MACHINES FOR MANIFOLDING
Neither the billing machines (book-writing machines) nor typewriters were originally intended for heavy manifolding work. The flat-bed billing machines were originally invented to write in books used for court records, sales books, etc. The book was to remain stationary and the machine was to travel over the books. The flat-bed machines are the only machines made for writing in bound books—the latter are being gradually replaced by loose-leaf books. A flat-bed machine for bound books is shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 2. Flat-Bed Typewriter for Bound Books. Elliott-Fisher Co.
The typewriter was originally intended to write on one sheet of paper only. If extra copies were needed, a copying ribbon was used, and a wet copy taken in a letter-press book. In the evolution from bound books (official record and commercial) to loose sheets, the book typewriter was equipped with devices for holding loose sheets of paper—used alone or in connection with books. In the evolution from letter-press copies to carbon copies, the typewriter was equipped with hard-rubber and brass platens for taking from one to twenty-five copies, and in some cases even more, with extremely thin paper and carbon paper.
The flat-bed billing machines are equipped with heavier type-bar springs than the cylinder machines. The operator in depressing the keys overcomes the additional resistance to the touch, due to the heavier type-bar springs, and strikes a heavy blow on the paper, making a good manifold copy in all cases. The operator on a cylinder billing machine strikes a heavier blow than usual to secure the heavy manifolding results. The heavier the blow, the clearer the result on a billing machine. The Underwood billing machine is shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 3. Underwood Billing Machine
All typewriters equipped with special attachments for holding the sales sheets, invoices, and orders are called cylinder billing machines. The paper upon which the machine writes is held by, and passes over and around, a round rubber roll, the cylinder.
This is in contrast to the flat-bed billing machines (or book typewriters) on which the paper lies flat on a rubber plate while the machine moves over the paper.