14 Jan
2008
14 Jan
'08
11:03 a.m.
-------------Original Message:
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:07:00 +0000
From: g-wright at att.net
Subject: Keybard repair help. Older terminals
I seem to have my share of Terminals that have bad keyboard parts.
3 that I'm working now have the same type of Keyboard. These
are Hazeltine 1500 and ADM 3As. These have an molded base
with fingers that stick up and a second square piece that slide into the base
and makes and breaks the finger contact. It also has a square opening in the
top for the key cap. So when someone drops a heavy object on the the key board
this intermediate piece cracks in the corners and binds in the base.
What I would like to find is a doner type of system that does not have
any value so I can rob the middle piece.. (typewiter) ???
Tandy (Archer) sold a Alpha-Numrtic keyboard that said it was made
for the TI 99/4 computer. It used the same switch type keyboard.
- Jerry
Jerry Wright
g-wright at att.net
--------Reply:
I've got a few boxes full of keyboards & parts; any chance of a picture off-list?
mike
14 Jan
14 Jan
10:22 p.m.
On Monday 14 January 2008 06:03, M H Stein wrote:
-------------Original Message:
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:07:00 +0000
From: g-wright at att.net
Subject: Keybard repair help. Older terminals
I seem to have my share of Terminals that have bad keyboard parts.
3 that I'm working now have the same type of Keyboard. These
are Hazeltine 1500 and ADM 3As. These have an molded base
with fingers that stick up and a second square piece that slide into the
base and makes and breaks the finger contact. It also has a square opening
in the top for the key cap. So when someone drops a heavy object on the
the key board this intermediate piece cracks in the corners and binds in
the base.
What I would like to find is a doner type of system that does not have
any value so I can rob the middle piece.. (typewiter) ???
Tandy (Archer) sold a Alpha-Numrtic keyboard that said it was made
for the TI 99/4 computer. It used the same switch type keyboard.
- Jerry
Jerry Wright
g-wright at att.net
--------Reply:
I've got a few boxes full of keyboards & parts; any chance of a picture
off-list?
mike
Or put it up somewhere that more than one of us can get at it? I have some
old stuff kicking around too...
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, ?a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. ?--Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin
11:51 p.m.
I seem to have my share of Terminals that have bad keyboard parts.
3 that I'm working now have the same type of Keyboard. These
are Hazeltine 1500 and ADM 3As. These have an molded base
with fingers that stick up and a second square piece that slide into the base
and makes and breaks the finger contact. It also has a square opening in the
top for the key cap. So when someone drops a heavy object on the the key board
this intermediate piece cracks in the corners and binds in the base.
I know the design well. The contacts spring togethe, and are kept apart
by a plastic pin in the plunger when the key is not pressed.
The keycap is a press-fit into the plunger, which means it slightly
stretches the latter. In time the plunger cracks anyway, even if you
don'y drop anything on it.
The other prolem is fitting new contacts. At one time you could buy
individual contacts and more importantly a tool to hold them and press
them in place without damaging them. Said tool was (at least) sold by
Radio Shack Nationl Parts Centre and HP (I have part numbers for both),
but AFAIK it's now unavailale, It's possilble to use long-nose pliers
carefully, but it's very easy to mangle the contacts.
What I would like to find is a doner type of system that does not have
any value so I can rob the middle piece.. (typewiter) ???
I've seen this type of keyswitch on (at least) the following :
DEC VT50 series
DEC VT100 series
TRS-80 Model 1 (early version only)
TI 99/4a
HP80 series (HP85, etc)
HP9915 keyboard (very rare!)
HP98203 (small keyboard for the HP9816)
HP2623 (IIRC) graphics terminal
Unfortunatley none of those are exactly common. When I repaired my 9816,
I was lucky enough to find a 'spare' VT52 keyboard PCB i nthe junk box,
given to me with a load of other DEC spares, which provided contacts,
plungers, even keycaps.
-tony
6197
days inactive
6197
days old
2 comments
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