UPDATE: Teeritz asked about his Basket-shifted Royal QDL, which does not have the simple single adjustment point. I took a look at one of my QDL’s and he’s right. Instead of the simpler adjustment that the basket shift allows, Royal went with a 4-point adjustment system near the carriage rails that is similar to the adjustment I see a lot on Carriage-Shifted machines:There are 2 adjustment points each for Upper and Lowercase positions, one on the right and one on the left:They are located on either side of the rear of the machine, just in front of the forward carriage rail. They work just like the normal adjustment points (loosen locknut, turn screw to desired height, re-tighten locknut) with the added caveat that you need to adjust.both sides. (right and left) so that they are even. (and LORD, my QDL is filthy!)Edit again: Teeritz successfully adjusted his Royal QDL, and you can!Another Update: made a video showing the adjustments for the Torpedo 18b segment-shifter, which is has a pretty unusual system:And here, Typewriter Minutes shows us how to adjust the alignment on a 1950’s Remington Quiet-Riter:Update: someone on FB asked about the shift adjustments on the Depression-era Royal carriage-shifted machines, so I pulled out my own Royal Companion and tracked down the adjustments for shift alignment.
The adjustments are simple tab stops that you adjust by bending (we like to say “forming”) up and down. Recall that the Royal CD-frames were super-cheapie depression-era budget models, so this isn’t exactly surprising. The tabs are difficult to see and get to, and there is a set on both sides of the carriage, just under the rack. Hello Reverend,I came here via Dr. Polk’s website with a bit of an alignment issue of my own. I have a 1930 Royal Portable. It appears alignment has gone opposite for both upper and lower keys, resulting in the lowercase letters on the next line!
Yeah, I actually took a whack at the nightmare that is the Smith-Corona Serial Number Page at TWDB this past week, but unlike recent forays into the jungle I decided to focus on one specific model: the Corona 4. The serial number table for Corona 4 was basically a line-for-line copy of OMEF 73, and like OMEF, contained no explanation for the serial numbers given. The Super-Speed Silent was the top-of-the-line model for Smith-Corona in 1938. Behind the body panels are heavy slabs of sound-deadening felt (it's still pretty loud). Note the right-hand carriage return lever. From the early '20s, Smith-Corona offered its standards with either left- or right-hand returns.
I’ve found the alignment screws, on either end of the rail, but I’m having a dreadful time getting the locking nut off. I’ve let it soak in PB Blaster but it’s still stuck. So, I rang up Gramercy Repair in NYC and the kindly Mr. Schweitzer there told me that he has precisely ONE nut driver that will fit such a screw. He has no idea what the size of it is or where they might be sold. Would you have some thoughts on the size of that nut? Additionally, Mr.
![Smith corona silent super typewriter Smith corona silent super typewriter](http://sevenels.net/typewriters/large/SCsterlingSterling.jpg)
Schweitzer said duck bill pliers might work, but I’m a little afraid.Any thoughts?Thank you very much! Ok, here’s my thoughts, having never encountered this on a Royal:1) no, don’t know the nut size. Usually I just try all the sockets in my set until I find one that works, but I haven’t done a Royal, so haven’t tried it.2) if the nut is.that.
stuck, I suspect your problem is not basket alignment, but is something broken (IE, the nut didn’t slip and throw the thing out of alignment – or else it’d be loose already). Normally, a letter that far out of alignment won’t hit the platen squarely, and the top or bottom of the letter won’t print.What I suspect is that either something is missing from one of the stops (some manufacturers use a cork or plastic pad on the stopper that can wear off or break) or something is bent and blocking the basket from actually hitting the stoppers.
I have an Underwood Leader that does exactly what you describe, but I have not yet diagnosed the problem exactly. Those are two things I would check though. Thank you for the suggestions, I will check on that about thestopper. I spent 2 hours last night first getting the nut loosened, and then going between the screws trying to level things.
I’ve gotten it to almost perfect. The socket that fit the Royal is a 5.5mm. You’ve inspired me to finally build out my personal website with my typewriter collection. I’ve written about the alignment issue here:After that was all done I got the courage to take off the platen and discovered some sad flattened rollers. Another project for another time.
Now to find out why the keys make marks on the paper. I suspect both keys are hitting too high, but if I lower the line, I can’t see what I’m typing.Thank you again for your thoughts. Thanks for an informative article, and a great sight. I found the alignment screws on my 1951 Royal Quiet DeLuxe right where you said they would be. I can work them fine. I used a Craftsman 7/32 socket which works to perfection.
However, with maximum height dialed in to the screws, I still can’t get my line high enough to level with the nightlines on eight side of the ribbon vibrator. Is there a way to raise the whole basket on the Royal before starting this adjustment?
![Corona Corona](/uploads/1/2/5/5/125508708/838550497.jpg)
I have several typewriters, but really want to save this nice old Royal. By the way, this machine also has the “bump” when putting on the shift. Is this normal?My mom, a professional typists in the 1950’s and early 1960’s was a Royal gal through and through.