Key Tronic magnetic reed

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Key Tronic magnetic reed

Manufacturer	Key Tronic
Switch type	Linear
Sense method	Reed

History

General consensus indicates that Key Tronic Corp. produced reed switch keyboards during the 1970s. Specific dates and catalog information have not been discovered.<ref name="ktc19790" /><ref name="ktchistory" /><ref name="ktcccho" />

Variants

Variant 1

• 
  Variant 1 switches
• 
  Internal mechanism
• 
  Reed

• The keyswitch housings were produced in several "bank" configurations. The minimum housing configuration, 1, was used for space bars and singleton keys. The maximum, 6, was used for central rows.
• The upper housing contains slider guides, but is otherwise a simple rectangular enclosure.
• The lower housing contains conical plastic projections that stand upright, holding the reed valves and covering them completely.
• The slider is a one piece mechanism containing a circular magnet and spring. The spring compresses the magnet against the top of the slider and provides resistance to counteract fingers and gravity.
• The housing is held together by a screw and nut; a third nut holds the assembled switch to the PCB.
• The reed is soldered directly to the PCB.

Variant 2

• 
  Variant 2 switches
• 
  Internal mechanism
• 
  Reed

• 
  Switch case removed from reed switch
• 
  Switch case top separated from base
• 
  Bottom view of case top containing plunger
• 
  Switch parts
• 
  Switch parts
• 
  Reed switch
• 
  Reed switch
• 
  Single unit switch PCB retaining screws and reed switch solder points
• 
  Reed switch, green glass
• 
  Reed switch, yellow glass

Variant 2 is similar to variant 1. The switches feature a different slider top, cut off reed enclosure tips, and a spring with fewer coils. Those design choices were likely made to decrease material cost and reduce keyswitch travel distance. Additional differences are visible in the gallery.<ref name="ktccustom" />

Feel & Sound

Variant 1 is exceptionally linear and fairly smooth. A light "ting" or "ping" can be heard when the switch activates. It is not a light switch. Variant 2 should be equally linear due to its design, though that fact cannot be verified.

Availability

The switches are difficult to find. The cause is unknown; factors other than switch rarity, such as false identification, could play a role.

Keyboards

• Key Tronic Corp. 65-0201-09
• Custom Key Tronic Corp. Keyboard<ref name="ktccustom" />
• KTC A 24956
• KTC A65-00627-021 PCB-002J

References

<references> <ref name="ktc19790">Deskthority — Key Tronic Corp. Serial No.19790</ref> <ref name="ktchistory">Deskthority — Interesting History of Key Tronic</ref> <ref name="ktcccho">Google Books — Line in "Complete Computer Hardware Only"</ref> <ref name="ktccustom">Imgur — Photos of custom Key Tronic keyboard</ref> </references>