Here is a picture of some IBM Selectric tools, given to me by a kind fellow who used to service these machines.
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Selectric III balls have 96 characters, yellow writing, and say "96".
They do NOT interchange!
Scanned manual for the IBM Selectric Typewriter
Scanned manual for the IBM Correcting Selectric II Typewriter
Scanned manual for the IBM Correcting Selectric III Typewriter
Here is a picture of some IBM Selectric tools, given to me by a kind fellow who used to service these machines.
One
of my first Selectrics, I found it (and it's pink twin) at the swap meet,
for an irresistable price. I got it working pretty well, but the pink one
has a major problem that I need to fix (when I get really bored). The IBM
Selectric was introduced in 1961 (just like me!), and was revolutionary,
in that the platen does not move, but instead the type element moves. The
single type element (ball) has 88 characters on it, in 4 rows. This typewriter
is a model 72, with a cloth ribbon in a plastic cartridge. It is a narrow
platen model, they were available in 3 widths that I know of.
The
insides of the pink typewriter. In case you were wondering what's inside
that pretty case. I have figured out how quite a bit of it works, but some
of it is still a mystery. Everything moves so quickly, it's hard to see
just what's going on. The basic operation is that two thin, flat metal
wires pull the ball into the correct position for each character, then
a turning shaft with a cam on it pushes the ball against the paper. The
different characters are all coded into the keyboard, which moves different
levers to move the ball different amounts. Shifting simply pulls one of
the wires enough to turn the ball exactly half way around.
This is my "usefull" typewriter. From a school auction, I have spent a
bit of time getting it to work well. It's a pleasure to use now. Features
dual pitch, either 10 or 12 spaces per inch, and line-and-a-half vertical
spacing. Full width 15" platen. The correcting feature is a big help for
lousy typists like me. This typewriter was built in the late 1970s, although
the design was introduced about 1973.
This is the ultimate typewriter! Has all the features of the Correcting
Selectric II, plus a redesigned keyboard and 96 character type element.
Best of all, they finally figured out how to let you easily tell when the
paper is near the end--with that black thing sticking up with the lines
on it. Earlier Selectrics have a useless end of page indicator built into
the right platen knob. This typewriter dates from the mid 1980s, and thousands
of similar ones are still in operation in government offices, schools,
banks, and many other businesses to this day.