1 of 1- Fleetwing
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline - From: Hartford, CT USA
- Registered: 30-6-2015
- Posts: 1,006
Mystery Part on a KMM
I'm sure it's common to any number of other typewriters, but I am asking with regard to the KMM since I have been working on getting one into working condition. The piece I'm referring to is a metal bar, a flap really, that is just underneath the front of the main body of the typewriter, that is to say, just beyond the keyboard. It runs horizontally from one side of the machine to the other, and pivots through a narrow angle. When the top edge is pivoted away from the keyboard, it blocks the spacebar and keys from moving, and so I have to lift the front of the machine and pivot it back in order to use the keyboard. It is connected to a rod that in turn is attached to a piece that butts against the inside back of the typewriter. It also connects to a mechanism up above that, but I cannot tell what or where that is.
So: What is the function of this piece? And how can I keep its top edge pivoted toward the keyboard, so as to enable typing? I can't see that there is a spring missing anywhere, but logically there must be something.
I am sorry to not post pictures -- that's above my skill level (!). But I reckon there are a number of you out there familiar with the KMM, and who can tilt theirs upward and see what I'm talking about. Thanks in advance for your help.
- TypewriterGuy
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Re: Mystery Part on a KMM
I beleive that is the peice that stops you from hitting the keys or spacebar when you get to a margin.
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- Fleetwing
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Re: Mystery Part on a KMM
Thanks, that makes sense. Not sure why it seems to engage (i.e. black the keys and spacebar) seemingly at random, though.
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Thread Starter- TypewriterGuy
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Re: Mystery Part on a KMM
Hmm, I dont know why its random. Maybe somone else can help. Im only guessing, because I used to have a KMG, but that was a year ago.
Back from a long break.
Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
- ztyper
- Key Master
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Re: Mystery Part on a KMM
The piece you are refering to is the thing that stops the keyboard from moving because the end of a margin has been reached. It's connected to the "thing that stops the carriage from moving when it hits a margin" (yes that is a technical term 
) through a series of metal rods and connections. You can identify it by when you press the margin release button and look at the back of the machine. It should move back and forth to allow the carriage to advance if it needs to be. If you need a picture, I could post one up later. If you're looking from the front of the typewriter, on the right side of the little flap there is a plate that sticks out and moves when pushed in. A clicking sound should be heard when pushing it in. The sound is the piece hitting the keyboard that prevents keys from moving.
Now, if something is wrong, it shouldn't work. Maybe a linkage is loose and so it doesn't engage and just moves at random. Or maybe a spring is missing so nothing is holding it down. Try locating the pieces and if you need pictures, I will post them later.
A high schooler with a lot of typewriters. That's pretty much about it.
- Fleetwing
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Re: Mystery Part on a KMM
Thanks for the technical terms (!). Haven't had much chance to explore it yet, but I do wonder if a spring is missing somewhere -- just can't figure out where, though. However, it's true that hitting the Margin Release key will unblock the keyboard and spacebar, regardless of where the carriage is positioned, so that's helpful.
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Thread Starter- Fleetwing
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Re: Mystery Part on a KMM
The Margin Release seems to work OK to keep this "blocking" piece from interfering with the typing. I think that as the machine is being exercised more, things (including this part) are start to work as they should, after a long and negligent storage.
I have slowly been bringing things back online. Escapement and backspace now seem to be working right. A little forming on the righthand bail support got that properly aligned. Liberal and repeated use of naphtha on the segment has got the keys' action pretty much at 100%.
The main thing vexing me was the Tabular feature. I finally figured out how it worked, and that the pinion that engages with the rack on the carriage to provide drag was totally seized. Pressing the key would engage the pinion with the rack, but it would only move one space at a time. Finally got the pinion freed up today, though there's still too much drag for the carriage to move all the way consistently. I'll need to clean corrosion off the carriage -- the flange that contacts the carriage is probably dragging on the corrosion. Tab Set and Tab Clear keys are freeing up so that they are returning to resting position without assistance.
But we are almost there. Next is to clean the slugs, and get a correct set of spools and ribbon.
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Thread Starter