deskthority

So, Ima try something. Let's see if I can post one new keyboard everyday, until...well, when I can't anymore?

So, first off, something from one of those companies that likes to make missiles: Raytheon.
OEM'd by that Cortron company (with the older style of the ITW Magnetic Valve/Pulse switches).
Looks to be from sometime in 1979 (though it's basically in new condition).

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So many layers...
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Also, that plastic is sharp, definitely cut myself on it :/
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Yay! A clicker. Now this particular Deltrol clicker has been incorrectly called a solenoid. It's not!
It's an electromagnet with a spring. There's a difference! (no shaft that moves within the coil)
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Locking switch.
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Which says lock
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Flickr Album

Is that a "back tab" key under the backspace key?

Looks like it. I've seen it on a few other keyboards like this one:
Burroughs TP130

So what type of switch is it? Doesn't look quite like Hall effect from the PCB... Are the caps hall effect compatible, they do look similar I'll admit

It's ITW Magnetic Valve. Which uses magnetism to stop the flow of current (which signals a press).
A Hall Effect switch detects the strength of the magnetic field directly.

Unfortunately, ITW keycaps are not compatible with Honeywell Hall Effect switches (even though they look really really close). Size is a bit different.

Any data on the durability of Magnetic Valve switches? That is, do they come close to Honeywell HE?

Mechanicals are very similar so I'd rate them about the same.

Sense mechanism, you could argue that magnetic valve uses passive rather than active components so it's actually more reliable in that respect.
But tbh, it's the spring that'd wear out first by a long shot if the same electrical environment.

I bought one of these a month ago when it was posted in the interesting finds thread. I really like it, the switches feel nice and it's definitely my prettiest board. Is there any way to go about actually making it usable?

Might be possible, but would need to be reverse engineered, then if the protocol looks good a protocol converter could be made.

Worst case, a new controller would be necessary, which is a bit tricky as I'm not sure anyone has made a magnetic valve controller in the community yet.

I'm super swamped, so I'm not the person to ask unless you can show up to my place with a case of beer and get me to focus on it (this has been done to some success in the past)

Christ, HaaTa, where do you find this stuff.

There were multiple units on ebay.

I knew they were ITW magnetic valve! From the first look at those keycaps over a year ago, that's what I thought.

Here's the terminal they're from:
Raytheon was a defence contractor who also made terminals from 1972 to around 1984. From what I can see, their terminals always used Licon/ITW magnetic valve switches.

The movie Coma (1978):