History of the Typewriter

— 33 — of a key, there is a tripping mechanism brought into motion, which forces the type upwards. There is no direct con- nection between the lever, K, and the typebar. In this Francis seems to have anticipated two or three machines, the English, Franklin, and Daugherty, as all these make a special point of having no connecting wires. Francis must also be credited with obtaining his ink supply from a silken ribbon saturated with colouring matter, his carriage was pulled along by means of a spring, and kept in check by the action of an escapement, and he appears to have had a centre guide for his types to strike through. Had it not been for his piano-keyboard, it is more than possible that he would have obtained a very considerable amount of success. In 1861, Thomas Hall, of New York, who later on achieved fame and, undoubtedly, profit, by means of a small portable machine to which he gave his name, laboured upon a larger machine, and in due course produced and took out letters patent for a keyed typewriter. From a rough illustration which was given in the Phonographic World, of New York, it would appear that this machine was about 18 inches square by say six inches high. The grant is dated 1867. In this grant, provision is made for a rocking shaft for moving the carriage, the inking is effected by means of a ribbon saturated with ink, and various other points, long since made popular, were anticipated. Two instruments were built in 1865, one of which was provided with a complete fount of upper and lower case letters. It was exhibited at the Paris Exhibition in 1867. The other was put into constant use, and is said to have been equal to a speed of 4°o letters per minute. 3