Correct connector for Hensoldt-Wetzlar centering microscope?

Deckel fans,

I recently bought a vintage Hensoldt-Wetzlar centering microscope for my 1964 Deckel FP2 mill.



This is marked 6 volts, which I think is correct. The problem is that the connector on the microscope



and the connector on the power cabinet


are both male, and don't match. Which connector is the "right" one? Does anyone have a spare mating connector for one or the other side of this, or could tell me where to purchase one? In the worst case I'll just replace both with some standard circular DIN connectors, but it's nice to keep things original if possible.

[EDIT]
Searching the forums (should have done that first!) I found this thread, which is relevant. It says that the connectors are microphone connectors, and that Amphenol sells compatible ones. I am still not sure that this is correct for me, and so would still be grateful for parts numbers or pointers, or a spare connector if someone here has got one that they don't need.

A strange thing, when I look at the Schematic for the power cabinet, it clearly shows a "Tuchel Steckdose" which means a female socket! I wonder if the connector that I am looking at shown previously is badly damaged, and once upon a time it was in fact the correct item. Here is from the schematic:



[FURTHER EDIT]
What I need in German seems to be a Groß-Tuchel-Einbaudose 5 Pins (female) mit Bajonettverschluss. In English: a large Tuchel bayonett connector flange socket, 5 pins female. Still have not found a supplier!

Or MAYBE what I am looking at in my switching cabinet is the rear entrails of a broken off male plug, and behind it is a perfectly good female connector....

Cheers,
Bruce

Hi Bruce. Congratulations on your find.

A bit off-topic: I sold my original FP2 electrical cabinet, as I did not have the room for it.

I use a standard contactor with motor protection - it takes up 2% of the space of the Deckel cabinet.

But then I'll either have to rewire the Microscope lead or get a female connector (so I hope you can find a cheap one).

And the stop contact has to be in series with a NC contact in the connector for safety's sake, so the motor can't run while the scope is connected.

Cheers
Erik.

Here is what the one on my FP3 looks like.....

Outside:


And the inside .....



Looks to me as though yours has something (broken plug?) in it or its just the wrong part...
Cheers Ross

I finally got a couple of hours to spend fooling around with this.

First of all, the connector socket itself is not original. I opened the electrical cabinet to remove it, and found that all four wires had been clipped. When I took out the socket to look at it more closely, I found that the plastic insert was not original, and is damaged. So I have to replace the connector socket.

I was unable to order an Amphenol-Tuschel T3015 socket or find one to purchase. But there is a compatible part made by Binder (part number 690-09-0062-00-05). It is available from Conrad for 15.85 Euros, order number 732643-62, part number 09-0062-00-05, EAN 2050000869303.

I did check the circuit operation and the microscope itself. Here's some info for the next person working on one of these.

The lamp (refer to schematic in my first post in this thread) is powered by 6 volts AC from pins 1 (C) and 2 (D). The other two active pins 4 (A) 5 (B) are internally connected in the microscope. The current that flows through them closes relay S2, which connects the 6 VAC to pins 4 and 5 and opens relay S1, to disable the motor drive/milling spindle.

To test the microscope I wired it in with some alligator clips. It works extremely well, the radial spacing of the centering rings is 0.05mm = 0.002" and I think it should be easy to center to 1/10 of that.

One of the four bulbs in my unit was burned out. The microscope came with one new bulb, so I swapped it out, and ordered some spare bulbs. These are type BA7S base 6.9 mm diameter 20 mm long 6 volt 200 ma 1.2 Watts. One can purchase five bulbs for 5 Euros (including shipping in Germany) as Ebay item 310938492662. An LED version is also available from Conrad, order number 182259-62, part number 70112906, EAN: 2050001163950, for 3.29 Euros each. The manufacturer is Barthelme, their part number is 70112906.

Cheers,
Bruce

Nice find Bruce!

Hi Bruce.

Thank you for that info. Then I can make a mini wall cabinet with the correct connector and a VFD for the motor.

Cheers
Erik

The replacement for the Tuchel T3015 connector (Binder part number 690-09-0062-00-05) arrived. I wired it in and could finally use the centering microscope.

My first test was with the edge finder, that has an extremely fine etched line. I lined up the microscope reticule on the edge-finder line, and rotated the microscope (and spindle) 180 degrees. The etched line moved over by 115 microns (not good!). Then I rotated the microscope 90 degrees, lined up the reticule on the edge-finder line, and rotated 180 degrees again. This time the etched line had moved over by 55 microns. So the center of the crosshairs was off-position by 57 microns in X and 27 microns in Y.

(The spindle of my machine has a few microns of runout, but not enough to explain this.)

Since I have never managed to get hold of an instruction manual for a Hensoldt-Wetzlar centering microscope, I had to fuss around a bit to figure out how to recenter the reticule. In the end it was easy. I thought I would record the procedure here for the next person who needs to do this.

The first step is to slightly loosen the four screws shown here. This allows the image to be shifted with respect to the reticule.



To shift the image in one axis, it's just like adjusting a four-jaw independent chuck. You use two 1.5mm hex keys in opposite hex-head grub screws. One pair is visible:





To access one of the other pair, you need to unscrew the viewing tube for access:





You loosen one grub screw while tightening the other to shift the center of the image with respect to the reticule, and when everything is where it should be, you snug up the four flat-head screws shown in the first photo.

The etched line on the edge-finder is about 5 microns wide, and I was able to center the reticule right in the middle of that. So I think that the errors in the center position are down at about the 2 micron level.

For the record, the galling and damage on the various screws is from the PO making repairs and adjustments, I think mainly replacing the cable. Fortunately the damage is just cosmetic; the scope works very well.

One final comment about the bulbs. Out of curiosity, I ordered a couple of the LED bulbs, as well as five conventional incandescent bulbs. The conventional lamps provide better light, IMO. It is warmer and brighter. In addition the LED flickers (because it is only on for half the 50 Hz cycle). Probably the LED light could be improved by putting a small rectifier and 6VDC voltage regulator into the switching cabinet, but I want to do some other things, so won't persue this.

Cheers,
Bruce

The storage case for the microscope has a styrofoam insert. This has places for the edge finder target, for 4 spare bulbs, for the microscope itself, and for the electrical connector. There is one additional empty spot, shown in the photo below. What's that for? Is it for a rubber "gripper" tool that makes it easier to remove/install bulbs?

Cheers,
Bruce

I have seen a piece of clear platic tube there (I believe mine has). Probably for handling the bulbs.

Thank you for the adjustment tips.

Cheers
Erik

ballen said:

One of the four bulbs in my unit was burned out. The microscope came with one new bulb, so I swapped it out, and ordered some spare bulbs. These are type BA7S base 6.9 mm diameter 20 mm long 6 volt 200 ma 1.2 Watts. One can purchase five bulbs for 5 Euros (including shipping in Germany) as Ebay item 310938492662. An LED version is also available from Conrad, order number 182259-62, part number 70112906, EAN: 2050001163950, for 3.29 Euros each. The manufacturer is Barthelme, their part number is 70112906.

Cheers, Bruce

Click to expand...

Thanks for your posting about the bulbs etc being available from Conrad (Germany) ... I tried ordering from them but could not put an English address in SO I used the EAN number and found Conrad UK where I've just ordered the LED bulbs

Thanks again

John

Hi John,

Jersey John said:

I used the EAN number and found Conrad UK where I've just ordered the LED bulbs

Click to expand...

Glad you got a good microscope! I found that I prefer the traditional filament bulbs in this application. For some reason, the light is "better".

I don't use the microscope often, but when I do use it I'm very very happy to have it, because sometimes there is no good substitute.

Cheers,
Bruce

In case anyone needs it, the correct power connector for the Microscope itself is a Binder 09-0059-00-05-1, which has 5 poles.

I just acquired another centering microscope, but this one has a strange (to me) connector plug that I have not seen before: it is squarish in cross section rather than round. I'll post a photo later.

My question: does someone here have such a square connector on their centering scope? If so, is it from a later range of milling machines?