Uninked Ribbon Fabric: Narrow Woven Cotton Strip with Two Selvages (Rogers, US 420,312, 1890)

Early typewriter ribbons were cut from a roll of fine cotton cloth and the cut edges glued; the edges came out zigzag and the glue spoiled the inking surface. Rogers wove the ribbon to width instead, so it has two true selvages and needs no glue. Result: a narrow cotton ribbon with straight woven edges, ready for inking. Source: Rogers, US 420,312 (1890). He chose cotton over silk: silk cost more, held less ink and sagged in the middle. Not given: width, thread count. Picture drawn by Youblob.