{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.typewriter","code":"thing-q46335","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q46335/","name":"typewriter","alternateNames":["manual typewriter","Victoria","Memory typewriter","index typewriter","Hermes","Hermes Rocket","kleidograph","Thai typewriter","electric typewriter","desktop typewriter","portable typewriter","Mignon 4"],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.5","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.OBJ"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A mechanical, electromechanical or electronic machine that prints characters one at a time onto paper, usually by striking a type element against an inked ribbon, operated from a keyboard.","purpose":"Let an agent identify a typewriter by type, maker era and mechanism, describe its care, and handle questions about typewritten documents.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Prints onto paper itself; manual and most electric models print on each keystroke, electronic models may buffer text first.","Memory depends on the model: none, a correction buffer, or stored phrases and documents.","Differs from a teleprinter, which sends and receives text over a line."],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"identity-and-dating","name":"Identity and dating","description":"Which machine it is.","layers":[{"id":"maker-and-model","name":"Maker and model","description":"Brand, model and serial.","findings":[{"id":"model-identification","name":"Model identification","description":"Name plates and features.","questions":[{"text":"Which maker and model is this?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"What does the serial number say about its date?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"typeface-and-keyboard","name":"Typeface and keyboard","description":"Pitch, font, layout and paper.","findings":[{"id":"typeface-and-keyboard","name":"Typeface and keyboard","description":"Pitch, character set and layout.","questions":[{"text":"What pitch, typeface and keyboard layout does it have?","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Which characters can it type?","kind":"definition"}]},{"id":"paper-handling","name":"Paper handling","description":"Width, margins and tabs.","questions":[{"text":"What is the maximum paper width?","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Does it have tab stops and a correction feature?","kind":"definition"}]}]}]},{"id":"mechanism","name":"Mechanism","description":"How it works.","layers":[{"id":"type-action","name":"Type action","description":"Typebars, ball or wheel.","findings":[{"id":"printing-element","name":"Printing element","description":"How characters reach paper.","questions":[{"text":"Does it use typebars, a typeball or a daisy wheel?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"How is the ribbon advanced?","kind":"definition"}]}]},{"id":"paper-handling","name":"Paper handling","description":"Platen and carriage.","findings":[{"id":"carriage-and-platen","name":"Carriage and platen","description":"Feed, spacing and return.","questions":[{"text":"Does the carriage or the element move?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"What line spacing settings exist?","kind":"measurement"}]}]}]},{"id":"care-and-repair","name":"Care and repair","description":"Keeping it working.","layers":[{"id":"consumables","name":"Consumables","description":"Ribbons and correction.","findings":[{"id":"ribbon","name":"Ribbon","description":"Width, spool and type.","questions":[{"text":"Which ribbon fits this machine?","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Is it fabric or film?","kind":"definition"}]}]},{"id":"maintenance","name":"Maintenance","description":"Cleaning and adjustment.","findings":[{"id":"service","name":"Service","description":"Cleaning, lubrication, faults.","questions":[{"text":"What causes this key or carriage fault?","kind":"action"},{"text":"Does it need a specialist?","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]},{"id":"documents","name":"Documents","description":"Typed documents and their examination.","layers":[{"id":"typewritten-records","name":"Typewritten records","description":"Letters, forms and manuscripts.","findings":[{"id":"typed-record","name":"Typed record","description":"What was typed and when.","questions":[{"text":"When and on what machine was this document typed?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is it an original or a carbon copy?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"forensic-examination","name":"Forensic examination","description":"Comparing typing to a machine.","findings":[{"id":"comparison","name":"Comparison","description":"Defects and typeface matching.","questions":[{"text":"Do typeface defects match a given machine?","kind":"measurement"},{"text":"Who is qualified to conclude?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"history-and-heritage","name":"History and heritage","description":"Place in history.","layers":[{"id":"development","name":"Development","description":"From early machines to electronics.","findings":[{"id":"milestones","name":"Milestones","description":"Key designs and dates.","questions":[{"text":"When did commercial typewriters appear?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"How did electric and electronic models change typing?","kind":"definition"}]}]},{"id":"collecting","name":"Collecting","description":"Value and preservation.","findings":[{"id":"collection-care","name":"Collection care","description":"Storage and condition.","questions":[{"text":"How should the machine be stored?","kind":"action"},{"text":"What affects its value?","kind":"definition"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["help identify and date a machine","explain care and ribbon replacement"],"mustNot":["advise opening electric models while connected to mains","claim authorship of a typed document from typeface alone","give a valuation as definitive"],"requiresHuman":["forensic attribution of a typed document"]},"ethics":{"considerations":["privacy of typed documents and letters","fair forensic attribution"],"affectedParties":["authors of typed documents","collectors and owners"]},"owners":{"steward":"the person who owns the machine","roles":[],"masterSystems":["maker serial number records and collector databases"]},"relations":[{"target":"Q11019","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"machine","type":"related","note":"a writing machine"},{"target":"typewriter ribbon","type":"related","note":"consumable of most impact typewriters"},{"target":"teleprinter","type":"related","note":"networked typing machine"},{"target":"computer keyboard","type":"related","note":"layout heritage such as QWERTY"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.typewriter","Wikidata: Q46335 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46335)","serial number: maker-specific pattern used to date a machine with maker serial lists"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["mass: 3-20 kg - portables at the low end, office standards at the high end","line spacing: single to triple - commonly 6 lines per inch at single spacing","pitch: 10-12 characters per inch - pica and elite"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Platen roller with paper bail","Fan of typebars or a single type ball or daisy wheel","Carriage return lever on manual machines","A keyboard machine with a platen roller holding paper, typebars or a single type element and usually a ribbon; either the paper carriage or the typing element moves across the line. Portables fit in carrying cases."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["identify the type and approximate date of a machine","explain how the mechanism works","advise on ribbon replacement and basic care","describe forensic examination of typed documents in general terms"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Seized mechanism from old lubricant and dust","Dried ribbons","Pinched fingers in typebar baskets","Mains wiring faults in old electric models"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Keyboard layouts such as QWERTY descend from typewriters; ISO/IEC 9995 standardises keyboard layouts for computers"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Producing legible typed text on paper without handwriting or a printing press.","manual typebar typewriter","portable typewriter","electric typewriter","typeball typewriter","daisy-wheel electronic typewriter","braille writer"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Q46335","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46335","note":"identity of the registry item, labels and sitelinks"},{"title":"Typewriter","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typewriter","note":"general description of the subject"},{"title":"Typewriter ribbons and carbon paper, Circular 431","url":"https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/circ/nbscircular431.pdf","note":"ribbons, pica and elite pitch"},{"title":"Forensic Database Questioned Documents Table","url":"https://www.nist.gov/forensics/forensic-database-questioned-documents-table","note":"typewriter comparison in document examination"},{"title":"Remington Quiet-Riter Typewriter","url":"https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1175740","note":"portable construction and carrying case"},{"title":"Electronic Typewriter, made by Imperial, 1984","url":"https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co37749/electronic-typewriter-made-by-imperial-1984-typewriter","note":"memory in electronic typewriters"},{"title":"Where Did the QWERTY Keyboard Come From?","url":"https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/origins-qwerty-keyboard-typewriter-180982726/","note":"Sholes and Glidden, Remington and QWERTY"}],"openQuestions":["Should braille writers and stenotype machines be kinds here or separate entries?","Maker and model belong to the individual machine; how should brand records link?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q46335/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q46335/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-10-21T18:41:55Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-21T18:44:15+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 6 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}