1 of 1- RCC
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Offline - Registered: 25-6-2018
- Posts: 7
Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
Hello, all,
I'm a newbie and just bought a 1939 Royal Aristocrat whose carriage won't advance when using the spacebar or any of the keys. Otherwise, it appears to be in really good condition. The carriage moves back and forth very smoothly when I use the carriage release levers. I've given it a cleaning and replaced the draw strap and that seems fine now. I've traced the linkages as far as I can and don't see any problem up to the escape wheel, but I can't see all the mechanics in there. I'm thinking I'd like to take the carriage off, so that I can see what's going on, but can't find any manuals on how to do that, and am thinking I might be over my head if I try to wing it. I have a Royal KMM, and I know removing (and replacing!) their carriage is complicated, even with the military service manual that is available on line.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
- skywatcher
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- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 737
Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
Hi RCC
Getting the carriage off isn't the hard part, it's getting it back on again with all 4 carriage rail balls timed correctly and their corresponding star rings or anti-creep wheels in their correct positions. If you want to get a better look at the escapement, you'd be much further ahead to remove the platen and the paper trough so you can see the escapement from on top by looking through the slots in the carriage.
Also, check to see that the universal bar isn't stuck. This is the bar that runs across the very tail ends of the key levers. Move this bar up and down with your fingers to see if the escapement trips. I would post some pictures, but I had an argument with Photobucket and haven' signed up to a new photo hosting website yet. Let us know what you find,
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)
- RCC
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Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
Sky,
Thanks for the advice.
Yeah, ever since I was a little guy, I've been learning that taking apart is a lot easier than putting back together! I knew the Royal KMM carriage is really hard to remount, and I was afraid the Aristocrat's, being of the same period, would be similar.
I'm glad to hear that removing the platen and paper trough will give me another view angle - I didn't think it would. I think I can handle that operation. It'll give me a chance to do some more cleaning and check out the rollers too,
I'll keep you posted. Thanks again,
RCC
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Thread Starter- RCC
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Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
Sky,
I forgot to add that the universal bar seems to be free - it moves about 1/8" and moves the linkages that go up toward the escapement - as does the space bar. I'm not sure if that is the normal distance, though.
RCC
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Thread Starter- SquireDante
- Touch Typist
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- From: South Carolina
- Registered: 26-1-2017
- Posts: 106
Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
- SoucekFan
- Speed Champion
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- Registered: 27-12-2015
- Posts: 489
Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
- SquireDante
- Touch Typist
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- From: South Carolina
- Registered: 26-1-2017
- Posts: 106
Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
SoucekFan wrote:
Removing the carriage on a Royal portable is an entirely different procedure from the Royal standard models.
Oh, I know it's completely different. I had a very frustrating time with a Royal Arrow and came to the conclusion that it was just poorly designed.
I thought that since RCC mentioned the KMM that I'd share with them my experience with the two I worked on.
- M. Höhne
- Key Master
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- From: Maine
- Registered: 14-3-2013
- Posts: 640
Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
...snip...
Oh, I know it's completely different. I had a very frustrating time with a Royal Arrow and came to the conclusion that it was just poorly designed.
...snip...
Oh, come on. I don't think you can call a Royal typewriter "poorly designed" just because you can't deal with it. They were never designed nor intended to be dismantled, reassembled, or even adjusted by users. They were not made to be worked on by amateurs and when they were designed there was no thought that someday trained professionals would not be available. In fact it is a testimony to their good design that so many are still working so well, unless they have been abused.
- SquireDante
- Touch Typist
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- From: South Carolina
- Registered: 26-1-2017
- Posts: 106
Re: Royal Aristocrat Carriage Removal
I didn't say I couldn't "deal with it." I took it apart, cleaned it and reassembled it to working condition (aside from the 'a' key that was snapped in half). But while I was doing it I couldn't help but wonder if there wasn't a better way to place parts. They must have had a very impressive assembly line and collection of tools to prevent the awkwardness I encountered. And I am pleased with the quality it's retained all these years later.
