Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-02-18
4 MONpERFuL INVENTION.
The Pen Superseded by q Writing
Machine.

IL Paragraphs Punctustes, Under
scores, and Forms Any Combination
Of Figures-Eighty Words Per Min
ute, and Twenfy-FOur Manifold
Copies Mt One Impression.
We were shown yesterday, in the Office
Of Col. 4. w. Cole, President Of the Nash
vile, Chattanooga and st. Louis Hallway,
an invention which claims something more
than a passing notice. 1t is called the
Type writer, and is useful for all kinds Of
manuscript writing. A simple touch upon
key produces letter, and the action is as
easy as that Of a piano; consequently the
speed with which writing can be performed
is only limited by the CELEBRITY with which
the operator can move his fingers. There
are experts in the country who can already
write eighty words 10 the minute
The writing is done in a small capital,
with either black or purple ink. The lat
ter is used when an impression is wished
for the letter-bOok, and the result is far
superior to the best penmanship, being
palmer and much more compact, thus say
ing much time in the reading thereof, be-
sides the minor consideration Of station
cry.
It win take twenty-four manifold copies
at once. and four on ordinary letter paper.
In appearance it is highly ornamental,
and not unlike a sewing machine. The
keys are in four rows, Of eleven each, so
compaetly arranged that but little move
ment Of the arm and wrist is required f-r
its manipulation. These forty-four keJ s
comprise all the letters Of the alphabet, the
dollar and plus marks. A bar in front of
a
die throws the sheet ofpaper TO a new line
at pleasure
The mechanism would be difficult to de-
scribe in words. It is at once simple and
efficacious. The types are arranged in a
circle, and strike a common center upon
the depression of any particular key. The
keys also act upon a sort Of ratehet-WOrk,
which releases the carriage carrying
the sheet Of paper, aud an ordinary clock
spring carries it along TO apositiOn ready to
receive an impression from the next type.
This spring also carries along the sp0Ols
containing the ribbon covered with pc
ealiar chemical substance, from which the
ink is obtained. The ribbons will last un-
Ill the whole surface is used three or four
years; and can be readily re-inked.
A traadle, as stated before, throws the
carriage to a new line and back to the
starting point. The distance between the
lines can be graduated at pleasure.
The usefulness of the machine is ap-
parent at a glance. Its speed will rapidly
bring it into use, wherever much writing is
to BE performed. The result-its plain
writing-will commend itself to those IN
able to write a good hand. The number Of
manifold copies that can be taken at once,
will be a great desideratum TO those issu-
ing circulars. The facility with which
bills can be prepared and the beautiful re-
suit, viii meet with the favorable atten-
ton Of merchants. To the lawyer, it will
be invaluable.
1t will be Of great use TO photographers.
This costly service, so necessary in the
courts, etc, will be cheapened. Already
Eastecn photographers have, since its adop-
tion, reduced their scale Of prices, and now
bring their transcripts into court at 0
O'Clock the next morning. Instead of the
lawyer having to wade slowly through
mass Of penmanship, often obscure, be-
cause of the great hasre required in writing.
he has before him large print, and which
he can read as rapidly rs the characters in
a book.
=. we tedll lEOlll MI IL - Ot4cULs the
in the main Office Of the n,
c. and St. L. Railway in this city, that
this machine was only introduced in its
present perfect form last July; that 500
have already been sold. and that the cele-
brated Remington Company is at pIesent
engaged on a CONTRACT Of 25,000; but so
great has the demand Of late been for these
machines that the utmost capacity Of their
is unable % keep pace with
the orders coming from ell paris Of the
country.
The machine is used by Mr.. Carson for
the cerTespondence- ofthe Offices of The
President and General Superintendent Of
the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis
to the exclusion of the pen. and
it gives perfect satisfaction.
1t is 50 simple and complete in its con-
strlctiOn, and does its work with such &C
curacy and dispatch, that II must soon come
into general use.