1 of 1- KatLondon
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Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
What a crap headng very sorry.
I have two machines on which the platen doesn't click as it goes ast the lines, when you turn it. This isn't much of an issue for me but we're about to give one of them ot my boyfriend's kid, and I think he will be better off with the lines working...
Can anyone tell me a) what this function is called, and B) what I'm looking for, to try and fix it?
The two machines are an SM3, which is just mine, and a 1959 Quiet Riter just like the one J already uses at my place. We're very excited to have got one for him to have at his mum's house, but we want both of them to work well for him...
- TypewriterGuy
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
Seems like one of the levers is lifted on the carriage. Its one of those levers that moves the platen up so you can move paper around easy. Some people leave them up so they dont damage the platen during storage. Anyways, look and lay around with levrs on the carriage. You should find one that moves the platen back down. I think its called paper release.
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- Uwe
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
@TypewriterGuy: The paper release does not disengage the platen from the line space system, it just moves the feed rollers off of the platen to make removing a sheet of paper easier.
Some typewriters, like the Quiet-Riter have a "line space disengaging lever" on the left side of the carriage that allows the platen to turn independent of line space mechanism. It should be pushed to the rear of the machine for normal use. The Olympia SM3 also has this, and also a "line space plunger" on the right platen knob that when pressed serves a similar function.
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- KatLondon
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
Ah, thanks - news to me! I'll have a look at both of them when I get home.
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Thread Starter- KatLondon
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
Okay the Olympia is up on a high shelf but I've just checked the Remington and that's worked! Who knew. Brilliant. One happy boy coming up.
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Thread Starter- TypewriterGuy
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
Off topic: Anyone elses typewriter database slow, and un responsive?
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- KatLondon
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
No, but my wifi has been... different thing!
I tried the Olympia and no, it's just not working. Tbh that machine could do with some attention generally.
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Thread Starter- thetypewriterman
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
Dear Kat, The function is called 'Ratchet Release'. On the SM3, there is a little chrome-plated lever immediately behind the line space lever. It is probably in the 'released' position. The plunger on the end of the right hand platen knob is the 'Freehead - also called Platen Variable'. It is for lining up the writing line exactly - when filling in a pre-printed form for instance. The difference is that after operating the Ratchet Release, you can go back to your original line easily. And after using the Platen Variable/Freehead, it would be quite difficult.
- KatLondon
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Re: Er - the clicky thing the platen does when you turn it..?
Ahh, thanks! Okay I will go up there and get the SM3 down again and have another look. The main pressing issue was the Quiet Riter, as it's for the budding novelist and we don't want him getting frustrated... it never fails to amaze me how many new parts you can find on a typewriter, even after you thought you'd got to know it...
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