Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-23
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The first writings of human beings crude pic
scrawed the walls of Centuries later
human the famous Rosetta
Egypt which the history Of that ancient
dynasty Still in time papyrus and parchment
laboriousy hand-wren Just 500 Gut
enberg invented movable type which responsible for
easy distribution Of books the wide spread of education
and the days knowledge Of events But since then no basic
change except for improvements In the same device has
been developed in printing
the step beyond that The Machine Age
evolved method for reading by machine Sew
eral "Gutenbergs" have appeared who developing
whereby will read by electrically
machines using microscopic type magnfed to any desired
These reading where printing leaves off
On a negative of mcroflm measuring by and
half inches the page of book the whole of news
paper photographed 1t is small that cannot be read
by the naked eye. But placed in machine which throws
its enlarged image small screen 1t can be read with
This is the principle which the reading machine
works has been in for years by libraries
equipped with projectors With copies OF newspapers
documents books preserved cheapy and dis
tributed where previously the cost was prohibtive
The actual reading machine for home to
be put on market, employs the principle in
slightly cumbersome way This is device which uses
microscopic print on a special paper sheets of paper
measuring few inches square, 80 pages OF book are
printed page only threeeghths by fiveeghths of
an When placed in the machine the turning
of knob adjusts each separate page which is electrically
lighted plastic magnfying glass Another flick of
changes the whole sheet that 3s pages
be read.
This reading machine is about the size of a small radio
It's main advantage the cheapness with which books
Sold The first machines will sell around $3.50 but
library of 1000 books will cost only $50 or five cents
apiece Another great advantage spacesavtng thou
sand volume library rattle around on fve-foot shelf
The millions of volumes in the Library Congress
a single spacious and anyone can carry
encyclopedia in his pocket and have room for half
novels small-apartment dweler could have room
for all the books he wants
One reading machine is adaptation of an idea OF
Bradley A. Fiske, u S. Navy, retired During
the first World War Admiral Fs1e troubled because
Navy officers physicians didn't have in their
ships quarters carry with them all the records
charts and books they sometimes needed Using micro
scopic type and magnfyng lens he worked to provide
method do this. After the he developed reading
machine with the of orgnettelke device with which
microscopic print but it did not practical
usually credited with having the first idea of
reading by machine and who invented the most radical
of is Robert Carlton Brown the writer In 1915
Brown trader the New York Stock Exchange.
Watching both the Wall Street ticker and the ticker
clicking a roll of paper the days news of
stock trading Brown thought it would be much more inter-
estng to have good story whrng by instead of dry facts
and figures.
From that moment the idea of a reading machine
using roll of paper no larger than typewriter ribbon on
which whole novel could be printed This electrically
spoos directly beneath adjustable magnifyng glass
could be read much the movable electric and
advertising signs developed since then
differs from other machines having a continu-
moving single line of microscopic print running before
the readers eyes. The machine plugs into any handy
electrical connection or storage battery push button
gives any reading speed desired and the machine be
stopped at spot 1t can also be run back to read over
any particularly interesting section
has made two working models of his machine but
developed commercially He has illustrated.
by test that contrary expectation there eye
in method. And reader is not required to
his eyes back and forth across page book that for
merry hours to read be read single
hour by this
Whatever the form of these reading machines they
expected revoutonize Of reading education
keeping records the printing not only of books
but probably Of magazines and newspapers as well The
possibilities endless small city will be able
afford copies Of most of the important books In the world
pages the Congressional Record be reproduced
on a 100-foot roll for $3.50.
The reading machine of the future will probably be about
the of folding small enough fit pocket