On the billing machine frame rests a bar on which metal stops or pegs are placed at predetermined intervals. By pressing the column stop, the carriage holding the paper is released, and jumps automatically to the first stop. After the information is written, the stop is again pressed, and the machine jumps automatically to the next printing point. The following example shows the use of the column stop:
| John Jones | Marion, Ind. | XXV |
| A. B. Smith | Washington, D. C. | XXX |
| G. Barnes | Seattle, Wash. | XXX |
The following example shows the use of the decimal tabulator:
10.50
.50
150.25
15560.65
With the decimal tabulator, the operator would press the tens key, which automatically places the carriage in a position to begin writing the amount 10.50. If the column stop were used for this purpose, it would have stopped the machine at the period point, and necessitated the operator pushing the carriage two points to the right in order to begin printing two points to the left of the decimal points. Some operators place the column stop so that the machine always stops at the tens point, and if an amount of 1.00 or less is to be written, they use the space key. This is quicker than to always stop at the decimal point and then position the carriage properly by hand. However, where any tabulated work involving figures which vary greatly is to be done, it is decided economy to use a decimal tabulator. Most operators do not see the advantage of using tabulators, and in many instances will continue to waste time spacing the machine with the space bar. If they would avail themselves of the tabulator device they would jump from one part of the line to the next desired point instantaneously. It should be remembered that billing work is a constant repetition of certain manual movements. If one movement in ten can be eliminated, it is equivalent to saving one hour in ten. To show the great advantage of, and it might be said, necessity for, time saving and short cuts in large establishments, a device used by Butler Bros., a large mail-order house with warehouses in several of the large cities, is an excellent illustration. This particular scheme is used in Jersey City, N. J. It consists of two rows of billing machine operators (sixty-five in number) placed in parallel positions with an endless belt running between them, and two checking clerks at the end of the row. As fast as the operators transcribe the orders onto the order forms, the original and typewritten order (with departmental copies) are placed on the belt and carried automatically to the checker's desk.
The rubber belt passes over a pulley at the edge of the checker's desk, which allows the orders to fall from the belt to the desk. The belt returns to the end of the line, where it revolves around another pulley. The power is furnished by a small electric motor.
Arrangement of Billing Machines in Large Business Houses. In large businesses in the wholesale dry goods, wholesale notions, and kindred lines, special arrangement enables a few billing machines to accomplish a large amount of billing. In these classes of business, it is the custom to call the lot number, class of goods, and the number of yards to the bill-clerk, who in turn enters it on the bill and duplicate. The system used will be described elsewhere. Here it is desired to touch upon the movable-platform idea only. The operator is seated on an elevated platform on which is placed the billing machine and the chair. This platform has rollers, and can be moved in the aisle between two rows of counters on which the goods to be shipped are placed. As soon as the callers call off the lot numbers, description, and quantities of one shipment, the billing machine operator moves the platform to the next lot of goods, which enables him to hear the caller clearly wherever the caller may be. If the bill clerk were permanently located in one portion of the room, he would be liable to make errors through misunderstanding the caller. A scheme which is largely used in those classes of business which demand the "call off system" or, as they term it, "billing from call" is to call off the word sixty-five as if it were sixity-five, and the word fifty-five as if it were fifity-five. This prevents confusion between these amounts which sound so much alike. Some firms for sixty-five use the term sticky-five.