The Sun Standard Typewriter

Jul 29

The Sun Typewriter Company, New York

Invented by Lee Spear Burridge, and Newman R. Marshman. The earliest patents date back to 1898, with the final design hitting the market in 1902. The Sun was the first typewriter to use a sheet metal body, wrapped around the interior frame. This machine is also rather simple, mechanically. Due to this, they were able to price their product significantly lower than most typewriters on the market.

Typebar, and ink wheel assembly of a Sun Standard No.2 Typewriter - Sun Typewriter Company, New York

Instead of a complicated ribbon system, Burridge and Marshman adapted this inking mechanism, just in front of the type guide, and platen. As the typebars swing towards the paper, they brush past a small felt roller before hitting the paper. The larger silver inkwell contains a much larger ink wheel, which continuously inks the felt roller.

The Sun wasn’t the only typewriter that Burridge and Marshman came up with. In fact at the same time they were designing the Sun, they were employed by The American Typewriter Company to design their new portable typewriter, put on the market in 1901. Like the Sun, this machine was mechanically simplified to reduce production costs.