Consumables and Supplies

(5-Level Equipment Only)

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1. Tape (11/16: Teletype 5-Level)

Teletype 5-level tape is 11/16 inch wide. The data holes are spaced on 1/10 inch centers. The data holes are [MEASURE] inches in diameter for through-punch (chad-generating) tape.

(For reference, 6-level Teletypesetter tape is 7/8 inch wide (I measured some that I have, on a TTS Multiface Perforator) and 8-level tape is 1 inch wide.)

The sprocket hole centerlines for 5-level tape line up with the centerlines of the data holes. (This may seem obvious, but for 6-level Teletypesetter tape this is not true.) The sproket holes are spaced [WHAT RELATIVE TO THE TAPE WIDTH?] and are [MEASURE] in diameter.

The thickness of the tape is [WHAT? - MEASURE]

As of early 2010 new 11/16 inch paper tape was still available from WNC Supply

2. Tape (7/8: Kleinschmidt 5-Level, TTS 6-level, Flexowriter 7-Level)

Kleinschmidt 5-Level typing reperforators (and compatible Kleinschmid tape readers, I presume) used 7/8 inch wide tape.

Several folks on the Greenkeys list gave me some quite interesting information regarding this. Some of the most thorough information came from Jim Haynes, who has also done a great deal of work in digitizing Teletype documentation.

Jim noted that the Teletype 5-level typing reperforator used chadless tape and punched over the "holes" (but since one couldn't punch and print at exactly the same row, the print was offset 6 rows from the corresponding punched row).

Another Greenkeys correspondent noted that when not typing to chadless tape (but instead to fully perforated tape), the Teletype typing reperforators typed in smaller characters between the holes (still offset by six rows).

By way of contrast, Jim notes that Kleinschmidt and some Western Union typing reperforators used a wider tape and printed on the "edge" (side) of the tape. I presume that this allowed them to line up the printed character with the row on which it was punched.

Summary (7/8 tape, 5-Level Kleinschmidt):

Teletypesetter (6-Level) tape was also 7/8 inch wide. To the best of my knowledge no TTS (re)perforator was a typing (re)perforator.

Apparently kits were made to allow the use of 11/16 Teletype tape in 7/8 Kleinschmidt machines and vice versa.

The concensus among several correspondents is that given blank 7/8 inch tape it should run equally well on 7/8 Kleinschmidt 5-Level perforators and 7/8 TTS 6-Level perforators.

A Greenkeys correspondent notes that Flexowriter machines used by the military were 7-Level machines which used 7/8" tape, punching square holes.

3. Tape (1": 8-Level TTY)

8-Level tape used for 7-bit ASCII is 1 inch wide.

As of early 2010 new 1 inch paper tape was still available from WNC Supply

4. Roll Paper

A look around online tends to show the width of a roll of Teletype paper as 8 7/16 inch. The width of the paper roll on my Model 15 as acquired was 8 1/2 inches.

The diameter of the core of the roll/roller as fitted to my Model 15 as acquired is probably a nominal 1 inch (it it measures 61/64 inch). I've also got another roll with a core I.D. of 7/16 (but no roll/spindle to mount it on).

5. Ribbons

5.1. For the Model 15

The most commonly cited modern compatible ribbon for a Model 15 page printer is a Nukote (brand) B76 ribbon.

As of early 2010 these were still available from several sources, including Around the Office and several sellers on Amazon.com

Gil Smith's Model 15 writeup at http://www.kekatos.com/teletype/gil/gil-M15-KSR.htm suggests that the original ribbons were Underwood-compatible. He was able to obtain, retail, a Dataproducts #R3300 ribbon, intended as a replacement for Okidata ML 80/82/84/90 printers.

The ribbon on my Model 15 as received measured just a hair over 1/2 inch in width, and is probably a nominal 1/2 inch.

6. Lubrication

Gil Smith, in his Model 15 writeup at http://www.kekatos.com/teletype/gil/gil-M15-KSR.htm , cites lubrication advice from George Hutchinson which, in turn, recommends:


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