Harold E. Johnson wrote:
This description will probably make sense to an expert- I suppose not
to anyone else!

Anybody incounter this before??

Yes, that mechanism is called a Geneva wheel.

Well, actually, no it isn't a Geneva wheel, but it performs the same purpose.
A Geneva wheel, actually called a Geneva Stop Work, is a Maltese cross shaped
wheel that is used in conjunction with a rotating pawl. As the pawl rotates,
it flips the Maltese cross shaped wheel one tooth per revolution. The final
tooth on the Maltese cross is oversized, and will block the shaft from turning
when it is reached. The cross can have more than 4 petals.

and it's most likely that
either the first or last "washer", is locking up and not rotating due to
grease congealing and either locking it to the front or back plate or to
another wheel and 2 rotating at a time.

I have a couple of those LMO's if all else fails, but expect that as the
other poster suggests, a drop of WD-40 would cure your problem.

I would bet you are right about that!

-Chuck