[GreenKeys] Determining the age of a Model 15-KSR

[John Nagle]

On 03/16/2014 09:00 AM, greenkeys-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:
> Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 23:07:21 -0700
> From: Corey Anderson<corey at electriclab.com>
> To:greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [GreenKeys]  Determining the age of a Model 15-KSR
>
> Greetings GreenKeys list readers,
>
> I've been lurking on the list for a few years, and was wondering if its possible to determine
> the manufacture year of a Model 15-KSR by serial #. I realize that they were produced for 33 years which
> is incredible. I picked one up today to add to my collection, and it's in such amazing
> shape that I can't help believe it is either a later model, or could be older and simply
> received little to no use.  I haven't seen (or noticed) anyone discuss this, and a search through
> my email was fruitless. Any help would be appreciated.

     I'd like to know that too.  Of course, the typing unit, the motor, 
the keyboard, and the base are all easily interchangeable.  The big 
operators like WU, AT&T, and the military often ran their machines
through maintenance depots for cleaning, oiling, and minor repairs,
and the major components might be swapped.  So there may be no
one date of manufacture.

     There were a few changes during the life of the Model 15.
Older units have wooden rollers on the paper hold down and a
wooden paper spool; newer units have metal.  There's an additional
sheet metal guard in the typebar area that appeared in later models.
There are additional optional features, from auto CR to answer back,
which can appear in later models, but they're all options; their
absence means nothing.

				John Nagle