814 



TYPE- WRITERS. 



medal of superiority was awarded, in 1885 a spe- 

 cial medal, and at the New Orleans Exposition a 

 gold medal. For the purpose of manifolding, 

 the blow given by the hammer can be increased 

 by the adjustment of a thumbscrew. 



The Crandall Type-Writer. This is the 

 invention of Lucien S. Crandall, of Syracuse, 

 N. Y., and is radically unlike any other. His first 

 patent was granted Dec. 20, 1881 (U. S. Pat. 251,- 

 338), although the inventor's researches and ex- 

 periments date back as far as 1871. The instru- 



THE CRANDALL TYPE-WRITER. 



ment is small, light, and handsome; it maybe 

 operated on one's lap, or on any convenient desk 

 or table, with ease The weight is 15 pounds, 

 and it occupies about a cubic foot of space. The 

 base is of cast iron, and the principal working 

 parts of steel and brass. Twenty-eight keys, 

 arranged in 2 banks, acting upon 84 characters, 

 are employed. Their levers converge to the back 

 of the machine. The characters are all on a 

 single solid piece of metal called a " type sleeve," 

 instead of on separate type bars, so that no col- 

 lision is possible. The sleeve moves up and 

 down, and turns about, and the letters reach a 

 common printing point as their respective keys 

 are touched. No letter has to travel more than 

 three quarters of an inch to make its impression. 

 The sleeve is provided with a series of holes cor- 

 responding in number and distance apart with 

 the letters and other characters; by their use 

 the " sleeve " is adjusted at each impression to 

 within the thousandth part of an inch, thus in- 

 suring absolute alignment and adjustment of 

 the line. The paper is fed in over a cylinder, 

 and during the operation of printing the entire 

 work is in full view. By the instantaneous 

 shifting of one sleeve for another any desired 

 style of alphabet or language can be used. On 

 either side of the sleeve are the ribbon spools, 

 which work automatically, and can also be wound 

 either way without touching the ribbon. But 

 one style of the machine is manufactured, al- 

 though any number of faces of type are em- 

 ployed. It was placed on the market in 1885. 

 In 1887 the machine was remodeled, and while 

 the principal features were retained, several im- 

 portant improvements were added, etnbodied in 

 patents No. 251,338, No. 408,150, No. 408,289. 

 The latter machine is slightly larger than the 

 original, occupying 13 by 14 inches table surface, 

 with a height of 8^ inches, and an increase- in 

 the weight of 5 pounds. Variable spacing is 



dispensed with in order to produce perfect tab- 

 ular work. A cam movement is substituted for 

 the former slot movement. A new ribbon move- 

 ment is provided dispensing with the former 

 projecting shield. The type in the sleeve pushes 

 the ribbon to the point of impact, the ribbon re- 

 turning with the sleeve, and leaving the writing 

 at all times in full view. 



Machines for the Blind. Several machines 

 have been invented for the use of the blind, 

 among which is one by Daniel A. Johnston, 

 which enables a blind person to impress char- 

 acters in rows and lines so as to be read by the 

 sense of touch ; there is also Foucault's, previ- 

 ously mentioned, but nearly every style has been 

 successfully used. The blind learn to use the 

 type-writer with facility. They learn the posi- 

 tion of the letter- board just as they do that of 

 the piano key-board. 



Other Machines. A large number of small 

 machines, and some that were extremely low- 

 priced, have appeared at intervals. Among the 

 more interesting may be named : 



The Prouty Typograph, the invention of E. 

 Prouty, of Chicago, which was first put on sale 

 in 1885. The base is of cast iron. The bar from 

 side to side at the back supports the printing 

 carriage, to which is attached a device working 

 through a series of teeth as the carriage is de- 

 pressed, and drawing it to successive spaces. 

 The carriage has a groove on its upper side, and 

 in the groove a metal bow, having on its upper 

 and lower sides electrotyped characters for print- 

 ing. This bow at one end is attached to a slide 

 working in the groove, and at the other has a 

 finger piece. In the bottom of the groove is the 

 ink-pad. The paper is held over a rubber-cov- 

 ered cylinder platen, the bottom of the printing 

 carriage being perforated at its line of crossing 

 to allow the passage of a letter on the under side 

 of the type bar. The bow is turned as the signs 

 on either side are needed. The weight is about 

 10 pounds. 



The Prouty Type-Writer. This was the 

 joint invention of E. Prouty, of Chicago, and 

 his wife. The idea was suggested to her by cer- 

 tain braces on the bridges over Chicago river. 



THE PROUTY TYPE-WRITER. 



The machine rests upon a metal frame consist- 

 ing of a strong, light casting. The key levers 

 are of steel, and are hung so nearly upon the 

 center that they are balanced by the weight of 



