Anyone know what this thing is for on a vintage E61? It sits on the bottom left thread against the facia and one of the four decorative bakelite knobs that attach the facia to the body panels screws over it. It also has a larger thread inside and looks like a special tool of some kind. It's visible on the machine pictured (not mine). I think the one pictured on the machine is on back to front. The Legends don't have it.

Mystery solved. Thanks

Chee, who would have thought a question that has been looking to be answered for years didn't get a reply within 24hrs. Maybe we should be thanking you

At least you tried and do some research on the subject right?

Anyone has an idea? I have one on my E61 and a similar thing on my 57 Urania. The latter one is part of the water level and boiler pressure gauges and cannot be removed as easy as on the E61.

Sorry, I got called out in a hurry and didn't complete my answer. Turned out it is an adjustment wheel for the mercury pressurestat, which explains why it is not on a Legend. Can be seen in one shape or another on most images i found of machines with early mercury P/Stats.

Any idea how that would work? I wonder if there are any manuals of the old machines digitalized.

Kind regards,
Sander

No idea. The pics I've seen has the wheel on the front and one on the P/Stat. Maybe its a spare but for what reason I do not know. Whatever, it looks good for originality.

1966 Faema E61 2 Group

Doesn't adjust anything, wheel is not the same as the one one the pstat. Best guess is it has something to do with Italy's taxes on coffeemachines or -shops in 50's and 60's.

They are always on the outside of the machine and solid on early models and removable on later models, post 1960.

Sander1981 wrote:Any idea how that would work? I wonder if there are any manuals of the old machines digitalized.

Kind regards,
Sander

As indicated by the knurled edge and threaded hole It is indeed an adjustment tool for the p/stat. There is a lock nut on top which you loosen to adjust the wheel up or down then tighten the lock nut. Simples!

oh, wow wild theories here, it is definitely not a part of the mercury switch. here are the pictures of the mercury switch.
but what is it than?

i will tell you: beaniac idea goes in the right way. it is not a tax for espresso machines, but a tax and certificate for pressure tanks aka boilers with a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.
you will only find them on machines that were installed and running in italy. i have a 1 group and a two group e61 factory sold to belgium, they dont have it. i have a 3 group e61 i bought it in italy it has it.

so how do i know that?
in the 80th our company imported air compressors from italy to germany maybe 3.000 a year. we got them in a special color to brand them for the german market and they were made to order from the company in bologna. sometimes they could not deliver and we accepted their standard model with their color made for the italian market. Those all came with exactly this little round disc installed at the pressure tank. so i asked them what is this for? and they told me that this is required by the state to put it on each pressure tank to show that the tank has a proof and test certificate and the fees are paid. of course with the EU those things dissapeared.

hope this clarifies the mystery

ernst