The Story of the Typewriter

Among other men of this period who worked on the great problem were R. S. Thomas of Wilmington, N. C., who, in 1854, took out a patent on a machine called the “Typograph”; J. H. Cooper of Philadelphia, in 1856, who resorted to the type-wheel principle of construction; [27]Henry Harger in 1858; F. A. deMay of New York in 1863; Benjamin Livermore of Hartland, Vermont, in 1863; Abner Peeler of Webster City, Iowa, in 1866; Thomas Hall in 1867; and John Pratt of Centre, Alabama, who in 1866 produced a device called the “Pterotype” (winged type), of which we shall have more to say in the course of this story. And this about completes the list of attempts which preceded the invention of the first practical writing machine. Francis’ Machine, 1857. John Pratt’s Typewriter—Patent of August 11, 1868.