Hammond Multiplex Typewriter Deep-Dive Part 1: Comparison, Mechanics, and Repair

Описание

This video has been long overdue in my recording queue in this series on single-element typewriters. This first part was recorded back around September 17 of this year, whereby I had to take a 2-month hiatus from it while working on other newly arrived typewriters. This video discusses the 1915-1919 Hammond Multiplex and 1921 Hammond Multiplex Folding typewriters which feature a three-row vulcanized rubber sector called a "type shuttle" that swings left and right to bring the letter into position, there being a hammer that pushes the paper into the ribbon and type shuttle from behind instead of the other way around like with almost any other typewriter.

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTE712zEOPc
Part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iysh1EMs6U

Since this will be a long and very in-depth video, it is recommended that you consult the timestamps below or in the video scrub bar for the sections most relevant to you. You can find the user manual where I sourced most of my terminology in https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/HammondFolding.pdf.

0:00 Introduction. Single-element typewriters such as the Blickensderfer.
1:35 Hammond type shuttle and impression hammer. Other typewriters that use a behind-paper impression hammer are the Munson/Chicago, Commercial Visible, and Keystone/Eagle/Defi/Sterling. For some history, see https://www.antikeychop.com/hammondno1typewriter.
3:24 Where I got my folding Hammond from. This machine came with No. 23B Medium Roman and No. 28 Law Italic. Ribbon shield and impression strip fabrication is covered in Part 2. Hammond ribbons are supposed to be 7/16" wide.
5:27 Where I got my Hammond Multiplex from. Came with No. 89 Spanish Vertical Script and No. 170A Spanish Clarendon type shuttles which I was looking for (ideally in English).
7:49 No. 59 "German Text" Fraktur type shuttle and language plate/card/legend
9:51 Issues with the Hammond Multiplex
10:26 Removing the "anvil" (type shuttle holder/ways). Shuttle arms (rotates the type shuttle) and driver pins (the pins that push the shuttle arms).
11:49 Shift lock and backspace comparison
12:30 Folding up the folding Hammond for transport. Serial number.
13:26 A bit about Varityper; see https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/varityper.html.
14:47 Removing the Hammond Multiplex from its base
16:33 Comparing the undersides. The keys on the Hammond Multiplex are spread out a bit further and travel a bit deeper. Iron versus aluminum build. Ribbon advance and direction switch. Mainsprings and drawbands. Impression strength springs.
19:08 Backspacers (more detail in https://youtu.be/4iysh1EMs6U?t=1187). Shift mechanisms. Shift locks. Key lever pivot blocks.
20:59 Interim typewriter feet. Right driver lever issue.
22:30 ***HOW IT WORKS***. First removing the front panels. Key lever removal on the folding Hammond. Key lever pivot comparison. Weight-saving techniques.
24:30 **Indexing mechanism**. How each key selects a letter. The the two bars the key levers push up are called the "driver arms".
25:52 **Universal bar**. The key levers push this bar behind the driver arms upward to actuate the escapement to move the carriage along. How the keyboard folding works. Weight-saving tricks.
27:20 *Universal bar and ribbon advance operation*. As the universal bar rocks, the ribbon advance pawl advances the ribbon advance ratchet seen on the left. Universal bar rocker stop adjustment screws. More details in https://youtu.be/4iysh1EMs6U?t=1345.
29:00 **Escapement and impression hammer**. What moves the carriage along and rewinds the impression hammer for each keypress. Impression depth stop screw.
31:05 **Spacebar mechanism**. Simply blocks the impression hammer from hitting the paper. You can see the Hammond Multiplex's blocker as the black lever in the middle of 27:23 where it blocks that sideways pin. More details in https://youtu.be/4iysh1EMs6U?t=1414.
32:17 Resulting heavy mainspring tension
33:40 Freeing up the right driver arm. Ribbon shield and impression strip fabrication is covered in Part 2.
34:50 Anvil lock and lock lever
35:22 Reinstalling the shuttle arm
35:40 Investigating blockage of the Hammond Multiplex's anvil from resting. As you can see in 37:53, the problem was that the "idle type pin" was bent down. The typeface changing feature is covered in Part 3.
38:41 Anvil slot cleaning. Right driver lever rests too far back.
39:20 EVIL
40:24 Repair, and what I should have done. The margin release and line lock are covered in Part 3.
43:54 J-B Weld repair

What you can expect to see on this channel:
- Soon: Typewriter, switch, and keyboard collecting, Romantic Era piano performances (Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Alkan etc.), "perfectionist" Lego builds and mods.
- 2023+: Programming, computer architecture, model ship building, worldbuilding?, conlangs?, philosophy?
- 2024+?: Independent watchmaking, making unique typewriters from scratch, "revolutionizing" the concert grand.