[GreenKeys] Bunnell Pen Register

[Keith Lueck]

 Harold -
I can't comment on the specifics of this unit, but it might've been used to record digital alarm transmissions from a McCulloh system type alarm, which originated in the late 19th century.  I don't remember the pulse rate, but it was pretty fast - and variable.  They used a wheel with teeth in it that could be broken off to provide a unique code (like one bit of an answerback drum), and were driven by a wound spring clockwork mechanism, hence the speed variations.  In the early 90's, I did some consulting for an alarm central station that had dozens of these pen register devices in 19" racks, assigned to groups of customers.  The units dated from the 50's or early 60's, and served legacy customers.  The central station wanted to get rid of the pen registers (they were having trouble sourcing the paper tape - sound familiar?) and use a PC to decode the signals, and transmit them via RS-232 to other equipment that would display the information on an operator's console; the old way required the operator to note when a register would buzz and start spitting out tape, then walk over to it and decode the tape visually.  It was a bit of a challenge to accommodate the variety of speeds from different transmitters, and the speed variations depending on how much tension was left in the clockwork mechanism.  On top of that, everything in the system had to conform to UL central station requirements, which were pretty draconian...  
Good luck with your unit.
Keith
    On Wednesday, January 29, 2020, 11:46:51 PM CST, Harold Hallikainen <harold at w6iwi.org> wrote:  
 
 Not quite Teletype, but it IS printing telegraph! I've been working on one
of these pen registers.

Nameplate:
J. H. Bunnell & Co., Brooklyn New York
Pen Register
Model KS-3106
Serial Number 1 1068
Res 150

A manual on the device is available at
http://etler.com/docs/BSP/030/030-340-701_I2.pdf . This manual uses the
pen register as a Dialed Number recorder. I believe they were originally
Morse recorders and also fire alarm recorders.


The unit seems to have a mechanical alignment issue that I have not been
able to resolve. The shelf and feed wheel seem to be closer to the body of
the unit than the printing wheel. Guides near the tape reel are one
distance from the body, and guides near the feed wheel are closer. This
results in the tape slowly working its way off the feed wheel as shown on
the video at http://w6iwi.org/tmp/20200129_141035.mp4 .
Note that I reused tape, so there are more marks than there should be on
the tape.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to keep the tape from falling off the
feed wheel?

Also, the tape moves pretty fast for Morse use (probably good for dial
pulses). Does anyone know where the tape speed adjustment is?

Thanks!

Harold


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