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Hi, I am a total newbie to typewriters. I have recently purchased my first machine and thought I was buying a standard model B Imperial. On receiving said typewriter I find it has an extra wide carriage on it and have been doing some searches about this model variant and have come up empty handed. Can any one shed some light on this? or refer me to where I may be able to obtain further information? With Regards Norm
Last edited by Norm (19-5-2013 03:11:11)
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If my memory isn't deceiving me, I seem to recall from reading this forum that many typewriters have changeable carriages, meaning that the model of the typewriter can't necessarily be determined by the size of the carriage. Am I right about that?
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Thank you both kindly for responding. I am a bit shakey at attaching pics but will try. I have had a good look at the cast frame of the model b and the long carriage model has a different one piece cast base as compared to the standard model b. So it seems as if the standard cannot carry a wide carriage.
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Most Imperial models from the 1920s onwards came with an interchangeability feature. The only thing you couldn't swap was the frame of the typewriter. But everything else came in segments. So you could remove the keys, for example, and change them for a new/different set. Or remove the typebars. Or the carriage, and replace them with a different size/style/length.
But the Imperial Model B is pretty old. I THINK it predates this technology.
Are you sure it's a Model B? The Model B is a three-bank machine with a curved keyboard. This is the Model B:
Last edited by Shangas (21-5-2013 00:31:37)
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Definatley Model B Serial #20796. It has a similar but different cast one piece base in that it is about 2 inches wider each side at the rear to support the larger carriage. I will try to get some pics up. Regards Norm