[GreenKeys] Can anyone identify this machine

[Eric]

If you happen to have one of my usb serial to current loop adapters, we can probably come up with a translation map that would work!

On March 1, 2018 6:55:39 PM EST, Martin <strowger at aeolian-hall.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
>As I became the lucky winner of this item, I can now shed light on the 
>answer to this question.
>
>It is indeed a GPO Teleprinter No 2A and built around 1925 according to
>
>the label. The condition is not at all bad really, apart from the 
>keytops which are not the end of the world. Its also missing a few 
>things like a switch and a bell end of tape alarm and the tape reel 
>cover, but otherwise looks like it will be a nice TLC project. I was 
>very pleased to get it as it must be a very rare machine to find and 
>cost very little, even including shipping from East Scotland, I wonder 
>how many survive? It was hard to find references to GPO machines of
>this 
>age, but I was able to find a good chapter on it in Herberts
>Telegraphy, 
>dated 1930. This fully explains the details of operation so faulting
>and 
>maintenance should be no problem. It even came with a reel of narrow 
>paper tape to fit which is a bonus. This book covers all GPO 
>Teleprinters 1 to 5, and seems to be a unique reference. Does anyone 
>know if a GPO Teleprinter No 6 existed? I cannot recall.
>
>It is more precisely a Typebar Teletype and was developed from the 
>Typewheel Teletype manufactured by Morkrum Kleinschmidt, known by the 
>GPO as Teleprinter No 1A.  The double space bar was one of several 
>modifications the GPO requested to be compatible with earlier models.
>
>The code differs slightly from standard Baudot Telex code and this
>seems 
>to be tied in with the double space bar feature.  The letters are all 
>standard but the figures case is different except the numbers. There
>are 
>a number of characters of the form "1/" "3/" etc, and I cant think what
>
>they were used for. Important differences though are the Letters shift 
>which becomes "/", CR and LF which become "+" and "-" and space becomes
>
>Letters shift.
>
>As I interpret the description of operation, there is only one code
>that 
>produces a non printing "no advance" of the tape, and that function 
>maybe available only from the keyboard. I dont know which key as the 
>markings are missing.
>
>So every character advances the tape, and that is why Letters and 
>Figures shifts can also be spaces, as these are the only other non 
>printing codes. Driving this machine from a Baudot coded machine is 
>going to require some careful thought! At the end of a line one will
>get 
>a "+-" . Every Letters shift will produce a "/" but Letters will be 
>re-selected by every space! Figures will act normally.
>
>Fun times ahead.
>
>Martin
>
>
>On 20/02/2018 09:16, John Nagle wrote:
>
>>> From: "Alf Fisher"<alffisher2 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: [GreenKeys] Can anyone identify this machine
>>>
>>> Please can anyone identify this machine.
>>>
>>> 73, Alf, G3WSD
>>>
>URL:<http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/greenkeys/attachments/20180219/5f2a44d7/attachment-0001.jpg>
>
>>>
>>
>> That's an unusual machine. It's basically a Teletype Model 14 tape 
>> printer.  I have several of those.  But for some reason, it was built
>> as a modified machine to print on the tape usually used in 
>> reperforators.  It's not a reperforator; there's no punch
>> mechanism.  Nor is it a reperforator from which the punch has
>> been removed.  The tape feed mechanism and shift system are
>> like a Model 14 (the tape position shifts), and the tape
>> guides are similar to, but wider, than those for the standard
>> 5/16" or 3/8" tape.
>>
>> Notice the two spacebars.  That's very unusual.
>>
>> It looks repairable.  Worth repairing as an exotic
>> variant. What typebars does it have? Punctuation?
>> Fractions?  Weather symbols?
>>
>>                 John Nagle
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