typewriters

Typewriters are mechanical or electromechanical devices that produce printed text by pressing keys that cause inked type elements to strike paper through an ink ribbon. In most designs, a type slug attached to a type hammer rises to strike the ribbon and paper; the character imprint is deposited on the page, and the carriage advances to the next position. Manual typewriters rely on spring-driven typebars and a hand-cranked or lever-activated carriage, while electric models use motors to power movement and actuation.

Typewriters originated in the 19th century. The first commercially successful models were developed in the 1860s-1870s by Christopher Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel W. Soulé and marketed by E. Remington and Sons. The Remington No. 2, introduced in 1878, added the shift key, enabling upper- and lowercase letters. The QWERTY keyboard layout was designed to minimize key clashes and became standard. Portable models gained popularity in the early 20th century, and electric typewriters emerged in the mid-20th century, improving speed and reducing effort. The IBM Selectric, introduced in 1961, used a replaceable golf-ball type element, boosting speed and simplifying maintenance.

With the advent of personal computers and word processors in the 1980s and 1990s, typewriters declined in everyday use. They remain in use in certain professional contexts, in education, or as nostalgic or collectible items. Notable examples include the Underwood No. 5, the Remington No. 2, and the IBM Selectric. The legacy of typewriters includes the pervasive influence of keyboard layout conventions and the early development of portable, mass-produced writing machines.