# How the QWERTY Keyboard Layout Was Originally Designed

> An 1878 patent by Christopher Latham Sholes that helped standardize the keyboard layout we still use on computers and phones today.

- **Patent:** US 207559
- **Original title:** Improvement in type-writing machines
- **Owner:** Christopher Latham Sholes
- **Granted:** 1878
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 7
- **Field:** consumer_electronics, mechanical

## What it does

This patent describes mechanical improvements to early typewriters to prevent type bars from jamming. By arranging the keys in a specific layout, it separated frequently used letter pairs so that the physical metal arms would not collide during rapid typing. It established the mechanical foundation for the QWERTY arrangement, which remains the global standard for text input.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover electronic or virtual keyboards found on modern touchscreens.
- Does not cover the specific software algorithms used for predictive text or autocorrect.
- Does not cover non-mechanical input methods like voice recognition or gesture typing.

## The clever bit

The innovation was not about making typing faster, but about slowing down the mechanical type bars just enough to prevent them from tangling, effectively mapping human language frequency to mechanical constraints.

## Real-world examples

1. Standard computer keyboards
2. Laptop keyboard layouts
3. Smartphone virtual QWERTY keyboards

## Why it matters

This patent is the ancestor of virtually every text input interface in existence. It solved a critical mechanical bottleneck in early office automation, allowing the typewriter to become a reliable tool for business and communication.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How the QWERTY Keyboard Layout Was Originally Designed cover?

An 1878 patent by Christopher Latham Sholes that helped standardize the keyboard layout we still use on computers and phones today.

### Who owns patent US 207559?

Christopher Latham Sholes owns this patent, granted in 1878.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 207559 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 7 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This patent is the ancestor of virtually every text input interface in existence. It solved a critical mechanical bottleneck in early office automation, allowing the typewriter to become a reliable tool for business and communication.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover electronic or virtual keyboards found on modern touchscreens.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/207559/qwerty-typewriter-sholes

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US207559

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


## Related patents

Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus:

- [How Thomas Edison Improved Early Phonograph Recording](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/200521/phonograph-edison) — An 1878 patent by Thomas Edison detailing mechanical improvements to early sound recording devices to make them more reliable.
- [BlackBerry Device with QWERTY Keyboard and Trackball Design](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8219158/handheld-wireless-communication-device) — This 2012 patent describes a handheld device, like an early BlackBerry, with a QWERTY keyboard and a trackball, focusing on the physical arrangement of keys around the navigation tool.
- [How James Plimpton Invented the Modern Roller Skate](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/37305/roller-skates-plimpton) — A 19th-century invention that introduced pivoting wheels to roller skates, allowing users to steer by leaning their bodies.
- [How Lewis Waterman's Original Fountain Pen Design Worked](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/293545/fountain-pen-waterman) — This 1884 patent describes an early fountain pen designed by Lewis E. Waterman, which aimed to solve common ink-flow problems, making writing smoother and cleaner.
- [How Levi Strauss Invented the Copper-Riveted Jean Pocket](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/139121/blue-jeans-riveted-levi-strauss) — This 1873 patent describes the use of metal rivets to reinforce the corners of pockets on work pants, preventing them from ripping under heavy use.