1985-vintage Tarm 502 shaker grate connecting bar - details?

[midoceanstars]

Can anybody send me a tracing of the bar that goes between the five TARM 502 grate sections? The original is long gone, and owner wants to
return to wood firing after 8 year lay-off. BIOHEAT USA doesn't have one / apparently can't get one. I am thinking it is about 22" long
x 2-1/2" wide x 1/4" thick carbon steel bar with five 1" wide "notches" evenly spaced along bar length w/ notches extending 1-1/4" in from lower edge.
Notches "catch" and ride atop the nut-and-bolt "arms" attached to lugs cast into underside of each grate section. Ash door end of bar has a
notch or hole for a hooked rod inserted in open ash door so wood ash can be rattled down as needed. If anybody can trace the connecting bar on
a piece of paper, or confirm dimensions, I'd appreciate it. Although the bar is shown in TARM manual, BIOHEAT USA apparently can't get one and
doesn't have a drawing or details. Thanks / regards / Tony W. 914-372-3645

 

[kart42]

Tony,

My Tarm 502 was cold today, so I took out one bar and got the dimensions. There are two kinds of 502's, as I understand it. The earlier model (mine, 1983) has grates with the "arm" in the center (left to right). The other has an outside shaker handle and the "arms" are on one end od the grates. I have a broken grate (broken around the bolt) and I bought a replacement only to find out I can't use it unless I buy a whole set because the arm is on the end. Before I buy more I will need to check that there will be clearance for the internal shaker bars to get by the ash door jam. Anyway...

Your guess was reasonably close., but the bars have holes instead of notches. The bar is 1 9/16" wide, 21 5/8" long and 5/16" thick. It has five 7/8" holes evenly spaced plu sone smaller hole. The center to center dimension from the first hole to the 5th hole is 15 7/16". This makes the spacing 3 27.5/32" (nonstandard measurement, but accurate and consistent with the 15 7/16"). The first hole center is in from the end of the bar by 11/16". There is also one smaller hole for the shaker handle in the end opposite the one with the 7/8" hole in 11/16" from teh end. If you don't have the original handle the hole can be whatever size is needed for your handle. The hole in mine is about 19/32" and in from he end of the bar by 1 1/4". The handle is a piece of solid rod bent a 90 deg on one end with a handle on the other end. The picture in the parts list is pretty clear.

I took a picture and I will see if I can include it here.