Posted by DrLoveWizard  22-9-2025 06:47:05 | #1 |
Anyone know how to adjust the timing of individual type bars? I have 5 keys (Q, A, L, P and 2) that do not trip the escapement unless struck very hard. Every other key trips the escapement fine as I move the type bar into the guide by hand except those five keys.I'm assuming the linkages need to be formed but wanted to make sure before bending anything.The machine has been degreased/cleaned and its in excellent condition.
|
Posted by DrLoveWizard 22-9-2025 07:51:26 | #2 |
Took the carriage off to inspect the trip mechanism. There's a curved bar in the basket that is pushed by the nose of the type bar. I don't understand how there could be a timing issue unless that bar was bent, had grooves or the type bar is damaged. The keys with bad timing are on the outside of the basket, which might be a sign that the bar is bent in some way. Not sure if this can be adjusted.
|
Posted by treefaller 22-9-2025 20:13:06 | #3 |
This may be of absolutely no help at all, but I present it here on this forum as an item of experience. First, I do not have an SM9. I have an SM4 and an SM7, which are both carriage shift machines. But I have an old Royal KHM which is a segment shift machine, and I notice some similarities in the symptomology here. My Royal is an old--1939--and well used machine. Some would say that it is worn out. I found that the Universal Bar, called the U-bar, had gotten worn on the end pivot points on the left and right and those pivot points were quite loose. That allowed the U-bar to tip as it was being pulled by the pull rods used in the Royal standard line. This meant that the escapement, which was tripped at the center, and also the ribbon vibrator, wouldn't move enough sometimes to fully trip the mechanism, or raise the ribbon. But it was only the keys at the far left and right that were affected enough to notice. As I said, this may be no help at all for your problem. I don't even know if the SM9 uses a U-bar mechanism. Good luck with this.
Bangin' around, this dirty old town, typin' for nickels and dimes...
|
Posted by DrLoveWizard 23-9-2025 07:59:35 | #4 |
treefaller wrote:
This may be of absolutely no help at all, but I present it here on this forum as an item of experience. First, I do not have an SM9. I have an SM4 and an SM7, which are both carriage shift machines. But I have an old Royal KHM which is a segment shift machine, and I notice some similarities in the symptomology here. My Royal is an old--1939--and well used machine. Some would say that it is worn out. I found that the Universal Bar, called the U-bar, had gotten worn on the end pivot points on the left and right and those pivot points were quite loose. That allowed the U-bar to tip as it was being pulled by the pull rods used in the Royal standard line. This meant that the escapement, which was tripped at the center, and also the ribbon vibrator, wouldn't move enough sometimes to fully trip the mechanism, or raise the ribbon. But it was only the keys at the far left and right that were affected enough to notice. As I said, this may be no help at all for your problem. I don't even know if the SM9 uses a U-bar mechanism. Good luck with this.
Thanks! So I've done a lot of investigation since I posted and have significantly improved the timing. You cannot adjust the timing of individual keys because behind the basket there's a curved metal bar that the nose of the type bar pushes. This pushes on a metal post which is attached to the universal bar and triggers the escapement. It was tricky to get right, but I formed the metal post closer. I figured its better to be early then to be late, so now the ends of the basket are triggering the escapement correctly. Overall the touch is now much lighter and it feels even better. 
