22 Sep
2018
22 Sep
'18
8:53 p.m.
On Sat, Sep 22, 2018 at 10:34 AM, Guy Dunphy via cctalk
<cctalk at classiccmp.org> wrote:
By coincidence, today I started evaluation of a
punched/optical card reader.
Model TM200, made by Documation Inc.
Pics here: http://everist.org/pics/TM200/
The immediately obvious problems:
* Mains input connector is one of those old round locking type. Not sure if I have any of
these.
I have an M200 and I just had to look up in the docs (on bitsavers)
that my unit requires a Hubbel
7484 for the power cable. Yours is different but it's likely to be
some sort of Hubbel product.
* Hose from vacuum pump to pickup heel is hardened.
Needs replacement.
* Plastic elbow fitting for vacuum to pickup heel is broken in half. Make new one.
* Plastic mount for status display lights is cracking around brass nut inserts.
* Four rubber transport rollers have de-vulcanised, melted, and flowed gunk. Urrgh, what
a mess.
Hmm... I probably need to look into mine for similar things.
* Ouch, that interface connector.
Fortunately, my M200 came with a factory add-on board that's an RS-232
interface to the upstream host.
I wonder where I'm going to find some card stacks
for testing it? If I get that far.
An old co-worker buddy of mine gave me a box of his punchcards when he
was in school in 1970. He's really on me to read them. I don't want
to put his in first and have roller goo or something else ruin them so
I have a bit of exploration to do.
I'll be interested to hear how your saga unfolds because I'm expecting
all of that and more on mine.
-ethan