Installing 1053 on the IBM 1130, with unforseen snags

 FINISHING INSTALLATION OF TYPEWRITER ON THE 1130

The cables were threaded down into the machine and plugged into the connectors down below the disk drive. I tidied this area up and reinstalled the covers on the disk drive while I was in this part of the machine. 

The front panel for the 1053 holds the 16 console entry switches, the three pushbuttons (Tab, Space and Return), the tab Set/Clear lever and a window through which the current column, left margin and right margin indicators can be viewed. I have enhanced this with a console loader device which will load memory as controlled by ASCII files sent over a USB cable - the device can be seen at the bottom of the front panel. 

Console loader at bottom

I located the rod that connects the tab set/clear mechanism on the typewriter side to the plastic Set/Clear lever on the front plate of the 1053. I put it in place and adjusted it so that it operated properly. I then lowered the cover down onto the 1053, making sure to connect the cable to the paper break microswitch near the top rear before locking the cover down in place.

I then put the feed rollers, deflector, and platen onto the typewriter. There is a round metal rod that the pin feed brackets on the side of the platen fit onto, which keeps them from rotating. I found this in the box of parts that came with the 1130 and put it into place. Loading a bit of paper made the 1053 ready for use.

Typewriter ready for paper

OXIDIZED FORMS CHECK MICROSWITCH

I had put paper in the printer but the Forms Check lamp was lit on the computer. There is a small roller that senses that there is paper entering the typewriter and stops programs from printing when the paper runs out. This system is designed to use continuous forms with pin feed, generally this lights when the box of forms becomes empty and it is time to swap in a new box. 

Roller visible above the metal bar

The roller pops up when there is no paper, but is held down by the paper to signal to the controller electronics that we have paper in the printer. In spite of the roller being down due to the paper, however, the machine registered this as empty. I pulled the cover off the machine and did some continuity testing.

Switch controlled by the roller

The switch contacts were so oxidized that the switch continually presented an open circuit. I deoxidized the microswitch and restored it to operation. When the roller is pressed down the computer is happy; when it pops up the Forms Check lamp goes on. 

POWER UP AND TESTED PUSHBUTTONS - RETURN DOESN'T WORK

When I pushed the TAB button, the carrier zoomed to the column with a tab set. When I hit the SPACE button, it spaced over one column per push. However, when I pushed the RETURN button it did not activate.

The pushbutton is spring loaded with a plunger that pushes on a lever. That lever is coupled by a flexible wire inside a sheath to another lever just above the operational triggers. I can see the two levers moving when I push the button, but it does not move enough to trip the CR trigger, unlike the other two buttons whose levers do reliably trip their clutches. 

Plunger of button pushes upward on the lever

Second lever attached by sheathed flexible wire

When I did the restoration of the 1053 on the workbench, it was without the front panel. I pushed on the first levers that the button plungers strike with each of them always activating their clutches. I therefore thought everything was dialed in and ready to go, but one thing is still not working, the pushbutton on the panel. 

I am trying to adjust this but it involves a cycle of lifting the 1053, removing the panel, adjusting something, and reassembling, with no easy way to know that it will work until it is all together. I also have to prop up the 1053 and attach the hand cycle tool in case it does trigger and I have to make the machine complete the return action 

I ended the day in the shop without yet having gotten a satisfactory adjustment for the RETURN pushbutton. I will focus on this when I return tomorrow, then when the button is working I can begin the checkout of the controller electronics and overall 1053 operation.