SNKB-M2001-WWA-92
Notes
This keyboard assembly was recovered from a wrecked IBM Wheelwriter 3500 bought for just £1.04! Seems that this keyboard assembly was in fact a replacement module of sorts and possibly made by Unicomp given the 2001 date.
| Full Name | IBM Wheelwriter 3500 Keyboard Assembly |
| Part NumberPart Number The number used to describe this keyboard's specific release; usually specific for a target region, language or SKU, etc. |
1399135 |
| TypeType A designation from my own type naming scheme used to categorise this keyboard with or from others by their common features and market intent but may/may not be derived from official names. |
Model M-based Typewriter Keyboard Assembly |
| KeyswitchesKeyswitches The name of the known switching mechanism that lies under this keyboard's keys. |
IBM membrane buckling springs |
| Original KeycapsOriginal Keycaps The keyboard's original keycaps' material and text/symbol printing technique. |
PBT with dye-sublimated legends |
| ConnectionConnection The keyboard-to-host connection. This is could be a description of a cable (its colour, whether its coiled, whether its detachable, and what connector is at its end) or the name of a wireless technology. |
Integrated |
| Production Date | 2001-07-10 |
| Acquisition Date | 2020-05-28 |
About this keyboard type
The 1984-debuting IBM Wheelwriters 3 and 5 and Quietwriter 7 were the first vessels of membrane buckling spring keyboards. What would become the Model M as we know them featured on all subsequent IBM and later Lexmark Wheelwriters for the next decade. The layouts of these keyboard assemblies were vaguely PC-like, with a max of T-nav arrow keys, one or two columns of left-side function keys, and occasionally even a numeric keypad section included on various models depending on their market segment. As a result, most Wheelwriter keyboards range from approximately 65 size layouts. The common feature amongst all of them was a split spacebar with the smaller "Code" key being an additional modifier for accessing functions throughout the keyboard.
