To commemorate the 3rd Annual Deskthority Awards, I'm going to completely take over the Photos & Videos column on the frontpage
While I haven't been actually able to date this "keyboard". The Teletype Model 28 KSR Keyboard was first introduced to the military in 1951! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teletype_Model_28)
It is 1KRO (you that's the purpose of the ball bearings you can see in one of the pics), truly mechanical, uses a motor to achieve speeds of around 100 WPM, and can easily be made USB compatible (once I replace a few gears, and figure out the best way to power the motor).
I'm actually not quite sure what to call these switches yet...as there is only technically a couple micro switches and special highspeed rocker switch.
Conveniently has the patent numbers right on the frame
US2605366
US2607848
Teletype Model 28 KSR Keyboard
- HaaTa
- Master Kiibohd Hunter
- Location: San Jose, California, USA
- Main keyboard: Depends the day
- Main mouse: CST L-TracX
- Favorite switch: Fujitsu Leaf Spring/Topre/BS/Super Alps
- DT Pro Member: 0006
- Contact:
- Muirium
- µ
- Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
- Main keyboard: HHKB Type-S with Bluetooth by Hasu
- Main mouse: Apple Magic Mouse
- Favorite switch: Gotta Try 'Em All
- DT Pro Member: µ
This is exactly why I don't like the name "mechanical" for keyboards. Cogs, gears, sprockets, cam shafts, motors = mechanical! And what an awesome beast it is. I could see this one becoming your showpiece, Professor. For public demonstration.
The keys themselves look a lot like a Teletype (or similar) machine at the little tech museum I know. I'll pop in and take some pictures. But they'd never let me take it apart in an afternoon!
The keys themselves look a lot like a Teletype (or similar) machine at the little tech museum I know. I'll pop in and take some pictures. But they'd never let me take it apart in an afternoon!
- Spharx
- Location: Germany
- Main keyboard: Leoplod FC200R
- Main mouse: DeathAdder
- Favorite switch: MX Brown
- DT Pro Member: -
How far do you have to push to register a input ? It looks like you have to bottom out, so that the fork of the key can hit the arm underneath it. I doubt that anyone could achieve 100 wpm with this keyboard.
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- Location: Sweden
- Main keyboard: CM Novatouch TKL w damping and Granite Caps
- Main mouse: Mad Catz Cyborg R.A.T. 9 ...
- Favorite switch: Topre baby, Topre
- DT Pro Member: -
I might have something very very similar to this in our basement at our office...
I am workign with marine and offshore electornics and some 500 years ago (give or take some years) our clients used similar setups to send telex message via satelites. The units had a punchcard reader on the side of the keyboard. I remeber it was a bit ackward to type on thou
[Edit] No, seems like the warehouse gnomes have thrown away the terminal this summer. Stupid people...
I am workign with marine and offshore electornics and some 500 years ago (give or take some years) our clients used similar setups to send telex message via satelites. The units had a punchcard reader on the side of the keyboard. I remeber it was a bit ackward to type on thou
[Edit] No, seems like the warehouse gnomes have thrown away the terminal this summer. Stupid people...
Last edited by _robban on 28 Nov 2013, 10:03, edited 1 time in total.
- HaaTa
- Master Kiibohd Hunter
- Location: San Jose, California, USA
- Main keyboard: Depends the day
- Main mouse: CST L-TracX
- Favorite switch: Fujitsu Leaf Spring/Topre/BS/Super Alps
- DT Pro Member: 0006
- Contact:
I'll have to check but I don't think you have to press all the way to actuate. Since I'm missing some parts, I don't know how fast it can react to presses. But the printing module can do ~100 WPM with the motor that I have.
This same keyboard was used almost exclusively for the military during the 1950s for transmitting data.
This same keyboard was used almost exclusively for the military during the 1950s for transmitting data.