IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING BANK NOTES, CHECQUES, BILLS OF Ex- CHANGE, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRING LIKE SECURITY AGAINST BEING COPIED
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Moss, of 24, Gainford Street,
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING BANK NOTES, CHECQUES, BILLS OF Ex-
CHANGE, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRING LIKE SECURITY AGAINST
BEING COPIED."
Sealed the 28th December 1853, and dated the 4th August 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Moss at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th August 1853.
THOMAS Moss, of 24, Gainford Street, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING BANK NOTES, CHECQUES, BILLS OF EXCHANGE,
AND OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRING LIKE SECURITY AGAINST BEING COPIED "
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the providing greater security against
documents being copied by anastatic or other processes, and consists of
printing the document in the ordinary manner, and after or before

page_text: such impressions printing the same surface with a device, more or less
extensive, with transparent ink, either colored or not, by which any
attempt to obtain copies therefrom would fail, by reason of the two
impressions, which are distinct on the original, appearing in the copies
as one impression produced by one and the same ink.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Moss in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 4th February 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
THOMAS Moss, of 24, Gainford Street, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her inost Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seventeenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Moss, Her special licence that I,
the said Thomas Moss, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Thomas Moss, my executors, adininistrators,
and assigns, should at any tinie agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING BANK
NOTES, CHEQUES, BILLS OF EXCHANGE, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS REQUIRING LIKE
SECURITY AGAINST BEING COPIED," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Moss, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Moss, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by.
the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention has for its object the providing greater security
against documents being copied by anastatic or other processes, and
consists of printing the document in the ordinary manner, and after or*
before such impression printing the same surface with a device, more
or less extensive, with transparent iuk, either colored or not, by which
any attempt to obtain copies therefrom would fail, by reason of the two
impressions, which are distinct on the original, appearing in the copies
as one impression produced by one and the same ink.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed
to describe the manner of performing the same.
It is well known that copies of documents may be taken by what is
called anastatic printing and other processes by applying ink or matter
to the printed and written parts of documents. Now the object of
this Invention is to print such documents in the ordinary manner, so
far as the document itself is concerned; but in order to prevent any
copies of a useful character being taken from such documents they are
also printed with colored or with colorless ink with any device which will
not interfere with the matter (both printed and written) composing the
document. For which purpose I take a bank note, cheque, bill of
exchange, or other document requiring like security against being
copied, and which has been printed in the ordinary manner, and I add
a further impression by a suitable engraved or printing surface, such as
engine turned or otherwise, using transparent ink or varnish, with or
without color. The ordinary or original impression constituting the
document will appear clear, even though color be used in the other
impression; or the impression of transparent ink or varnish may be
first applied. By this means it will be evident that, although the
impression of transparent ink or varnish will not interfere with the
printed and written matter composing the document from which it is
desired no copy should be taken, such impression of transparent ink or
varnish will, in the event of any attempt to take a copy by anastatic or
other means, produce a combined impression composed of the two
impressions on the original document, and the compound impression

page_text: will be all similarly inked and offer a confused impression which could
not be in anyway uscable as a document.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim
is, the printing in the manner herein described bank notes, cheques,
bills of exchange, and other documents requiring like security against
being copied.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Moss, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fourth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
JOHN EDKINS.
THOS MOSS. (L.S.)