Manual for Documation TM200 punched card reader

[Ethan Dicks]

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