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Hello all.

My HP-67 battery door isn't cooperating. After I put the door on the battery compartment, the left sliding latch slides all the way up and locks in place. The right latch however, will slide up about a quarter inch and stop. When I have the cover in my hand by itself, the latches move up and down correctly. What's wrong? Although the door looks intact and it doesn't look as though anything chipped off, could a piece have broken off? Would replacing the door with a new one help?

Your insight is appreciated


Edited: 10 Apr 2012, 11:46 p.m.

Quote:
The right latch however, will slide up about a quarter inch and stop. When I have the cover in my hand by itself, the latches move up and down correctly. What's wrong?
Your measuring system ;-) ('quarter inch' corresponds to some 6mm - the latches of my 67 slide up some 2.5mm max). HTH

Hi Matt

As Walter says, the movement of the latches is about 2.5mm. If they slide ok when the door is in your hand I would think that the door is ok and the problem lies elsewhere.

Do the latches work ok with the battery removed? If not then look around the edges of the battery compartment for any thing, eg nicks, etc that might prevent the door from seating properly and interfering with the latch.

If ok without the battery then check for anything that prevents the battery from seating properly or alternatively, if the battery pack has been rebuilt, it might be slightly larger than normal which again could stop the door from seating properly.

Cheers

James

Hi Matt! Which kind of BP are you trying? A pack (hard) ith the original black frame/chest or a different , "soft" one? I'm pretty sure you insert the bttery in the right way, the size of the pack is the same of the classical and now you have several machines in your collections and quite a good experience, but please check if the verse of the insertion is correct...ciao.

Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 7:56 a.m.

Hello all. Even without batteries in the chamber, the right latch does not slide up all the way as the left one does.

Upon closer inspection, it's the right latch. It seems that a piece has broken off from the bottom of the latch. The square portion at the bottom of the latch is missing. For a clearer description, the bottom part of the troublesome left latch is not a square but rather, the latch is shaped lite a capital I. Just as well, when I hold the battery door in my hand and slide the latch up, the latch can slide completely off. So, it seems the square part on the bottom has broken off.

Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 1:05 p.m.

The bottom part is a catch that keeps the latch in the closed position. They are often broken off since they have a very thin part that has to flex every time the latch is opened or closed. A possible solution is to place a thin piece of cardboard on top of the battery pack, such that is presses the latch tab against the case so that it won't slip open.

Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 1:39 p.m.

If the evening I'll post a picture which shows how simply I fixed this problem on a HP67. needs only glue (loctite) and a piece of plastic material (the one inserted usually in the shirt's neck, which is flexible). Actually it ìs very easy to do and works 100%!

Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 5:57 p.m. after one or more responses were posted

Thanks.

I apologise for not posting a pic to clarify my 67's glitch. I look forward to seeing this simple solution. The battery pack I installed can be found here:

Classics Battery Pack

of which I bought a few and they all fit precisely in my 35, 45 and 55. Just as well, this same pack fits properly in my 67 as well.

Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 5:20 p.m.

Here, Matt, the battery door fixed as described




Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 5:35 p.m.

Hi. Let me ask-- even though this patch replaces the missing square block that's opposite the original block on the right side in the picture, would that fix correct the sliding of the ribbed latch so that it slides fully to the lock position on the top of the battery bay?

Maybe I'm missing something but, I just tried taping a thin cardboard in place and my latch moves exactly the same hairline distance. The latch will not move the correct distance to the top of the battery compartment.

Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 6:17 p.m.

The latch closes working like a leverage (the horizontal bar on the cover is the fulcrum) and the square rebuilt portion press on the battery pack holding it in place and in the same time this new piece of plastic works like a spring (more flexible than the original one) and does not allow any sliding of the cover.

Edited: 11 Apr 2012, 6:42 p.m.

So, am I to understand that, even though the cardboard I'm using does not allow the latch to slide fully to the top, the slight amount battery door latch slides still ensures that the door will latch the closure securely?

Hi Matt,

I'm a bit puzzled as I wouldn't have thought that missing the bottom bit off the latch would prevent the latch sliding fully into the locked position. Rather, as Aurelio has said, this bit serves to retain the latch in the locked position, without it the latch will easily move to the open position. As mentioned in an earlier post, without the bottom bit the latch can slide completely out.

At most, when in the locked position, the tongue of the latch should only protrude 2.5mm or 3/32 inch beyond the edge of door and this is all that is required to hold the door in place.

Cheers

James

Hi all.

I'm very sorry but something is very confusing. Even with that cardboard fix on the right latch and the right latch is pushed upward that slight hairline amount to lock, if I slide the intact left latch to the open position, the battery door falls into my hand when I turn the calculator over.

Don't worrry, I'm confused as well!

All I can suggest is:

1. Is anything missing from the top part of the right latch? ie is the distance from the end of the ribbed section to the end of the tongue that protrudes into the battery bay when locked less than on the other latch? If so then even when the latch is in its proper locked position there may not be enough of the tongue sticking out to hold the door in position, and the thicker ribbed part will prevent the latch moving any further once the door is in position.

2. If there is no difference in the above length and the latch moves at least the correct distance when the door is in your hand (I think you said before that it can slide right out due to the missing bottom section) then something must be stopping it from sliding the required distance once the door is in place.

3. Has anything been stuck in the battery bay or is there any other obstruction there at the place where the tongue of the latch should be when the latch is in the
locked position?

4. Alternatively, is there any damage to the edge of the battery bay, including the stepped ledge along the inside, or the edge of the door on that side, which will prevent the door sitting flush and therefore obstruct the latch from sliding under the lip of the body? (I note that you are using Mark Hoskins' battery packs which in my experience fit well so there shouldn't be a problem here.)

Any thoughts Aurelio?

Cheers

James

Matt, James, I think that maybe there is something wrong, I mean maybe I can't understand, due to my poor knowledge of the english language, what is exactly the problem I try to understand reading the post and "imagining" what happens. If the "tongue" has been rebuilt and the cover still lack, I think that something more is missing in that cover, maybe the part on the bottom shoved in the picture which works like a hinge for the cover and that I've higlited on the picture below

Is everything ok or is that piece broken (or missing)?

Edited: 12 Apr 2012, 9:05 a.m.

Hi all, Thanks for helping me through this. I appreciate the effort & thought you're putting into this.

To answer your question, aurelio and others here, that bottom lip is fully intact. The piece that is missing is the square piece that the cardboard in your pic above replaces.

I'm so sorry to be not able to help you, Matt, I don't absolutely think the problem in the battery in my 67 lies a Mark Hoskins' battery pack and fit very well. I suggest you while all we thinking more about, to place temporarly a piece of trasparent schotch tape and don't worry any more for the cover. Don't worry, enjoy your fantastic and legendary calculator, we take mind of it...

You're right. I'm putting too much effort into such a small thing. The 67's such a fine machine that it's functionality & potential are what matter most.

In any event, thanks Aurelio and thanks to the rest of MoHPC, for helping me sort this out. And thanks once again for your thoughts, effort and patience in helping me with this issue.

Matt

Hi Matt

How far do the latches slide when the door is out of the calculator? Do both slide an equal amount? When they are both in the locked position the maximum extension should be as below (the ruler is in mm).

I don't see how missing a bit of the bottom of the latch would prevent it sliding the full distance required - it should actually permit the latch to slide further out than needed.

On my 67 someone (not me!) had obviously had problems getting a battery pack out as there are a number of gouge marks in around the battery compartment as seen in the picture below. Some of the gouging has left raised sections next to the gouge which could be enough to prevent the door sitting flush. Does you door sit flush with the calculator body?

Sorry I can't think of anything else to suggest. As Aurelio says, Scotch tape may be the best bet.

Cheers

James

To answer that, everything you're pointing to in the pic is in perfect shape. And yes, lacking the missing piece, the latch can slide fully till it's come off. The whole issue leads to the missing piece off the battery door's sliding latch.

Edited: 12 Apr 2012, 5:32 p.m.

Matt,
can you post some pictures of your battery door and latches? Only with this info we can understand and help you.

I must confess that I haven't understood the problem yet, sorry.

Ignazio

Quote:
I apologise for not posting a pic to clarify my 67's glitch.
Apologising is not sufficient. Posting a pic would be far better!

Hello all

I just wanted to say thank you for helping me resolve this glitch. Perhaps I'm the one that's made too much of this. I just want to be able to take good care of my things. Also, especially the fact that I've FINALLY set up my calculator collection with the models I've always wanted, dreamed of and had before they needed to be retired. It's that when something like this battery door issue happens, I'm too hard on myself and kicking myself for not being careful enough to avoid such a mishap. and then, I try ever so hard to fix whatever mistake I made.

Thank you again!