Transactions slips pack

A sales and credit transaction slip pack with duplicating paper between credit slips is provided. A jagged line of perforations is cut into the duplicating paper at a prescribed position. This position can be such as to obscure an account number and the signature or any other desired combination. When the sales clerk separates copies of the transaction slips the duplicating paper is simultaneously torn and the opportunity for fraud against the purchaser is substantially reduced.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates to sales and credit transaction slips which are 
arranged in assembled packs with duplicating paper between slips, and more 
particularly to a method of obscuring several lines of identifying 
information on the duplicating paper. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In sales and credit card transactions, which are in extensive use today, 
the merchant is provided with an assembled pack of transaction slips for 
recording information relating to the merchant, the customer's credit card 
account number, etc. at defined positions on the slips. The pack may 
consist for example of a first paper transaction slip to be retained by 
the merchant, a second paper transaction slip to be given to the customer, 
and a third paper transaction slip which is forwarded to the bank or 
credit card issuer. One or more paper duplicating slips having a 
duplicating medium, commonly known as duplicating carbon slips, are 
included in the pack, with at least one duplicating carbon slip sandwiched 
between two transaction slips. 
In normal use a sales clerk records the transaction information on the top 
transaction slip in the pack and may also at the same time imprint 
information onto all of the transaction slips as enabled by the 
intermediate duplicating carbon slips. The respective transaction slips 
are then deleaved or disjoined from the pack for presentment to the 
customer and the remaining duplicating carbon slips are placed into a 
container for later disposal. 
The transaction slip(s) retained by the merchant may be used to computerize 
information about the customer, such as frequency of buying and current 
address. Another important use of this information can be to create a 
mailing list for advertising. If this information is intercepted by 
unauthorized personnel, it may lead to a loss of business. 
Additionally, it has been found that in some instances certain individuals 
have obtained the customer's identifying account number from a used 
duplicating carbon slip and wrongfully utilized this information. Several 
methods have been utilized to attempt to prevent this unauthorized use. 
Prior methods include the use of expensive non-carbon duplicating forms, 
tearing or shredding of the carbon slips, and perforating lines on the 
carbon slips as can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,793 to J. A. McCormick, 
et al. These methods have, however, proven to be either expensive, dirty, 
or unable to obscure multiple lines of information. 
It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a cheap and clean 
way to effectively obscure multiple lines of information on credit slip 
carbons. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A credit transaction slip pack with duplicating paper between credit slips 
is provided. The duplicating paper has a line of jagged perforations cut 
into it. The jagged perforations are placed so as to obscure an account 
number, a signature or any other desired combination. When a sales clerk 
removes the credit slip copies the duplicating paper is separated along 
the jagged line of perforations thus effectively destroying any 
unauthorized records. 
The jagged perforations can be relatively large or small depending upon the 
desired area to be obscured. The line of jagged perforations can also be 
placed at any desired angle on the duplicating paper. This will allow 
items located on different parts of the duplicating paper to be obscured.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 generally identifies the improved 
transaction slips pack of the present invention. The improved transactions 
slips pack 10 can be seen in FIG. 1 to consist of at least a top 
transaction slip 12, a second transaction slip 14, and duplicating paper 
16. Duplicating paper 16 is placed between top transaction slip 12 and 
second transaction slip 14 so that whatever is imprinted on top 
transaction slip 12 is duplicated on second transaction slip 14. Improved 
transaction slips pack 10 connects top transaction slip 12, duplicating 
paper 16, and second transaction slip 14 to each other at one end herein 
shown as first end 20. Perforations 18 are provided on top transaction 
slip 12 and second transaction slip 14 near first end 20. A location for 
multiple lines of confidential identifying information is provided at 22. 
FIG. 2 shows the improved transaction slips pack 10 with the top 
transaction slip 12 pulled back to expose the duplicating paper 16. Jagged 
perforations 24 are placed on duplicating paper 16 so as to correspond to 
the location of multiple lines of confidential identifying information 22 
on top transaction slip 12 and second transaction slip 14 as can be seen 
in FIG. 3. Jagged perforations 24 can be sawtoothed wherein each 
perforation is slanted as seen in FIG. 2, or serrated wherein one 
perforation is slanted and the next is vertical as seen in FIG. 4, or any 
configuration so long as they serve to obscure multiple lines of 
information. 
When a sales transaction is completed the improved transaction slips pack 
10 is grasped at the first end 20 and the second end 26 and pulled apart. 
By pulling, the top transaction slip 12 and the second transaction slip 14 
are severed on perforation line 18 and the duplicating paper 16 is severed 
at jagged perforations 24. Duplicating paper 16 can then be disposed of 
thus effectively obscuring any confidential identifying information. 
Although the present invention has been described with respect to a 
specific preferred embodiment thereof, various changes and modifications 
may be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended that the 
present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within 
the scope of the appended claims.