Improvements in Date Indicators for Use in Banks, Counting Houses, and other Places.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1888
Specification Accepted, 30th Nov., 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Date Indicators for Use in Banks, Counting Houses,
and other Places.
I HENRY JAMES MEIXELL, resident of Pottstown in the County of Montgomery,
State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Gentleman, de 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 :-
'
My invention relates to an improvement in devices for indicating the dates on
which obligations (such as promissory notes) maturo and it consists in the peculiar
construction and combination of devices hereinafter fully described and particularly
pointed out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an indicator embodying my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on the line x-x of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of the indicating sheet or roll.
A represents an enclosing case of suitable size. The ends of this case have their
front edges inclined upwardly and rearwardly and in their opposing sides are made
grooves B which are arranged parallel with the inclined front edges.
In the upper side of the case is journalled a horizontal longitudinally arranged
roller C, having a crank handle D at one end by means of which the roller may be
rotated. In the lower side of the case is journalled a similar roller F having a crank
handle Fat one end..
G represents a third roller which is also journalled in the ends of the case and is
arranged between the rollers C and E and near the inclined front edges of the
sides.
H represents a long sheet of paper or other suitable material. The upper end of
this sheet is attached to the upper roller C, and is partly rolled thereon and the lower
end of the sheet is attached to the lower roller E and is partly rolled thereon. The rear
side of the sheet passes over the front side of the roller G.
A slide or plate 1 forms the front side of the case and is fitted in the groove B and
is provided with a horizontal slot or opening K arranged in front of the roller G
thus permitting a portion of the sheet to be seen through the slot or opening.

page_text: Lr presents a spring arm which is attached at one end to the rear inner side of the
The free end of the spring arm bears against that portion of the sheet which is
on the upper roller..
tas.
A similar spring arm M has one end attached to the bottom of the case and its free
end bearing under that portion of the sheet on the lower roller.
These spring arms retard the rotation of the rollers and serve to keep the
sheet taut.
The sheet has a table O which is divided into five vertical columns arranged side
by side, each of which contains 385 dates written consecutively.
The dates in the first column commence with December 22, and end with January 10.
The dates in the second column which indicate the maturity of notes or bills for 15
days with three days of grace begin with January 9 or eighteen days after the first
date in the first column and end with January 28 or eighteen days after the last date
in the first column:
The dates in the third column which indicates the maturity of notes or bills for
thirty days with three days of grace begin with January 24 or thirty three days after
the first date in the first column and end with February 12 or thirty three days after
the last date in the first column.
The dates in the fourth column which indicates the maturity of notes or bills for
sixty days with three days of grace begin with February 23, sixty three days after
the first date in the first column and end with March 14, or sixty three days after the
last date in the first column.
The dates in the fifth column which indicates the maturity of notes or bills for
ninety days with three days of grace begin with March 25, or ninety three days after
the first date in the first column and end with April 13 or ninety-three days after the
last date of the first column.
Other columns may be added for obligations for longer periods than ninety days.
Above or below the table, the sheet is inscribed with a table for the leap year table,
the said table having five vertical columns as before, inscribed with consecutive dates
the first column beginning with November 18 and ending with March 10 and the
remaining columns of dates being arranged in horizontal lines with the dates of the
first column and being eighteen thirty-three, sixty-three and ninety-three days later
respectively than the aligning dates of the first column. In the table O the month of
February is given its full Leap Year value of twenty-nine days.
A sheet having these tables is good for all time.
The operation of my invention is as follows:-
When the upper roller is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 2,
the sheet is rolled, on the upper roller and unrolled from the lower roller and is thereby
moved upward and causes the lines of dates to pass successively before the opening
or slot K from an early to a later date.
When the lower roller is turned in the direction indicated by the arrow b in Fig. 2
the sheet is rolled on the lower roller and unrolled from the upper roller and thereby
moved downward and causes the lines of dates to pass in reverse order before the
opening or slot K.
By this means any date corresponding to the date of an obligation can be found in
the first column. Let us suppose that a note is dated March 10. When the said date
is in the first column it is arranged beneath the slot or opening, the second, or fifteen
day column adding three days of grace will indicate March 28. The third or thirty
day column will indicate adding the three days of grace, April 12 as the date of
maturity the fourth or sixty day column will indicate, adding the three days of
grace, May 12 as the date of maturity, and the fifth or ninety day column will indicate
adding the three days of grace, say June 11 as the date of maturity.
From this it will be understood that the aligned dates in the columns of the table.
are as much earlier in the first column than in the succeeding columns, as will render
the difference in time between the said dates in the first and any succeeding column
equal to the life of any obligation for a period of time within the scope of the
table.

page_text: I do not wish to be restricted to the arrangement of the dates as herein given as
I am aware that other dates can be chosen to the same end without departing from the
spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I*
claim is :-
1. In a date indicator, the combination of the case having the grooves B in the
opposing sides, the slide or plate I fitted in the grooves and provided with the slot or
opening and forming one side of the case the rollers journaled in the case and the
sheet having its ends rolled on the said rollers, said sheet having inscribed thereon tho
table herein described for the purpose set forth.
2. In a date indicator, the hollow case having the slot or opening K combined with
the rollers arranged therein the sheet having its ends rolled on the rollers, said sheet
having inscribed thereon a table having an initial column of dates written in consecu-
tive chronological order, a second column of dates aligning with the dates of the
initial column and of a number indicating eighteen days later covering the period of
a fifteen day promissory note or obligation with the three days of grace added and
'succeeding columns of consecutive dates in vertical and lateral alignment with the
initial column and covering respectively periods of 33, 63 and 93 days etc. the slot or
opening K in the case being of such a length and width that only one date of each
column can be seen at a time through the slot or opening K whereby the day or
maturity of any note or obligation for 15, 30, 60 or 90 days can all be seen at a
glance as set forth.
.
3. The combination of the case having the grooves B in opposing sides, the slide or
plate I fitted in the grooves and provided with the slot or opening K and formning
one side of the case, the rollers journalled' in the case, the sheet having its ends rolled
on the said rollers whereby the sheet is stretched across the inner side of the plate or
slide I for the purpose set forth and the spring arms bearing on those portions of the
sheet that are rolled on the rollers, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of September 1888.
BERNHARD DUKES,
226, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: DEC 22 JAN 9 JAN 24 FEB 23 MAR 25
DEC 23 JAN 10
JAN 25 FEB 24 MAR 26
DEC 24 JAN 11
JAN 26 FEB 25 MAR 27
DEC 25 JAN 12
JAN 27 FEB 26 MAR 28
DEC 26 JAN 13. JAN. 28 FEB 27 MAR 29
DEC 27 JAN 14 JAN 29 FEB 28 MAR 30
DEC 18 JAN 15 JAN 30 MAR 1 MAR 31.
JAI