History of the Typewriter

—285— The Silent. This machine probably did little more than reach the invention stage, and although a machine which justifies the use of the title has long been waited for, yet the world still waits. The claim was made on behalf of the Silent, that it was the only machine capable of doing its work noiselessly. This feature was not accom- panied by any counterbalancing defect, for it was said to be rapid as any other and just as good for manifolding. The method by which the machine worked, and which secured its noiselessness was very simple. The type-bar was in the shape of an elbow, and when the key was struck, the type found its way almost to the surface of the paper, and was then pressed, by means of a toggle joint, into actual contact therewith. Whilst this movement may have readily secured a good impression, even through a ribbon, it is a little difficult to imagine that the double movement, the second (i.e., sending the type home) of which would only commence at the termination of the first (i.e., bringing it into position) could have been executed with that celerity which is now looked for, whilst the amount of dead pressure required to produce say three or four carbon copies, must have been, had. the machine been put to practical use, very great. Slocum Visible. We have found references to a machine of this name j but cannot learn <iny details as to its construction. Tangible. The Tangible Typewriter Company was registered in 1895 with a capital of £5’°00 s^ares- The object of the Tangible was to provide a means of executing embossed writing, for the use of the blind. machine was extremely simple, and capable of being learned and manipulated with ease, but the venture did not prove to be a commercial success. Triple Typewriter, A. The Typewriter l rade Journat (of New York) presents the accompanying illustration of a triple typewriter, manufactured by a Cincinatti firm out of three Smith-Premier machines. The front portion, it will be observed, is a machine complete in itself, but at the rear are two other machines, divested of then- keyboards, and so connected with the front machine that on the depression of any one key, all three type-bars move simultaneously towards the printing point. The three carriages also travel together, so that three separate top copies of any piece of work can be typed at one operation. The machine illustrated was required for use by a manufacturing business, where duplicate orders were