History of the Typewriter

—275— The Horton. This machine, like the Empire, to which reference has already been made, was of Canadian origin, having been manufactured by the Horton Type- writer Co., of Toronto, and its resemblance to the Barlock will be apparent on a view of the illustration herewith. It will be seen that the carriage is placed at the rear, but that it does not rest on the bed of the machine. On the contrary, it is raised, and to accommodate it in its elevated position, the type-bars, which intervene between the Fig. 199. keyboard and the carriage, are made to lean backward toward the operator. We have seen in the chapter on the Front-strike machines, how this tendency towards reclination has been developed slowly and by degrees until, finally, the type-bars have lain flat on their backs, and the carriage elevated until its altitude was equivalent to the length of the type-bar itself. In addition, the Horton type-bars were not arranged in a single curve, but in three, one being placed behind the other. This had the effect of reducing the length of the bar, and so conducing to celerity of action. One of the weaknesses of the machine was its limited keyboard, only seventy-three keys being provided. The space-bar extended the whole width of the machine. The ribbon, which was quite automatic in its action, was carried on two spools, but as will be seen, the position in which these were placed caused a considerable length of ribbon