ImageWriter II: ribbon-advance cog-shaft no engage ribbon

[sebugg@presby.edu (Stephen Buggie)]

                     IMAGEWRITER II PRINTER:
             RIBBON-ADVANCE COG-WHEEL DOES NOT ENGAGE
             ----------------------------------------

       I got a platinum grey (ROM 04) Imagewriter II printer in a
local combination deal for a IIgs.  The ribbon most of the time does
not advance as it should.  I installed a new ribbon; no change.

       Looking inside the printer, apparently the "ribbon advance"
cog wheen does not protrude far enough from the ribbon cartridge deck
to engage the hole on the botton of the ribbon cartridge.  The ribbon
advance cog is a plastic four-sided piece of plastic, which is spring-
loaded.  But the opening on the bottom of the ribbon cartridge seems
bigger than that fluted cog.  The rotating cog only protrudes about
1/8" from the surface of the ribbon cartridge deck.

       Overall, the fluted ribbon-advance cog seems poorly designed.
Considering the amount of torque needed to move the ribbon, this part
should have been made of metal, not plastic.  Many of the internal parts
in the Imagerwriter II are plastic.  By contrast, my sturdy NEC thimble
printer and my daisy wheel printer both have moving parts made of
metal.  They seem built for more durability than the Imagewriter II.

       IS ANY ADJUSTMENT POSSIBLE FOR THE RIBBON-ADVANCE COG?  Either
it should be adjusted to protrude slightly farther from the ribbon
advance deck, or the spring-tension pushing the cog upward towards the
ribbon should be strengthened.   Any advice will be appreciated.




   **=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=**
   ** S. Buggie  sebugg@presby.edu  IIe/IIc  Ph: (803) 833-8337, 833-1632 **
   **=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=**

.