The Typewriter is Patented

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The Typewriter is Patented

The first commercially successful typewriter, The Sholes and Glidden typewriter was patented on June 23, 1868.  Principally designed by the American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes, it was developed with the assistance of fellow printer Samuel W. Soule and amateur mechanic Carlos S. Glidden. After several short-lived attempts to manufacture the device, the machine was acquired by E. Remington and Sons in early 1873 and renamed the Reminton No. 1. An arms manufacturer seeking to diversify, Remington further refined the typewriter before finally placing it on the market on July 1, 1874. During its development, the typewriter evolved from a crude curiosity into a practical device and developed into the basic form of what would become the industry standard. The machine incorporated elements which became fundamental to typewriter design, most notably the four-rowed QWERTY keyboard. Several design deficiencies remained, however. The Sholes and Glidden could print only upper-case letters, which was remedied in its successor, the Remington No. 2. It was also a "blind writer,” meaning the typist could not see what was being written as it was entered. Though initially unpopular, new communication technologies and expanding businesses of the late 19th century had created a need for expedient, legible correspondence, and so typewriters soon became common office fixtures. The typewriter is credited with assisting the entrance of women into the clerical workplace, as many were hired to operate the new devices.