1 - rufio275
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More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
I was finally able to order a ribbon with an old metal spool to fit my Super-speed. The only problem now is that I can't seem to get the ribbon to feed back and forth between the spools. I took off the front plate and looked around the inside of the machine, and everything seems to be working correctly--or, at least, nothing seems gunked up with anything or jammed.
Here's what happens as I type. The gears underneath the spool on the right side turn just fine, rotating the spool with every keystroke, while the gears under the opposite side, the left side, are lowered and disengaged. When I push the directional knob to reverse the spool, the gears that were disengaged on the left spool move up and engage while the gears that were engaged on the right side drop down and disengage. Again, these gears on the left that are now engaged advance a little on every keystroke.
The ribbon, however, does not move from one spool to the next. With the first couple turns of the spool, the tension in the ribbon goes slack. The one spool (whichever is engaged) continues to unwind while the other does not turn and so does not pull the slack ribbon across.
I'm wondering if both gears should engaged at the same time, thus turning both spools. But it doesn't appear that this is possible, as the directional knob to reverse the spools only switches it back and forth, from one side having gears that are engaged to the other side.
Hopefully this is clear and there's just a simple thing I'm not doing. I can also take pictures if needed. Thanks!
- Spazmelda
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
The engaged spool should be pulling new ribbon off of the disengaged spool, so it kind of sounds like you have them installed backwards.
I'm not familiar with these machines, but it seems that Uwe posted some pics in a previous thread of yours showing the ribbon installed.
So, at least in Uwe's machine it looks like the spools go in with the ribbon unwinding from the front, which is backwards from most of the machines I'm familiar with. The only one I have that has ribbon installed like that is my old Woodstock, and I'm pretty sure I put the ribbon in backwards the first time on that one 
If that's not it, sorry! Like I said, not really familiar with the machine.
Last edited by Spazmelda (17-5-2015 04:49:55)
- M. Höhne
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
rufio275 wrote:
... snip ....
Here's what happens as I type. The gears underneath the spool on the right side turn just fine, rotating the spool with every keystroke, while the gears under the opposite side, the left side, are lowered and disengaged. When I push the directional knob to reverse the spool, the gears that were disengaged on the left spool move up and engage while the gears that were engaged on the right side drop down and disengage. Again, these gears on the left that are now engaged advance a little on every keystroke.
The ribbon, however, does not move from one spool to the next. With the first couple turns of the spool, the tension in the ribbon goes slack. The one spool (whichever is engaged) continues to unwind while the other does not turn and so does not pull the slack ribbon across.
I'm wondering if both gears should engaged at the same time, thus turning both spools. But it doesn't appear that this is possible, as the directional knob to reverse the spools only switches it back and forth, from one side having gears that are engaged to the other side.
Hopefully this is clear and there's just a simple thing I'm not doing. I can also take pictures if needed. Thanks!
Thanks for a clear explanation of the symptoms and your troubleshooting. That is always a big help for people who are trying to help.
Spazmelda is right in this case. If your ribbon is all black, just turn it over so the ribbon comes off the back of the spools if it currently comes off the front, or vice versa.
If it is black/red, then doing that will put the red on the top, which is no problem unless you want the ribbon selector lever to point to the correct color. Conventionally, black is the top color, so if flipping the ribbon over puts red on top, you will have to rewind both spools so the the ribbon comes off the hub in the opposite direction.
None of this is related to how the ribbon goes through the vibrator (the up-and-down mechanism at the print point) so be sure to note the path there before you take it out (presuming it's in there correctly now).
Have Fun!
Last edited by M. Höhne (17-5-2015 06:08:49)
- rufio275
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
Hi guys,
Thank you both for the replies and suggestions. I'd thought of turning over the ribbon, but these spools and the trays that hole them are cut differently than any I've seen before (I usually type on Royals). The top side of the spool, or at least the part I have as the top now, simply has a round hole the size of the peg. The bottom side has a larger hole to accomodate an arm or a lever that is built onto the spool tray next to the peg. I'm sure I'm using the wrong terms here. Sorry for that. I've included some pictures for better reference.
Anyhow, I don't believe the spools can be turned over because of these levers. Has anyone seen anything like that on other typewriters? Thanks again!
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Thread Starter- rufio275
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
I should also say that I've switched the spools, so that they are in different trays, thus having the ribbon feed from the back, and this did not change anything either.
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Thread Starter- M. Höhne
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
First, your pics don't show. Second, now that I have paid attention to your subject line and see that we are dealing with an L.C. Smith, I know exactly what you're talking about in describing the spools. You're right---you can't just flip them over. Third, the ribbon should come off the spools from the front. If it doesn't, it's because somebody messed with it in the past and you'll have to unwind the ribbon from each spool and rewind it in the opposite direction---a little tedious but not hard. (Fourth, both gears should not and cannot be engaged at the same time.) Fifth, when it's all set up correctly, the engaged spool will pull the ribbon off the supply spool until it's all pulled off and then the mechanism will automatically reverse the direction and this will continue until the ribbon is so used up that the type is no longer dark enough on the paper. (Sixth, don't be surprised that Smith spools and cups are different from Royal spools and cups [and other brands, too]---that's the way of the world. Different people's ideas of how to solve similar problems, patent considerations, etc.)
- rufio275
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
Sorry about the pictures--not sure what happened there. I'm not surprised the spools and cups are different between makes, just unfamiliar with these kind. I'll try unwinding the ribbon and then winding it up in the opposite direction. Thanks for the info!
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Thread Starter- rufio275
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
So I unwound the ribbon from the spool and wound it back up in the opposite direction, and you're right: it was tedious, haha. And, unfortunately, it didn't work. The same thing occurred as before--the one spool will start to turn to unwind the ribbon and then the ribbon goes slack and quits feeding across the typewriter. I still haven't been able to see any mechanical issues. Could it have something to do with the levers in the cups themselves? I'm guessing these are supposed to hold the spools in place. Perhaps there is something the matter with them, though they don't appear bent or broken. I'm really at a loss for ideas at this point.
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Thread Starter- Spazmelda
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
Does the active spool keep turning after the ribbon goes slack?
- rufio275
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Re: More Issues With L C Smith Super-speed
Yes. That one keeps moving as I type, just kind of spilling the ribbon out because it won't wind up on the other one.
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