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Old Fashioned Types of Typewriters

Typewriters use a set of keys to place letters in order on a sheet of paper. They were the next logical step after the production of the printer. Unlike early printers, the typewriter uses small metal plates with individual letters instead of placing individual letter plates into large typeset frames. According to the Smithsonian Institution, early typewriters were novelties. They didn't become tools until society accepted a printed letter instead of a handwritten note.

Early Typewriters
- According to the Smithsonian Institution, Henry Mill, an English engineer, received the first patent for a mechanical writing device in 1714. Several inventors worked with the idea of early typewriters. One early design resembles a pincushion with lettered keys sticking out of the top of the device. The writer pressed each letter into a strip of inked muslin, then moved the paper for the next letter. Other early typewriters used a wide variety of designs. But they were difficult to use and weren't widely used.
Early Modern Typewriters
- In 1868, Christopher Sholes patented the first modern typewriter. He built the device out of wood and glass. One of these first models sits in the Smithsonian today. Sholes rearranged the letters from a simple alphabetical list. In the 1880s, industrialization prompted companies to look for ways to streamline their business. The concept of "scientific management" improved the typewriter. Efficiency experts studied the written word and typists. Sholes designed a keyboard that placed the most commonly used letters conveniently. He also arranged the keys to prevent frequent jams as the tiny steel letters struck the page. Thus, the QWERTY keyboard was born.
Modern Typewriters
- Modern typewriters feature keys that print lowercase letters. A shift key shifted the roll holding the paper so that the uppercase letter strikes the paper. Most modern typewriters used inked ribbon that spun from one reel to another. As the typewriter advanced, companies offered more symbols. Some common names offering modern typewriters were Blickensderfer, Crandall, Remington, Olivetti, Lambert and Emerson.
Electric Typewriters
- The first electric typewriters appeared in the 1930. But the machines weren't widely used until the 1950s. Electric typewriters kept the strike of each key consistent, giving a uniform appearance to the document. Individual cartridges replaced messy reels of typewriter ribbon. Many of these cartridges included a correction strip. This strip allowed the typist to type over an incorrect letter with a white substance, effectively erasing the letter. The International Business Machine company changed the arrangement of the plates. Instead of individual letters that would stick, the IBM Selectric used a single round ball that rotated to print each letter on the paper. As the typewriter developed, IBM created additional print balls to change languages or fonts.

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