"James Watt"发明的全世界第一台获得专利的复印机(第一版), 1780

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 traveling – mostly to his steam engine projects in Cornwall. 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 own letters, of course! – So he started developing the world's first portable copying press!And by the end of 1780 150 machines had already been sold, and 630 presses by the end of the first full business year! – It is reported that in the early 1780s 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 bemade only of handwritten letters, diagrams and drawings which were made with a special copying ink! 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, which was also located in the bottom section of the case. The original document was placed in the copying plate in between the feltcovered, swing-up cover plate;the moist – very thin – 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. 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 uniformly moistened. The "damping box" shows the original seal of James Watt. Including moistening brush, ink pot, keys, copying paper, fragmented manual and dry ink powder. – Extraordinarily hard to find in this complete condition!