Cray Research Inc keyboard - made by Ampex

[snuci]

I have a Cray Research Inc. keyboard made by Ampex that has some key switches that I can't find in the Wiki. Can anyone identify them? The key switches almost look like they are beam spring in shape. The PCB view through an empty key switch hole makes it look like foam and foil. It says "CP Clare" on the key switch so I am guessing Clare Pender? It also has "ASM" on it but I haven't found a reference to this.

It is a cool historic keyboard and I had to have this. This is the first keyboard I bought that didn't have a computer or terminal attached

Here's the keyboard pics.

Cray Ampex keyboard - top

Cray Ampex keyboard - top.jpg (371.1 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard bottom

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard bottom.jpg (284.91 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - top layer removed

Cray Ampex keyboard - top layer removed.jpg (376.75 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - bottom layer

Cray Ampex keyboard - bottom layer.jpg (364.8 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard mechanism top

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard mechanism top.jpg (353.73 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard mechanism bottom

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard mechanism bottom.jpg (531.79 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard PCB markings

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard PCB markings.jpg (440.98 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyswitch profile

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyswitch profile.jpg (491.44 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - no key switch view of board

Cray Ampex keyboard - no key switch view of board.jpg (346.2 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - key switch markings

Cray Ampex keyboard - key switch markings.jpg (501.62 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - key caps face up

Cray Ampex keyboard - key caps face up.jpg (298.13 KiB) Viewed 8452 times

[seebart]

You continue to baffle me on a daily basis with your vintage keyboards now snuci! Not too many people here have a collection to do that! Apparently you do. Anyway, I don't own an IBM Beamspring, but that switch looks different IMO. Possibly Clare Pendar yes. The keyboard is nice but that PCB is awesome!

[XMIT]

snuci where did you get this board? I missed an auction on one maybe a few months ago. Did you pick up that one? It would have shipped from New Mexico.

Hmm, I don't know what type of key switch this is. Can you post a photo of the underside of the slider, specifically, the slider PCB interface? It looks like this could be some sort of foam and foil board. The pad arrangement looks like it would support capacitive or conductive sensing.

[terrycherry]

Rare to see this Taiwan made keyboard but the switch made from Mexico.
It looks like the Oak Full-Travel Membrane, I know yours not.

[Compgeke]

Most likely made by Clare\Clare Pendar. There's a few threads that show up with a search, like this one which also has CP Clare, but not the same type.

Edit: Maybe this here's the caps lock switch? Looks like the mount is right for that cap. http://telcontar.net/KBK/SwitchCollecti ... php?id=109

[snuci]

You continue to baffle me on a daily basis with your vintage keyboards now snuci! Not too many people here have a collection to do that! Apparently you do. Anyway, I don't own an IBM Beamspring, but that switch looks different IMO. Possibly Clare Pendar yes. The keyboard is nice but that PCB is awesome!

Thanks seebart. When you collect vintage computers, a collection of vintage keyboards kinda comes with it and I'm not even close to finished It just never occurred to me to post about them on a keyboard forum but I'm glad people are appreciating them. My respect for keyboards has heightened because of you guys! I have an IBM 5100 and and IBM 5120, both with beam springs so I compared the "clickyness" personally. Those two keyboards will be a topic of another thread soon

snuci where did you get this board? I missed an auction on one maybe a few months ago. Did you pick up that one? It would have shipped from New Mexico.

I think this is the one. I don't exactly recall but I believe this person had it on Craigslist for a while first (where I initially contacted her) and then I saw it posted on eBay but we made a deal outside of eBay.

Hmm, I don't know what type of key switch this is. Can you post a photo of the underside of the slider, specifically, the slider PCB interface? It looks like this could be some sort of foam and foil board. The pad arrangement looks like it would support capacitive or conductive sensing.

It just occurred to me that with the picture of the PCB, it has screws on the bottom like foam and foil. I will take it apart and take a picture. If MUST b foam and foil but it doesn't feel like it. I have an Apple Lisa and a TRS-80 model II with Keytronic foam and foil switches and I've had to replace the foam on those. I'll check it later tonight.

I did some research on "CP Clare" and "ASM Mexico" and it looks to be an evolution of "Clare Pendar" after their manufacturing operation moved to Mexico. I'm surprised there's no Wiki article about it because Daniel Beardsmore wrote about the company here: http://telcontar.net/KBK/Clare-Pendar/

[terrycherry]

I glad to see your keyboard post every day. And hope you can share about the history of the year of computer with keyboard!
Say something about the switch feeling enclose the keyboard typing video is an advantage.^^

[Chyros]

Very nice board! Does indeed look like foam and foil.

[snuci]

Well, as II and some other here suspected, it turns out that it IS foam and foil but the capacitive pad areas on the board are not two semi-circles like Keytronics but inner and outer squares. The center of each square pad has a hole so that if the key has a light, it will fit through the hole like the Caps Lock key. Has anyone seen this before?

Also, I took a picture of some labels that were affixed to each of the plastic parts. I was confused by "General Electric" until I looked up "General Electric Noryl" that is the plastic used in molding the parts. It also dates the keyboard to around mid 1982. the logic on board also looks custom?

Here's more pics:

Cray Ampex keyboard - foam and foil revealed

Cray Ampex keyboard - foam and foil revealed.jpg (532.61 KiB) Viewed 8274 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard logic

Cray Ampex keyboard - keyboard logic.jpg (449.62 KiB) Viewed 8274 times

Cray Ampex keyboard - plastics labels

Cray Ampex keyboard - plastics labels.jpg (334.74 KiB) Viewed 8274 times

[Chyros]

I was wondering how it had gotten around the integrated LEDs Oo . Looks somewhat elaborate to me, but I guess it should work .

[snuci]

Looks somewhat elaborate to me, but I guess it should work .

I will never see it work unfortunately unless I find an Ampex Dialogue 80 terminal. This would also normally be branded "Cray Research Inc" but if I found the normal Ampex branded one, I wouldn't complain. Here's some info: http://terminals.classiccmp.org/wiki/in ... ialogue_80

[mr_a500]

I've been wondering about the Ampex Dialogue 80 for years. Thanks for finally showing the switch type.

[Magna224]

I love that picture with the springs. They really pop. Look quite nice.