History of the Typewriter

—281— metal, it followed that when a key was struck and the type was at the printing point the circuit was complete, and the blow considerably increased in force, so that the matrix, after electrotyping, readily yielded a good stereo- type block. Megagraph. This machine, the invention of Mr. McCann, was a giant, and claimed to be the largest machine made. It was 6 ft. in height, 5 ft. io in. long, and 3 ft 4 in. in width. The weight was 400 lbs., and the size of the characters was proportionate to the machine itself. A full fount was used, capitals, lower case, signs and figures. The inking was effected by means of an ink roll, and by a special construction the space each character occupied was according to its width : in other words, it had differential spacing. Its object was to print newspaper bulletins, market price-lists, &c., but evidently the demand did not justify its continued manufacture. Myers, James H., took out a patent in 1900 for a very interesting book typewriter, “ a peculiar characteristic of which is that it can be manipulated to shift the carriage either from right to left or left to right in the process of writing a line. This is effected by causing the pawl of the escapement mechanism to normally engage the one side or the other of the pinion according as it may be desired to operate the machine.” The machine does not seem to have been placed on the market. Official Typewriter. This machine was a very dainty little machine of the type-wheel class, and was placed upon the market—or intended so to be—some time about 1900. For simplicity of construction, it was claimed that the “ Official ” was without a peer. The total number of parts used in its construction was only 170, which is a reduction to a minimum. As will be seen, there are twenty-eight keys, working with a double shift. The type-wheel revolves by the depression of the required key, and simultaneously therewith a hammer from the rear portion taps the paper, sending it, with the ribbon intervening, up to the type. Moreover, the force of the blow could be increased, within moderation, ad lib., so that the Official was a good manifolder. It was intended to place the machine on the market to sell at $20 (say four pounds) but whether it ever reached that stage or not, we are unable to say (see illustration on next page).