[GreenKeys] AS3 43 throwing off its ribbon

[charlesmorris800 at centurytel.net]

----- Original Message -----
From: Gabriel Egan <mail at gabrielegan.com>
To: greenkeys at mailman.qth.net
Sent: Wed, 08 Feb 2017 04:08:37 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [GreenKeys] AS3 43 throwing off its ribbon

Dear GreenKeyers

Anybody know why a Teletype ASR 43 might keep
throwing off its ribbon? It moves vertically
out of the two capstans that keep it aligned
on the printhead.

It only happens when the ribbon is taut. I have
a problem with the ribbon not being taut enough
to bind on the one-way capstans that force the
ribbon to advance every time the printhead returns
to column 0. The spring on the left side of the
ribbon path (keeping it taut by pulling on another
capstan in the ribbon path) is not strong enough
to keep the ribbon tightly bound to the one-way
capstans, and as a consequence the one-way capstans
aren't doing their job of forcing the ribbon to
travel. If I put on a tighter spring--or even just
'help' keep the ribbon taut with my finger--the
ribbon rises vertically as it travels and is thrown
off. If I let the ribbon stay slack, it doesn't
advance at all.

Regards

Gabriel

______________________________________________________________

Are you sure that the tension is actually the problem? I had insufficient tension on my 43 and finally figured out that the loop in the ribbon cartridge had been manufactured with excessive length... talked to the company that made them (can't remember which) and their engineer confirmed that the loop was too long. They sent me a box of 5 that worked mechanically... but were dried out. sigh.

-Charles