IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTER CHECK BOOKS, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Copley, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Commercial Traveller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTER
CHECK BOOKS, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Copley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th December 1877.
RICHARD COPLEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Commercial Traveller.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTER CHECK BOOKS, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
THEREWITH."
The object of this Invention is to so construct counter check books, and apparatus
to be used therewith, that drapers and others using them shall be protected from
fraud by the assistants or salesmen writing one price on the slip or bill presented to
the customer, and another on the counterfoil or check slip retained by the master or
cashier.
In carrying the Invention into practice I proceed as follows:-
First. I construct a counter check book of slips of paper, having two complete
bill or other headings printed thereon, one on the front and the other on the back
of each slip, so as to present the appearance of two bills or invoices joined along one
edge.
Second. I uso in combination with counter check books constructed as above
described a stamp provided with a knife or perforator 60 arranged that when the
cashier or other authorized person stamps and receipts one of the two bills or invoices
the other bill or invoice is cut off or detached, and kept for reference. If desired
the stamp may be fitted with apparatus arranged to count and register the number
of times such stamp is used.
With counter check books constructed as above described the assistant or salesman
should produce two exactly alike invoices or bills. If however he manipulates the
carbonized paper interposed between the folded slip, so as to produce two different

page_text: invoices or bills, the error will be detected when the said invoices or bills connected
together are sent to be stamped and cut or separated. If however the error is not
detected, the assistant or salesman, on account of the printed matter and forin of
each bill or invoice being alike, may have the invoice with the lesser charge returned
to him for collection from the customer, whilst the invoice having the higher charge 5
marked thereon is retained by the master or authorized person. The uncertainty
as to which portion of the duplicate invoice or bill will be returned for collection
from the customer will therefore remove any temptation to fraud from the assistant
or salesman.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Richard Copley in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 18th June 1878.
66
RICHARD COPLEY, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Commercial Traveller.
IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTER CHECK BOOKS, AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
THEREWITH,"
The object of this Invention is to so construct counter check books, and apparatus
to be used therewith, that drapers and others using them shall be protected from
fraud by the assistants or salesmen writing one piece on the slip or bill presented to
the customer, and another on the counterfoil or check slip retained by the master or
cashier.
In carrying the Invention into practice I proceed as follows:-
=
First. I construct a counter check book of slips of paper, having two complete
bill or other headings printed thereon, one on the front and the other on the back
of each slip, so as to present the appearance of two bills or invoices joined along one
edge.
Second. I use in combination with counter check books constructed as above
described a stamp provided with a knife or perforator so arranged that when the
cashier or other authorized person stamps and receipts one of the two bills or invoices
the other bill or invoice is cut off or detached, and kept for reference. If desired
the stamp may be fitted with apparatus arranged to count and register the number

page_text: In some cases, instead of binding the leaves together by means of the counterfoil
or strip 1, the leaves may be held in their place by a band in the centre, and the
said counterfoil or strip may be dispensed with. When being used the leaf is folded
back on itself along the dotted line 5, so that the two headings face the same way,
and are one on the top of the other. In this manner, when a piece of carbonized
paper is inserted between the folds of the leaf, and the uppermost fold is written
upon, two bills exactly alike are produced. The leaf is then detached from the book,
and taken by the assistant to the checker, cashier, or authorized person, who divides
the leaf into two distinct bills by means of the apparatus described under the second
part of my Invention.
Under the second part of my Invention Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the
apparatus I use to sever and stamp the leaves constructed under the first part of my
Invention. 6 is the stand, carrying stamping apparatus 7 of the usual construction,
which acts by pressing down the handle 8; 9 is a knife blade hinged at 10, and
receiving motion from the piece 11, which moves with the handle 8; 12 is a fixed
blade.
When a leaf is placed on the stand 6 in the manner shown, and the handle 8 is
depressed, the die 13 descends, stamps that portion of the leaf beneath it, and the
knifo severs the portion marked 14; the stamped portion is given to the customer,
and the unstamped portion is retained by the cashier or authorized person.
With counter check books constructed as above described the assistant or salesman
should produce two exactly alike invoices or bills. If however he manipulates the
carbonized paper interposed between the folded slip, so as to produce two different
invoices or bills, the error will be detected when the said invoices or bills connected
together are sent to be stamped and cut or separated. If however the error is not
detected, the assistant or salesman, on account of the printed matter and form of
each bill or invoice being alike, may have the invoice with the lesser charge returned
to him for collection from the customer, whilst the invoice having the higher charge
marked thereon is retained by the master or authorized person. The uncertainty
as to which portion of the duplicate invoice or bill will be returned for collection
from the customer will therefore remove any temptation to fraud from the assistant
or salesman.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention so that others may be
enabled to carry my improvements into effect, I claim, the improvements in counter
check books, and apparatus to be used therewith, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Copley, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the 17th day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.