Fixed several issues with 1053 console printer

1053 CONSOLE PRINTER RESTORATION

The first issue I tackled on the console printer was the lever handle which had snapped earlier. I found an identical part on an Itel word processor which was based on a Selectric mechanism, swapped it and had a working lever now.

Broken lever which had to be replaced

Swapped part from another Selectric mechanism now in place on 1053

Next I reattached the nylon tape that activates the red-black ribbon color shift. This hooks to a lever inside the carrier assembly, to change the leverage of a ribbon lift so that the ribbon lifts up to the full extent to allow the red ribbon to be struck by the typeball, or has less lift such that the upper black half of the ribbon is struck.

The way this works is that a set of magnets pull down or release a pulley on the bottom left of the typewriter, increasing or lessening tension on the tape. The tape is routed up from the magnet assembly and runs across the width of the typewriter. Its two ends anchor on the carrier.

magnet lever and pulley at lower left, tape redirected along carrier path

Tape goes inside on left to lever, anchors on stud to right side of carrier

An adjustable pulley on the right side is used to preset the tension properly so that the ribbon lifts to the red or black half as desired. It is currently loose as I need to adjust this with the 1053 under power and typing characters. It is too hot in the workshop to power up this afternoon.

tension adjustment pulley on right side of carrier path