Nixdorf Softkeys - Lock part number?

orihalcon · 11 Jul 2016, 03:40

I saw a post a while back with a Nidxorf Softkeys keyboard with 5 locks next to the On/off switch and am wondering if anyone has a source for these either used or NOS? I have the guts of a Nixdorf Board that I am restoring and would like to add locks to, but I have no idea where to start looking for them.

I think a part number from a lock itself (which I'm guessing would be visible on the outside of the lock) would be helpful, or if someone has some of these locks with keys that they aren't using, I would definitely be interested in buying them.

I'm guessing lots of users have harvested these boards for the Nixdorf Blacks and probably wouldn't have a use for the locks, or at least might have a lock to find a part number on it so I can do some googling

Picture of the locks in question shown boxed in red here:

: nixdorf_.jpg (362.32 KiB) Viewed 3677 times

elecplus · 11 Jul 2016, 06:32

https://gulentech-hk.com/part-search.html Type lock in the search box, and several different ones come up.

Chyros · 11 Jul 2016, 10:48

FIVE LOCKS! Man, whoever took those boards apart just for the switches is going to have to have a word with me. Man that's an awesome board!

scottc · 11 Jul 2016, 11:22

Awesome board but totally unconvertible! I've got the innards of mine sans switches and caps if you want it, Chyros.

Chyros · 11 Jul 2016, 11:44

I'd like to have a full one so I can review it, anyway it looks like Orihalcon could use it

. Thanks for the offer though

.

scottc · 11 Jul 2016, 11:57

Oops, should've said, but mine doesn't have the locks. There's just plastic in place of them.

Chyros · 11 Jul 2016, 13:15

Come to think of it if I had a board with five locks on it (and keys, presumably) I wouldn't get any work done, I'd just be playing with the locks all day long xD .

seebart · 11 Jul 2016, 14:33

The fact that most of the people who buy these only do so for the switches gives you a realistic chance of finding one. Now I have had several of these keyboards and done a complete teardown of three of these. These keyboards were built "modular" for different model configurations like that one you posted with the locks which I have never seen either. That particular section with the locks is a small seperate PCB part attached to the main PCB in the "normal" setup, so you'd really only need that smallish part unless that model is different which I doubt. The keyboard cases are always the same with these. You can see the it here:

wiki/Nixdorf_CT06-CT07/2_M_Softkeys

Chyros · 11 Jul 2016, 17:35

I can't un-see the locks now. I NEED the locks xD . What an awesome toy xD .

seebart · 11 Jul 2016, 17:37

I'm sure there are other keyboards with locks also. I think you need one with valves and locks.

Here's one of XMIT's that has a lock:

: DSC_1572.jpg (424.84 KiB) Viewed 3509 times

Chyros · 11 Jul 2016, 18:20

Yeah, I think I remember that one. Gorgeous board

.

seebart · 11 Jul 2016, 18:32

Oh yeah a formidable keyboard, I love those keycaps. What a piece of hardware! As we know teminal keyboards usually had locks. Reminds me to link this site:

http://terminals.classiccmp.org/wiki/in ... /Main_Page

The hardware they have there...

Spoiler:

I want this one

:

Spoiler:

Abstractions · 11 Jul 2016, 22:00

What does each lock do?

Rimrul · 11 Jul 2016, 22:14

Abstractions wrote: What does each lock do?

Lock and unlock stuff.

orihalcon · 11 Jul 2016, 22:40

Chyros wrote: FIVE LOCKS! Man, whoever took those boards apart just for the switches is going to have to have a word with me. Man that's an awesome board!

I did message the original poster of the photo. Apparently, it was a co-worker's that he no longer works with and would be unable to contact. So this particular board seems to be off the internet radar anyhow

orihalcon · 11 Jul 2016, 22:42

Chyros wrote: Come to think of it if I had a board with five locks on it (and keys, presumably) I wouldn't get any work done, I'd just be playing with the locks all day long xD .

Yeah, my softkeys here makes it look like the lock just solders onto that small PCB and that's all it would take to install.

orihalcon · 11 Jul 2016, 22:46

Chyros wrote: FIVE LOCKS! Man, whoever took those boards apart just for the switches is going to have to have a word with me. Man that's an awesome board!

Conversion is on my to do list as well. Should be doable to map out the PCB traces for the matrix, then wire a teensy to it, just bypassing the original controller completely. You could map each lock to a different password output, or have to turn all 5 locks in the correct sequence to perform a function or to "Arm" the keyboard

Chyros · 11 Jul 2016, 23:42

orihalcon wrote:
Chyros wrote: FIVE LOCKS! Man, whoever took those boards apart just for the switches is going to have to have a word with me. Man that's an awesome board!
Conversion is on my to do list as well. Should be doable to map out the PCB traces for the matrix, then wire a teensy to it, just bypassing the original controller completely. You could map each lock to a different password output, or have to turn all 5 locks in the correct sequence to perform a function or to "Arm" the keyboard

Oh man, that would be so awesome xD .

rootwyrm · 12 Jul 2016, 03:40

If someone can get me the exact spacing on the through holes and the height, I probably already know a same-as-factory part or at least looks factory. These are most likely three or four position tamper-resistant, which are very common in older Unix hardware.
5 points on the PCB suggests possibly SPDT or DPST, but could also support others. Someone will need to do PCB tracing to figure it out though.

kbdfr · 12 Jul 2016, 08:49

Speaking about locks, I can't resist mentioning Tipro's elaborate and of course fully programmable keylock