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03-10-2014 05:10:02  #1


Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

It may be the ignorant amateur speaking, but I think there could be something wrong with this otherwise spotless Smith & Corona 10. When the ribbon is fully wound from left to right - there is nothing left on the left hand spool - the mechanism does not switch over to the other direction. The ribbon gets stuck, becomes taut and pulled in the centre. I pressed the Ribbon Key, but nothing happened. Then tried to manually rewind to the left spool from the right spool but this can't be done without forcing the mechanism. I also tried to fiddle with the pegs and bolts under the spools, still to no avail. Is this model meant to be manually rewound when the ribbon comes to a halt? Or is there something wrong with the mechanism that can be corrected? Please advise. Thanks, Miklos

 

03-10-2014 11:33:23  #2


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

Smith-Corona produced a number of different model with "10" in its name. Could you describe your machine a little more so we know exactly which model you're talking about? If, for example, you have a Classic 10 from the '60s, it has an automatic ribbon reverse system. It's not uncommon for these systems (in most makes and models) to not work properly and most often I've found it to be a problem of dirt or congealed oil that it preventing a component in the system from working the way it should.

Pictures and more details would definitely help here. 


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

03-10-2014 14:05:35  #3


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

This is the machine I am reporting as behaving badly. When you wind the spools manually from left to right, there is a feeling that a healthy clutch and cogwheel system is engaged. Gives a purring sound and moves smoothly. (The ribbon also progresses automatically in this direction.) There is no way at present to achieve this in the oppositie direction. The mechanism is as clean and dirt free as possible I think.https://www.flickr.com/photos/126655310@N05/15244072507/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126655310@N05/15243920330/in/photostream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126655310@N05/15407558296/in/photostream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126655310@N05/15430618445/in/photostream/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/126655310@N05/15244024348/in/photostream/lightbox/
The Ribbon Key is the first from the left in the top (5th)  row. I am not quite sure what it does, as I have not seen any result from pressing it. If you press and shunt it slightly to the right, it will remain in a depressed position. Still no change in ribbon transmission.
 

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03-10-2014 14:10:57  #4


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

Ah, what you actually have is a Smith-Corona Model 8 with a 10 inch carriage. Have you tried moving the small nickel plated lever that's on the left of the number 8 on the front valence? It looks like a ribbon reverse lever to me.


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

03-10-2014 15:39:01  #5


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

Brilliant observation! Will do first thing tomorrow morning (UK time). This machine is in my office, as my apartment has a gadget overfow problem.
Thanks. I will report back.

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06-10-2014 14:29:40  #6


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

Yes. The small lever near the No. 8 actually reverses the direction of the ribbon trsansmission. Excellent stuff.
But what does the Ribbon Key do - on the oppopsite end from the Back Spacer? I haven't dicovered any function for it. It does not raise the ribbon (multi-colour ribbon function?) does not impede or release the ribbon.

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06-10-2014 15:13:38  #7


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

The ribbon-reverser switch will be that little nub next to the '8' decal, as you've discovered. 

The 'Ribbon KEY' on the keyboard...I have no idea. Does it perhaps engage/disengage the ribbon-winder/drum? 


"Not Yet Published" - My History Blog
"I just sit at a typewriter and curse a bit" - Sir Pelham Grenville "P.G." Wodehouse
"The biggest obstacle to professional writing is the necessity for changing a typewriter ribbon" - Robert Benchley
 

06-10-2014 17:03:21  #8


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

Squinancy wrote:

But what does the Ribbon Key do - on the oppopsite end from the Back Spacer? I haven't dicovered any function for it. It does not raise the ribbon (multi-colour ribbon function?) does not impede or release the ribbon.

It is a ribbon colour selector. To use it, you need to press the key all the way down and then to the right to lock it in position. The vibrator doesn't change its position when you do this, only as you type does it rise higher to allow the slugs to hit the second colour of a two-colour ribbon, which in most cases is red. 
 


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

19-10-2014 13:18:45  #9


Re: Ribbon flow direction on the Smith & Corona 10

Further regarding the Ribbon Key on the Smith & Corona Model 8. It has two positions:
1. Press it half way down then shift to the right to lock - the ribbon does not rise at all when a key is pressed. The type face hits the paper directly without the interposition of the ribbon.
2. Press all the way down and then to the righ to lock: the ribbon (vibrator) rises about twice as high as in normal mode (i.e. Ribbon Key not pressed at all) and hits the lower half of the ribbon - this is for colour.

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