History of the Typewriter

—246— Fig. 176. C. Spiro, which is known as the Bar-Lock, and which was described at length in Chapter IV. The Columbia was introduced in 1885, and has taken a number of medals for general portability and adaptability. It was made in two styles, the No. 1 having forty-four characters and writing capital letters and figures only, the No. 2 having seventy-two characters, including upper and lower case letters, numerals, etc. It consists of a wooden base nine inches long, three and a half inches wide, and the height of the machine is about seven inches. Mounted on a suitable standard are two wheels, one of which is perpendi- cular, and the other horizontal. The two are connected by cogged teeth. The perpendicular wheel carries the type on its periphery, and is revolved by means of a knob until an index hand on the face of the horizontal wheel points to the letter it is desired to print. A downward pressure on the knob causes the impression to be effected. The Columbia gives a differential or “ proportionate ” spacing, and prints direct from the type, which derives the ink from a small moving ink pad. The Columbia is undoubtedly the best of this class of index machines. The Champion. The Champion is a “ pointer ” machine. Its general appearance is not unlike the Hammond on a small scale. It has a type-wheel in a horizontal plane, by the rotation of which the characters are brought to the printing point. The rotation is effected by the movement of a pointer by the forefinger of the right hand over an index plate. When the pointer is over the desired character, a thumb lever is pressed, and the paper thus brought into contact with the type. A ribbon is the inking device, in which the Champion differs from most pointer machines. It is said that forty wards per minute- have been written with it.