Today, we either use our comfortable computer keyboard or the touch screen for typing. However, this has not been always so. Before the advent of computers we used the famous typewriters. Here, we are showing the historic evolution of the typing machines.
Older people of your grandparents age may still have an old type writer at home. Here, we are presenting a history of 200 years of the evolution of the typewriter..
1714: Henry Mill
The typewriter Henry Mill was the first to be patented.
1865: The Hansen Writing Ball
The Hansen Writing Ball was invented in 1865 by Rasmus Malling-Hansen , the director of the Royal Institute for Deaf and mutes in Copenhagen. It was patented and entered in production in 1870. It is the first typewriter to be commercially sold.
1867: The Pterotype John Pratt
It was presented to the Society of Arts in London and the Royal Society in 1867. An article about the invention was published in July 7, 6186 about her, in an issue of Scientific American magazine. Since then, this invention has inspired many other inventors of typewriters. It was patented in August 11, 1868 in the United States.
1867: The Sholes and Glidden (also known as the Remington No. 1)
This is the first typewriter that met commercial success. The first model was a four-row QWERTY keyboard and can print only capital letters.
1 876: Another great example of a typewriter Sholes and Glidden (Remington No. 1)
1878 Remington # 2
And it is the first typewriter that could type uppercase and lowercase letters on the same 39 keys.
1881: The Hall Type Writer (1881)
1882: The Caligraph two
This is the second American typewriting company after Remington (or Sholes and Glidden) in 1880. The Caligraph 2 , the second and the lightest model of the company was the first typewriter to have a full keyboard in 1882. It was a double-sized keyboard because the machine was separated for case-sensitive keys.
1884 Hammond 1
1885: The new model Crandall Typewriter
1890: Victor
1893 Blickensderfer 5 or Orchard typewriter
The first portable typewriter was invented in 1891 and introduced in 1893 by George C. Blickensderfer . It has a “scientific” keyboard instead of the QWERTY, which was less effective according to Blickensderfer . Later, the company also sold typewriters with a QWERTY keyboard, but the buyer had to sign a simple form stating that he knew that he chose the least effective type of keyboard. The French version was based on the Blickensderfer 5.
1894 – 1928: Oliver 5
1895: The Ford Typewriter
It is the first typewriter to use aluminum in its construction.
1897 Jewett No.4
The white keys are for small and black for uppercase letters and digits.
1899 Saturn
The Saturn was really complicated to use, the user must first select a row of letters printed on the index, then tap one of the new keys.
1900 – 1907: The Salter 6 Improved
1902 Electric Blickensderfer
This is the first electric typewriter produced commercially. It was not a great success, because at the time electricity had not been standardized and voltage differed from city to city.
1920: The portable Corona
1920-1925: The Remington Portable # 1
More than half a million units were sold.
1925-1928: The Remington Portable # 2
1935: IBM Typewriter
This is the first electric typewriter that is a huge success in the United States.
1961 – 1984: IBM Selectric
This very successful model introduced in 1961 it used a typing ball instead of dozens of individual type bars. It took over 3/4 of the U.S. market.
Late 1980s: Canon Typestar 110
1980: Brother WP-1
Wow! We have come a long way since 1714! One imagines that in future same thing can happen to computers and smartphones. What do you think about evolution of typewriters?