LINOTYPE KEYBOARD LAYOUT -- Dave's Linotype Website

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Subject: LINOTYPE KEYBOARD LAYOUT

Author:
Dan Cole

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Date Posted: 15:56:04 03/12/02 Tue
In reply to: Chris von Rosenvinge 's message, "ETAOINSHRDLU" on 15:10:08 02/25/02 Mon

In reply to ETAOINSHRDLU asking how the Linotype keyboard was arranged. The actual layout of the keys is shown in Merganthaler Linotype Keyboard Layout by Joseph Nebus, but it must be remembered that all countries in the world had layouts that were a variation of this.
English and American machines had two channels of lower case e and German machines had two channels of a
As to the physical layout, the spacebar was the first key on the left and was connected to the spaceband box.
Then followed all the other keys (90). Each key was connected to a weight bar through the key lever. The weight bar had a pawl at the top which held up the key cam. When the key was pressed the pawl was moved from under the cam allowing it to drop onto the revolving cylinder below allowing the cam to revolve and drive up the reed to release the matrice from the magazine. I could go on forever here, hope this gives the general impression.
This should also show the reason for the keys being staggered (each keyboard cam was about 1/4 in wide) as mentioned in Joseph Nebus' keyboard layout.

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Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
Much Better Intertype Keyboard Layout Here	Dave Hughes	16:52:04 04/19/02 Fri