“James Watt” 世界第一台拥有专利的复印机（型号1），1780年

On February 14th, 1780, in England, some 230 years (!) ago, James Watt, the famous inventor of the steam engine, was granted a patent for his first duplicating machine
under patent no. 1244. The machine was sold by "James Watt & Company, Soho/Birmingham, England". His invention was a result of his own business as he had permanent correspondence with his partner Matthew Boulton while travelling – mostly to his steam engine projects in Cornwall. And James Watt was too often very
frustrated when he received a letter after several weeks with answers by M. Boulton to his written questions because he had no copies of his letters, of course! – So he
started developing the world's first portable copying press! And by the end of 1780 already 150 machines had been sold, and 630 presses by the end of the first full
business year! – And it is reported that in the early 1780's Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson used the James Watt copying machine! In 1785
Jefferson was using both the stationary and the portable presses by James Watt & Co. The portable case opened up on hinges, and its upper section contained a collapsible writing pad for preparing the documents. The typewriter had not yet been invented, and copies could be made only of handwritten letters, diagrams and drawings.
Underneath the writing pad were compartments for pencils, pens, rulers and paper, as well as a special compartment (the "damping box") which was used for treating
the copying paper. After 12 hours, the sheets were thoroughly moist, and thus treated and ready to be used for copying. The number of sheets required for immediate
use could be removed, and the remainder could be left in the box for up to two weeks, ready to be used at any time. The actual copying apparatus, consisting of two brass
platens which were turned via the side handle, was also located in the bottom section of the case. The original document was placed in the copying plate in between the
felt-covered, swing-up cover plate; the moist copying paper was placed on top of it, and was then covered by oilpaper. The pressure induced by slowly turning the plate between the two platens caused the special copying ink of the original to be taken over, and thus transferred, onto the moist sheet (mirror inverted). The copy was ready for use after 24 hours in a drying book of absorbent paper (as used for postage stamps). Because the ink was passed through in this manner, the printing on the copy could, of course, be read only on what was actually the reverse side of the page. The base for good copies was the special copying ink in which the original was written. A great deal of practice was also necessary to prepare sheets for use as copying paper, as they had to be absolutely uniformly moistened. The bottom part of the case also contained inkwells as well as containers of dry ink powder for making ink when travelling.