Mechanical Enterprises keycaps
Contents
Overview
Whether Mechanical Enterprises manufactured keycaps in-house or outsourced their manufacture is not presently known. They did however advertise keycaps to be used with their switches.
For T-15 switches, two keycap families are known: J-Style and T-Style, both advertised in the 1988–89 and 1989–90 issues of Electronic Engineers Master Catalog. Both families appear to be flat-profile spherical. J-Style keycaps are designed for 19 mm (0.75″) spacing and are 18.2 mm square and 7.6 mm tall. T-Style keycaps are designed for 15.8 mm (0.625″) spacing and are 15.4 mm square and 7.3 mm tall, with the shaft that fits onto the switch (which is included in the 7.3 mm) protruding from the bottom by around 1.2 mm. MEI provided hand-engraved, custom pad printed and double-shot moulded legends.
Documentation
All literature scanned by Bitsavers unless otherwise noted.
- Key tops advertisement, Computer Design, March 1970
- Keycaps advertisement, Electronic Design, Vol. 19 No. 11, May 27 1971
- Series T-5 catalogue excerpt, including some keycap types; obtained from RS in 2016
- MEI advertisement, Electronic Engineers Master Catalog 1988–89 Volume B (better scan from the 1989–90 edition)