check the moving deck scissor latch to be sure it is allowing the moving deck cam follower is allowed to move.

[Mechanick]

May need a pin guide/turn pan adjustment to make sure your pins are not going up the conveyor up side down.

[wepauls]

Sometimes I find it easier to just lower deck down to 270 and remove the moving deck cable from the deck post.
This relieves all forward tension on the moving deck.

not a good idea to try to remove gable one can get hart badly as machine is all raddy blacked out
Thar's a lot of tension on the cables the best way is as steve explained it

[Phil_B]

Easier to also remove the deck roller to gain room. Seems to work well.

[RipOwens]

just loosening the spotting fingers will usually get it

[BarBack]

Thursday night league: "BLACKOUT ON LANE 15". Moving deck had shifted on a head-down pin in #7 chute. Jammed in tight. Had to move the bowlers to another pair. I finally got it out today by removing deck chute and spotting finger with moving deck chocked to keep it from slamming on MY fingers. I tried backing the GB up manually, but it stopped at 270 at respotting height. Is there an easier way to clear this jam?

A peculiarity in the geneva roller/plate system has, on rare occasion, caused a jam that I have had to clear as described in the original post. If a pin gets wedged between the spotting fingers and the stationary deck bottom plate just as the geneva rollers are horizontal, the rollers can lock in that position, unable to turn in either direction. Lower an empty deck to 270, (power off the pinsetter), and slowly pull on the deck cable .; you will see the point where the forward motion of the deck 'stalls'. I have found it best to remove the bucket and loosen a finger to clear the pin.

Great forum (and website)!

[Newbie101]

Have had a couple like that. I have resolved to using a sawzall next time. Cut the head of the pin off.

[Mechanick]

Have had a couple like that. I have resolved to using a sawzall next time. Cut the head of the pin off.

I guess thats ok as long as they are junk pins. Watch out for sudden movement in the deck while you have your saw in there. You would also have to watch to not damage parts- if you caught a spotting finger with the saw blade, that could end up chewing up pins.....

I would just try to do it steve's way

[Popeye]

Just a quick tip for holding the holding hook up. Put a wadded up rag under the hook and on top of the pin. This will free your hand up to hold the flag for a while while you are backing it up.

[jmac33]

in addition to what the other guys mentioned: 9 times out of 10,this jam will bend your spotting fingers (both aluminum and steel).
if your going to the extent of loosening one or both fingers, you might as well change them to keep that pin "on-spot" and to prevent further issues.if your getting a pin all the way to the deck upside down,theres another problem elsewhere.check the turret indexing cam for loose or broken screws-check the turn pan for proper adjustment,etc. etc. just seems a bit odd that a pin would get to the deck chute without jamming between the turret guide wires and halo/frame.