Underwood #5 Typewriter
Underwood logo
The Underwood #5 Typewriter Page
Locate s/n and date your Underwood
Quick guide to repair #3, #4, #5 & #6
Look for now selling Underwoods in eBay and Yahoo
Make your PC sound and print like a typewriter
Look at where these machines were produced
Virtual collection of ads
Contests, awards... a national sport during the thirdties
Old accessories for old machines: oil, ribbons, paper...
Visit these other typewriter related links

Fairs
(A virtual collection)

Over 40 years Underwood was a sensation in many fairs. Their machines of 14 tons that worked fine and were a success

Underwood Elliot Fisher at
"A CENTURY OF PROGRESS"
CHICAGO 1.933
Underwood at the Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, 1.901. Still manufactured as Wagner Typewriter Co.

 

 

A real experience "typewriting" on this 14 tons monster

Glancing at the obit, he got one leg up the giant keyboard over the space bar, to the letter 'B' which was the first in the name of the deceased (the unfortunate Bruno Slavkic).

He leveraged himself, then stamped down as hard as he could on the giant key, swinging up the mighty hammer which struck the huge piece of paper stuck in the roller with a loud snap.

The recoil of the key kicking back up knocked Freen-o over sideways, and he fell heavily on the 'V' causing its hammer to strike its letter. Angry at the accident, he slammed his fists down on the 'F' and it too depressed, causing the blow to fall on the paper.

The 'F' key rose up again and caught Freen-0 in the jaw, causing him to tumble over backwards and fall with his full weight on the space bar. Groggy, he remained on the bar while it pushed the gigantic carriage forward, " clunk ... clunk ... clunk ..."

Recovering from this, he reached way up and managed to slam the 'R' down with a good wallop. Gingerly he worked his way across to the 'U' and then the 'N' in quick succession.

Just as it appeared he might be getting the hang of the enterprise, the previous nights excesses told their tale. Going to his right for the 'O,' he slipped and his knee dropped on the 'M,' causing it to strike.

In an attempt to catch himself he fell elbow first onto 'L' and it too rose up and smote the paper

.Toppling sideways, he now found himself wedged between home row and the bottom-most keys.

Here he stayed for a seeming eternity, before finally extricating himself only to find that his struggles had caused the hammer arms to jam.

Climbing to the top of the housing, he reached over the side, freed the entwined hammers, and tried to pick up where he left off.

He managed to get the 'O' with one foot while jumping to the ground, where he popped the space bar on the run and headed to the 'S' which he hit without incident.

In quick order he managed to finish the last name of the deceased before time was called.

 

 

 

Last updated: 16 Apr, 2000
(c) Joan Sales