1992.340

Atkinson Portable Braillewriter

Cast aluminum body with textured gray-brown finish, carriage in middle of machine has black enameled feed surface for paper, black plastic paper roller knob on right side of carriage; paper roller is knurled aluminum, secondary paper roller is steel rod with two knurled rollers; secondary roller is raised to release paper by nickel-plated lever immediately to right of roller; paper remains flat on carriage during brailling; carriage moves from right to left; seven black plastic keys mounted to top housing of unit; nickel plated brass line advance lever in lower left, steel backspace lever on mid-left, aluminum carriage lock thumbscrew on right side of paper carriage; on top is yellow and black decal, "Braille Institute of America Inc., BIA, Portable Braille Writer, pat. pend"; serial number 6-33-B stamped on the bottom left side of the braille writer; carrying case weighs approximately 4 pounds and is integral part of the writer, serving as its base, lined with black felt pad; case has a black textured finish, leather handle, and nickel plated corner reinforcements; "Braille Institute of America" logo and the words "Portable Braille Writer" beside the handle; metal spring clip, attached to the inside of the lid, holds paper.

H-5.75 W-7.75 L-14 inches

1949

Braille Institute of America

Los Angeles

Robert Atkinson, head of the Braille Institute in Los Angeles, began funding the development of a portable braillewriter in the 1930s. This model was introduced in 1948. Its keyboard location, located on the top of the writer, was very different from machines inspired by the Hall Braillewriter. By 1962 it was out of production.