Through the Looking Glass!

A view blogs back I showed you a glass jar that will contain the latest automata project. It is actually a punch dispenser. I have a plan to have the hand crank protrude from where the spigot normally fits through.

Here is my first attempt at the handle mechanism. The handle is spring loaded. The bushing will be fixed into the hole in the glass urn. The shaft needs to be retractable so the mechanism can be dropped into place, and the shaft can spring back to engage the mechanism in the jar.

In the photo the piece on the right will be attached to the mechanism. The square block on the end of the shaft will engage the square hole on the mechanism piece to impart the turning motion. The large bushing around the shaft will protrude through the glass, with a lock ring (not shown), on the outside. A second smaller lock ring glued to the shaft will hold the shaft from protruding beyond the bushing as it is in the photo.