Lathem platen and ribbon
We stock and sell Lathem time clock parts.
What this is: A hard, gray, rectangular rubber part.
They dry out and then crack and crumble.
They are also fairly easy to replace.
Why you may need it:
The plunger pushes it up and squeezes the card to the ribbon. When this breaks down (10 years is typical), replacing just the ribbon will not fix the illegible printing.
Replace this part along with the ribbon and it will print like new.
To replace:
- Remove the movement - take it off.
- Locking it in the up position is dangerous, it can fall and rip the skin on your fingers (not cut: you will rip or tear, and it will hurt).
- Remove the ribbon to remove the metal plate covering the lower 1/2 of the machine, to expose the plunger assembly.
- This is held on with two Philips screws.
- Dig-out the broken platen rubber with a flat blade screwdriver.
- Press the new one in to place, make sure the back of it is in alignment with the back of the “U“ grove that it goes in to. No further. No need to glue it in place.
- Reassemble. your are done.
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