Victor Index Typewriter

Description:

This Victor index typewriter was manufactured by the Tilton Manufacturing Company of Boston, Massachusetts around 1889. The typewriter notably lacks a keyboard, and is called an “index” typewriter because you used your index finger to select the letters rather than striking a key. Bringing the selector over the character on the letter plate rotates the daisy wheel to the corresponding character. Pressing the inner left-hand key swung the hammer to strike the character, imprinting the type on the paper. The far left hand key served as the space bar. The daisy wheel used in this machines was such a brilliant design that it went on to be used in typewriters and printers in the 1970s and 1980s. The black metal body of the typewriter notes that the typewriter contains two patents, patented on August 13, 1889 and August 20, 1889. These corresponded to patent number 409128 and patent number 409289, patented by Charles E. Tilton and Arthur I. Jacobs, respectively. Jacobs assigned his patent to the Tilton Manufacturing Company while it was still located in Portland, Maine.

Location: Currently not on view

See more items in: Work and Industry: Mechanisms, Typewriters, Computers & Business Machines

Exhibition:

Exhibition Location:

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: ME.310347.02Catalog Number: 310347.02Accession Number: 117094

Object Name: typewriterOther Terms: typewriter; Manual

Measurements: overall: 4 in x 13 in x 9 in; 10.16 cm x 33.02 cm x 22.86 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a6-9be5-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_849968

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