1 - Schop
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Offline - From: Ohio, USA
- Registered: 19-8-2016
- Posts: 14
Ribbon not dropping back down
Hi people. I'm somewhat new to htis whole tinkering with typewriters, so bear with me if I do not use the right vocabulary for the different pieces and parts (I call most parts 'a thingie').
Anyway, let's get to the problem: I've been cleaning an 1962 Underwood Touchmaster 5, and everything seems to work fine. I've been typing away for a little bit, and it's getting smoother and smoother as I keep cleaning and using it.
Then all of a sudden, it started doing this: after typing a character, the ribbon will not move down anymore. I can push it down with my finger easily, but then after typing the next character, it sits up there again. (see the picture).
What could cause this? Is it supposed to return by gravity only, or should there be a spring pulling it back down?
Any help would be really appreciated!
- Uwe
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
It's possible that you're at the end of the ribbon and the auto reverse mechanism isn't working.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Schop
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- From: Ohio, USA
- Registered: 19-8-2016
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
No, that's not the case.
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
Given how dirty the type slugs and segment are it could be a matter of giving the machine a good cleaning before diving into potential mechanical causes. You should also make sure that the ribbon spools are turning freely. I would also manually reverse the ribbon direction to see if that makes a difference.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Schop
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- From: Ohio, USA
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
How do I reverse the direction?
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
Lift off the spool that the ribbon is feeding from and type half a line, or until you see the spool-less spindle begin to turn.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Schop
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- From: Ohio, USA
- Registered: 19-8-2016
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
Okay, that didn't help. The ribbon is feeding smoothly in both directions. The problem is getting worse. If I push the thing (what is the correct name) back down, it even starts creeping back up sometimes. It feels like it is moving smoothly though.
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Thread Starter- Uwe
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
It's called a ribbon vibrator. Have you cleaned the typewriter yet? Use mineral spirits and cotton swabs and start methodically cleaning all the components of the vibrator system. Tilt the machine onto it's back to access more of the linkages. To double check that the ribbon isn't effecting the vibrator's movement, remove the ribbon from the vibrator. In your photo it looks like the left-side vibrator gate isn't properly closed, which is something else to check.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- TypewriterKing
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- From: DeepInTheHeartO', Texas
- Registered: 17-2-2016
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Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
First of all, get rid of that awful cotton ribbon that probably came with the typewriter. Get you a nice nylon ribbon (you can get a 1/2" ribbon from an Epson computer cartridge or any 1/2" nylon ribbon (hold onto your spools, though), and observe how the ribbon is presently wound onto your spools. The left at takeup should rotate clockwise and the right at takeup counterclockwise. That would mean the ribbon would start its wrap on each spool at the bottom, or towards the front of the typewriter. If the vibrator is still sticking after a good cleaning, you may need to push back on both sides of it ever so gently--it could be the old ribbon could have pulled it a little forward (I've seen this before). And, by the way, on the upper left side of the keyboard, near the backspace key, there is a little lever that you push either to the right or left. That's the ribbon reverse.
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- Schop
- New Member
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- From: Ohio, USA
- Registered: 19-8-2016
- Posts: 14
Re: Ribbon not dropping back down
Thanks for all the pointers guys! I should've probably done this before, but I removed the ribbon and tested it without it. The vibrator still stays up, which brings me back to one of the original questions; what makes it go down in the normal situation? Gravity? Tension in the ribbon? (I have a new ribbon coming by the way)
Also: I noticed the vibrator has some sideways play. Is this normal, or should it be snug on the guides?
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Thread Starter