The Parrot and the Jigger
by Lou Nichols
Introduction
The inspiration for the model
came from the name of a bar and bistro in Lower Hutt down by the railway.
The illustration I worked from was a simple side on view of a parrot
balanced on the central bar of a jigger. The
colour scheme for the parrot was taken from a small coloured illustration on a
Arnott's biscuit packet. I really
had no idea how to model a parrot in Meccano, so I simply laid out a whole
mixture of parts that I thought would be appropriate and went from there.
The small strip and plate roller I have was invaluable in achieving the
correct shapes. Once I got started
the whole model came together reasonably quickly, which of course is very
satisfactory.
The Parrot
This bird is clearly of tropical origin judging by the gaudy colours present! The mid-body is a 51/2" x 11/2" blue crosshatched Flexible Plate, 1, rolled into a cylinder. The red tail is attached to this and comprises a red 21/2" x 11/2" Flexible Plate, 2, just four holes visible. It has three red Strips, two five hole and one six hole to complete the tail.
The top of the back is a five hole green Strip, 3, slightly curved with two red five or six hole Strips, 4, sharply curved to form the top of the bird's head. Just two holes extend beyond the green Strip. The top of the body is two green Formed Slotted Strips. The back one, 5, is bolted to the green Strip while the front one carries two Obtuse Angle Brackets which each have red P/N 77 Triangular Plates, 6, attached. The Triangular Plates are bolted to a red 21/2" x 11/2" Plastic Plate, 7, which must be sharply bent. The bottom of this Plate is secured to the Formed Slotted Strip, 5, with a bolt each side.
The abdomen of the parrot is formed by a red 21/2" x 11/2" Plastic Plate, 8, backed by another Formed Slotted Strip, 10. The centre holes of the latter and the Plastic Plate are secured with a bolt to the Flexible Plate, 1. At the bottom of 8 attach a yellow 11/2" Flat Girder, 9. Finally attach the underside tail feather, one each side, with two Obtuse Angle Brackets. Each of these has a Centre Fork, 14, held in place with a Collar and an iridescent green Mini Plastic Spacer.
The slot at the upper end of 10 supports a pair of P/N 90 21/2" Curved Strips, 12, which extend up to the parrot's head. This comprises two yellow 1" Triangular Plates, 11. The bottom bolt fixes these to 12 as well as two P/N 147c set inside the Curved Strips. These are the bottom of the beak. The top of the beak comprises three P/N 147c held to 11 by a 3/4" Bolt using a black Mini Plastic Spacers each side to represent the bird's eyes.
The parrot's legs are made from four iridescent green Obtuse Plastic Strips, P/N ??? two each side fixed to 1.
The wings, 14, are green Curved Strips, P/N's 89a, 90 and 90a bolted with a 1/2" Bolt spaced with an iridescent green Mini Plastic Spacer,13, to the red Plastic Plate, 7.
Attach 2" Strips to the middle of each wing with lock nutted Bolts to connect to the jigger
The Jigger.
The jigger is not described in detail as it may easily be built from the photographs. It runs on flanged wheels built up from Face Plates and Wheel Flanges. The axles are set 5" apart and are connected by 1" Pulleys and a Driving Band as well as by green Narrow Strip connecting rods. The gauge is about 21/4 " to suit the track.
A motor may be provided to drive the jigger but it may just as easily be moved by hand.
The Track
The track is about 43" long and is fashioned from Angle Girders screwed to a base board. Buffers at each end limit the jigger's travel