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13-10-2015 23:05:28  #1


Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

I need to raise the upper case characters on my KMM to align them with the lower case.  I cannot find the adjustment points, however.  I had hoped they'd be in plain sight next to the carriage rails, as on the QDL.  Anyone know where they are, and how to do it?  Thanks very much!

 

14-10-2015 11:19:34  #2


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

The upper and lower shift stops (2 sets - 1 on each side) are located near the bottom of the machine directly under the segment. Look for a set of heavy springs on a vertical threaded rod in that area and it will make sense. Also, make sure that each shift stop hits its respective cushion at the exact same time.


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 

14-10-2015 12:10:56  #3


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

Thanks so much.  I will take a look.  So I gather there are a total of 4 stops, then -- upper and lower case on each side? That would be similar to the QDL's setup (different location of course).

     Thread Starter
 

14-10-2015 22:56:39  #4


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

So when I tilt the typewriter back, I see two stacks of heavy springs held in place by largish nuts (7/16"), around threaded rods that pass through sturdy fixed bumpers that are part of the typewriter frame.  These stacks move up and down when depressing and releasing the shift keys. The bottom nut on each has a screw in the middle.  I'm assuming that bottom nut is the locknut, and the screw is the adjustment screw, do I have that correct?  However, I was expecting to find locknuts and adjusting screws for both upper and lower case, but I only see the one.

Assuming that I am correct, I tried budging the locknuts with a nut driver, but they are too tight.  I may have to use a socket wrench (and penetrating oil also).

Am I on the right track here?  Thanks.

     Thread Starter
 

15-10-2015 14:51:40  #5


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

Royal recommends a special tool for the job (S-187), which is just an angled wrench. I think the last one I worked on was an HH and managed alright without the tool using the wrenches I had on hand. Anyway, the top nut (closest to the top of the machine) is a lock nut securing the rod in the segment, the next one down is the upper shift stop, followed by the lower shift stop, and the one on the bottom I think is used to adjust the typing line for both upper and lower case characters.

I would concentrate on adjusting the upper case nuts only and only in very small and matching increments. You could be entering a world of pain by loosening the lock nut, or even the bottom nut. Remember, small adjustments on a typewriter can have big results.


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 

15-10-2015 21:39:42  #6


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

Thanks so much for this -- I will check this out and report back on how it goes.  I was able to turn the bottom nut last night, but I think it was only turning the entire lower stack, including the spring.  I will retighten just to make sure, and work only on the upper case nuts.  I've got a open end 7/16" wrench, and I hope that will work,  Failing that, I will have to make do with an adjustable, which is always a less optimal choice.

     Thread Starter
 

17-10-2015 20:59:49  #7


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

Interesting -- I was turning the upper case nuts and not getting any results that I could see, after a fair amount of time.  So I tried tightening the bottom nuts and that seems to have brought the upper case characters into alignment.  Will test them some more to make sure, but things look good now.

     Thread Starter
 

20-10-2015 21:50:45  #8


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

Thought I would report further on this.  I read the relevant sections of the Ames book on standard machines (from Richard Polt's site, I believe) to see if I was doing this correctly.  First off, the upper nut and accompanying locknut are for the "on-feet adjustment," which is the adjustment that assures the typebars are hitting the platen squarely (i.e. exactly in the middle of the platen).

You need to have two 7/16" open end wrenches to loosen the locknuts, which are the topmost nuts, from the adjusting nuts, and this is a pain in the neck -- very little space in there.  An adjustable wrench is too large.  I did not have two of the open end wrenches, but an 11mm will work in a pinch, since it's virtually the same size. The Ames book says to engage the shift lock, and the adjustment is done using the capital letters. I found this adjustment to be a compromise -- I could not get all letters to print exactly perfectly, all the time, but I partly chalk that up to the age of the machine, and the fact the new old stock ribbon I got is rather dry (a fresh ribbon helps cover variations in printing).  Keeping the adjusting nuts in the correct position while tightening the locknuts is tricky in that small space.  The Ames book says to insert thin tissue paper on each side to make sure the clearances are the same on both sides; I can't vouch for having achieved absolute precision in this step, however.

The second adjustment, to bring the upper case and lower case letters into alignment vertically, is called in Ames the motion adjustment.  This is done by means of the bottom nut on each side, and as with the on-feet adjustment, the locknut (at the very bottom of the stack) must be loosened from the adjusting nut. Here, at least, there is more room to maneuver, and an adjustable wrench could be used if need be. But keeping the adjusting nuts in proper position while tightening the locknut is still rather fiddly.  Using Hh as the guide, you can bring things into alignment with trial and error -- but I still find that some letters don't always line up properly all the time.

I had hoped to find a way to adjust the typing line so that the bottoms of the letters (not the descenders, of course) would all be legible just above the "ruler" on either side of the typing point, but no luck.  I had assumed all typewriters were set up so that this is the case -- it makes for easy review of what you just typed, and serves as an indication of the straightness of the printing on the paper.  But looking at the Ames book, I am not sure this is possible anyway, at least not with the KMM, since the proper on-feet adjustment point is obviously slightly lower.  And I see nothing in that book describing this adjustment. But if I am mistaken in my assumption, I'd like to know!

     Thread Starter
 

10-5-2017 20:48:28  #9


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

Just to add a note on these:

I did all the normal steps to align a KMM machine today, and nothing was working.  I finally noticed there was a problem with the rubber foot pads.  In this case, the ones in the back were in better shape than the ones in the front, and when I switched them, the alignment was perfect.  

So if you are having alignment issues and nothing else is working, check those rubber feet!

 

29-11-2019 20:18:38  #10


Re: Adjusting Vertical Alignment on a KMM

Thank You, Periol!  I read your post and found that swapping the front rubber feet for the rear rubber feet under my 1941 ROYAL KMM took care of the upper-case characters being slightly higher than the lower case characters. Now the bottom of both the upper case ad lower case characters are even with one another.
 

 

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