IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING BANKERS' CHEQUES AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILI- TATING THE DETECTION OF ALTERATIONS IN THE SAME, AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Ernest. Newton Mason, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, and Joseph Price, of Birmingham afore-
said, Accountant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING BANKERS'
CHEQUES AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILI-
TATING THE DETECTION OF ALTERATIONS IN THE SAME, AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Ernest Newton
Mason and Joseph Price at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
7th August 1879.
HERBERT ERNEST NEWTON MASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, and JOSEPH PRICE, of Birmingham aforesaid, Accountant." IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TREATING BANKERS' CHEQUES AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE DETECTION OF ALTERATIONS IN THE SAME, AND
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Our Invention consists in perforating bankers' cheques and other monetary
instruments with perforations indicating an amount which the value of the cheque
does not exceed, or indicating the limits within which the amount of the cheque is
contained, or indicating the exact number of pounds for which the cheque is drawn,
the said perforations being so effected that any change in the perforations them-
selves is readily detected. Our Invention further consists of machinery or
apparatus for the purpose of effecting the said perforating.
We will describe our Invention in connection with a banker's cheque, and will
explain the nature of the perforations in conjunction with the machinery or
apparatus by which they are made.
The said machinery is constructed essentially as follows:-The base of the
machine consists of a circular disc, a short distance above which is another circular
disc of the same size. These discs are firmly fixed together at their central parts,
but their marginal parts are so far separated as to readily permit of the introduction
of the cheque to be treated between the said marginal parts. In the lower disc or
base four series of hollow dies are situated, each series occupying a quadrant and

page_text: having the figures respectively of the numerals 1 to 9, both inclusive, the said
One of
numerals being arranged concentrically with the centre of the machine.
these sets of numerals is employed, as hereinafter described, to indicate units, the
next set to indicate tens, the next set to indicate hundreds, and the last set to
indicate thousands. Immediately over the middle of each numeral is a small
circular dot, and over these small dots are symbols to distinguish between units,
tens, hundreds and thousands. Each numeral, with its small circular dot and its
symbol, is in the direction of a radius to the centre of the machine. The symbol for
units may be a circular disc; that for tens, the letter x; that for hundreds, the
letter c; that for thousands, the letter m ; but other symbols may be employed.
The upper disc of the machine carries a series of dies or punches, the counter-
parts of the dies in the lower disc or base, each of the punches in the upper disc
being carried by a vertical stem and furnished with guides and a spring. By means
of the springs the punches are raised to their highest position when at liberty to
move, and by means of the guides any twisting of the punch about the axis of its
stem is prevented. The tops of the stems carrying the punches protrude through
the upper disc. An arm is jointed to the middle of the upper disc. The free end
of this arm is enlarged, and has, on its under side a projection which by moving
the arm on its centre can be brought over either of the protruding tops of the stems
of the punches. A spring supports the said arm in a horizontal position.
The machinery or apparatus is used as follows:-We will suppose the cheque to
be treated to have been drawn for four thousand four hundred pounds. The cheque
is inserted between the discs at the quadrant containing a series of numerals
having the thousand symbol. The arm of the machine is brought over the numeral
five of the thousand series, and is struck by the hand or a small mallet; the punch
descends and cuts out of the cheque the number 5, having over it its small middle
dot and the thousands symbol. The perforations thus made indicate that the cheque
is drawn for a sum not exceeding five thousand pounds. The numerals and the
symbols over them indicate the value, while the sinall perforation over the middle
of each numeral prevents the alteration of the perforations without risk of detection;
any addition to the numeral destroys its symmetrical position with respect to the
perforated dot over it, and thus indicates that an addition has been made.
In like manner had the cheque been drawn for say four hundred and thirty
pounds it would be perforated with the numeral five, accompanied by the hundred
symbol, thereby indicating that the value of the cheque did not exceed five hundred
pounds.
The machine may be employed for effecting other systems of perforations, but we
prefer the system described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Ernest Newton Mason and Joseph Price in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd February 1880.
HERBERT ERNEST NEWTON MASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, and JOSEPH PRICE, of Birmingham aforesaid, Accountant. "IMPROVE
MENTS IN TREATING BANKERS' CHEQUES AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE DETECTION OF ALTERATIONS IN THE SAME, AND
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Our Invention consists in perforating bankers' cheques and other monetary
instruments with perforations indicating an amount which the value of the cheque
does not exceed, or indicating the limits within which the amount of the cheque is
contained, or indicating the exact number of pounds for which the cheque is drawn,
the said perforations being so effected that any change in the perforations them-
selves is readily detected.
Our Invention further consists of machinery or apparatus for the purpose of
effecting the said perforating.
We will describe our Invention in connection with a banker's cheque, and will
explain the nature of the perforations in conjunction with the machinery or apparatus
by which they are made.
The said machinery is constructed essentially as follows:-The base of the
machine consists of a circular disc, a short distance above which is another circular
disc of the same size. These discs are firmly fixed together at their central parts,
but their marginal parts are so far separated so as to readily permit of the introduc-
tion of the cheque to be treated between the said marginal parts. In the lower
disc or base four series of hollow dies are situated, each series occupying a quadrant
and having the figures respectively of the numerals 1 to 9, both inclusive, the
said numerals being arranged concentrically with the centre of the machine, One
of these sets of numerals is employed, as herein after described, to indicate units,
the next set to indicate tens, the next set to indicate hundreds, and the last set to
indicate thousands.
Immediately over the middle of each numeral is a small circular dot, and over
these small dots are symbols to distinguish between units, tens, hundreds, and
thousands. Each numeral with its smaller. circular dot and its symbol is in the
direction of a radius to the centre of the machine. The symbol for units may be a
circular disc; that for tens, the letter X; that for hundreds, the letter C; that for
thousands, the letter M ; but other symbols may be employed.
The upper disc of the machine carries a series of dies or punches, the counter+.
parts of the dies in the lower disc or base, each of the punches in the upper disc
being carried by a vertical stem, and furnished with guides and a spring. By
means of the springs the punches are raised to their highest position when at liberty
to move, and by means of the guides any twisting of the punch about the axis of
its stem is prevented. The tops of the stems carrying the punches protrude
through the upper disc. An arm is jointed to the middle of the upper disc. The
free end of this arm is enlarged, and has on its underside a projection which by
moving the arm on its centre can be brought over either of the protruding tops of
the stems of the punches. A spring supports. the said arm in a horizontal position.
The machinery or apparatus, is used as follows:-We will suppose the cheque to
be treated to have been drawn for four thousand four hundred pounds. The cheque
is inserted between the discs at the quadrant containing the series of numerals
having the thousands symbol. The arm of the machine is brought over the numeral

page_text: five of the thousand series, and is struck by the hand or a small mallet; the punch
descends and cuts out of the cheque the number 5, having over it its smaller middle
dot and the thousands symbol. The perforations thus made indicate that the cheque
is drawn for a sum not exceeding five thousand pounds. The numerals and the
symbols over them indicate the value, while the small perforation over the middle
of each numeral prevents the alteration of the perforations without risk of detection;
any addition to the numeral destroys its symmetrical position with respect to the
perforated dot over it, and thus indicates that an addition has been made.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which our Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in transverse vertical section, partly in elevation, a perfo-
rating machine constructed according to our Invention, and Figure 2 is a plan of
a portion of the same, the said machine exhibiting the system of perforations
constituting part of our Invention. a is the base of the machine, consisting of a
circular disc; and b is a second disc situated a short distance above the base disc a.
In Figure 2 portions of the upper disc b are removed for the purpose of exhibiting
the fixed hollow perforating dies in the base or disc a, and the system of perforations
which we employ. The two discs a and b are firmly bound together, at their
central parts by the screws c, c, and packing ring d; but the marginal parts of
the said discs are so far separated as to readily permit of the introduction between
them of the cheque to be treated.
q, r, s, t.
In the lower disc or base a are four series of hollow perforating dies, each series
occupying a quadrant. The said series of hollow dies are marked respectively
In each quadrant space the figures respectively of the numeral I. to
IX., both inclusive, are arranged concentrically with the centre of the machine.
The set of numerals at the space q is employed to indicate units, the set at the
space to indicate tens, the set at the space s to indicate hundreds, and the set at
the space t to indicate thousands. Over the middle of each numeral is a small
circular dot, and over these dots are symbols to distinguish units, tens, hundreds,
and thousands, each numeral with its small dot and symbol being arranged in the
direction of a radius to the centre of the machine, as represented in Figure 2. The
symbol for the units at the space q is a circular disc, that for tens at the space
is the letter X, that for hundreds at the spaces is the letter C, and that for
thousands at the space t is the letter M. We do not, however, limit ourselves to
these symbols, as other symbols may be employed.
In the upper disc b of the machine is a series of moveable dies or punches, one of
which is marked c, the said dies or punches being the counter parts of the hollow
perforating dies represented in the base plate or disc a, a moveable die or punch e
in the disc b being used for each numeral, and its dot and symbol of the four sets
of dies in the quadrant spaces q, r, s, t, of the base plate a; that is to say, that part
of the upper disc 6 situated above the quadrant space q containing the unit series
is furnished with nine separate dies or punches having cutting or perforating faces,
the counterparts of those of the hollow dies in the space q, each upper die or punch
in the disc b forming a pair with the hollow die immediately below it in the base
disc a. In like manner the upper dies or punches in the upper disc b, situated above
the quadrant spaces r, s, and t, are the counterparts of the hollow dies situated
immediately below them in the base disc a. Each punch e in the upper disc b is
carried by a vertical stem f working in the guide g. A spring h around the stem f
raises the punch e to its highest position when at liberty to move. When the stems
fof the upper punches e are in their raised or normal position, as represented in
the Drawing, the tops of the stems protrude through the cases g in which they
work. Any one of the upper dies or punches e can be. depressed to effect the
perforating of the cheque by means of the arm or lever i. This arm or lever is
connected to, the middle of the upper disc b by means of the pivot or swivelling
piece k, by which it is capable of a horizontal motion. The said arm i is also jointed
at to the pivot or swivelling piece k, so that in addition to its swivelling motion

page_text: in a horizontal plane, the said arm is capable of a rising and falling motion. The
free end of the said arm i is enlarged or has a boss m upon it. On the underside
of the said boss m is a projection n. By moving the arm i upon its pivot or
swivelling piece k, through the required angle, the projection n on the underside of
the boss m can be brought over any one of the projecting tops of the stems f of the
punches e, and by giving the said arm i a descending motion upon its joint the
punch over which the said projection n has been brought may be carried down to
effect the perforating of the cheque. The arm i is supported in a horizontal position
by the spring p. The tops of the stems of the several punches e in the upper disc
bare marked with numerals corresponding respectively with the numerals which
the said punches cut out.
The arm i may be elongated so as to give greater leverage, or each of the stems f
may have a boss on its top for the purpose of pressing it down without the aid of
an arm as described.
Supposing a cheque drawn for four thousand four hundred pounds is required to
be treated, the said cheque is inserted between the marginal edges of the discs a, b,
at the quadrant t containing the numerals having the thousands symbol M. The
arini is brought over the numeral V of the thousand series at t, and the boss m
of the said arm i is struck by the hand or by a small mallet. The upper punch
above the numeral V of the thousand series at t is thereby made to descend and
cut out of the cheque the numeral V, together with a perforated dot, and the
thousands symbol M above the said numeral V. The perforations thus made
indicate that the cheque is drawn for a sum not exceeding five thousand pounds.
In like manner had the cheque been drawn for say four hundred and thirty pounds
it would be perforated with the numeral V of the hundred series at 8, together with
the dot and the hundreds symbol C, thereby indicating that the value of the cheque
did not exceed five hundred pounds, and for cheques of other values they are intro-
duced at the unit, or hundred, or thousand series of the base plate a, the proper
punch in the upper disc b being brought down upon it, according to the value of
the cheque to be perforated, as will be understood by an examination of the
Drawing.
The numerals and the symbols over them with which the cheques are perforated
indicate their value, while the perforated dot over the middle of each numeral
prevents the alteration of the perforations without the risk of detection, as any
addition to the numeral would destroy its symmetrical position with respect to the
perforated dot over it, and thus indicate that an addition had been made, as will be
understood by an examination of Figure 2.
The base a of the machine may be mounted upon an under disc or bed plate so
as to be capable of rotation. By this modification the required characters may in
turn be brought to the operator instead of the cheque being carried round the
machine to be perforated.
The machine described and represented may be employed for effecting other
systems of perforations than that constituting part of our Invention.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention, First. The improvements in treating bankers' cheques and other
monetary instruments for the purpose of facilitating the detection of alterations in
the same herein before described with reference to the accompanying Drawing,
that is to say, perforating the cheque or monetary instrument with a numeral, dot,
and symbol of the kind described and illustrated, or with other equivalent sign, for
the purpose and substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The arrangement or combination of the parts of the machinery or
apparatus herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for
perforating cheques or other monetary instruments with the system of perforations
.

page_text: claimed in the preceding claim, or with other systems of perforations having a
similar object.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Price, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Ernest Newton Mason, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, and Joseph Price, of Birmingham afore-
said, Accountant, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING BANKERS'
CHEQUES AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILI-
TATING THE DETECTION OF ALTERATIONS IN THE SAME, AND IN MACHINERY OR
APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Ernest Newton
Mason and Joseph Price at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
7th August 1879.
HERBERT ERNEST NEWTON MASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, and JOSEPH PRICE, of Birmingham aforesaid, Accountant." IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TREATING BANKERS' CHEQUES AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE DETECTION OF ALTERATIONS IN THE SAME, AND
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Our Invention consists in perforating bankers' cheques and other monetary
instruments with perforations indicating an amount which the value of the cheque
does not exceed, or indicating the limits within which the amount of the cheque is
contained, or indicating the exact number of pounds for which the cheque is drawn,
the said perforations being so effected that any change in the perforations them-
selves is readily detected. Our Invention further consists of machinery or
apparatus for the purpose of effecting the said perforating.
We will describe our Invention in connection with a banker's cheque, and will
explain the nature of the perforations in conjunction with the machinery or
apparatus by which they are made.
The said machinery is constructed essentially as follows:-The base of the
machine consists of a circular disc, a short distance above which is another circular
disc of the same size. These discs are firmly fixed together at their central parts,
but their marginal parts are so far separated as to readily permit of the introduction
of the cheque to be treated between the said marginal parts. In the lower disc or
base four series of hollow dies are situated, each series occupying a quadrant and
c71

page_text: having the figures respectively of the numerals 1 to 9, both inclusive, the said
numerals being arranged concentrically with the centre of the machine. One of
these sets of numerals is employed, as hereinafter described, to indicate units, the
next set to indicate tens, the next set to indicate hundreds, and the last set to
indicate thousands. Immediately over the middle of each numeral is a small
circular dot, and over these small dots are symbols to distinguish between units,
tens, hundreds and thousands. Each numeral, with its small circular dot and its
symbol, is in the direction of a radius to the centre of the machine. The symbol for
units may be a circular disc; that for tens, the letter ; that for hundreds, the
letter c; that for thousands, the letter m ; but other symbols may be employed.
The upper disc of the machine carries a series of dies or punches, the counter-
parts of the dies in the lower disc or base, each of the punches in the upper disc
being carried by a vertical stem and furnished with guides and a spring. By means
of the springs the punches are raised to their highest position when at liberty to
move, and by means of the guides any twisting of the punch about the axis of its
stem is prevented. The tops of the stems carrying the punches protrude through
the upper disc. An arm is jointed to the middle of the upper disc. The free end
of this arm is enlarged, and has on its under side a projection which by moving
the arm on its centre can be brought over either of the protruding tops of the stems
of the punches. A spring supports the said arm in a horizontal position.
The machinery or apparatus is used as follows:-We will suppose the cheque to
be treated to have been drawn for four thousand four hundred pounds. The cheque
is inserted between the discs at the quadrant containing a series of numerals
having the thousand symbol. The arm of the machine is brought over the numeral
five of the thousand series, and is struck by the hand or a small mallet; the punch
descends and cuts out of the cheque the number 5, having over it its small middle
dot and the thousands symbol. The perforations thus made indicate that the cheque
is drawn for a sum not exceeding five thousand pounds. The numerals and the
symbols over them indicate the value, while the sinall perforation over the middle
of each numeral prevents the alteration of the perforations without risk of detection;
any addition to the numeral destroys its symmetrical position with respect to the
perforated dot over it, and thus indicates that an addition has been made.
In like manner had the cheque been drawn for say four hundred and thirty
pounds it would be perforated with the numeral five, accompanied by the hundred
symbol, thereby indicating that the value of the cheque did not exceed five hundred
pounds.
The machine may be employed for effecting other systems of perforations, but we
prefer the system described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert Ernest Newton Mason and Joseph Price in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd February 1880.
HERBERT ERNEST NEWTON MASON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, and JOSEPH PRICE, of Birmingham aforesaid, Accountant. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TREATING BANKERS' CHEQUES AND OTHER MONETARY INSTRUMENTS FOR
THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE DETECTION OF ALTERATIONS IN THE SAME, AND
IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED FOR THAT PURPOSE."
Our Invention consists in perforating bankers' cheques and other monetary
instruments with perforations indicating an amount which the value of the cheque
does not exceed, or indicating the limits within which the amount of the cheque is
contained, or indicating the exact number of pounds for which the cheque is drawn,
the said perforations being so effected that any change in the perforations them-
selves is readily detected.
Our Invention further consists of machinery or apparatus for the purpose of
effecting the said perforating.
We will describe our Invention in connection with a banker's cheque, and will
explain the nature of the perforations in conjunction with the machinery or apparatus
by which they are made.
The said machinery is constructed essentially as follows:-The base of the
machine consists of a circular disc, a short distance above which is another circular
disc of the same size. These discs are firmly fixed together at their central parts,
but their marginal parts are so far separated so as to readily permit of the introduc-
tion of the cheque to be treated between the said marginal parts. In the lower
disc or base four series of hollow dies are situated, each series occupying a quadrant
and having the figures respectively of the numerals 1 to 9, both inclusive, the
said numerals being arranged concentrically with the centre of the machine, One
of these sets of numerals is employed, as herein after described, to indicate units,
the next set to indicate tens, the next set to indicate hundreds, and the last set to
indicate thousands.
Immediately over the middle of each numeral is a small circular dot, and over
these small dots are symbols to distinguish between units, tens, hundreds, and
thousands. Each numeral with its smaller circular dot and its symbol is in the
direction of a radius to the centre of the machine. The symbol for units may be a
circular disc; that for tens, the letter X; that for hundreds, the letter C; that for
thousands, the letter M; but other symbols may be employed.
.
The upper disc of the machine carries a series of dies or punches, the counter-
parts of the dies in the lower disc or base, each of the punches in the upper disc
being carried by a vertical stem, and furnished with guides and a spring. By
means of the springs the punches are raised to their highest position when at liberty
to move, and by means of the guides any twisting of the punch about the axis of
its stem is prevented. The tops of the stems carrying the punches protrude
through the upper disc. An arm is jointed to the middle of the upper disc. The
free end of this arm is enlarged, and has on its underside a projection which by
moving the arm on its centre can be brought over either of the protruding tops of
the stems of the punches. A spring supports the said arm in a horizontal position..
The machinery or apparatus is used as follows:-We will suppose the cheque to
be treated to have been drawn for four thousand four hundred pounds. The cheque
is inserted between the discs at the quadrant containing the series of numerals
having the thousands symbol. The arm of the machine is brought over the numeral

page_text: five of the thousand series, and is struck by the hand or a small mallet; the punch
descends and cuts out of the cheque the number 5, having over it its smaller middle
dot and the thousands symbol. The perforations thus made indicate that the cheque
is drawn for a sum not exceeding five thousand pounds. The numerals and the
symbols over them indicate the value, while the small perforation over the middle
of each numeral prevents the alteration of the perforations without risk of detection
any addition to the numeral destroys its symmetrical position with respect to the
perforated dot over it, and thus indicates that an addition has been made.
i
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which our Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in transverse vertical section, partly in elevation, a perfo-
rating machine constructed according to our Invention, and Figure 2 is a plan of
a portion of the same, the said machine exhibiting the system of perforations
constituting part of our Invention. a is the base of the machine, consisting of a
circular disc; and b is a second disc situated a short distance above the base disc a.
In Figure 2 portions of the upper disc b are removed for the purpose of exhibiting
the fixed hollow perforating dies in the base or disc a, and the system of perforations
which we employ. The two discs a and b are firmly bound together at their
central parts by the screws c, c, and packing ring d; but the marginal parts of
the said discs are so far separated as to readily permit of the introduction between
them of the cheque to be treated.
In the lower disc or base a are four series of hollow perforating dies, each series
occupying a quadrant. The said series of hollow dies are marked respectively
q, r, 8, t.
In each quadrant space the figures respectively of the numeral I. to
IX., both inclusive, are arranged concentrically with the centre of the machine.
The set of numerals at the space q is employed to indicate units, the set at the
space to indicate tens, the set at the spaces to indicate hundreds, and the set at
the space t to indicate thousands. Over the middle of each numeral is a small
circular dot, and over these dots are symbols to distinguish units, tens, hundreds,
and thousands, each numeral with its small dot and symbol being arranged in the
direction of a radius to the centre of the machine, as represented in Figure 2. The
symbol for the units at the space q is a circular disc, that for tens at the space r
is the letter ✗, that for hundreds at the space & is the letter C, and that for
thousands at the space t is the letter M. We do not, however, limit ourselves to
these symbols, as other symbols may be employed.
In the upper disc b of the machine is a series of moveable dies or punches, one of
which is marked e, the said dies or punches being the counter parts of the hollow
perforating dies represented in the base plate or disc a, a moveable die or punch e
in the disc b being used for each numeral, and its dot and symbol of the four sets
of dies in the quadrant spaces q, r, s, t, of the base plate a; that is to say, that part
of the upper disc 6 situated above the quadrant space containing the unit series
is furnished with nine separate dies or punches having cutting or perforating faces,
the counterparts of those of the hollow dies in the space q, each upper die or punch
in the disc b forming a pair with the hollow die immediately below it in the base
disc a. In like manner the upper dies or punches in the upper disc b, situated above
the quadrant spaces 7, 8, and t, are the counterparts of the hollow dies situated
immediately below them in the base disc a. Each punch e in the upper disc b is
carried by a vertical stem working in the guide g. A spring h around the stem f
raises the punch e to its highest position when at liberty to move. When the stems
f of the upper punches e are in their raised or normal position, as represented in
the Drawing, the tops of the stems protrude through the cases g in which they
work. Any one of the upper dies or punches e can be, depressed to effect the
perforating of the cheque by means of the arm or lever i. This arm or lever is
connected to the middle of the upper disc b by means of the pivot or swivelling
piece k, by which it is capable of a horizontal motion. The said arm i is also jointed
at to the pivot or swivelling piece k, so that in addition to its swivelling motion

page_text: in a horizontal plane, the said arm is capable of a rising and falling motion. The
free end of the said arm i is enlarged or has a boss m upon it. On the underside
of the said boss m is a projection n. By moving the arm i upon its pivot or
swivelling piece k, through the required angle, the projection n on the underside of
the boss m can be brought over any one of the projecting tops of the stems f of the
punches e, and by giving the said arm i a descending motion upon its joint 7 the
punch over which the said projection n has been brought may be carried down to
effect the perforating of the cheque. The arm i is supported in a horizontal position
by the spring p. The tops of the stems of the several punches e in the upper disc
bare marked with numerals corresponding respectively with the numerals which
the said punches cut out.
The arm i may be elongated so as to give greater leverage, or each of the stems f
may have a boss on its top for the purpose of pressing it down without the aid of
an arm as described.
Supposing a cheque drawn for four thousand four hundred pounds is required to
be treated, the said cheque is inserted between the marginal edges of the discs a, b,
at the quadrant t containing the numerals having the thousands symbol M. The
arini is brought over the numeral V of the thousand series at t, and the boss m
of the said arm i is struck by the hand or by a small mallet. The upper punch
above the numeral V of the thousand series at t is thereby made to descend and
cut out of the cheque the numeral V, together with a perforated dot, and the
thousands symbol M above the said numeral V. The perforations thus made
indicate that the cheque is drawn for a sum not exceeding five thousand pounds.
In like manner had the cheque been drawn for say four hundred and thirty pounds
it would be perforated with the numeral V of the hundred series at 8, together with
the dot and the hundreds symbol C, thereby indicating that the value of the cheque
did not exceed five hundred pounds, and for cheques of other values they are intro-
duced at the unit, or hundred, or thousand series of the base plate a, the proper
punch in the upper disc b being brought down upon it, according to the value of
the cheque to be perforated, as will be understood by an examination of the
Drawing.
The numerals and the symbols over them with which the cheques are perforated
indicate their value, while the perforated dot over the middle of each numeral
prevents the alteration of the perforations without the risk of detection, as any
addition to the numeral would destroy its symmetrical position with respect to the
perforated dot over it, and thus indicate that an addition had been made, as will be
understood by an examination of Figure 2.
The base a of the machine may be mounted upon an under disc or bed plate so
as to be capable of rotation. By this modification the required characters may in
turn be brought to the operator instead of the cheque being carried round the
machine to be perforated.
The machine described and represented may be employed for effecting other
systems of perforations than that constituting part of our Invention.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention, First. The improvements in treating bankers' cheques and other
monetary instruments for the purpose of facilitating the detection of alterations in
the same herein before described with reference to the accompanying Drawing,
that is to say, perforating the cheque or monetary instrument with a numeral, dot,
and symbol of the kind described and illustrated, or with other equivalent sign, for
the purpose and substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The arrangement or combination of the parts of the machinery or
apparatus herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for
perforating cheques or other monetary instruments with the system of perforations

page_text: claimed in the preceding claim, or with other systems of perforations having a
similar object.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Price, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.