AN IMPROVED METHOD Or APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING ALTERATION OF VALUES IN MONETARY INSTRU- MENTS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD Or
APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING ALTERATION OF VALUES IN MONETARY INSTRU-
MENTS." A communication from abroad by Max Emanuel Berolz-
heimer, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,.
on the 28th September 1869.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND
APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING ALTERATION OF VALUES IN MONETARY INSTRUMENTS,'”
a communication, to be as follows:-
The purpose of my Invention is to give greater security to checks,
drafts, notes of hand, bills of exchange, receipts, certificates of stock and

page_text: deposit, and similar instruments (in which the numbers and figures
expressive of their value are liable to be altered) by making the fact of
such alteration instantly recognizable by the holder thereof. I accom-
plish this purpose by removing from the instrument when issued certain
parts, which cannot be replaced without the fact being ever after manifest,
and leaving in close connection with the parts removed something that
shall correspond exactly with the written numbers or figures expressive
of value in the body of the instrument.
According to one mode nine divisions are used for "singles" and four
or more endwise perforated divisions for values larger than ten. If the
check be for less than ten dollars I tear off the four end divisions and
punch out of the "singles "all the numbers except the one which corre-
sponds with the amount named in the check. Suppose the check to be
for six hundred and fifty-five dollars, I tear off the 1,000 and 10,000
divisions. Their absence shows at once that the check is for less than a
thousand dollars. I punch out of the 100 division all the numbers except
six, from the 10 division all except five, and from the singles likewise.
According to another mode two rows of six or more circles or squares
are perforated to make their removal easy. To express six hundred
and fifty-five dollars I remove the three upper circles or squares by
pressure of the thumb and punch into the 100 circle or square the
number six, into the 10 number five, and in the "singles " the same.
Another mode is to have six squares, each containing the numbers
from 0 to 9 inclusive, separated by a sufficient width of paper to ensure
strength after perforation. To express six hundred and fifty-five dollars
I punch out all the numbers of the three upper divisions, all except "six"
in the 100 division, and all except "five" in the remaining two divisions.
To facilitate punching a compound punch is employed, which permits
any one number to be temporarily withdrawn, leaving the residue
operative, whereby at a single operation all the numbers of a division
may be removed save the one it is desired to preserve intact, to signify to
all who have occasion to examine it its exact correspondence with a
certain proportion of the number of dollars the maker wrote in the
check. Perforating the paper about the check will make it easy of
removal from hooks or sheets.
The punching apparatus has a bed or base and an arm which carries a
Dost through which the punch stem slides. The punch stem is fitina

page_text: with adjustable punches, which turn on a pivot; springs which catch in
notches keep the punches in place. Below the punches is a punch plate
having a slot beneath it.
The operation of the punch will be readily understood. Suppose a
check to be for sixteen dollars, which it is desired to indicate in the
proper divisions, I release the spring from the catch in the adjustable
punch Number 1, and let the said spring catch in the upper notch, when
placed in position a blow of the hand on a knob on the stem will force
all the punches except No. 1 through the paper and remove all the other
numbers from the division of tens. I then replace the punch Number 1
and remove Number 6, and repeat the operation in the division of singles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th March 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING ALTERATION OF VALUES IN MONETARY
INSTRUMENTS," a communication to me from abroad by Max Emanuel:
Berolzheimer, of the City and State of New York, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,

page_text: should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
The purpose of my Invention is to give greater security to checks,
drafts, notes of hand, bills of exchange, receipts, certificates of stock and
deposit, and similar instruments in which the numbers and figures
expressive of their value are liable to be altered by making the fact of
such alteration instantly recognisable by the holder thereof. I accom-
plish this purpose by removing from the instrument when issued certain
parts which cannot be replaced without the fact being ever after manifest,
and leaving in close connection with the parts removed something
that shall correspond exactly with the written numbers or figures
ive of value in the body of the instrument.

page_text: five dollars, I tear off the 1,000 and 10,000 divisions. Their absence
shows at once that the check is for less than a thousand dollars.
I punch out of the 100 division all the numbers except six, from
the 10 division all except five, and from the singles likewise.
.
The mode marked B shows two rows of six or more circles or
squares perforated to make their removal easy. To express six hundred
and fifty-five dollars I remove the three upper circles or squares by
pressure of the thumb and punch into the 100 circle or square the
number six, into the 10 number five, and in the singles the same.
The mode marked O shows six squares, each containing the numbers
from 0 to 9 inclusive, separated by a sufficient width of paper to ensure
strength after perforation. To express six hundred and fifty-five
dollars I punch out all the numbers of the three upper divisions, all
except "six" in the 100 division, and all except "five" in the remaining
two divisions.
To facilitate punching I have constructed a compound punch which
permits any one number to be temporarily withdrawn, leaving the
residue operative, whereby at a single operation all the numbers of
a division may be removed save the one it is desired to preserve
intact to signify to all who have occcasion to examine it its exact
correspondence with a certain proportion of the number of dollars the
maker wrote in the check. Perforating the paper about the check will
make it easy of removal from books or sheets.
The operation of the punch shown in Figures 2 and 3 will be
readily understood. Suppose a check to be for sixteen dollars, which
it is desired to indicate in the proper divisions, I release spring H
from catch I in adjustable punch F, numbered 1, and let spring H
catch in the upper notch, placing it in position, a blow of the hand
on knob D will force all the punches except No. 1 through the
paper and remove all the other numbers from the division of tens.
I then replace punch F, numbered 1, and remove Number 6, and
repeat the operation in the division of singles. Thus any numbers
desired may be expressed with great facility in the margin of the
instrument.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to

page_text: First. Securing checks, drafts, and other instruments from liability to
alteration of value in substantially the manner described.
Second. A series of adjustable punches constructed and operating
together as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have 5
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES TEARE.