History of the Typewriter

—274— depressed to revolve the platen the spring within the drum connected thereto is thereby automatically wound up, so that there is no “ running down ” of the spring from constant use, and no winding by hand necessary. The characters are arranged, as is usual in shift machines, in pairs at the ends of the type-bars, which latter are supported in radially-disposed grooves in an arc-shaped guide, pivotally secured to the uprights of the machine, said type-bars being linked to the type-key levers, and when the shift-key is struck, the said guide, with the rear ends of the levers connected thereto, is thereby carried to the left, and changed in position so that the “ upper case ” characters will properly strike the common point of impact without any lateral change of position of the platen, the release of the shift-key causing the said guide to return to its normal position, this being accomplished without any frictional resistance or interference. The original machine was invented by the late Walter H. Hanson, of Milwaukee, and patented some years ago, since which time it has been greatly improved and simplified, and is protected by a series of patents in the United States, Canada, and the principal European countries. An English machine, embodying a similar principle, was patented in 1903 by Mr. J. G. Whyte, of Upton Manor, Essex. In this case the cylinder was mounted on an upright post, having a spiral thread cut in its face and being fixed in a wheel socket. The latter revolved between letters, and the screw post revolved between lines, thus providing the usual spaces. The machine has not yet been marketed. Hess and Stoughton. These gentlemen (residents of New York) took out two patents in 1900 for a type- writer. In the machine covered in the patents, each type- bar is equipped with a sleeve having three type-carrying faces. In the patents, three types are shown on each face of the bar or sleeve, and three keys are employed in con- nection with each type-lever, so that whenever a key is depressed, the corresponding character on the face of the rotatable sleeve will be brought opposite the platen and to the printing point. This is effected in such manner that when the sleeve shifting or rotating key is depressed, it becomes locked, avoiding the necessity of keeping the finger on the “shift ” key. .This patent was assigned to the Century Machine Co., of New York (see Century). See also Donnelly for earlier example of revolving type-bar.