I think I've rumbled a very dodgy trick in a major label toy product...

Ashmil

naedanger wrote: »

Certainly a valid point.



Yes, it is a shame they didn't answer your question. However personally I'm not convinced by your conclusion. (If I could see the unit I might change my view but I don't think so, and I am not sufficiently curious to buy the item.)

That's a reasonable response. I'm still suspicious myself, I cannot see a single alternative purpose for the component, nor was there any information about it on or in the box.

Hasbeen

From a review on Amazon

"I see from other reviews that some people had to take the machine apart to clear a clog and it didn't work after. I had the same problem but figured out why. I made the mistake of opening the gear box because the handle would not turn. I later realized that the handle wouldn't turn because the back door was open. The door must be closed. But, I didn't figure that out until after I opened the gear box and some of the gears fell out. I put them back in and then the machine wouldn not make balls correctly. I found that it has to be put back together in a certain way. ** Here is how- When you put the gears in, look at the gear box cover. there is a little line next to each hole where the pin sticks up. You will notice that each gear has a detent in it. ( a small opening where a piece of the cone fits into). That detent needs to be aligned with the line in the cover in order to line the cones up correctly so that it makes balls. if not, the machine will not make balls."

Comment was gears locked if back door open?? Inbuilt safety feature??

[Deleted User]

Hasbeen's hit the nail on the head, it's an interlock to stop your daughter mangling her fingers if it's operated with the door open. You need to be looking for whatever's supposed to operate it, something like a plastic peg (that's broken off?) to poke through a hole in the top of the gearbox and disengage the teeth from the sprocket.

warehouse

Yeah I think the last 2 posters have nailed it. Cogs and handles mean moving parts, fingers can caught in moving parts so I assume a safety feature to jam the handle would make perfect sense.

The part that blocks the cogs is fatter at one end, again I'm presuming here but that would make sense if something was to push on it to disengage it allowing room for movement.

fleshandbone

fleshandbone wrote: »

i would hazard to guess that the component was a safety device rather than some kind of trick, it would make no sense for a manufacturer to fix something to become inoperable, this would only end in a loss rather than a gain.

can you name the toy and brand please?

Thank you I was right.

My hand is out for you to shake it.

Ashmil

Ah yes - this does make sense! I'm calling off the dogs... removing my tinfoil hat... and admitting I was wrong. Clearly something did go wrong with this setup, as ours would not work at all with the door open or closed.

But my paranoia was unwarranted. OK! As you were, cheers folks

Chickabiddybex

Now that was one hell of a read - like a gripping detective novel! (well sorta)

I'm glad it had a conclusion, it's great to see what this forum can do with a bit of team work