Hand Press Method of Impression

The first printing press in the U.S. was a common hand press  imported by Stephen Daye in 1639 and was to be used by The Harvard Press of Cambridge, Massachusetts, to print the Bay Psalm Book for New England Quakers.

 

Most presses consisted of the following components:

a  wooden frame

a stationary "bed" where the type was held

a "tympan" to hold the parchment

a "platen" to press the type to the parchment

a screw impression mechanism to lower and                                  raise the platen

From 1454 to the 17th Century few changes were made to printing presses.

Those few changes included the following:

a change to a cast iron frame

a moveable bed

a variety of changes to the impression                                  mechanism

* toggle - used in the Washington

* power-increasing levers - used in the Stanhope                                    and the Columbian

* lever-and-chill - used in the Albion

* torsion toggle - used in the Stansbury

* equal-length levers - used in the Wells and the                                    Smith

 

(next)