Entries by addressing equipment

Addressing equipment may be used for addressing envelopes etc.; for heading forms, records and statements; for printing payable orders, cheques, etc.; and for printing constant information on pay lists and on schedules of payment. In addition to adding standard information to forms etc. the equipment can be used for ‘overprinting’, e.g. adding an address or details of a changed address. Multicolumn listing machines or those with automatic feeds introduce limitations on forms design and the advice of manufacturers should be sought.

Of the two types of addressing machine in general use, one reproduces from an embossed metal plate, and the other from a stencil cut by typewriter. Parts of the information embossed on metal plates can be printed separately, by ‘masking’ or by specially cut platens.

With embossed metal plates it is possible to take carbon copies of an impression. It is not possible to obtain carbon copies when using stencil-addressing equipment.

Line spacing and spaces for characters on the form should conform to that on the plate; the position of the entry spaces on the form should be considered in relation to the length of the printing-arm beneath which the form must be positioned to take the impression. If the distance between the entry space and the edge of the form exceeds the length of the printing-arm, the form has to be folded or rolled up.

As precision printing cannot always be guaranteed, where possible a reasonable latitude should be allowed in the entry space and ruled boxes avoided. The placing of the entry space should be as far from the bottom edge as possible.

A type of continuous stationery provides for the creation of an address stencil in the process of typing other documents, e.g. a set of invoice/advice notes. This stencil is then used to imprint addresses on packages or other documents.