IBM 1403

The IBM 1403 Printer was introduced as part of the IBM 1401 computer in 1959, but had an especially long life in the IBM product line. The original model could print 600 lines of text per minute. The standard model had 100 print positions. An additional 32 positions were available as an option. A print chain with five copies of the character set spun horizontally in front of the ribbon and paper and hammers struck the paper from behind at exactly the right moment to print a character as it went by.

Photograph of an IBM 1403 printer on display at the Computer History Museum.

The 1403 could print 48 different characters: 26 letters, 10 digits, and 12 special characters: & , . - $ * / % # @ ≠ ◊

Special chains could be ordered for other character sets. Scientific users would add the left parenthesis, the right parenthesis, and the plus sign in place of the per cent sign (%), the lozenge (◊), and the ampersand (&).

A long roll ink ribbon was positioned between the print chain and the paper. The roll came in two parts, the feeder roll and take-up roll. The roll was constantly wound and rewound during printing.

Like most IBM printers of the era, the 1403 used fan-folded paper with perforated edges for pin wheel feeding. A paper tape loop controlled rapid paper movement to the top of the next page. This was used to control the form length so that paper of various sizes could be used.

An IBM 1403 printer played a cameo role in Stanley Kubrick's 1964 movie Doctor Strangelove, serving as a hiding place for a portable radio.

External links

• 1403-generated music [1] at the Computer History Museum