The first ever photocopier, the Xerox 914, caught fire so frequently that a “scorch eliminator”, a small fire extinguisher, was provided with the copier.
One of the most successful Xerox products ever, the 914 model (so-called because it could copy originals up to 9 inches by 14 inches (229 mm × 356 mm)) could make 100,000 copies per month (seven copies per minute). In 1985, the Smithsonian received a Xerox 914, number 517 off the assembly line. It weighs approximately 650 pounds[2] (294 kg) and measures 42" (107 cm) high × 46" (117 cm) wide × 45" (114 cm) deep.
The machine was mechanically complex. It required a large technical support force,[2] and had a tendency to catch fire when overheated (Ralph Nader claimed that a model in his office had caught fire three times in a four-month period). Because of the problem, the Xerox company provided a "scorch eliminator", which was actually a small fire extinguisher, along with the copier.[1] But despite these problems, the machine was regarded with affection by its operators, due to it being complex enough to be interesting to use, but without being so complex as to be beyond understanding.[3]
The pricing structure of the machine was designed to encourage customers to rent rather than buy - it could be rented in 1965 for $95 a month, but would cost $27,500 to buy.[2]
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