AOS Sampson mount with Ansenn Technologies telescope controller AT2

[Ossie]

Hi guys

I've got a mid 90's Sampson blue mount with motorised telescope drive controller option which was designed and supplied by Anssen Technologies and purchased from from Astro Optical Supplies in Melbourne. The whole setup has been sitting in spare room for past 20 years unopened and unused.

Well I've decided it get it up and running and finding by the looks that missing mounting bracket for the worm drives, plus don't seem to have any instruction manuals on the telescope controller pictured

Has anyone got pics of their setup with the same scope in question, with the same worm drive assemblies, or has spare mounting brackets lying around.

Also instruction manual, specs on the AT2 controller, and guiding protocol etc, etc.

Any help appreciated.
Greg.

[torana68]

do you have some photos of the gear? I have most variations of drive so may be able to help (except I'm OS at the moment and for a few more weeks)

[Ossie]

Pics have been added

[torana68]

ok, I've not seen one like that, mounting wise I'll look at what I have at home when I get back.

[torana68]

hopefully the below gives you some ideas on mounting, I can get other pics if needed but I guess start looking for an original drive mount?




http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j291/torana68/706b161d-a92d-4628-a1ff-768f5d37285f_zpsdw0nhabg.jpg

[Satchmo]

Having a look around the web Anssen engineering are still at that address and phone number as on the plastic bag ,though their business is car mods ( hot diffs etc ) now.

If you can get hold of him I'm sure Peter Mellander can dig out some operation manuals for you.

There was also a german company which marketed the mounts and drives and they may be able to help if you can find them.

[torana68]

wonder where the OP went......... Mark , have you seen this drive before?
Roger

[Ossie]

Hi roger

The link you added with photo bucket didn't work.

Been looking around and just wondering whether it's worth try Aster. Just seems strange no one has seen this setup.

Cheers greg

[torana68]

wonder where that pic went :( anyway the Sampson had cast alloy brackets that the drives attached to, there are some variations. They turn up from time to time, but wouldn't be that hard to make if you have a lathe or a mate with one. This thing may not have sold well at the time, might not have been more than a couple made and sold here.

[Quark]

Hi Greg,

Just got your PM.
I brought my Anssen Technologies dual axis drive & drive corrector back in 1994. I have a mechanical engineering background working on the Broken Hill Mines for 34 yrs. I actually got the drive for my 25 yr long service award. I could have had a gold Omega watch but instead I got the drive & corrector. The teeth on the worms and worm wheels were cut, ground and lapped. From an engineering perspective they are of the highest quality. The drive has done a considerable amount of work over the years and performed flawlessly. Currently I am closing in on 3000 data sets on the PVOL data base and I have supplied significant volumes of data to Cassini RPWS & ISS. To mount the motor / gearbox assemblies on my mount I designed and fabricated angle iron brackets which bolt on, it really was not very difficult to do. The photo's of your worm & worm wheels look similar to mine other than mine are probably larger diameters. Your electronics and controller look very different to mine. I think they are a later updated version. I have attached a couple of photo's. My drive corrector is a large grey box and hand controller looks more basic than yours. In my first image you can see the drive corrector housed in the grey box with the hand controller on top of it. Note the holes in the guard covering the RA worm wheel which allow me to adjust the clutch with an Allen key without disassembling the guard. In the same image you can see where I have bolted the bracket for the DEC motor / gearbox to the side of the mounts DEC bearing housing. In the 2nd image you can see the RA motor / gearbox assembly on its angle iron bracket. Note the two holes in the web that is welded to the RA bearing housing, these were drilled and tapped and the aforementioned RA bracket is secured with two setscrews from the other side of the web.

Regarding Peter Mellander, he has always been extremely helpful, the last time I spoke to him he no longer was making amateur equipment but was involved in professional work for the CSIRO and other such institutions.

Regards
Trevor

[KenGee]

Hi this may help I help Peter adapt this motor control to his drives. it's a petty he does make stuff anymore his drive were good.

http://www.astro-electronic.de/fs2.htm

[torana68]

these are some of the Sampson mount drive brackets, might be available second hand but pretty basic.