![Autographic Register](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Autographic_Register.jpg)
An Autographic Register is a business machine invented in 1883 by James C. Shoup. The device consisted two separate rolls of paper interleaved with
carbon paper
Carbon paper (originally carbonic paper) consists of sheets of paper which create one or more copies simultaneously with the creation of an original document when inscribed by a typewriter or ballpoint pen.
History
In 1801, Pellegrino Turri, ...
. Usually one or both of the rolls would be preprinted with form information. To operate the machine the user would write, for example, a sales receipt and the machine automatically produced a copy. The crank on the machine ejected the records and moved a blank form into view. The original receipt produced would go to the user and the copy was filed.
Shoup founded the Autographic Register Company in
Hoboken, NJ
Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 ...
to manufacture his invention.
The Autographic Register was an advance over use of separate forms and carbon paper as it guaranteed that the copy was made and kept the forms in relative alignment. A number of advancements were soon made, including the use of sprocket-fed paper, invented by Theodore Schirmer. This helped avoid slippage and misalignment of forms, allowing more copies to be produced simultaneously. In 1912 Schirmer founded the
Standard Register Company in
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...
.
The invention of sprocket-fed paper later found use in computer printers.
Although the Autographic Register has been largely replaced by newer technology it remains in use as of 2015.
References
Office equipment
1883 introductions
American inventions
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