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- I.den
- Platen Punisher
Offline 
- From: Netherlands
- Registered: 12-6-2016
- Posts: 67
Erika model 10 some letters do not advance carriage, sometimes
Hi there,
Another typewriter I'm working on is a rusty Erika 10.
I got it clean, and the carriage now moves across smoothly. It didn't at first, probably due to the rust and other dirt.
Now, however, I have a problem that the carriages will move when you type, but for some keys, it sometimes refuses to do so.
I believe I can rule out any problems with escapement or carriage because with other letters (f, w for example) the carriage moves without a hitch. For some letters however, it doesn't always move, only sometimes. I also have to press these keys down very hard. If I do it just a little bit softer than hard, it won't budge.
The 'd' and 'o' keys are very stubborn.
The space moves most of the time, but only if I press down hard.
Do you think this is a simple cleaning issue that the carriage seems smooth, but is in fact still not completely clean? Or is there something wrong with the stubborn keys that they're not 'set' right to prompt the carriage to move?
Thanks for your help !
- TypewriterKing
- Inactive Account
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- From: DeepInTheHeartO', Texas
- Registered: 17-2-2016
- Posts: 1,011
Re: Erika model 10 some letters do not advance carriage, sometimes
Sounds like your having trouble with the universal bar frame behind the type bar segment slots. It may be sticking a little bit, and somehow the linkages on some of the keys aren't pulling it far enough to engage the escapement wheel. Also, look at how the universal bar frame engages the escapement wheel. There may be something that either needs to be bent or unscrewed, adjusted, and tightened back. Somewhere something's a bit looser than it needs to be. Let me know how you come out.
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- I.den
- Platen Punisher
Offline
- From: Netherlands
- Registered: 12-6-2016
- Posts: 67
Re: Erika model 10 some letters do not advance carriage, sometimes
Hi all.
I've done some work on this machine over the months, and I think I've narrowed the problem down.
The problem isn't with individual keys (they all work equally well now) or the space bar, but the main spring drum.
I've had to re-attach the draw band several times, and noticed that I wasn't able to turn the drum spring too many times, or the spring would 'uncoil' (if that is the word) inside the drum. So if I would, for example, turn it about more than three times, at the fourth turn, it would uncoil inside the drum, releasing tension. Now I have it so that the spring has some tension (enough to allow me to type on the machine, and allow the tabulator to work) but not enough to allow me to use the entire width of the carriage and making it slow to catch it. If I type slowly, there's no problem. But when I go fast, it can't keep up.
Another sign is that the tabulator is very slow.
I've cleaned the rails multiple times and the escapement is fine as well, so I really do think the problem is with the main spring. I mean, you'd guess it would allow to be turned more than three times? And three turns would barely be enough for any machine to be fully functional, right?
I'm a bit afraid to start tampering with the main spring itself, but has anyone ever done anything like this, and is it easy to fix these springs so they allow more tension?..
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Thread Starter- Uwe
- Moderator
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,410
Re: Erika model 10 some letters do not advance carriage, sometimes
The spring is slipping off its anchor point on the drum, which needs to be opened to determine the exact cause. I've fixed many mainsprings that had this issue, and the cause can vary; some drums can be serviced more easily than others. And then there are those that are pressed together and not intended to be repaired, just replaced. I don't recall off hand which type the Erika 10 but will try to remember to check one of mine to see.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
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