1 - beak
- Key Master
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
- Posts: 912
Twin typewriter!
Can anyone explain the function of this beast, please?
Sincerely,
beak.
- Uwe
- Moderator
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,410
Re: Twin typewriter!
I've seen these before. One might believe that it's to allow for an extremely wide carriage, and there's an element of truth to that, but I think the main reason for their existence is to have double the typeable characters (two different keyboards). If you look at the photos more closely you'll see that their keyboards are different, and that the one on the left has been mostly fitted with mathematical and scientific characters.
Too bad that it looks like the right machine has been partially stripped of parts (no ribbon system). It would certainly make a nice little catch for any collection, but it's also something that I'd only buy locally given the incredible weight of that setup.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
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- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
- Posts: 919
Re: Twin typewriter!
Those are really rare ! It was actually based on the Imperial 55 and there does not seem to be anything missing. That large knob in the middle (like a car gear lever knob) actually lifts and moves the whole carriage, escapement AND ribbon mechanism across to the second keyboard. The idea was to have a standard keyboard and one for foreign languages, or maybe a standard keyboard and one for scientific symbols. I worked for an Imperial Agent (they were always Agents, not Dealers !) in the 1980's and 1990's. One of our customers, the Water Research Establishment in Stevenage, had at least one in the past. A chap that I worked with clearly remembered that they had to send two engineers to carry it if it had to come back to the workshop for attention.
- JustAnotherGuy
- Speed Champion
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- From: Illinois, USA
- Registered: 20-9-2014
- Posts: 277
Re: Twin typewriter!
Here's a good post on this typewriter:
- Spazmelda
- Key Master
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- From: Ohio
- Registered: 25-2-2015
- Posts: 830
Re: Twin typewriter!
Wow, that is really freaking cool. Beak, you need to bid on that!
Last edited by Spazmelda (11-4-2015 21:01:40)
- beak
- Key Master
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- From: Qld Australia
- Registered: 24-3-2013
- Posts: 912
Re: Twin typewriter!
Great, thanks for the explanations and links.
I often need these maths and algebra symbols, so I'm very tempted! Hold me back, someone, please!
Sincerely,
beak.
- •
Thread Starter- Uwe
- Moderator
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,410
Re: Twin typewriter!
Don't look at me...
I hope that it ends up in some collector's hands. If was local to me I would definitely be bidding on it.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- Spazmelda
- Key Master
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- From: Ohio
- Registered: 25-2-2015
- Posts: 830
Re: Twin typewriter!
Dude, it's only at $29 right now. I don't know what that is in usd, but it's pretty cheap right? You neeeeeedddd it.
- KatLondon
- Key Master
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- From: London
- Registered: 11-10-2014
- Posts: 995
Re: Twin typewriter!
Well, there's one bid on it (is that yours, Beak?? I never make a bid till well into the final minute). Remember you'll need to take a strong friend with you when you go to collect it! :D
Last edited by KatLondon (14-4-2015 01:32:15)
