- skywatcher
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Offline - From: The Prairies of Alberta
- Registered: 14-3-2013
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Re: Royal QDL lid pop
Hi Overwood
Just looking at my Canadian built 1956 Royal Citadel S/N-B3439854 with the ribbon cover release button on the left and the bichrome selector on the right, I see that the spring loaded catch is held on by 2 screws with compression springs between the screw heads and the catch. My thought is that if one were to remove the front plate which I think involves removing the cover first, could a person replace these two springs with slightly stronger springs thus increasing the tension on the catch for a more secure hold on the ribbon cover? All the best,
Sky
We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
- M. Höhne
- Key Master
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Re: Royal QDL lid pop
Hi, Sky. But OP's latch on the QDL is a different system and does not involve a coiled spring.
- overwood
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- Registered: 10-11-2018
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Re: Royal QDL lid pop
This is an Aristocrat but its identical. That stupid little spring steel latch is all there is, and all it catches on is the tiny lip at the lower edge of the ribbon cover. It may be hard to see in the pic but that latch edge bends toward the back of the typewriter a mm or 3, so there is no real grab to it.
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Thread Starter- overwood
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Re: Royal QDL lid pop
PS-there is a picture in the above post. I mention it because some people here have to use different browsers to see pictures.
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Thread Starter- skywatcher
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Re: Royal QDL lid pop
Hi Again Overwood
It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some pictures of the springs I mentioned.
My 1956 Royal Citadel S/N-B3439854
With the ribbon cover open
The springs at the bottom of the latch
I hope these pictures make sense. All the best,
Sky
We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
- M. Höhne
- Key Master
Offline
- From: Maine
- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 638
Re: Royal QDL lid pop
Hi again, Sky. Your picture does indeed correct my misunderstanding of your earlier description, which I took to be that design where a peg on the lid gets forced past a spring on the body, which is a good design. Your pic is the one I was comparing it to. If your suggestion works, you'll be a hero. I have tried bending the part that the springs press on, but couldn't get a result.
- overwood
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- From: Midwest
- Registered: 10-11-2018
- Posts: 285
Re: Royal QDL lid pop
Or maybe just tighten the screws a bit? Thanks for the pics Sky, I too thought you were looking at a different kind of latch. Let me know if you have any luck and I will report back too, M. Höhne
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Thread Starter- skywatcher
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- Registered: 14-3-2013
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Re: Royal QDL lid pop
Hi Once Again
I think you'll find that those are shouldered screws which are seated against the frame, so no further adjustment is available, see picture for example of shouldered screw (It's hard to get a good close-up with a little point-and-shoot camera).
As I've never had any problem with my Citadel, I'm not going to take it to pieces. All the best,
Sky
We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
- overwood
- Speed Champion
Offline
- From: Midwest
- Registered: 10-11-2018
- Posts: 285
Re: Royal QDL lid pop
I'm having some success (so far) placing several button magnets on the inside of the body, around the edge of the lid opening.
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Thread Starter