This Typewriter Is a Self-Starter 



It saves about four seconds of 

 the time required for each letter 



After the indicators on the back of the machine are 

 set the typist is relieved of the necessity for any 

 mental computation in the operation of the machine 



ELIMINATING the hand settings of a 

 typewriter carriage for the writing of 

 indented Hnes, the new 

 self-starting device fitted on type- 

 writers of one prominent make, 

 starts the carriage instantly at 

 the correct starting point by 

 simply pressing one of five keys. 

 When it is realized that the 

 writing of the average letter 

 requires twelve dead stops and 

 that each stop means an average 

 time loss of four seconds, the 

 yearly saving attributable to the 

 device will be appreciated. 

 The self-starter is an 

 improvement on the old 

 column selector previously 

 used on some typewriters 

 in that after the indicators 

 on the back of the machine 

 are set, each of the self- 

 starter keys indicates the 

 same starting point irre- 

 spective of the position of 

 the carriage on the line. 

 This relieves the operator 

 of the necessity of any 

 mental computation in the 

 operation of the keys, 

 which from the mechanical 

 standpoint, was one of the 

 most serious drawbacks 



REVERSIBLE RACK 

 STARTER LEVERS 

 STARTER keys' 



Pawls operated from the self- 

 starter keys contact the stops 



in the operation of the old-style sel- 

 ector mechanism. Another ad- 

 vantage of the self-starter is 

 that the mechanism operates 

 from either end of the line. 

 If the carriage has passed 

 the starting point of the 

 next line of writing it is not 

 necessary to return to the 

 beginning of the line and 

 then jump forward to reach 

 the proper point. It can be 

 jumped back instantly to 

 the starting point desired. 

 The importance of this ad- 

 vantage can be understood 

 by noting the starting points 

 of the indented lines of the 

 average letter. In most 

 cases it will be found that 

 the termination of the last 

 writing line is beyond the starting point 

 of the next indented line. 



The operation of the device is 

 accomplished by the use of a 

 reversible rack on the back of 

 the machine. Different shaped 

 stop pieces can be set at any 

 desired positions on the rack. 

 Stop pawls operated from the 

 self-starter keys by 

 levers come into contact 

 with the stops accord- 

 ing to the shapes of the 

 latter which are so de- 

 signed that the movement 

 of, say, the third key per- 

 mits the first two stops to 

 be jumped. This enables 

 the carriage to be moved 

 immediately to any de- 

 sired stop, no matter 

 whether it is to the right 

 or left of the stop. 



The device will be ap- 

 preciated most especially 

 by the typists, who will 

 realize more vividly than 

 others the meaning of a 

 few seconds saved from 

 the time required for the 

 writing of each letter or 

 the spacing of each tabu- 

 lated statement. 



48 



