Total Pageviews

Friday 23 May 2014

Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite. Sorry, of Mr Bodemer: Royalite Carriage Lever and Line-Spacing Mechanism

I was asked by Seattle typewriter collector Nick Bodemer about the carriage lever and line-spacing mechanism on a Royalite portable. While replacing the knobs on his Royalite, Nick had "accidentally managed to prevent the line-space selector from working". He asked, "Do you have the steps to properly reassemble the platen assembly on a Royalite? A small washer fell out, but I am not sure where it came from."
Since I already had a disassembled Nippo Rexina (taking out a feed roller for Richard Polt's Elgin Collegiate), and thinking the Rexina is mechanically the same as a Royalite, I tackled the task almost immediately. Before posting the results, however, I thought I'd better check that the Rexina and the Royalite have the same carriage mechanism. They don't. And that's when the fun started.
Two disassembled Royalites (even they differed) and many hours later, I cracked the code. Nick, it's tricky! Here goes:
Royalite 1: This shows how the carriage lever operates - the line-spacing mechanism has been removed for a clearer view.
 Royalite 1: With the left-side platen knob removed, I used a small screwdriver to show how the carriage lever mechanism lines up.
 Royalite 2: This is how the carriage lever and line-spacing mechanism look when assembled. The line-spacing device is one U-shaped piece of metal, the left side of which clips on to the left end of the carriage.
 Royalite 2: Another angle showing the metal clip.
 Royalite 1: Now I start to reassemble the first Royalite.
 Royalite 1: This is the really tricky bit, getting the four holes (two on the U-shaped line-spacing piece, one on the carriage lever piece in the middle of this, and one on the left end of the carriage) to line up before putting the knob back. I lined them up from the right side with a small screwdriver, then inserted the knob.
 Royalite 1: Fully reassembled.
 Royalite 1: Above and below, more angles of same.
Royalite 1: Nick, this may be the washer to which you were referring. It sits hard up against the left end of the platen to allow for smoother turning, but is not essential to the operation of the carriage lever or line-spacer. Royalite 2 did not have one, but a slightly different design at the left end of the platen - plus it has one rod going right through the platen, with the knobs screwed on at each end. The Royalite 1 knobs attach differently, as they are held permanently (no screws) on two smaller pieces of rod. 

5 comments:

Ted said...

nice howto! Again Mr. Messenger comes through with the problem solved!

Rob Bowker said...

That's funny. I was fixing the backspacer on my Imperial 55 and when I'd done it, I had a 'spare' washer.

Nick Bodemer said...

Thank you so much!
Nick

Nick Bodemer said...

IT WORKED !!
Thank you so much

John said...

Nice clear explanation Rob. I just forget how tricky some of these machines can be. I am currently stuck with two machines, both line-spacing assembly problems. One is an IMP GC and the other is avery nice Olivetti 42.. I have put them into the too hard basket for now until I work up enough "do or die" machismo.