History of the Typewriter

- 45 — turn out a writing machine which could withstand the shock and rattle of every day use, and therefore suggested that the instrument should be taken to the Remington Armoury at Ilion, New York, where it could receive the attention and care, coupled with skill and suggestion, which it desired and deserved. His views were fallen in with, and the Remington Armoury made three model machines which “ passed muster,” and were regarded as satisfactory. It would not be correct to say, as some enthusiastic supporters of Mr. Yost have urged, that he made the Remington, but he certainly did make it successful. A contract was now placed for the manufacture of one thousand Sholes and Glidden typewriters, and the form which they assumed will be gathered from the accompany- ing illustration. The following account, drawn from the catalogue of the South Kensington collection, will be sufficient to form a clear conception of the machine :— “ It,is a typebar machine, with the levers hanging verti- cally round a circular opening in the top of the frame, so that the type strike upward at a common centre. There are forty-four keys, connected by horizontal levers and vertical wires to the same number of typebars. Each bar has but one character so that there is no change of case, and only one printing point. The platen cylinder is supported in a carriage that slides on a rod at the back and is supported by a wheel in front. The paper, which may be of any length, but not more than 8.25 ins. wide, passes under the platen cylinder, with which it is held in contact by two rubber bands passing round rollers on the carriage. To inspect