Friction drive mag/gen mounting

[57wayne]

I am working on an old engine that was fitted with a Henrick's Novelty "Comet" friction drive Magneto generator. I believe the mag/gen was incorrectly mounted as it was held down with the four corner screws from the pot metal/zinc cast base. Photos of others show another base plate under the pot metal plate and that one has two slotted holes. I just bought another parts unit that has the plate.

The friction drive appears to want to be mounted at a slight angle to the side of the flywheel. An article I found states the following; "A small diameter friction pulley can give sufficient speed to ignite the charge when engine is turned slowly as in cranking. After the engine is under motion, the governor on the shaft of the dynamo limits its speed so as not to obtain an excessive voltage. This is accomplished by mounting the dynamo on its base so that it can oscillate on an axis, the small friction wheel making and breaking contact with the engine flywheel. In operation, when normal speed is exceeded, the governor weights fly out and draw the friction wheel away from the flywheel, one spring serving the double purpose of pushing the friction pulley against the flywheel and acting as a tension on the governor.

It would seem that the mag/gen wants to be secured by the two bolts in the base plate, but if it is to 'oscillate', it would not want to be torqued down...

Does anyone have an example of the proper mounting for a friction drive magneto generator? Thanks!