Mergenthaler, Ottmar

Mergenthaler, Ottmar
born May 11, 1854, Hachtel, Württemberg
died Oct. 28, 1899, Baltimore, Md., U.S.

German-U.S. inventor.

He immigrated to the U.S. in 1872. While working in a Baltimore machine shop he began experimenting with type molds, and in 1884 he patented the Linotype typesetting machine. The reduced costs achieved by thus speeding up the typesetting process led to a dramatic expansion of all kinds of publishing.

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▪ American inventor
born May 11, 1854, Hachtel, Württemberg [Germany]
died Oct. 28, 1899, Baltimore

      German-born American inventor who developed the Linotype machine.

      A precocious boy, Mergenthaler was anxious to study engineering, but his father, burdened with financing the higher education of older sons, found the expense beyond his means. He was apprenticed to a watchmaker at age 14 and attended technical school classes at night. In 1872 he emigrated to the United States, becoming a citizen in 1878. While employed in the Baltimore machine shop of a relative, he worked on plans for a device to make type molds of papier-mâché. This device proved impracticable, but Mergenthaler became dedicated to the problem involved—setting type by machine. In 1886 he produced his Linotype, which, by bringing copper matrices into brief contact with a molten but fast-cooling alloy, rapidly molded column widths of type. The machine reduced costs by speeding up the printing process; hence it fostered a dramatic expansion of all areas of publishing. Mergenthaler later patented other successful inventions, but developing the Linotype remained his life interest.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Mergenthaler,Ottmar — Mer·gen·thal·er (mûrʹgən thô lər, mĕrʹgən tä ), Ottmar. 1854 1899. German born American inventor of the Linotype typesetting machine (patented 1884). * * * …   Universalium

  • Mergenthaler, Ottmar — (11 may. 1854, Hachtel, Württemberg–28 oct. 1899, Baltimore, Md., EE.UU.). Inventor germano estadounidense. Emigró a EE.UU. en 1872. Mientras trabajaba en un taller mecánico de Baltimore comenzó a experimentar con moldes tipográficos, y en 1884… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Ottmar Mergenthaler — (* 11. Mai 1854 in Hachtel, heute Stadtteil von Bad Mergentheim; † 28. Oktober 1899 in Baltimore) war Uhrmacher und ist der Erfinder der Linotype Setzmaschine …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ottmar Mergenthaler — Born May 11, 1854 (1854 05 11) Hachtel …   Wikipedia

  • Ottmar Mergenthaler — (né le 10 mai 1854 à Hachtel et décédé le 28 octobre 1899 à Baltimore) est un inventeur allemand qui a été appelé le second Gutenberg pour son invention de la linotype en 1 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ottmar Mergenthaler — Ottmar Mergenthaler. Ottmar Mergenthaler (Hachtel, 10 de mayo de 1854 Baltimore, 28 de octubre de 1899) fue un inventor alemán. Nació en Hachtel, Württemberg, Alemania, tercer hijo de un maestro de escuela y aprendiz de relojero anterior a su… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Mergenthaler Vocational Technical Senior High School — Mergenthaler Vocational–Technical High School Reimagining Excellence Address 3500 Hillen Road …   Wikipedia

  • Ottmar Mergenthaler — (Hachtel, 10 de mayo de 1854 Baltimore, 28 de octubre de 1899) fue un inventor alemán. Relojero de oficio, en 1872 se trasladó a Estados Unidos y en 1884 inventó la linotipia, máquina usada en la composición tipográfica …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Mergenthaler — [mʉr′gən thäl΄ər, mʉr′gənthôl΄ər] Ottmar [ät′mär΄] 1854 99; U.S. inventor of the Linotype, born in Germany …   English World dictionary

  • Mergenthaler Linotype Company — An 1896 Mergenthaler Linotype stock certificate The Mergenthaler Linotype Company is a corporation founded in the United States in 1886 to market the linecaster invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler. With the company s primary product, the Linotype… …   Wikipedia

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