History of the Fax Machine

Alexander Bain, inventor of the first fax machine, received a British patent in 1843 for "improvements in producing and regulating electric currents, electric printing, and improvements in timepieces and signal telegraphs".

Bain's fax machine transmitter scanned a flat metal surface using a stylus, which picked up images from the metal surface. By using electric pendulums, he produced a back and forth line-by-line scanning mechanism.

In 1924, Richard H. Ranger invented the wireless photoradiogram, or transoceanic radio facsimile foreshadowing today's "Fax" machine. Today radio fax is actually still in use, used to transmit weather charts and information.

The Hellschreiber, which is an early method for facsimile transmission was invented by Rudolf Hell in 1929, a brave pioneer in mechanical image scanning and transmission.

Today's fax machine, most of the time consists of an image scanner, a modem, an inkjet, thermal or laser printer combined into one single package. Multifunction printers are the fax machines which can be connected to a computer and the individual components can be used independently to the liking of you, the customer.

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