This paper presents a historical review of the type synthesis of linkages and robots designed to achieve translational motion without the use of linear guides. It focuses on the period up to the mid-1990s, with special emphasis on the contributions of Prof. Yuri L. Sargsyan and the Armenian school of mechanism and machine science (MMS). The design principles developed during that period significantly advanced the theory of translational-guiding mechanisms, enabling the creation of novel kinematic structures suitable for high-speed and high-precision applications in industrial automation and robotics. However, because most publications and patents by Armenian researchers were originally written in Russian, much of their work remained largely unknown outside the former Soviet Union. Given the enduring theoretical and practical relevance of these contributions, this paper aims to highlight and summarize them, making the knowledge accessible to a broader international audience interested in mechanism and machine science, particularly in robotics.