Oak Technologies - Full Travel Membrane

[JP!]

I recently picked up this Oak Technologies keyboard with FTM (full travel membrane) switches. It basically was new in box, but the original box had disintegrated. This keyboard works great with a soarers adapter just like a regular Model F XT.

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[cherry-jade]

interesting The sing with FCC must be produced by taiwan of china.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

It's got that weird ramp at the back — I don't know where that came from as a number of clones have it (as I recall, Hi-Tek, Cherry and Key Tronic) but it's not to my knowledge an IBM case shape. My only guess is that, with the feet extended, it's a level area for placing things (instead of a ridge across a tilted area).

[JP!]

Normally these Oak flat-top switches have black and white sliders, but I also came across an example which has red sliders. I don't own this particular keyboard though, but I do know who owns it.

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[Engicoder]

It's got that weird ramp at the back — I don't know where that came from as a number of clones have it (as I recall, Hi-Tek, Cherry and Key Tronic) but it's not to my knowledge an IBM case shape. My only guess is that, with the feet extended, it's a level area for placing things (instead of a ridge across a tilted area).

I am not sure of its origin either, but my theory is that it provided more overhead space within the case for components on the section of the PCB above the keys.

[snuci]

I am not sure of its origin either, but my theory is that it provided more overhead space within the case for components on the section of the PCB above the keys.

I think the origin may be the design of the Corona PPC-400. This is the earliest brand name computer that I've seen this style on. I don't think it was ever a perfect clone of an IBM product.



Nice keyboard!

[Daniel Beardsmore]

Key Tronic made keyboards that shape at the same time ([wiki]Key Tronic Model F clone series[/wiki]), and I'm sure Cherry also made keyboards that shape. Columbia Data Products used the Key Tronic keyboards, so that's a good candidate. Hard to tell just who was first.

I'm not convinced that you'd need extra space there.

[Daniel Beardsmore]

I think Cherry's are in fact different. I thought there were some wiki pages with them (and I thought I found them the other day while doing some housekeeping, but now I can't find them), but this photo turned up earlier, and it looks familiar:

photos-f62/1980s-cherry-unicorn-prototy ... ml#p386693

So Cherry seemed to have the slope the other way and preserved the IBM solid ridge. Cherry appear to be ruled out.

Nope, Cherry did use this design too:

[wiki]Cherry KFN3-8351[/wiki]

(1983 example, second generation solid state capacitive — snuci remembered it.)