[GreenKeys] Need advice - 28 selector almost works OK

Fri Feb 27 21:33:20 EST 2015

There was a rumor going around in the 60s that some of the selector cams were not made properly.
I always thought TTY Corp tested the units before shipping.  Maybe they let a few run too long with a bum cam.

It was just a rumor.
Don

On 27 Feb 2015, at 5:47 PM, Nick England wrote:

> Ahh, so either I have an intractable hangar queen or need to find a little old lady who used to work for WE. 
> No problemo.....
> 
> Nick
> (phone email acct)
> 
> 
> On Feb 27, 2015, at 4:00 PM, "Jack" <wa2hwj at att.net> wrote:
> 
>> For years, I had a brand new LPR that was still on the small plywood base
>> in the original Teletype box.
>> I finally installed in on an ROTR base one day and figured I'd have a solid,
>> new
>> machine. I was never able to get it to work. After a lot of cursing and
>> searing, I traded it off for parts.
>> Maybe it worked its way to Nick....! I always suspected there was something
>> wrong with the
>> selector cam.
>> 
>> Jack
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don
>> Robert House K9TTY
>> Sent: Friday, February 27, 2015 2:31 PM
>> To: Nick England
>> Cc: Greenkeys
>> Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Need advice - 28 selector almost works OK
>> 
>> Jacks advice is gospel.
>> 
>> Our foreman gave us a time limit on getting problems with reperforators
>> fixed.  After that time was used up we sent the units back to Western
>> Electric for repair.
>> When we ordered replacements we seldom received the units we sent in. many
>> of them were new from TTY Corp.
>> In one case, I will never forget, one of our guys put a linen tag (remember
>> them) on a part that read "Follow this string to the trouble!"
>> Three days later we got the same unit back with the tag still attached.  The
>> unit became a large paper weight in the shop that was always ripe for
>> discussion.
>> The worst reperf ever was the TYPING reperforator  for the Model 37.
>> Eventually we gave up on them and replaced them with NON-TYPING
>> reperforators.
>> They were difficult to repair as well but without the typing mechanism the
>> trouble reports dropped significantly. 
>> 
>> The other day I drove by 78 E. Dundee Road, in Wheeling, IL where our shop
>> and garage was.  Nothing there now except grass and a fence.
>> My initials are still in the power pole however when I was walking the
>> picket line during the 1968 strike.
>> 
>> Don K9TTY
>> 
>> 
>> On 27 Feb 2015, at 2:16 PM, Jack wrote:
>> 
>>> Nick,
>>> 
>>> From another "retired" TTY repairman.
>>> 
>>> Watch the selector slides that are operated by the selector/cam.
>>> Are they following the correct data or are they also showing the 
>>> errors that you see on the punched tape?
>>> 
>>> If you're not getting good range, are you sure the machine is
>>> 7.42 versus 7.0?
>>> 
>>> LPR's were a nightmare to work on. We usually just replaced them and 
>>> sent them back to Western Electric for repair. They had dozens of 
>>> little old ladies that worked on them.
>>> 
>>> Jack K0TTY
>>> 
>>> NNNN
>>> 
>>> 
>>> From: GreenKeys [mailto:greenkeys-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf 
>>> Of Don Robert House K9TTY
>>> Sent: Friday, February 27, 2015 1:53 PM
>>> To: Nick England
>>> Cc: Greenkeys
>>> Subject: Re: [GreenKeys] Need advice - 28 selector almost works OK
>>> 
>>> Hi Nick,
>>> 
>>> The manual shows how to check the spring tension for the selector
>> armature. Also the down-stop adjustment.
>>> As I have written many times.. the faster the data rate the more critical
>> are the adjustments and lubrication.
>>> All of us that repaired these machines for the Bell System carried a small
>> envelope with strips of high-grade bond paper.
>>> The strips were about 3/8" wide and about 3" long.  The paper was about
>> 22-24 Pound stock.
>>> These strips are inserted between the selector magnet and the armature.
>> Hold the armature up and pull out the paper strip.
>>> Keep doing this until the strips come out clean "as a whistle" 
>>> (whatever that means.) You need to make sure there is no oil or grease, or
>> anything else in that important gap.
>>> If I find my package of strips I will post an image.
>>> 
>>> Memories,
>>> 
>>> Don
>>> K9TTY
>>> 
>>> P.S.  Let me know if you need a spring gauge.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 27 Feb 2015, at 9:32 AM, Nick England wrote:
>>> 
>>> 
>>> For my multiple reperf project I've been checking out several typing
>> reperf units that I got from an estate.
>>> After cleaning, lubricating, replacing lost springs, etc. all except 
>>> one seem to work fine at 100wpm One seems to have a selector problem but
>> I'm inexperienced enough to wonder what to do next - I appreciate some
>> advice from you guys who have serviced 100's of these things.
>>> 
>>> Symptoms - bit errors every now and then. When I test with reversals there
>> is a very narrow range on the rangefinder where the tape looks OK almost all
>> the time. Otherwise I get some holes always marking or always spacing.
>>> 
>>> I can't *see* anything like missing springs or bent levers or congealed
>> crud in the innards - Adjusting the magnet armature spring doesn't seem to
>> have much effect in increasing the rangefinder range. What else can I
>> actually do in the selector? Is this the symptom of a worn cams or selector
>> levers?
>>> 
>>> Sorry to be such a pest - I just need a retired TTY repairman to move in
>> next door and then I'll be all set to learn something. Until then Greenkeys
>> is my resource - many thanks for all the help and friendly advice.
>>> 
>>> Nick England K4NYW
>>> www.navy-radio.com
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>> 
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