An Autopen is a machine for automatically signing a signature as an autograph. An autograph is a Document written entirely in the handwriting of its Author, as opposed to a typeset document or
History
The first autopens were developed by an Englishman named John Isaac Hawkins. Hawkins received a US patent for his device in 1803. A patent is a set of Exclusive rights granted by a State to an inventor or his assignee for a fixed period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an In 1804, Thomas Jefferson began using the device extensively. Thomas Jefferson (April 13 1743 – July 4 1826 was the third President of the United States (1801–1809 the principal author of the Declaration of Independence This early device was known at the time as a polygraph—an abstracted version of the pantograph—bearing little resemblance to today's autopens in design or operation. A polygraph (popularly referred to as a Lie detector) is an instrument that measures and records several physiological responses such as Blood pressure A pantograph (from Greek roots παντ- 'all every' and γραφ- 'to write' from their original use for copying writing is a mechanical linkage connected in a
Harry Truman is believed to have been the first United States President to use the autopen as a way of responding to mail and signing cheques. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Autopen devices are used today by politicians and fundraisers to sign letters to constituents written by administrative assistants and clerical staff, and by celebrities such as movie stars, music stars and astronauts to sign photographs. A company named Studio Fanmail uses autopens to reproduce celebrity autographs onto pictures of the celebrity.
The reason for employing an autopen is typically emotive, intended to form a compromise between making every signature by hand, which can take up a great deal of time for the signer, and printing a digital scan of the autograph, which can be felt impersonal by the recipient.
Today's autopens are often used to allow someone to be in two places at once. A politician can be travelling while his staff sign letters on his behalf. Donald Rumsfeld used an autopen to sign letters to the family of people killed in action. Donald Henry Rumsfeld (born July 9 1932 is a United States Businessman, Politician, the 13th Secretary of Defense under President When questioned on the subject, he stated it was inappropriate and began to sign the letters personally. Queen Elizabeth II typically signs Christmas cards by autopen. For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II
Further developing the class of devices known as autopens, Canadian author Margaret Atwood developed a device called the Longpen, which allows audio and video conversation between the fan and author while a book is being signed remotely. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Margaret Eleanor Atwood, CC (born November 18, 1939) is a Canadian Writer.
Mechanism
The first step in using an autopen machine is to have a metal "matrix" of the signature made. This matrix is then loaded into the machine and signing can commence.
External links
- DAMILIC Corporation, a signature signing machine manufacturer and distributor.
- Signascript, a signature signing machine manufacturer and distributor.
- Automated Signature Technology, a signature machine manufacturer.
- A site with information on autopen signatures
- A site that tells how to detect an autopenned signature
- Thomas Jefferson's Polygraph
- Isitreal.com - Maybe the largest online Autopen autograph library worldwide
- Note 1: collectSPACE: Identifying Astronaut Autopens
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