1980 IBM Electronic Typewriter Keyboard Assembly - 4.1kg 60% brick

[sharktastica]

My latest arrival, an IBM Electronic Typewriter model 50/60/75 keyboard assembly! I almost laughed when I picked it up - it’s a real dense brick at ~4.1kg. IBM Electronic Typewriters were a sort of intermediary between the more famous Selectrics and Wheelwriters, inheriting the golfball-style type element Selectrics were known for except it's operated by solenoids/electronics instead of a whiffletree-based mechanism. This 50/60/75 series (first introduced in 1978) was succeeded by the probably more well-known (in these circles) 65/85/95 series introduced 1982 that used capacitive buckling spring keyboards.

My understanding of this keyboard is still fairly rudimentary, but I aim to ‘fix’ that and document this keyboard on my website. You may mistake it for an IBM keypunch, but those use contact bails for registering key presses; these use what appears to be magnetic reed switches (7 on the back). Presently, the keys are 'locked' and requires a solenoid to reset its internal mechanics.

Anyway, I got it as a module on its own with no typewriter unfortunately. I do aim to get one eventually, but for now, this is at least some part of it I can study.

[E TwentyNine]

Interesting find.  Impressive how the legends look to be in perfect condition.