History of the Typewriter

— 86 — ■' For instance, there is not, in the Smith Premier, any- thing which may be properly described as a key lever. The illustration on page 85 will render this point clear. On the depression of the key, the stem forces downward a small lug, which is attached to a metal rod. This causes the rod to revolve slightly, and in so doing the lug at the farther end pulls down the connecting wire, and forces the type up against the paper. What could be simpler than this ? But see what brilliant results it affords. Wear and tear are reduced to the lowest minimum. Every rod has the same length, and therefore requires precisely the same amount of force. Pressure being in all cases equal, the speed of each will be the same. There is an evenness and delicacy of touch in the Smith Premier, which calls up the admiration of all who handle it, and which quickly begets a feeling of affection for the machine. Then the type-circle is small, for the type-bars are the shortest of any double case machine. The type-bars being shorter, they have naturally less distance to travel, hence speed necessarily follows. But if the type-bar be short, the bearings are long. The view of the machine will show these long bearings. The result of having them is, that the alignment is preserved. Colliding bars will not slacken the screws, nor force the yoke round in any way. Hence, in addition, as we have seen, to the Smith Premier securing lightness and evenness of touch, and strength and stability, as well as speed, the construction of it is such as to guard against the possibility of debased alignment. Once the alignment is set on a Smith Premier, it can hardly ever go wrong, saving only after long and continual use, and then this can be easily rectified by tightening up the screws. The Smith Premier typewriter is also a capital machine for stencil-cutting purposes. The firm blow, short type- bars, and open nature of the type, render it a king among machines for this purpose. The stability to which we have before referred, also permits of a considerable number of copies, being made at one operation. To do this, it is recommended that the usual platen be removed, and another harder one inserted in its place. This harder platen is ground a trifle smaller than the soft platen, and so permits the several thicknesses of paper to lie in exactly the same position as a single sheet would be, were it round a softer and wider one. When once the ribbon is placed on a Smith Premier, it needs nojattention. It has a lateral, as well as a pro- gressive movement. Thus every fragment of ^ribbon is