Sholes, Glidden, & Soule Typewriter Patent Model
National Museum of American History

Sholes, Glidden, & Soule Typewriter Patent Model

Sholes, C. Latham · 1868-06

wood (overall material)
National Museum of American History
CC0 — Public Domain
National Museum of American History

This Sholes, Glidden, & Soule typewriter patent model was awarded patent number 79,265 on June 23rd, 1868. C. Latham Sholes, Carlos Glidden, and Samuel Soule were living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin when they began to make progress towards a commercially viable type-writing machine after several aborted attempts. The improvements named in this patent include a “better way of working type bars, of holding the paper on the carriage, of moving and regulating the movement of the carriage, of holding and applying the inking ribbon, a self adjusting platen, and a rest or cushion for the type-bars.” Many early typewriters used piano keys in their designs, including this model with only six keys.

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