The post in yesterdays MMD about the "unusual" player piano rolls
brought back a few memories.  Autotypist was a pneumatic paper roll
operated machine that typed form letters long before the days of the
personal computer.  It used a standard typewriter custom fitted to
each machine.  There were "interfaces' for almost any brand of
typewriter.

The rolls come in two forms... one is on a regular sized player piano
flange, the other on a large cardboard core the same as an "O" roll.
Years ago an unsuspecting person bought some of these large rolls in
the belief that they were "A" rolls.  They were not.  Turned out
they were form letters.

Unroll these vintage "computer" controllers and you will see single
punches... one for each key (note) on a typewriter keyboard.  There
will be a long rewind perforation at the beginning of the roll which
dupes people.

I believe that there are 58 holes in the Autotypist tracker bar.  Next
time I am in the warehouse I will look at one of the beasts I have had
in storage for years.  The size of the hole punched in the paper
is .098 inches which is just about the size of a 65 note nickelodeon
roll.

Ed Gaida
Sweltering 22 Blocks north of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas
egaida@txdirect.net.geentroep [ drop .geentroep to reply ]