Help with IBM pedal identification

[Parak]

Hey folks,

Acquired this curio recently:

More here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/13176014@N03/sets/72157647626235406/

My best guess on its origins based on the all metal construction and the heft is something big and expensive from the 60s, but I've not been able to find what it was actually used with. The pedal itself has two switches, and tilts left/right on the Y axis. It doesn't seem to provide simple contact based switching on the initial poking at the pinout. Full disassembly currently eludes me as I think the removal of the shaft on which it pivots is needed, but that part refuses to budge.

Thanks!

 

[MikeS]

Probably for a dictating machine, left=backspace, right=forward; might have a preset time.

 

[Beerhunter]

It is the foot pedal from an IBM 212 transcribing machine, prt of the 210 Series. The Dictating Machine was the 211.

To disassemble it, you need a large spring-hook. Turn it upside down. Unhook the end of the speing that you will see hooked there and it will come apart. Inside you will find a circuit board and some micro switches.

IIR pushing left is playback. pushing right is roll-back and pushing where the IBM log is is back-space.

 

[Parak]

Probably for a dictating machine, left=backspace, right=forward; might have a preset time.

Looks like you were right :D

It is the foot pedal from an IBM 212 transcribing machine, prt of the 210 Series. The Dictating Machine was the 211.

Awesome! That's excellent to know what it actually belonged to, and I had to hope for someone that had actual knowledge of the part. There's definitely a lack of this pedal in the IBM documents archived on the internet from that time so it's unlikely I would have been able to find the information otherwise.

To disassemble it, you need a large spring-hook. Turn it upside down. Unhook the end of the speing that you will see hooked there and it will come apart. Inside you will find a circuit board and some micro switches.

So the hook end should be used to push the metal pin(s?) on which the pedal pivots? Sorry, it's a bit unclear, and I don't want to damage it while trying to force something that shouldn't be forced.

IIR pushing left is playback. pushing right is roll-back and pushing where the IBM log is is back-space.

There's supposed to be a third position? Interesting, on the pedal that I have there only seem to be two to each side, as the logo portion is not apparently pushable.

Thanks a lot!

PS: Mods, this probably better belongs in the Other forum, so feel free to move as needed.

 

[Beerhunter]

1. There's definitely a lack of this pedal in the IBM documents archived on the internet from that time so it's unlikely I would have been able to find the information otherwise.

2. So the hook end should be used to push the metal pin(s?) on which the pedal pivots?

3. There's supposed to be a third position? Interesting, on the pedal that I have there only seem to be two to each side, as the logo portion is not apparently pushable.

1. Yes the IBM archive seems bit low on Office Products Division (OPD) Dictating Equipment. I reckon we have a better collection in the Hursley Museum (http://hursley.slx-online.biz/index.asp) than the Corporate Collection. OPD was also responsible for Electric Typewriters and Word Processors. It was also the IBM Division behind productising the IBM 801 into ROMP that was later used in the RT PC.

2. You use a spring hook to un-hook the end of the spring that you can see

3. I may have been thinking of a later model(s) (It's been over forty years since I saw one.) but I think that the 212 had auto roll-back that was set by a switch under the foot-pedal.