[GreenKeys] Pics of M15 Platen knob and/or crank / keytop question

[drlegendre .]

Jim,

Okey doke - that all makes sense, now. Yes, I have green spring-cushion
keytops. I took them to be 'celluloid' as they were a hard plastic /
synthetic material - not thinking that they +really+ meant celluloid, which
is almost always an off-white color.

As for the platen knob I'm discussing (p/n 80725 - Handwheel Assem), it's
pictured just below the platen crank (p/n 80466) in the parts book. Slides
onto the platen extension shaft just like the crank, sticks out the left
side of the outer case.

@All

So one last call for keytops?? Anyone with spare keytops, please shoot me
an off-list message.. I need about eight or ten total. Need to replace a
couple missing, one damaged, and about seven that are the 'fraction' /
business type - I need the communications type.

-Bill

On Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 6:13 PM, Jim Haynes <jhhaynes at earthlink.net> wrote:

> I don't know about platen knobs.  That is what is shown on the patent
> drawing, but I don't know if the knob shown in the parts book works
> with the standard M15 cover.  Then not in the parts book but there is
> also a handwheel or two, used with the "post office" style of cabinets,
> one by W.U. and one by Teletype.  The handwheel sticks up through a slot
> in the top of the cover.  One advantage of this is that the machines can
> be put flush side by side without having to leave gaps in between for
> the paper handles.
>
> Spring cushion keytops are most common, and can be recognized by the
> green color and the fact that they are springy to the touch.  I think
> they were made by some third party and were made for typewriters as
> well as Teletype.  The celluloid keytops are like old typewriters
> used, and seem to have been preferred by Western Union.  They are
> usually white background and black letters and maybe red for the FIGS
> case characters; or some are black background with white letters.
>
> I believe either style can be used on the same key levers.
>
> There was once a third style called pneumatic keytops, but I've never
> encountered those.  I assume they were air cushioned rather than
> spring cushioned.
>
> I've never seen a typewriter with spring cushion keytops, so maybe the
> company was not very successful in selling them to anyone but Teletype.
> I spoze one could go to a typewriter collecting museum or web site to
> learn more.
>
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