History of the Typewriter

— 108 — and return ” is depressed and immediately the key is released, and carriage resumes its normal position. Should it be desired, however, to continue to use capitals, as, for instance, in the case of a heading or address, then the key marked “ Upper case and stop ” is used, and the carriage remains in position for the capitals to print, until the other shift key is tapped, when the carriage reverts to the proper position for writing lower case. So good is this device, that it has been widely adopted, in various forms, on other machines. The great feature of the Franklin, however, is the remarkably simple and ingenious type-bar movement. However far the rival inventors of machines have differed F1G.J87 from a common standpoint, they have invariably aimed at producing as simple a type-bar movement as possible. But certainly no machine has managed to produce so simple a movement as Mr. W. P. Kidder, the inventor of the Franklin. It may be observed that the type-bar consists of practically only two parts. All wooden and other levers, all connecting wires, turnbuckles, and toggle-joints, together with the train of miseries they sometimes bring, are here discarded, and the whole movement reduced to such a degree of simplicity as to effect a saving of about 400 parts. The direct movement without intervening parts between the type-bar and key-lever gives an action to the keys that produces a touch which is pronounced by some experts to be as positive and satisfactory as that of any typewriter in use.