Underwood no. 5 typewriter doesn't advance when hit keys

according to http://oztypewriter.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/where-to-find-typewriter-serial-number.html

you can find the serial number on the right hand side, underneath the carriage, and also on the right side of the carriage itself.

Remove the top cover, remove ribbon spools, press a key and grab it with your finger, note the mechanical motions toward the ribbon advancer movement, usually found near the center of the ribbon holder or could be on the outside edge also, there is a reverser mechanism also that should be fully to one side or the other, it switches the ribbon direction to avoid a 'dead end' while typing. By moving the key toward the platen and away it should drive the ribbon mount spool by a shifting drive lever of some kind. If you cannot resolve this issue, take it to a rare typewriter repair shop, it is too hard to explain in this format, and mechanical skills are involved, hope you have them, ;)

You don't want to do that, use an automotive brake cleaner and spray in the rails while moving the carriage back and forth, that should loosen it up, dis-assembly would unleash the angry mechanical gods upon you, might want to keep the spray away from the motor and belt as they are apparently scarce, otherwise toss it and find an old gray Underwood in good condition and go

Belt is slipping or broken..When it sits for awhile the belt stretches.

can you contact ibm maybe just needs a bit of oil for the carriage to move smoothly, but I would ask first.

It has been a while since I have seen a #5 Underwood. I think I still have one hidden in the attic that the wife thinks was thrown out long ago :).

The carriage return is done by the lever that pushes a pawl. The pawl engages in the ratchet teeth on the LH end of the platen. If the typewriter has the half-space feature, then it has to roll the platen two clicks (teeth) for a line space. The problems were usually in two places when this didn't happen correctly. The first is that the bushings on the platen were dry and needed oiling. The second was the follow-up roller is not clicking into the ratchet tooth and keeping it latched in the proper position. Because the platen doesn't roll far enough, or is free enough, the roller stops on top of a tooth instead of clicking into the space between the teeth. This can be caused by dry platen bushings, sticky follow up roller mechanism, or weak follow up roller spring. If you roll the typewriter on its back with the carriage all the way to the left, you should be able to pull the carriage return and watch the follow up roller action from underneath (you may need a flashlight). A light weight oil (Marvel Mystery or a sewing machine oil or Triflow) will be suffiecient to fix it usually. Put a few drops in the bushing where the steel platen shaft goes thru the end of the carrier and a few drops around where the mechanism that attaches the follow up roller to the end of the carriage. Roll the platen back and forth to work it in then slide the carriage to the right and do the shaft on the other end and work it again. Hopefully that will take care of it. If it doesn't, then the spring will have to be tightened by removing a loop. Depending on your mechanical ability and tools, that can be an easy or difficult job.
I didn't mean to write a book on the subject. I worked on mechanical typewriters years ago and hated to see them go to the wayside. I usually don't do this, but if I can be of anymore help, email me :cautionflag1956 at yahoo

Hope this helps

I just have an underwood 18 typewriter and when I type the carriage doesnt move the margins are in the end and when I press the tab key It is moving but if press the space bar it doesnt move..what should I do?

If it skips at the same place or skips every 10 or 12 spaces all the time it is a broken tooth on the escapement wheel or rack. It could be in typing you are lingering on the key causing it to spring back a little ans space over.

Try code (lang) key either the X or L depending on when it was made

DickyO

Press and hold the code key while pressing the lang key Either "X" of "L" key.

DickyO