> On Dec 20, 2024, at 10:39 PM, Paul Berger via cctalk <cctalk@classiccmp.org> > wrote: > > The chain with box drawing characters mention in the original post where used > to print the ALD. The 1403 had logic that limited the number of hammers that > could fire at once, there was a test routine that would repeatedly fire the > maximum number of hammers it was called the "Chain Breaker Routine". The > only drum printer I ever saw operating I think it was a Honeywell printer and > the person demoing it printed out some pictures, the printer could fire most > if not all hammers at once which made quite a racket. > > Paul.
As a field engineer for Honeywell, I always dreaded the holidays because so many people would launch print jobs which used repeated overstrikes to create pictures. Those jobs sometimes fired the maximum number of hammers at a time to speed up the picture creation which would sometimes cause multiple hammer actuator fuses to blow. More than once I had to buy all the 2 amp fuses from multiple Radio Shacks to get the printer operational again. Those overstrikes also caused the paper to become more saturated with ink which resulted in more paper/ink residue getting deposited in the print chain, which required heavier than normal cleanings during the next preventative maintenance window. Another thing which caused more work for field engineers around the holidays were jobs sent to the card punches to play Jingle Bells by punching fully laced cards in time to the music. It was entertaining unless they caused card jams too bad for the operators to be able to clear by themselves. Fully laced punch cards are too flexible to pass through the punch path cleanly. - Rod
