Univac F-1355-00 Keyboard, 1971
Univac F-1355-00 Keyboard, year 1971
![Univac F-1355-00 keyboard 201711 3vtnc-s1000](iold51593/Univac_F-1355-00_keyboard_201711_3vtnc-s1000.jpg)
![Univac F-1355-00 keyboard 201711 13815-s1000](iold51593/Univac_F-1355-00_keyboard_201711_13815-s1000.jpg)
Sep 12, 2013
Jacob Alexander
Univac 1710 keyboard
Sep 25, 2020
Chyrosran22
Univac 1701 keyboard
Sep 10, 2019
Chyrosran22
Univac Magnetic Separation Switch
The feel of typing on this keyboard seems to work like mechanically enhanced gravity, that is, when a key is pressed, some latch got unhooked, and the key fell by gravity. Really nice feel to press the keys, almost like playing a game.
This predates IBM buckling spring and beam spring mechanism. The key switch it uses, the Univac Magnetic Separation Switch, is patented in 1970.
This is a capacitive keying device suitable for use in an electronic keyboard. Depression of the key drives a stem which stresses a spring beyond the release threshold of a magnetic latch. A projectile is then fired, impacting upon a flexible sheet capacitor electrode. The resulting electrode deflection causes a momentary increase in capacitive coupling.
[from patent https://www.google.com/patents/US3696908]
About the Company Univac
UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) is a line of electronic digital stored-program computers starting with the products of the Eckert–Mauchly Computer Corporation. Later the name was applied to a division of the Remington Rand company and successor organizations.
The BINAC, built by the Eckert–Mauchly Computer Corporation, was the first general-purpose computer for commercial use. The descendants of the later UNIVAC 1107 continue today as products of the Unisys company.
[2017-11-13 Wikipedia UNIVAC]
Notes
I saw this keyboard in San Francisco Bay Area Keyboard Meetup 2017-11. San Francisco Keyboard Meetup 2017
The owner of this keyboard is Jacob Alexander (aka haata)
see https://deskthority.net/photos-f62/univac-f-1355-00-t6489.html
more photos flickr