Pursuing an option for the missing ribbon color selection tape on the 1053

DUAL COLOR RIBBON ON THE 1053

The 1053 used on the IBM 1130 makes use of a dual color ribbon feature. The ribbon cartridge is inked with black and red, divided along the length of the ribbon. Thus, if the ribbon lift mechanism pulls the ribbon up so that the top half will be struck by the ball, we get one color. If the lift raises the ribbon so the lower half is used instead, we get characters in the other color.

Much like the tilt, rotate and escapement cords that run around pulleys to allow the carrier to freely move left and right, there is a tape that runs in the front of the carrier for the ribbon color. It is a thin flat plastic strip with hooks attached to both ends. One end is connected to the right side of the carrier, the other side rotates over a pulley on the left side of the carrier and is hooked to the ribbon lift lever inside. By varying the tension of tape, the lift mechanism is set to raise the tape to one color or the other.

The tape winds around a pulley on the right side of the machine from its attachment on the carrier, then passes in front of the carrier on its way to the left side. The tape turns over a pulley on the left side to move downwards, where it moves on a pulley attached to a pair of solenoids. The tape then come back up the left side and turns over a second pulley on the left side to head rightward to the carrier. The pulley inside the carrier, to the left, allows the tape to then move directly to the rear in the carrier to the lift mechanism. 

Thus the tape changes directions over five pulleys and it is pulled or released by the solenoid's pulley to move the ribbon lift lever to its two positions. There is not a lot of tension on this tape and the solenoid pulley moves the same distance up and down as the ribbon lift lever inside the carrier will move forward and backwards. 

MISSING TAPE ON THIS UNIT WHEN I RECEIVED IT

The plastic tape and its end hooks were nowhere to be found when the machine arrived. Since the rotate metal tape was snapped as well, I suspect it was lost some time in the past when the machine was handled by people who don't understand Selectrics, particularly ones frozen with old lubricants. 

TWO POTENTIAL REPLACEMENTS, NEITHER IDEAL

I used some lacing cord to wind around the path as a possible way to transfer the ribbon position from the solenoids mounted on the left side of the frame to the ribbon lift mechanism inside the carrier. This is not a flat tape like the original IBM part, but it will stay in place on the pulleys that are part of this mechanism. The long term question is whether the cord will stretch or fray in use. 

Bundles of wires were held together by using waxed string, called lacing cord. 

As an alternative I ordered some pin stripe tape - this is 1/8" wide and has the flat form factor of the original IBM product meaning it will roll properly on the pulleys. The disadvantage of this tape is that it comes with adhesive but if I leave the paper backing on the adhesive it may work out okay. I won't know about its strength nor whether it will stretch or have problems with the repeated bending as it moves over the pulleys.