The History Of The Photocopier

The idea of making copies of documents can be attributed to a New York patent attorney named Chester Carlson who, back in 1937, came up with a process known as electro photography, later renamed xerography. It’s said that he came up with the idea of an easy way to make copies because he began to develop arthritis in his hands to help him with his work.

However, the concept of xerography wasn’t immediately popular and it took some ten years before Mr Carlson could find a company that would help him develop the idea. Eventually, The Haloid Company – a photo-paper manufacturer in New York – agreed to work with him, later changing its name to the Xerox Corporation.

In 1955, the first automated xerographic machine was developed and then in 1958, the first commercial push button machine was introduced – the 914. This was hugely successful and in 1961 Haloid Xerox changed its name to Xerox and floated on the New York Stock Exchange for the first time.