IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR PRE- VENTING FRAUDS IN CHEQUES, BILLS, AND OTHER NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Hodgson at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1878
JAMES HODGSON, of 16, Queenhithe, in the City of London, Manufacturing
Stationer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR PRE-
VENTING FRAUDS IN CHEQUES, BILLS, AND OTHER NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS."
To effect this purpose I employ a specially devised form of cheque, & a small
machine (both to be described hereafter), which can be changed from one set of
numbers to another, & which will, by the use of two plain figures combined with
the cheque form, express unalterably any amount or value.
The object of my Invention is to prevent fraud by alteration in value of bills,
drafts, or other negotiable instruments, whether by chemical erasure or the mani-
pulation of figures.
1st. I make all cheques, bills, and other documents a uniform width (about
83 inches), and water mark or perforate them with lines longitudinally, each line
being the same distance apart, commencing from the right hand (I should prefer
5/8 of an inch), in each of the twelve divisions thus formed.
I water mark or perforate legibly & unalterably the following, one terin only
in cach division consecutively :-Units in 1st column, tens 2nd, 100, 200, 300, 400,
500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000.
The machine or apparatus is constructed as follows:-I provide and fit on the
botton part or bed of an ordinary stamping press two horizontal discs of metal,
each to revolve on a centre pin or pivot, and so placed side by side that in revolving
the edges touch each other. I then insert round half the circumference of the discs
in holes drilled for the purpose twenty small figures or cutting devices, ranging
from 0 to 9, one set of ten in each disc. I also insert a small upright pin for the
purpose of giving motion to these circular plates, and to the striker or dabber I
attach by means of two elastic bands a strip of specially prepared cardboard, which
acts as a counterpart to the figures, and retains the pieces of paper cut from the
document.
The apparatus is also furnished with a guide table to insure the figures being cut
out in the proper divisions.

page_text: Although for my present purpose I only require two figures to express any value,
I can, by introducing other discs, wheels, or horizontal rods feathered together,
make the machine capable of cutting out any number of figures at one operation,
as my Provisional Patent, No. 3866.
The novelty of this machine consists in the method of changing the figures
rapidly, the manner in which they are placed, and the material used for cutting on.
I will now describe how the machine and cheque form are to be used together,
for the purposes already mentioned.
After the cheque has been printed and filled up in the usual manner, for example,
say the sum of two hundred & seventy-five pounds, set the figures of the machine
at 75 by taking hold of the upright pin of each disc and bringing the required
figures together under the striker or dabber; then place the cheque on the guide
table with the division marked 200 over the cutting figures (this is easily accom-
plished by reference to the guide marks on the table); swing round the lever of
the press, and the figures 75 will be cut in the column representing 200, thus
indicating two hundred & seventy-five, 200 by water mark or perforations, and 75
by the punctured or cut-out figures. By these means any amount, from 1 to 1,099,
could be registered in an unalterable manner.
For larger amounts other series of cheques must be introduced embodying the
same principles.
In the first column (units), one figure only, and in the other columns two
figures are to be cut out. In the first & second columns the figures cut
out will indicate the full value of the cheque, but in all the other columns the
greater value is denoted by the water mark or position on the cheque, the tens
only being indicated by the punctured figures.
In all cases must two figures be used, except in the 1st column, even where the
value is represented by the water mark alone (as 200), for instance, two noughts
must be cut to prevent other figures being added. Also where a unit in addition
to the water mark expresses the value (as in 109), a nought must precede the unit,
otherwise some other figure might be substituted.
To prevent a figure of one value being cut or altered into a figure of a higher
value I make figures of the smallest value the largest in size; thus 1 would be
twice the size of number 9.
Another novel feature in my Invention is this, the divisions representing certain
amounts always being placed at the same known distance from each end of the
document, the water marks may be dispensed with, provided the bankers use a
scale or measure, whereby the unexpressed value of the document may be indicated
by the position of the cut-out figures.