1992.89a-f

In-relief braille writing duplicator

Espinasse, Maurice

Duplicator has a metal frame with a wooden handle that moves pressure roller across braille plates. The handle is in an upright position. The following text is on the machine : "Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques du Sud-Est." "French System, Espinasse -- S.N.C.A.S.E." --cover of English brochure. With mimeographed operating instruction booklets in the following languages: English, Esperanto, Spanish, and German.
Includes a wooden box with supplies for the duplicator.
.89a - duplicator
.89b - box
.89c - instructions booklet (English): "In Relief Braille Writing Duplicator"
.89d - instructions booklet (Esperanto): "Duplikatoro por brajla skribo"
.89e - instructions booklet (Spanish): "Duplicador para escritura en sistema braille"
.89f - instructions booklet (German): "Vervielfachungsapparates fur Braillsche Schrift"

H-16.142 W-16.732 D-9.488 inches

ca. 1956

Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques du Sud-Est

Toulouse, France

Designed for small scale braille reproduction, the Espinasse Braille Duplicato sold for about $250. Maurice Espinasse patented his invention in France in 1954. "There is a master plate and a punch plate which each have 3200 holes. The punch plate is fitted with small punches in each hole; it is fitted over the master plate and the braille is written with a frame just as in ordinary writing. An awl pushes the small rods in those cell holes forming the letters into the master plate. The master plate is placed on a flat bed; a pressure roller is drawn over the master plate and the paper on which the embossing is to be done, and when lifted off, the paper contains an excellent grade of braille." The Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques du Sud-Est was a French aircraft manufacturer which emerged from the nationalization of the French aeronautical industry in 1937. The company merged with another regional firm in 1957 to form Sud Aviation.

APH Collection, 1992.89