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GROUP 2
LESSON 9.1 FUNDAMENTALS OF
TYPEWRITING IDENTIFICATION

Definition of Typewriter
It is 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.
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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
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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,
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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.
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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
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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 the outline of the letter
where the metal has been chipped away sometimes
referred t 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.

LESSON 9.2 EVOLUTION OF TYPEWRITERS

1. The first patent, however, was granted by

QUEEN ANNE of England to HENRY MILL in 1714
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for a machine designed to reproduce a letter of the

alphabet.

2. In 1829, WILLIAM AUSTIN BURT of Detroit,

invented the TYPOGRAPHER.

3. 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.
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4. 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.

5. 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
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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.

6. 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.
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7. 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’.

8. 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.
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9. Four years later, REMINGTON MODEL II was

introduced having both the lower and up case of the
alphabet.

10. MARK TWAIN (Samuel Clemens) was among

the first to buy a typewriter and the first to submit a
typewritten manuscript to a publisher.

11. 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
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12 When THOMAS EDISON visited Sholes to see

his machine, he forecasted that typewriters would
one day be operated by electricity.

13. Soon afterwards, Edison built such a typewriter.

He used a series of magnet, which made the
machine cumbersome and too expensive to be
marketed.

14. The first practical electric typewriter was

invented in 1914 by JAMES F. SMATHERS of
Kansas City.
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15. In 1933, the International Business Machines,

Inc. (IBM), introduced the first commercially
successful electric typewriter to the business world.

16. The latest development in electric typewriter is

one which not only eliminates type ban and
movable carriages but can use six interchangeable
type of type faces.

17. 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, nicknamed
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QWERTY for the top line of letters, was designed to

make it easier for salesmen to use the machine.

18. 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.
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LESSON 9.3 IDENTIFICATION AND

EXAMINATION OF TYPEWRITTEN QUESTIONED
DOCUMENTS

HAGAN in 1894, made the first comment on

typewriting examination. He wrote that all typewriter
machines even when using the same kind of type
become more or less peculiar by use as to the work
done by them. These peculiarities positively connect
them with the printing done by the machine.
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This exposition of the principles of typewriting

identification was followed in 1900 by AMES who
wrote that the identity of writing by different
operators as well as that done on different
machines can be done with considerable degree -
Different operators have their own peculiar methods
which differ widely in the location of date, address,
margins, punctuation, spacing, signing as well as
impressions from touch.

In several articles written between 1901 to 1907,

ALBERT S. OSBORNE, the foremost document
examiner of the early 20th century, defined the
principles of typewriting identification used today.
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He called it "THE LANDMARKS IN TYPEWRITING

IDENTIFICATION."

THE LANDMARKS IN TYPEWRITING

IDENTIFICATION

1. The type faces used by the different type writer

manufacturer can be differentiated on the basis of
design and have dating significance.

2. Through usage, typewriters develop individuality

which can serve to identify the typewriting of a
particular typewriter.
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3. The gradual development of typewriting

individuality plus ribbon condition and typeface
Cleanliness can be used to date a document of fix it
written a period of time.

4. Horizontal and vertical alignment, tilting

characters, lack of uniformity of impression (off-
footedness); type-face score, breadths, defects and
deformities all serve to identify the type writing of a
particular machine.

5. Peculiar habits of striking the type writer keys,

spacing, arrangement, punctuation, mistakes,
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corrections, can be used to identify a typist or

differentiate typists.

6. A sheet of paper cannot be reinserted in a

typewriter in exact register with previous typing
done on the sheet of paper.

LESSON 9.4 TYPES OF TYPEWRITERS

A. CONVENTIONAL TYPEWRITERS USING TYPE

BARS

1. Pica Type- 10 letter/inch

2. Elite Type-12 Letters/inch
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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.
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LESSON 9.5 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.

 w-1 - central peak is the same height as the top

of the outside stroke and is capped by serif.
 w-2 -same with w-1 but has no central serif.
 w-3- central joining is below the top of the sides.
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 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 a point the
left of, to the right of, or about even with the night
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 spaces or not.
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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:

lower stroke has a broad turn which forms a very
shallow trough.
lower stroke has a deep full curve which clearly
curves night ward.
Lower stroke turns sharply upward like forming a
narrow trough

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

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center of the dot is aligned with the central line of

the vertical staff.
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
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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.

Take Note: 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 of damaged type faces.
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LESSON 9.6 IDENTIFICATION OF TYPEWRITER

BY THE DEFECTS OF THE STROKE

Each typewriter has its own individual

characteristics that enable one to differentiate the
typed characters from a similar machine of the
same make. Typewriter of the same make and
model but of different age have differences
attributed to wear.

WHAT TO CONSIDER?
1. A typewriter coming out fresh from the factory
has already some defects which give its own
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personality. Whatever the quality of the

manufacture, a typewriter is never absolutely
perfect.

2. Later, through faults of the typist and also by

wear, the typewriter will acquire a stronger
individuality by new defects which become more
and more prominent and in time, progressively
overcome the initial ones.

PROCEDURE
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1. Conduct preliminary examination of the

questioned document to determine the make and
model of the typewriter.
2. Then study the defects of the stroke which will
distinguish the suspected typewriter from the others.

The defects of the typewriter maybe compared

to ailment or sickness and congenital
deformation while its translation on the paper be
compared to symptoms of the defects. This
comparison has the advantage of sorting out the
exact conditions of the control of questioned
typewritten documents as follows:
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1. First, it will show the actual state of the typewriter

and consequently that the aspect of the stroke is not
immutable but evolves progressively so that a good
identification needs the comparison of documents
from sufficiently adjacent period.

2. The health of a typewriter tends to change and

the defect become more numerous and
characteristics. From time to time, an overhead or
repairs may help the ailment definitely or at least
give a temporary or partial healing.

3. It will show that the expert does not see the

defect of the typewriter right away but only its
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translation on the paper by a writing anomaly of

which he must appreciate the cause.

4. Lastly it will explain that certain anomalies are not

even ascribable to an organic cause of the type
writer but to a phenomenon outside it. For example,
an error of manipulation by the typist may give
some anomalies of the stroke and have no
connection with the mechanism of the typewriter
itself. Others are due to a temporary sickness such
as a torn ribbon which will give an incomplete
impression of the character or dust which may
choke the mechanism of the stroke. It is only the
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permanent faults which permit of a positive

identification.

LESSON 9.7 DEFECTS OF THE CHARACTER

a. The character may show a distortion in its

engraving, a "break" which is shown by an alteration
of the design. Exceptionally, it means a defect of
manufacture. Most often, the break occurs when the
machine is working. The metal is locally damaged
by the continued striking of the letter against hard
surfaces and according to the general direction of
the striking will dented or deviated. In the first case
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the altered sign will print an incomplete design with

broken or interrupted lines, in the second case it
prints a deformed sign. The predominant cause of
the defect is that corresponding bars one behind the
other; the character of corresponding bars strikes
the back of the first and crashes on it.

b. Twist of the printing surface which comes in the

course of manufacturing. Irregular tempering gives
an abnormal contraction of the metal for the bearing
of the character again the plated and gives a local
impression more intense and more heavily inked.
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c. Misalignment of the two signs engraved on the

same character so that they are not set exactly one
under the other. This defect may be due to a bad
engraving of the mold.

Positioning of the Character on the Type-bar

a. A bad position of the bar on the plate of the

soldering apparatus, results in a bad portioning of
the character. It will be bent forward, backward or
sideways.

b. Sometimes a solder fails in the course of typing.

The character turns over the slides along its
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support. The changes of alignment become greater

and greater growing in frequency in proportion with
the collar of the solder. This defect is detected in the
writing by the fact that the top and the bottom of the
letter are not printed with the same intensity and
mostly, the vertical misalignment has a tendency to
vary at each stroke and becomes so important that
often a part of both signs of the deficient characters
are impressed at the same time.

Defects of the Type-bar- The deformations of a

type-bar modify the position of the character in
connection with the platen and alter the originally
correct writing.
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a. Any error of place position of the bar in the

basket gives an incline to its head and to the
character.
b. The type-bars are outer sinuous. Under the effect
of an intensive working, the bends are modified, so
that the type-bar elongates or shorten and its head
inclines forward or backward. This deformation
causes a misalignment of the character and no
longer allows a uniform impression of its surface.

c. Twist of the type-bars is caused by mistakes of

the typist. In depressing, by error, two neighboring
keys, two corresponding bars are moved towards
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the type-bar guide 1, each bar undergoes the lateral

strike of the other and bends along its longitudinal
axis. One error in manipulation does not great
damage but its repetition certainly develops the
defect. The type-bar thus bent no long offers a
perfectly vertical surface to the axis of the platen
and the character strikes the paper more or less off
its feet.

Defects of the Ring - On a worn typewriter it is not

exceptional to find that the more active type-bars
have depressed the metal of the ring at their point of
contact. It no longer has any effect on the type-bars
corresponding to the depression, it no longer stops
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them in their travel and it does not send them back

to their original position.

These bars strike directly at the platen, stoop their

momentarily and fall back by their own weight giving
by this very slow motion a vibration to the character
in the vicinity of the platen. At this time the
escapement has already moved and the character
gives two impressions instead of one. The second
impression, displaced in connection with the first
and much paler seems to be its shadow. The name
given to it is 'veiled stroke’.
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Disorder of the Type bar guide - If the position of

the type bar guide is modified for some reason, the
result is a complete disorder of the writing. A guide
moved to the right will raise all signs on the right of
the keyboard and will lower all the signs on the left.
If it is moved to the left, it will cause the opposite
effect.

Alteration of the Platen - The rubber of the platen

gets old and hardens, the surface formally smooth
becomes more irregular and rough and does not
offer anymore intimate contact with all surface of the
sign. The writing becomes inconsistent and the
same sign will print itself partially or entirely and
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with a greater intensity and more intensively on the

tight or the left, on the bottom or the top.

General Wear of a Typewriter - The typebars are

subjected to a lateral play particularly felt at the top.
This gives poor accuracy at the point of impact of
the character. The same signs print themselves on
the right or on the left of their theoretical point of
impact.

TYPEFACE MISALIGNMENTS-synonymous to
"alignment defects:
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1. Vertical Misalignment - A character printing

above or below its proper position. Possible causes
are:
a. a character soldered too high or too low on the typebar;
b. an unsoldered character,
c. a typebar having lost its correct curvature; d. a
type bar having an oval of axis bearing:
e. misalignment of the typebar guide to the right or
to the left; and
f. disorder of the capital letter shift lock.

2. Lateral or Horizontal Misalignment - An

alignment defect in which the character prints the
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right or left of its proper position is known as

horizontal alignment.

3. Oblique Misalignment - The character leans

towards the right or towards the left.
LESSON 9.8 TYPEWRITING STANDARDS OR
EXEMPLARS

TYPEWRITING STANDARDS OR EXEMPLARS -

the procurement of typewriting exemplars are
grouped as follows:

1. Study of the questioned document by the

investigator;
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2. Procurement of the regular course of business

typewriting;
3. Preparation of exemplar typewriting by the
suspected writer;
4. Preparation of typewriting exemplar by the
investigator on suspected typewriter; and
5. The procurement of the suspected typewriter
itself by the investigator.

OBTAINING KNOWN TYPEWRITTEN

EXEMPLARS - Properly prepared known
typewriting samples not only facilitate the
examination in the laboratory but they aid
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immeasurably in the demonstration in the court

room.

HOW TO OBTAIN EXEMPLARS OF

TYPEWRITING?

1. If the typewriter ribbon is obviously new, remove

it from the typewriter and send it to the laboratory
with the typewriting exemplars prepared from
another ribbon. (the text of the material in question
may still be discernible of the ribbon)
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2. Use paper of about the same size as the

questioned material, type out a full word for word
copy of the message in question, typographical
errors, using as nearly as possible the same degree
of touch as that used in typing the questioned
material.

3. After placing the typewriter in a stencil position or

removing the cloth ribbon, obtain samples of each
character on the keyboard by typing through carbon
paper which has been inserted carbon side down
over a piece of white bond paper.
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4. Make certain that each specimen contain the

make, model and serial number of the typewriter
from which it was produced as well as the date and
initials of the officer.

5. Typewriter specimens should be taken from

suspected typewriter/s. It is usually not necessary to
forward the typewriter to the laboratory if complete
known exemplars are obtained.

6. If possible, after a typewritten exemplar is

obtained from a suspected typewriter, the
investigation should insure that the typewriter is
kept in its current condition.
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7. With evidence thus obtained from typewritten

documents, the laboratory experts is in position to
lend valuable assistance to the solution and
subsequent prosecution of many cases.