[GreenKeys] Some more info on Teletype model numbers
gil smith
[email protected]
Wed, 20 Aug 2003 20:47:21 -0700
Hi Jim:
Good info! I always enjoy hearing about the more obscure machines.
We had a lot of discussion about the Model 10 a couple of years back -- was
there ever a conclusion on which picture was the actual unit? I know you
have done a lot of patent research on this one.
The unit you list as Model 11, the one based on the Blickensderfer
typewriter, is the one I have seen referenced to simply as the "Morkrum
Printing Telegraph."
http://www.vauxelectronics.com/gil/tty/MPT.htm
The Model 11 was a tape printer based on the Baudot Printing
Telegraph. One still exists in a museum in Europe. This was the first
machine to be badged with the Teletype name and scroll.
http://www.vauxelectronics.com/gil/tty/M11.htm
thanks,
gil
At 02:15 pm 8/20/03, [email protected] wrote:
>I talked with Walt Zenner 20 August 2003
>
>Numbered models are pretty much a Bell System thing. Some model numbers
>were assigned to machines that were never produced.
>
>Model 10 - Western Electric machine, by Pfannenstiehl et al Typebar page
> printer with stationary platen
>Model 11 - Morkrum, typewheel page printer based on Blickensderfer
> typewriter (according to Slayton; Zenner says not based on Blick
> typewriter)
>Model 12 - well-known machine, Morkrum, typebar page printer with moving
> platen
>Model 13 - Model 10 retrofitted with Morkrum Model 12 typing unit
>Model 14 - well-known Morkrum machine It seems, according to the catalog,
> that the GPE perforator and XD transmitter-distributor were also
> considered part of the Model 14 line.
>Model 15 - well-known Teletype machine
>Model 16 - a stock ticker that was not produced because of the 1929
>depression.
> Design was by Walt's group. It had dual type baskets, one for letters and
> one for figures.
>Black box stock ticker - did not have a model number.
>Model 17 - Designed by Kleinschmidt, a Hellschreiber-like machine. Don't
> know if it could interoperate with a real Hellschreiber.
>Model 18 - Kleinschmidt designed page printer for Western Union. Not
> manufactured. It had a lot of parts in common with the 21-A multiplex
> tape printer, but was a simplex (i.e. start-stop) machine.
>Model 19 - well known Teletype machine There is also the DPE perforator,
> being a perforator-only version of the Model 19 keyboard.
>Model 20 - fairly well known machine, up/low 6-level version of Model 15
> used for Teletypesetter
>Model 21 - The Western Union 21-A multiplex tape printer that has
> a few parts in common with Model 14
>Models 22, 23, 25 and 27 - Walt doesn't remember anything about them.
> Probably machines that were designed but not manufactured.
>Model 24 seems to be an early version of Model 26, lacking some features
> of the latter. Which means the typewheel positioning mechanism is
> based on the stock ticker.
>Model 26 - fairly well known machine. Was intended to be a low-cost machine
> for TWX service. It turned out that by concentrating on one model, the
> Model 15, they could achieve the cost-reduction goal more easily.
>Model 28 - well known machine. 10,000 of them were ordered by the Navy
> before it went into production. Sales wanted to give it a new name or
> model number to indicate it was a complete break with the past; but
> Bell Labs insisted that model numbers continue in sequence.
>Model 29 - One tradition says this was to be a 28-line replacement for
> the Model 20, and didn't sell. Then there was the Model 28 IDP ASR
> set which a lot of us called the Model 29, rightly or wrongly. But
> this is not inconsistent, since the IDP set used 6-level BCD
> computer code and the Model 20 replacement used 6-level TTS code.
>Model 30 - Walt doesn't remember. There was a lightweight page printer
> project for the military that was also an ancestor of the 32/33 line.
> The military project went nowhere because they chose the Kleinschmidt
> design, wanting to have a design they could own.
>Model 31 - fairly well-known machine. Lightweight portable tape printer.
> Used a type sector printing mechanism similar to SIGABA.
>Model 32 - well known
>Model 33 - well known
> Initially there was no interest from either the Bell System or Western
> Union in light-duty machines. Teletype pushed ahead with development.
> The Canadians brought in European Telex, and W.U. saw this as an
> opportunity to connect with European Telex and compete with TWX, so
> they very suddenly got interested in the Model 32. A Model 28 had a
> life of 10-12 years in 24/7 service, which meant that in typical TWX
> service it had a life of over 50 years.
>Model 34 - Is this a Model 28 in Model 35's clothing? Walt doesn't know.
>Model 35 - well known
>Model 36 - Was this number saved for a 5-level version of Model 37? Walt
> doesn't know.
>Model 37 - fairly well known. Aggregate motion printer produced in
> stock ticker and page printer versions.
>Model 38 - fairly well known. Up/low version of Model 33.
>Model 39 - Walt doesn't know. Was after he retired.
>Model 40 - well known
>Model 41 - Walt doesn't know. Was after he retired.
>Model 42 - Was this reserved for a 5-level version of Model 43? Walt doesn't
> know.
>Model 43 - well known dot matrix page printer.
>
>Also - Teletype would make single copies of machines, or dummy machines,
> to demonstrate concepts. Walt mentioned that in particular they would
> do this at the request of young Navy officers. Old Navy officers already
> had their careers made, but younger ones were trying to make names for
> themselves and Teletype was happy to help them.
>
>--
>
>jhaynes at alumni dot uark dot edu
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>GreenKeys mailing list
>[email protected]
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/greenkeys
;-------------------------------------------------------------------------
; vaux electronics, inc. 480-354-5556
; www.vauxelectronics.com (fax: 480-354-5558)
;-------------------------------------------------------------------------