I don’t have the technical terms for these things, but on a manual typewriter, when you are filling out a form (and especially if you do it for a living), you tend to get good at typing something right on the line (or where you want a line to be). But when the paper is on the roller, it’s locked onto a line and if you want to move the paper a little up or down (less than one full height of line) you flip a switch to unlock the paper so you can move it freely in any direction. You pull it up or down very gently to get it as close as possible to the printed line. For example, “I _______ Registrar,” is the line you want to be not too far above or below, when you type in your name.
Once you have the paper precisely in position, you are supposed to relock it and start typing just where you want. But, if you’re at all hurried or distracted, you might start typing your name and then realize you forgot to relock the paper. (This is bad because continued typing on a manual, with variations of pressure, can easily make an unlocked paper slip and shift.) So one letter gets typed, like an “O” and then you remember to flip the lock to keep the paper steady again. Then you hit the second letter and quite possibly the one letter typed, or even the relocking action, has shifted the paper just very slightly. Result, letter “O” followed by “D” looks a little tighter than they ought to be.
I know this is very sleepifying information. I am sorry! :)
That’s EXACTLY what I’m talking about. Somehow it got shifted or even the ball lagged. If it was on a ball type.