Year: 1886

page_text: I ARTHUR WELLESLEY LAKE of No. 9 Farringdon Road in the City of London
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
from abroad by Thaddeus Hyatt of Brooklyn New York United States of America
Gentleman) to be as follows:-
My invention relates to safety checks of the kind wherein the provisions to
prevent "raising" consist in a table of figures composed of a series of repeated
numerals by the punching out of one or more of which a tell-tale of punched
numbers is created in the body of the paper, whether check or other form of
money-paper.
The object of my invention is to make easy and certain the punching out of the
right figures and to make difficult the punching out of the wrong ones; the
invention consisting First, in distributing the series of repeated numerals over
the check or money paper in isolated groups instead of tabular form as heretofore―
Second in dividing the face of the check into sections or compartments answering
to the orders of numerals employed. Third, combining with each compartment
and group of figures its own discriminative order word, from units upwards; and
Fourth, combining with each section its own group of figures.
The sections or compartments on the check are made by cross-dividing lines so
that the bounding lines of each compartment enclose a group of figures, the groups
respectively being units tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, and still
higher when required.
A part of my invention connected with this divisional arrangement of the check-
face consists in a warning or safety-signature written crosswise of the check or
paper in addition to the main or regular one at the bottom of the paper; the
meaning of such crosswise signature being that none of the figures of the groups
in the sections above such signature have been employed in making the check; so
that the function of the cross-signature is to cancel all the groups of figures in the
sections above it.

page_text: I ARTHUR WELLESLEY LAKE, 9 Farringdon Road London E.C. Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from 'abroad by
Thaddeus Hyatt of Brooklyn New York United States of America, Gentleman,)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to safety cheques of the kind wherein the provisions to
prevent "raising" consist in a table of figures composed of a series of repeated
numerals by the punching out of one or more of which, a tell tale of punched
numbers is created in the body of the paper; whether checque or other form of
money paper.
The object of my invention is to make easy and certain the punching out of the
right figures; and to make difficult the punching out of the wrong ones: the
invention consisting,
First in distributing the series of repeated numerals over the cheque or money-
paper in isolated groups, instead of tabular form as heretofore.
Second in dividing the face of the cheque into sections, or compartments
answering to the orders of numerals employed.
Third Combining with each compartment and group of figures its own dis-
criminative order-word from units upwards and Fourth in combining with each
section its own group of figures.
The sections or compartments on the cheque are made by cross-dividing lines;
so that the bounding lines of each compartment enclose a group of figures; the
groups respectively being "units," "tens," "hundreds," " thousands," " tens of
thousands and still higher when required.
A part of my Invention connected, with this divisional arrangement of the
cheque face consists in a warning or safety signature written crosswise of the
cheque or paper in addition to the main or regular one at the bottom of the paper:
the meaning of such cross signature being that none of the figures of the groups
in the sections above such signature have been employed in making the cheque:
so that the function of the cross signature is to cancel all the groups of figures
in the section above it: as well as all the figures above it of the section wherein
it is written.
The figures of the drawing attached hereto and forming part of this specification
illustrate the manner of carrying my invention into practice.
In making cheques according to the method or principle of construction herein
set forth it is advantageous to never sign the cheque at the bottom (where it is
ordinarily written) except when the amount for which the cheque is drawn is less
than a hundred pounds. By the adoption of this rule, a signature made at the
bottom in the ordinary way obtains a significance it otherwise would not possess:
while at the same time it renders of less importance the employment of a com-
partment in which to place the "tens" order of numerals with the effect of
economizing space, and enabling comparatively small-sized cheques to represent
the highest order of numbers.

page_text: "
place with reference to the ends of the paper; one being the top and the other the
bottom thereof. Either end of the paper may be assumed as the top. But I regard
it as highly advantageous, to follow the law of numbers in use, according to which
the increase in value is from right to left. According to this method, the right
hand of the paper will be the bottom; and the left hand the top: the lowest order
of numbers or units consequently occupying the extreme right or bottom of the
paper. The compartments will then successively represent "tens," "hundreds,"
thousands,"
19 66 tens of thousands" &c up to the highest order of numbers repre-
sented on the paper and this even though no order-words were printed on the
face of the paper. The order-words in legible characters are put upon the paper to
help the eye and make the values apparent at a glance without study or thought.
propose to water line the order-words upon the paper as the preferable mode.
In the nine subdivisions of the compartments which represent the nine numerals
the same law of increasing value from right. to left, is observed; the figure 1 being
at the extreme right in each compartment: and the figure 9. at the extreme left;
so that, were no printed figures connected with the subdivisional spaces, their
respective values, (the rule being understood) would equally exist. But the printed
figures speak at once to the eye, and thus save the necessity of any mental effort
to determine the different values of the spaces.
I
As safety cheques have been heretofore constructed, whatever local values have
been made thereupon, have been produced by the figures; as a consequence of this
method the removal of the figures, would destroy the local values.
But in my system, it is not the figures that determine local values; but the
localities that determine the value of the figures. The figure 1. means 1, one
(units) or 1. ten: or 1 hundred: or 1. thousand: or 1. ten-thousand; according
first; to the compartment in which it is found: and second: according to the
position or locality of the compartment on the paper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
First. A compartment safety cheque or paper of money value wherein the com-
partments successively represent and stand for orders of numbers in a regularly
increasing ratio: as units, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands &c.
Second. A compartment safety cheque or paper of money value wherein the
compartments successively represent and stand for orders of numbers, in a regularly
increasing ratio: as units, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands &c: when
so combined with the cheque or paper of money value that the order number
"units" stands at the extreme right hand of the paper; substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
Third. A compartment safety cheque or paper of money value wherein the
compartments successively represent and stand for orders of numbers in a regularly
increasing ratio, as units, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten of thousands &c, in com-
bination with subdivisional spaces that represent and stand for the numerals 1. 2.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 in regular order of increase.
Fourth. A compartment safety cheque or paper of money value wherein the
compartments successively represent and stand for orders of numbers in a regularly
increasing ratio, as units, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands &c in com-
bination with subdivisional spaces that represent and stand for the numerals 1. 2.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 in regular order of increase when such numeral spaces are so
combined with the compartments that the one of lowest numeral value or number 1.
stands at the extreme right hand of the compartment of which it forms a sub-
division substantially as, and for the purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
Fifth. A compartment safety cheque or paper of money value, wherein the
compartments successively represent and stand for orders of numbers in a regularly
increasing ratio as herein set forth and illustrated; in combination with the order-

page_text: words, units, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands and higher orders when
required (some or all of them) substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth
and illustrated.
Sixth. A compartment safety cheque or paper of money value wherein the com-
partments successively represent and stand for orders of numbers in a regularly
increasing ratio; and wherein also the respective compartments are subdivided
into spaces that represent and stand for the numerals 1 to 9 in regular order of
successive increase; in combination with the numerals or figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9
substantially as and 'for the purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
Seventh. A compartment safety cheque or paper of money value, wherein the
compartments successively represent and stand for orders of numbers in a regularly
increasing ratio; and wherein also the respective compartments are subdivided
into spaces that represent and stand for the numerals 1 to 9 in regular order of
successive increase; in combination with the signature of the maker of the cheque
or paper: substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1886.