Bauer, a native of Stuttgart, who possessed considerable
mechanical power, in which the inventor himself was probably
somewhat deficient. At all events, these two together proceeded
to work out the idea, and to construct the first actual working
printing machine.
A patent was taken out, dated the 29th of March, 1810, which
describes the details of the invention. The arrangement was
somewhat similar to that known as the platen machine; the
printing being produced by two flat plates, as in the common
hand-press. It also embodied an ingenious arrangement for inking
the type. Instead of the old-fashioned inking balls, which were
beaten on the type by hand labour, several cylinders covered with
felt and leather were used, and formed part of the machine
itself. Two of the cylinders revolved in opposite directions, so
as to spread the ink, which was then transferred by two other
inking cylinders alternately applied to the "forme" by the action
of spiral springs. The movement of all the parts of the machine
were to be derived from a steam-engine, or other first mover.
"After many obstructions and delays," says Koenig himself, in
describing the history of his invention, "the first printing
machine was completed exactly upon the plan which I have
described in the specification of my first patent. It was set to
Work in April, 1811. The sheet (H) of the new Annual Register
for 1810, 'Principal Occurrences,' 3000 copies, was printed with
it; and is, I have no doubt, the first part of a book ever
printed with a machine.
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