Fig. 21. Forms Showing Properly Designed Stationery
Gothic Type. The term Gothic indicates the style, and not the size of the type. If the small points at the top and bottom of the Roman type were removed (these points are called serifs) the effect would be that of Gothic type. A very pleasing combination on a billing machine is two different sizes of Gothic type, the larger size to be used for capital letters, the smaller size for the small (or lower case) letters. Recent practice has demonstrated the value of using capital Gothic letters of one size, as it increases the legibility of an order or an invoice.
In manifolding, numerals should always be of the "open" kind, that is, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0, and not 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0, as the former are much the more legible.
Carbon Paper. There is no article which is so generally misused in the commercial world and which is so little understood as carbon paper. In order that the correct usage may be clearly understood a brief description of its manufacture is given.
The chief ingredients of carbon paper are oil, wax, paper, and color. Oils and waxes are used to give wearing surface, elasticity, and body to the color mixture. Tissue paper—generally of imported quality—with a fine, strong fiber is used. The quality must be first class in order to insure absence of holes and other imperfections in the sheets. Generally the sheets are cut 20 x 30 inches. A ream is regarded as containing 500 sheets. Three weights of paper are used, 4lb., 7lb., 10lb., respectively, meaning that 500 sheets of the above size of paper will weigh the number of pounds named, according to the thickness of the paper.
Color. The only really indelible color is black; that is because carbon is the basis of the color. The colors which are used are powders which have been ground as fine as possible. They are mixed in proper proportions with oils and waxes. Formerly the mixture was applied by hand, but great strides have been made in machinery for automatically applying the color evenly to the paper. It is important that the color or pigment be applied evenly to the paper and that it penetrates the fiber. Unless the paper retains the pigment, the carbon paper will not wear properly. The longer the color adheres to the paper, the longer it can be used.
Finish. The finish of carbon paper is the factor which is so little understood by the public. Carbon papers are finished with soft, medium, and hard finishes. The first will hardly rub off on the hand under pressure, the next will rub some, and the soft finish will smudge if pressed against the hand. Each finish is intended for a definite use, which will be explained later. The manifolding power of carbon paper depends absolutely on the typewriter itself, the hardness of the rubber roll, the touch of the operator, and the weight of paper, and lastly, the finish of coating on the paper. Two operators on the same typewriter can secure totally different results because one will have light, and the other heavy, touch. The regular rubber rolls which are furnished with typewriters are medium hard—in six months or a year they gradually grow harder, eventually becoming as hard as slate. If a typewriter is to be used for regular work as well as heavy manifolding, it should have two different rolls, one for each kind of work. There is no reason for using a medium hard rubber roll on the machine, getting poor results, and then blaming the carbon paper. Use a hard rubber roll on the machine and there will be no difficulty. Some makes of machines have interchangeable rolls (known as platens) which are very useful. It is the work of a minute only, to remove one and place the other on the machine.
Four-Pound Paper. This class of carbon paper has a heavy, sensitive coating, and is intended for heavy manifolding—for making from five to twenty copies. Soft-finish carbon papers are always used where heavy manifolding is to be done. The finish of the paper which is being written upon is also a factor. Papers with a hard finish—that is, a shiny surface—do not allow the color of the carbon paper to take hold, and yet a paper with the soft finish will allow the color to spread, and make a poor copy. This class of paper is also used for making a few copies on very light-stroke machines like the Hammond.
Seven-Pound Paper. This weight of paper is adapted for making from one to five copies. Being heavier than the four-pound, it will wear longer. If coated heavily it will give more impressions than if lightly coated, but the impressions will not be as clear and clean.
Ten-Pound Paper. This weight of paper is intended for use where one or two copies are wanted. Its weight enables it to stand the hard usage to which it is put. On one or two copies, the additional weight or thickness of the carbon paper does not affect the imprint. This class of paper is used with billing machines of all kinds.