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- Platen Punisher
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- From: Suffolk, England
- Registered: 11-2-2015
- Posts: 66
Underwood 18 Carriage Return, Platen and other issues
I bought an Underwood 18 supposedly working from a charity but it has a number of problems to which I can find no answer. The carriage return does not work although the pawl is engaging and turning the cog wheel. Searching the net I found this is a common problem with this machine but no fix was mentioned. The platen is free moving with the paper release in the normal position but when the lever is pulled forward not only can you spin the platen even more freely but the carriage return then works in both one and two line positions! However, when you turn the platen with an end knob there is no characteristic clicking sound. Apart from a rusty paper clip in the works I can see nothing wrong. I am completely lost on this one. The bell doesn't work, I can fix that and the key that's jammed I can fix that too. One odd thing was that the manual says the carriage is locked in transit, to unlock use lever one. There is no lever one and as far as I can make out, there never has been. Nothing appear to be missing and there are no signs that the machine has ever been opened underneath. I fear I have landed myself with a complete lemon still, I would like to fix it if possible.
- M. Höhne
- Key Master
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- From: Maine
- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 627
Re: Underwood 18 Carriage Return, Platen and other issues
First, using accurate terminology will help to avoid confusion. It seems that when you say the carriage return [lever?] does not work, you mean the line feed mechanism does not work.
The characteristic clicking sound is the line feed detent (usually a very small roller) clicking over the teeth of the line feed cog (the sharp-toothed gear-like thing at the left end of the platen). The paper release lever should not disengage the detent, only the pressure rollers under the platen allowing free adjustment of paper position without turning the platen. Separately, the detent can be disengaged by (usually) a smaller knob within the left (usually) platen knob, and this might be where your trouble is. This LF engagement mech is supposed to connect the LF cog with the platen and it can get gummed up so it does not release to do the connecting and turning. It's a big puzzle to me too, why this would be affected by the paper release mechanism. You say the CR/LF lever feeds paper only when the paper release lever is in the release position?
This LF release is inside the LF-cog/platen parts and hard and fussy to get to but it's where I would look for more insight.
As for the carriage lock release "lever one" (I sppose that is lever #1 in an illustration?), often a manual is written to cover several different models and some features may be omitted from some models but they still are shown in the manual. Carriage lock is an odd feature to omit, though. Or sometimes a feature is changed without their bothering to change the manual. Keep moving things, without forcing of course, and watching what happens.
HTH a bit. Good Luck!
