"Report on J.H. Cooper's Hand Printing Machine", in "Journal of the Franklin Institute", 1857

Published by Franklin Institute, 1857

About this Item

"Journal of the Franklin Institute", Philadelphia, Vol 31 (third series), volume 61 (overall), July-December 1857, 443 pp., with text illustrations. Half-calf, with raised bands. Ex-library, with some scuffing on the spine; also a few stamps on the title page. Nice copy. Good condition.__+__Includes such interesting works as: "Report on J.H. Cooper s Hand Printing Machine , pp 213-215, Being a hand printing press, invented by John H. Cooper of Philadelphia. Here we have a lovely attempt at what is close to being a typewriter (a "hand-printing machine"), found in the Journal of the Franklin Institute for June 1857. The size isn't given but my guess is that it would be about the size of foolscap paper, easily desk-top. It seems fairly simple in a slightly complex way, and I can easily see where it would serve as a stop-gap implement between what came before and the typewriter. The short article introducing the workings of the machine is surprisingly, and very readable, even though it is brisk and sharp. It is just well done. It is difficult to see some of the annotations, even in the original, and even with a magnifying glass, but for that first indicator "H" you can find it just southward of the bell-like object ("M", which turns out to be a handle for the paper roller), and "E" was another difficult one to find, and that one turns out to be the pivot in the center of the type circular. In any event, the thing operates much like a typewriter, the lever "D" moved to the position of the letter needed, then pressed down, moving the type into place against the ink and the paper, which is loaded in rollers much like a modern typewriter. __+__ Report on Gordon s Card Printing a machine unique for its combination of capabilities in printing, cutting, and counting the cards it prints., pp 212-213;__+__ Milnor Roberts, Practical Views on the Proposed Improvement of the Ohio River , a long article in parts pp 23-38, 73-85, 146-158, 217-231, 289-303, 361-372 (concluded). Seller Inventory # ABE-1550717425734

Bibliographic Details

Title: "Report on J.H. Cooper's Hand Printing ...

Publisher: Franklin Institute

Publication Date: 1857

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Good