TYPEWRITER AND TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

DEFINITION

TYPEWRITER - A writing machine with a keyboard for reproducing letters,

figures, symbols and other resembling printed ones; a machine that can reproduce

printed characters on papers or that can produce printed letters and figures on paper;

a machine designed to print or impress type characters on paper, as a speedier and

more legible substitute for handwriting. .

OTHER SIGNIFICANT TERMS:

A. ALIGNMENT - Alignment defects include characters which write improperly in

the following respects:  A twisted letter, horizontal mal-alignment, vertical mal-

alignment, and a character "Off its feet".

B. ALIGNMENT DEFECT - Include character which write improperly in the following

respects: A twisted letter, horizontal mal-alignment, vertical, mal-alignment and a

character special adjustment to the types block.

C. CARBON  IMPRESSION-  Any typewriting which is placed  on  the paper  by  the

action of the type  faces  striking  thought carbon  paper is classed as a carbon

impression.  Generally, carbon impressions are "carbon copies", but sometime

original typewriting is made directly through a carbon ribbon.

D. CHARACTER - In connection with typewriting identification, the term "Character"

is used to include letters, symbols, numerals, or points of punctuation.

E. CLOGGED  (DIRTY) TYPEFACES - With use the type  faces  becomes filled

with lint, dirty and ink, particularly  in  enclosed letters  such  as  the o,e,p, and g.
F. DEFECTS - The term defect describes any abnormality or maladjustment in a

typewriter which is reflected in its works and which leads to its individualization or

identification.

G. NATURAL VARIATIONS - These are normal or usual deviations found between

repeated specimens of any individuals handwriting or in the product of any

typewriters.

H. OFF ITS FEET - The condition of a typeface printing heavier on one side or

corner than over the remainder of its outline.

I. PERMANENT DEFECT - Any identifying characteristics of a type-writer which

cannot be corrected by simply cleaning the type face or replacing the ribbon is

classified as a permanent defect.

J. PLATEN - The cylinder which serve as the backing of the paper and which

absorbs the blow on the type face is known as a platen.

K. PROPORTIONAL SPACING TYPEWRITING - A modern form of typewriting

which resembles printing in that all of the horizontal space as they do with the

conventional typewriter.  For example, the "i" occupies two units. The "o" - three

and the "m" - five. A typewriter of this design is known as a proportional spacing

machine.

L. REBOUND - A defect in which a character prints a double impression with the

lighter one slightly offset to the right or left.

M. RIBBON IMPRESSIONS - Typewriting which is made directly through a cloth

ribbon is called ribbon impression.

N. RIBBON CONDITION - Typewriter ribbons gradually deteriorate with use and the

degree of determination is a measure of the ribbon condition.

 O. TRANSITORY DEFECT - Any identifying typewriter characteristics  which  can

be eliminated by cleaning  the  machine  or replacing  the ribbon is described as

a transitory defects. Clogged type is the most common defects in this class.

P. TWISTED  LETTER  - Each letter and character is  designed  to print  a certain

fixed angle to the base line, due to  wear, and damage to the type bars and the

type block, some letters become  twisted  so that they lean to the right or  left  of

their correct slant.

Q. TYPE  FACE - The printing surface of the type block is  known as the type face,

with most modern typewriter this block  is attached  at  the  end of a movable arm

or  type bar  which propels  the type face against the ribbon and paper to  make

the typewriter impression.

R. TYPE FACE DEFECTS - Any peculiarity of typewriting caused by actual damage

to the type face metal is known as type face defect. These defect may be actual

breaks in the outline of the  letter where the metal has been chipped away

sometimes referred  to as broken type, or they may be distorted  outlines  of  the

letter where the type face metal  has  become bent or smashed, they can only be

corrected by replacing the type block.

EVOLUTION OF TYPEWRITERS

A. The first patent, however, was granted by QUEEN ANNE of England to HENRY

MILL in 1714 for a machine designed to reproduce a letter of the alphabet.

B. In 1829, WILLIAM AUSTIN BURT of Detroit, invented the TYPOGRAPHER.

C. In 1833 a French patent was given to the French inventor Xavier Progin for a

machine that embodied for the first time one of the principles employed in modern

typewriters: the use for each letter or symbol of separate typebars, actuated by

separate lever keys.

D. In 1843, American inventor Charles Grover Thurber invented a typewriter which

prints through a metal ring that revolved horizontally above the platen and was

equipped with a series of vertical keys or plungers having pieces of type at the

bottom. The machine was operated by revolving the wheel until the correct letter

was centered over the printing position on the platen, and then striking the key.

E. Several other inventors attempted to produce machines designed to make

embossed impressions that could be read by the blind. One such machine,

developed by the American inventor Alfred Ely Beach in 1856, resembled the

modern typewriter in the arrangement of its keys and typebars, but embossed its

letters on a narrow paper strip instead of a sheet.

F. A similar machine created by the American inventor Samuel W. Francis, and

patented by him in 1856, had a circular arrangement of typebars, a moving paper

holder, a bell that rang to signal the end of a line, and an inked ribbon. The

keyboard arrangement of Francis's machine resembled the black and white keys of

a piano.

G. The development of the first practical typewriter begun in 1866 by CHRISTOPHER

LATHAM SHOLES and was patented in 1868. He developed the first practical

typewriter in cooperation with two fellow mechanics, CARLOS GLIDEN and

SAMUEL SOULE'.

H. Six years later (1874), Christopher Latham Sholes entered an agreement  with

ELIPHALET REMINGTON AND SONS, GUNSMITHS &  SEWING MACHINES

MANUFACTURERS, the company produced the REMINGTON MODEL I

I. Four years later, REMINGTON MODEL II was introduced having both the lower

and upper case of the alphabet.

J. MARK TWAIN (Samuel Clemens) was among the first to buy a typewriter and the

first to submit a typewritten manuscript to a publisher.

 K. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW recognized the importance of typewriter when

he became the first playwright to use it as a stage prop in Candida in 1897.

L. When THOMAS EDISON visited Sholes to see his machine, he forecasted that

typewriters would one day be operated by electricity.

M. Soon afterwards, Edison built such a typewriter. He used a series of magnet, which

made the machine cumbersome and too expensive to be marketed.

N. The first practical electric typewriter was invented in 1914 by JAMES F.

SMATHERS of Kansas City.

O. In 1933, the International Business Machines, Inc. (IBM), introduced the first

commercially successful electric typewriter to the business world.

P. The latest development in electric typewriter is one which not only eliminates type

bars and movable carriages but can use six interchangeable type of type faces.

Q. The first basic change in typewriting operation appeared in 1961.  Despite of the

revolutionary advances in typewriting capabilities, one essential element has

remained unchanged since the first Remington. The keyboard arrangement, nick-

named QWERTY for the top line of letters, was designed to make it easier for

salesmen to use the machine.

R. A much more efficient arrangement was devised in 1936 by AUGUST DVORAK.

The process of changing over the DVORAK seemed so difficult that it was never

even begun.

TYPES OF TYPEWRITERS:

A. CONVENTIONAL TYPEWRITERS USING TYPE BARS

1. Pica Type - 10 letter/inch

2. Elite Type - 12 Letters/inch

 3. 6 Letters/inch

4. Teletype Machine

5. 14-16 letter/inch - specials typewriters

B. TYPEWRITER  USING  SINGLE  ELEMENT  OR  BALL  -  A machine,  capable

of typing 10 or 12 characters per inch.  Change of horizontal spacing is done easily

by the flip of a switch.

C. TYPEWRITER USING A PRINT WHEEL (ELECTRONIC TYPEWRITER) –This

has a disc type device called a print wheel, The printwheel contains all of

characters represented on the typewriter keyboard. This machine has the

capability of typing 10, 12 and 15 letters per inch.

CLASSIFICATION OF TYPEWRITERS BASED ON LETTER DESIGNS

A. The small “w” – depending on the presence or absence of a center serif, height of

central peak and design of the two central diagonals.

1. w-1 – central peak is the same height as the top of the outside stroke and is

capped by serif.

2. w-2 – same with w-1 but has no central serif.

3. w-3 – central joining is below the top of the sides.

4. w-4 – low center but the two central diagonals join the sides well above the base

of the letter.

B. Crossbar of small letter “t” – cross bar is either longer on the right or on the left

side and or equidistant on each side. The curved lower extension of the “t” is

either turn upward at a point the left of, to the right of, or about even with the right

terminus of the crossbar of the “t”.

C. The small letter “g” – upper oval is either much smaller or the same and/or different

or the same in shape than the lower oval. Upper and lower ovals are either very

closely spaced or not.

D. Small letter “r” – right arm is either long with very small curve at its end or a long

right arm with full curve at the end and/or the right arm is short with its curve

moderate to full.

E. Small letter “y” – has three distinctive designs:

1. lower stroke has a broad turn which forms a very shallow trough.

2. lower stroke has a deep full curve which clearly curves right ward.

3. Lower stroke turns sharply upward like forming a narrow trough.

F. Small letter “i” – has two distinctive designs:

1. center of the dot is aligned with the central line of the vertical staff.

2. Center of the dot is set off to the left of the central line of the vertical staff.

G.Upper and Lower Strokes of Capital Letter “E” – maybe equal or the bottom stroke

maybe longer than the upper stroke. The serif is either vertical or oblique. The

small “e” may have its straight stroke either horizontal or oblique.

H. Figure “7” – horizontal stroke is either straight or curve.

I. Figure “5” – horizontal stroke is either straight or slightly or fully curved.

J. The comma “,” – tail may extend to the left of the dot or only very slightly to the left

of the dot.

K. Parentheses – may vary in curvature.

Two typewritten documents are said to be typed from one and

the same typewriter if they agree in type face style, design,
spacing, alignment and three or four scars or damaged type