Patent Model of a Type-composing Machine
date: label: date made
content: ca 1880
label: patent date
content: 1880-02-03
name: label: maker
content: Fraser, Alexander
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: This patent model demonstrates an invention for a type composing apparatus which was granted patent number 224166. Patentee Alexander Fraser's composer was designed to work with his type-distributing machine. Type, stored in horizontal trays at the top of the machine, was nudged forward at the touch of a key to fall down assembling channels and into a continuous line. The operator would break off line lengths manually and space out the words as needed. Alexander Fraser was from Edinburgh, Scotland, where his composers were used successfully for several years. Elements of his typesetting and distributing machines were patented in Britain in 1872, 1875, and 1877, before the American patents were taken out.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Graphic Arts
label: See more items in
content: Patent Models, Graphic Arts
label: See more items in
content: Work
label: See more items in
content: Communications
label: See more items in
content: Industry & Manufacturing
label: See more items in
content: Patent Models
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: GA.89797.224166
label: patent number
content: 224166
label: catalog number
content: GA*89797.224166
objectType: label: Object Name
content: patent model
label: Object Name
content: apparatus, type distributing
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
label: Other Terms
content: apparatus, type distributing; patent model; type distributing apparatus; patent model; type composing machine, Fraser
label: Other Terms
content: Composing Machine; Composing; Type Setting
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: string (parts material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 37.5 cm x 14.5 cm x 29 cm; 14 3/4 in x 5 11/16 in x 11 7/16 in