I remember seeing this very apparatus in a friend's home about 15
years ago. It did just as described. A master roll was typed/cut,
and errors were corrected much like a piano roll master would be
repaired/corrected.
I recall it was a very successful business, and they made 20 copies at
a time. It was, however, very labor-intensive, and prone to constant
breakdowns and repairs. The vacuum was generated by the same pumps
used in player pianos.
The sound of twenty of those machines was incredible but awesome.
I just talked to this fellow's sister, and she is sure that all was
junked a short time later, as they got computerized. I hope someone
has preserved one of those mechanisms, as it sure was a treat to see
it all work.
Devon Hollingsworth, in Chicago Suburb
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