Typographer

A complete working model of Burt's "typographer" was in the model room of the Patent Office from the time of the patent until the Patent Office fire of December 15, 1836. The fire destroyed all the patents and patent models issued from 1790. A competent mechanic can build a working replica of Burt's typographer from his patent description and drawings. Austin Burt, the great grandson of Burt, built a working model in 1892 for the World's Columbian Exposition working from a parchment copy of the original patent (No. 5581X).
The reason Burt built the machine was to speed up his work in official correspondence as a government surveyor. John Pitts Sheldon of the Detroit Free Press, Burt's newspaper editor friend, furnished the typeface letters from the newspaper company in May 1829 for Burt's first typographer to be able to type the first letter ever written on it. The letter was to future president Martin Van Buren then Secretary of State. Two months later it received an official patent as one of the most unique and useful inventions of the time. It was the first patent for a type writing machine.
Burt built in 1830 a second improved typographer typewriter that resembled a pinball machine because four tapered legs for standing were added to it. Sheldon had taken Burt's "moddle" to the Patent Office in Washington, D.C. on March 9 of that year according to a typewritten letter to his wife of March 13, 1830. The typeface letters for this Patent Office model was obtained from a Mr. White of New York, a typeface founder. Even though a neat-looking letter could be typed on Burt's "typographer", the basic goal to speed up correspondence was not accomplished, as his machine was very slow in typing. Because of this, the machine could not get marketed. Burt lost interest in it and sold his rights to one Cyrus Spalding for $75 on March 17, 1830 with suggested improvements. Ultimately he did not have any further luck in marketing the typewriter. The typographer was so far ahead of its time it found no market.