An Improved Combined Index and Balance Indicator for x Account Books.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1893-Accepted, 1st July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES HENRY RAND, of North Tonawanda, in
the County of Niagara and State of New York, United States of America,
Banker.]
An Improved Combined Index and Balance Indicator for
x
Account Books.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to an improvement in account books, and more especially
to the ledgers used in banks and known as "Individual ledgers."
In order to ascertain the total deposits or take off a trial balance from the
individual ledgers heretofore used, it was necessary to forward the balances of all
the various accounts even if the condition of some accounts remained unchanged
since striking the last balance. The work of bringing such undisturbed balances
involves a considerable loss of time and labor, especially in banks having numerous
accounts, many of which are comparatively inactive.
One of the objects of my invention is to provide an account book, which
dispenses with the necessity of bringing forward the balances of unchanged accounts
and requires only the balances of changed accounts to be brought forward. The
invention has the further object to so organize the book that the balance of any
depositor can be seen at a glance without the necessity of turning to his account.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an individual ledger embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the
pages of the ledger.
Figure 3 is a detached perspective view of one of the card holders.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on the line x-x Figure 2, on an enlarged
scale.
Figure 5 is a cross section on the line y-y Figure 4.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A represents the pages of the ledger which may be ruled in any ordinary and
well known manner. Each page is preferably ruled into several groups or columns,
so that a number of accounts may be placed on a page if desired, the several
columns being headed with appropriate titles. In the ledger shown in the drawing,
the first column from the left in each group is for the date; the second and third
columns for the checks in detail, the fourth for the total amount of the checks ;
the fifth for the deposits, and the sixth for the balance.
"
Each page of the ledger, which bears an account is provided at its vertical
margin with a holder or pocket b in which is arranged a card c bearing the name of
the account of that page and a corresponding card d indicating the balance of such
account. This holder preferably consists of an oblong plate provided at its
longitudinal edges with lips or flanges b¹, forming slide-ways which receive the
cards. The holder may be attached to the page by any suitable means, but it is
preferably fastened thereto by spurs e formed on the rear side of the holder and
penetrating the page, the spurs being provided at their ends with fastening discs
or washers e' which bear against the rear side of the leaf and are held upon the
spurs by riveting or upsetting the ends of the latter, as shown in Figures 4 and 5..
frepresents springs arranged on the front side of the holder and which bear against.
the rear sides of the cards.
These springs, while permitting the cards to be easily inserted and removed from

page_text: the holder, confine the same in the holder with sufficient security to prevent
accidental displacement thereof. The spurs e and springs fare preferably formed
integrally with the holder by cutting the same out of its oblong body, as shown in
Figure 3.
The marginal portions of the leaves of the book are cut away from the lower
edges of the holders to the bottom of the leaves in the form of a "cut out" index,
so that upon opening the book at the page to which the uppermost holder of the
series is attached, the cards of the several holders will be exposed, one below
the other.
The index and balance indicator so formed, is arranged alphabetically and usually
divided into groups or sections each comprising a part of the alphabet. In the
ledger shown in the drawing, the index consists of three sections; the first section,
extending from A to I inclusive, the second from J to P inclusive, and the third
from Q to Z. It is obvious, however, that in thin books having a small number of
pages, the index may be arranged in a single unbroken series extending from the
front to the back of the book.
When several pages are left for an account, which is necessary in active accounts,
all the leaves of such account are cut out like the leaf to which the holder of the
account is attached.
In applying my improvement to a ledger, the holders with the name cards
arranged therein, are first attached to the desired pages of the book, in alphabetical
order, and the names of the accounts are then written at the top on the corre-
sponding pages. The balance of each account is then written upon a card or slip
of paper and this card is inserted in the holder representing the account, as
illustrated for instance in the account of Jones & Company which shows a balance
of $123.50 and accordingly contains an indicator card bearing that balance. Let
it now be assumed that on February 5, 1892, Jones & Company deposit $2000.00.
This amount added to their last balance of $123.50 makes their present balance
$2123.50. At the close of the day's business the book-keeper removes the card
bearing the old balance of $123.50 and puts in its place another card bearing the
new balance, namely $2123.50. Again, let it be supposed that on February 6th,
Jones & Company draw checks to the amount of $500.00. At the close of the
day's business, the book-keeper removes the indicating card of that account from
its holder and substitutes therefor another card bearing the balance $1623.50. The
balance of the other accounts upon which checks or deposits have been made since
bringing forward the last balances, are changed in the same manner, while the
balance-indicating cards of those accounts which have not been changed are left
undisturbed. The balance of any depositor can thus be seen at a glance by simply
opening the book at the series of indicating cards in which his name occurs and
without the necessity of turning to his account.
The balances on the several indicator cards, of each series, being in line, one
below the other, can be conveniently footed and by adding together the footings of
the several series of balance cards the total deposits are obtained and the work of
the book-keeper is proved.
The balances of but a portion of the accounts ordinarily change from day to
day, and as only the balances of the changed accounts are brought forward in the
use of my improved account book the labor of bringing forward the balances of
undisturbed accounts is not only saved but the finding of the total deposits and the
proving of the book-keeper's work are greatly facilitated.
My improvement is herein described and shown in connection with an individual
ledger, but it may be applied with equal advantage to ordinary commercial ledgers
or other accounts books.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination with a book having its pages provided along their outer

page_text: edges with a series of open horizontal pockets or holders, arranged substantially
one below the other, whereby the several pockets form a vertical row in which
every pocket is exposed upon opening the cover of the book, of a name card adapted
to be placed in each of said holders, and a separate balance indicating card also
arranged in each holder and adapted to be changed as the balance of the corre-
sponding account changes, substantially as set forth.
2. A ledger or similar account book having its pages provided with marginal
holders or pockets for receiving index and balance indicating cards, the several
holders being arranged one below the other and the marginal portions of the leaves
of the book being properly cut out to expose the cards in the various holders,
substantially as set forth.
3. A card holder adapted to be attached to a leaf of a book, consisting of a
plate provided with slide ways for receiving a card, and a retaining spring which
bears against the rear side of the card, substantially as set forth.
4. A card holder adapted to be attached to a leaf of a book, consisting of a
plate having slide-ways which receive a card, a fastening spur arranged on the rear
side of said plate, and a retaining spring arranged on the front side thereof, said
spur and spring being formed integrally with said plate, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of May 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.