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08-4-2015 03:07:47  #1


Mercury Royal

The metal piece on my Mercury Royal that holds the ribbon gets stuck in the "up" position. It won't go down. So now when I type, I cannot see what I'm typing.  I'm sure I'm not using the correct terms. Thanks in advance.

 

08-4-2015 14:26:11  #2


Re: Mercury Royal

With respect to your Royal (manufacturer's name) Mercury (model name), the "metal piece" is called a vibrator. When you say it gets stuck, do you mean on occasion, or does it permanently stay in the elevated position?

Incidentally, is this what your machine looks like?


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 

08-4-2015 14:38:54  #3


Re: Mercury Royal

Hello, you nice person, you! Thank you for telling me what the proper names are for my trouble area.

Yes, that is my typewriter. I bought via online auction, and I think it has seen little use.

The vibrator stays in the upright position once I start typing.

Thank you

     Thread Starter
 

08-4-2015 19:32:46  #4


Re: Mercury Royal

Hmm... I have a Royal 200, which is the exact same machine as your's only with a different name, and the vibrator has never given me any trouble. Was it stuck in the up position when you got it?


A high schooler with a lot of typewriters. That's pretty much about it.
 

08-4-2015 20:14:04  #5


Re: Mercury Royal

The same thing has happened on several old machines that I have bought.  It's normally caused by old oil / ink / gunk on the sliding parts of the vibrator.  I usually take the ribbon off and flush the vibrator freely and repeatedly with meths or a de-greaser (be careful not to get it on the paintwork, just in case).  This, and use, tends to free it up again.  Also, look closely at the parts - any of them bent?  They should be quite flat, I think.
Good luck.


Sincerely,
beak.
 
 

08-4-2015 20:56:29  #6


Re: Mercury Royal

I had a typewriter where the vibrator would get stuck up, not all the time, but sometimes.  I did as beak suggested above and it freed it right up.  I just used a q-tip soaked in naptha and gently squished the fluid down in there repeatedly.

 

08-4-2015 21:07:58  #7


Re: Mercury Royal

Thank you all very much! I will do as suggested and post my results. It's a lovely little typewriter, and I look forward to typing my great novel on it. ;-)

     Thread Starter
 

08-4-2015 22:55:54  #8


Re: Mercury Royal

It's not an uncommon problem. Beak's solution is hopefully all that will be required, but there could be a mechanical issue too. Before you start cleaning the vibrator and all of its moving linkages, you should type a little with the ribbon cover off and verify that the ribbon spools are moving. I've seen a vibrator become jammed in the up position from ribbon tension because the automatic reverse mechanism didn't trip.


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 

09-4-2015 15:47:15  #9


Re: Mercury Royal

Well, all of your great advice worked, and I'm tapping away!  I have many more questions, but I will start new threads. Thank you all very much.

     Thread Starter
 

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