IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND TESTING CHEQUES OR DRAFTS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 5 Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND TESTING CHEQUES OR DRAFTS." A com-
munication from abroad by Frederick Grafelmann, of Middle Village, in the
County of Queens, and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 15th February 1878, and dated the 13th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September 1877.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND TESTING CHEQUES OR
DRAFTS." [A communication from abroad by Frederick Grafelmann, of Middle
Village, in the County of Queens, and State of New York, United States of
America.]
The object of this Invention is to furnish an apparatus for the use of depositors
and bankers, whereby cheques may be so punctured as to enable raised and forged
cheques to be detected.
The apparatus is made in two parts, one of which is designed to be in the hands
of the depositor, and the other in the hands of the bank. The part that is in the
hands of the bank is so constructed that it may be used in connection with any
required number of the other parts in the hands of the depositors. Each part of
the apparatus consists of a bed or base plate, to which near the rear edge is hinged
the edges of a right-angled bar, which is held down by springs attached to the bed
plate, and is raised by pressing on a short arm, to allow the cheques to be inserted
and removed. As thus far described the two parts are exactly alike.
I will first describe the peculiarities of the depositor's part of the apparatus, and
then those of the banker's part.
At the middle of the forward edge of the long arm of the right-angled bar is
formed rigidly attached or hinged a plate, upon which are formed seven concentric
circular lines. These circular lines are divided into equal spaces by thirty-six
radial lines; and in the points where the circular and radial lines cross each other
D...

page_text: are formed holes, except the two inner circles (which are too small to receive so
many holes), in which the holes are formed at every other radial line. The radial
lines are all numbered at their outer ends, which numbers are called by me com-
bination numbers. Each depositor may select one of these numbers as his combi-
nation number, or he may have a varying combination number, as, for instance, the
day of the month upon which his cheque is dated.
The banker's part of the apparatus is an exact counterpart, except that the
perforated portion of the plate is a disc fitted to rotate in an opening in the plate,
the centre of the disc and the holes made in it having the same relative positions,
and being arranged and numbered in exactly the same way as those of the perfo-
rated plate of the depositor's part, so that if placed upon each other they would
correspond exactly. The edge of the disc is bevelled to fit against the bevelled edge
of the opening, and is kept in place by lugs attached to it and overlapping the upper
side of the plate. Around the opening in the plate in which the disc is fitted are
a series of numbers, called by me index numbers, which indicate the position the
disc is to be placed by the banker, in order that it may correspond with the
different apparatus in the hands of the various depositors, all of which are numbered,
the disc having a square hole at its centre to receive a key for turning it. The
punctures by which the true amount of the cheque is denoted are made in the
cheque by means of a pin inserted in the holes of the perforated plate, as hereafter
described; and to enable the pin to be passed through the cheque when
puncturing or testing it, I provide in the bed plate (or in plates secured over
apertures therein), and directly beneath the perforated plate or disc, as the case may
be, of each part of the apparatus, holes, corresponding in number and position with
the holes in the said perforated plate or disc for the pins to enter when making the
punctures and testing the cheques.
The cheques should be prepared with a margin or border line along their top
and left-hand ends, or should be cut to make their upper left hand corner a right
angle.
To illustrate the use of the Invention, suppose a depositor's index number to be
eleven, his combination number twenty-two, and the amount of his cheque £1,225
After filling up his cheque he places it upon the bed plate of his apparatus and
beneath the perforated and numbered plate, taking care to bring the angle of its
margin lines or its square corner exactly into the angle of the right-angled bar.
He then adds the units, 5, to his combination number 22, and passes the pin through
the hole in the outside circle opposite the number 27. He then adds the tens, 2, to
his combination number 22, and presses the pin through the hole in the second
circle opposite the number 24, and so on, the hundreds being marked through the
holes of the third circle, the thousands through those of the fourth circle, and so on
to the tens of thousands. The hundreds of thousands and millions are marked in
the two inner circles. In case the holes in the two inner circles are in the odd
radial lines, and the number to be marked is an even number, the mark is made
through the hole of the next odd line.
When the cheque is received at the bank, the index and combination numbers of
the depositor are noted, a record of which may be kept in the signature book. The
disc is then adjusted to bring its zero opposite the depositor's index number upon
the plate in which the disc revolves, and the pin is then used in the same manner
as it was used by the depositor. The cheque is then removed from the instru-
ment, and if no new punctures have been made the cheque is correct, but if
one or more new holes have been formed, it indicates that the cheque has been
raised or forged.
In a modification of the Invention, the perforations in the plate of the depositor's
part and the disc of the banker's part are not in true circles, but are in squares with
their angles rounded off, and they are concentric with each other, and eccentric with
reference to said plate and disc, so that punctures made through two holes in said
disc and plate cannot exactly coincide. In this case also springs are omitted, and
the plates are held down by their own weight. The right-angled bars are also

page_text: omitted, a straight bar being used instead, and to the base plate of the depositor's
part, beneath one end of this bar, is attached a pin, which, when the bar is lowered,
punctures the cheque, and to the forward edge of the other end of the bar are
attached, or upon it are formed points which mark the said cheque. When the
cheque is presented at the bank, the puncture made by the said pin is placed
over a pin attached to the base plate of the banker's part, and the marks made by
the said points are brought into line with the edge of the other end of the bar,
which brings the cheque into exactly the same relative position upon the banker's
plate that it had upon the depositor's plate when being marked.
If desired the perforations in the disc of the banker's part may be made larger
than the holes in the plate of the depositor's part, so that the punctures in the
cheque can be seen through the holes in the said disc, without the necessity of using
the pin to test the cheque.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th March 1878.
"s
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MARKING AND TESTING CHEQUES OR
DRAFTS." A communication from abroad by Frederick Grafelmann, of Middle
Village, in the County of Queens, and State of New York, United States of
America
The object of this Invention is to furnish an apparatus for the use of depositors
and banks, to enable raised or falsified and forged cheques to be detected.
The Invention consists in the combination of the plate, the hinged bar, the lever,
and the plate provided with the concentric circles of holes arranged upon radial
lines, and with the series of combination numbers to adapt it for use by a depositor
for marking his cheques; in the combination of the plate, the hinged bar, the lever,
the plate provided with the circular hole, and the series of index numbers, and the
rotating circular disc provided with the circles of holes arranged upon radial lines
and the series of combination numbers, to adapt it for use by a bank for testing a
marked cheque, as herein-after fully described; in the combination of the guide
blocks with the plates; in the combination of the pin with the perforated plate of
the depositor's part of the device, to adapt it for use in connection with the index
numbers upon the edges of the plates of the banker's part, and in the combination
of the springs and their pins with the plates, as herein-after fully described.
The apparatus is made in two parts, one of which is designed to be in the hands
of the depositor, and the other in the hands of the bank. The part that is in the
hands of the bank is so constructed that it may be used in connection with any
required number of the other parts in the hands of depositors.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing is a top view of one part of the improved
device.
Figure 2 is a top view of the other part of the device.
Figure 3 is a detail cross section, taken through the line x, x, Figure 1.

page_text: · Figures 4 and 5 represent modified forms of the device.
Figure 6 is a detail view of the key for adjusting the rotating disc.
Figure 7 is a detail view of the pin for making the punctures.
Figure 8 is an under side view of a part of the device; Figure 9 is a cross section
of the same taken through the line y, y, Figure 8.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A, A', are the foundation or base plates of the two parts, to which near their
rear edges are hinged the edges of the right-angled bars B, B', which are held down
by springs C, C', attached to the plates A, A¹, and the free ends of which rest upon
the said bars B, B¹. The right-angled bars B, B¹, are turned upon their hinges to
allow the cheques to be inserted and removed by short levers D, D¹.
As thus far described the two parts are exactly alike. I will first describe
the peculiarities of the depositor's part of the apparatus, and then those of the
banker's part.
Upon the middle part of the forward edge of the long arm of the right-angled
bar B is formed, to it is rigidly attached, or to it is hinged a plate E, upon which
are formed seven concentric circular lines. These circular lines are divided into
equal spaces by thirty-six radial lines, and in the points where the radial and
circular lines cross each other are formed holes, except the two inner circles, which
are too small to receive so many holes, and in which the holes are formed at every
other radial line. The radial lines are all numbered at their outer ends, which
numbers are called by me combination numbers. Each depositor may select
one of these numbers as his combination number; or he may have a varying
combination number, as, for instance, the day of the month upon which his cheque
is dated.
To the middle part of the right-angled bar B of the banker's part of the apparatus
is hinged or attached, or upon it is. formed a plate F, in such a position that the
centre of the circular hole formed in it may have the same relative position as the
centre of the plate E of the other part of the apparatus. In the hole of the plate F
is placed a circular disc G, which is provided with circular and radial lines, holes,
and numbers in exactly the same way, and in exactly the same relative positions as
the plate E, so that if placed upon each other they would correspond exactly. The
edge of the disc G is bevelled to fit against the bevelled inner edge of the plate F,
and is kept in place by lugs attached to it, and which overlap the upper side of the
said plate F. Upon the plate F, around the hole through it, are formed a series of
numbers, called by me index numbers, to correspond with the numbers placed upon
or given to the parts of the machine in the hands of the depositors. Upon the
plate E in the Drawings is seen the number sixty-one. This gives eleven as the
index number of that machine, fifty being taken as the basis or starting point. In
the centre of the disc G is formed a square hole to receive a key H for turning it,
which key when not in use may be kept in a socket in the plate A. The punctures
are made by a pin I, which when not in use may be kept in sockets in the plates
A, A'. In the plates A, A', in the depositor's and banker's parts, directly beneath
the plates E and F are formed holes f, corresponding in number and position with
the holes in the plate E and disc G for the pins I to pass through when making the
punctures; or these holes, instead of being in plates A, A', themselves, may be in
plates fitted in openings in plates A, A'.
The cheques should be prepared with a margin or border line along their
tops and left-hand ends, or should be cut to make their upper left-hand corner a
right angle.
To illustrate the Invention, we will suppose a depositor's index number is eleven,
his combination number is twenty-two, and the amount of his cheque £1,225
After filling up his cheque he places it upon the plate A', beneath the plate E, taking
care to bring the angle of its margin lines or its square corner exactly into the
angle of the bar B. He then adds the unit, five, to his combination number
twenty-two, and presses the pin I through the hole in the outside circular line
opposite the number twenty-seven. He then adds the tens, two, to bis combination

page_text: number twenty-two, and presses the pin I through the hole in the second circular
line opposite the number twenty-four, and so on, the hundreds being marked
through the holes of the third circular line, the thousands through the fourth line,
and so on to the tens of thousands. The hundreds of of thousands and the millions
are marked in the two inner circular lines. In case the holes in the two inner lines
are in the odd radial lines, and the number to be marked is an even number, the
mark is made through the hole of the next odd line.
When the cheque is received at the bank the index and combination numbers of
the depositor are noted, a record of which may be kept in the signature book. The
disc G is then adjusted to bring the zero of the said disc opposite the depositor's
index number upon the plate F, and the pin I is then used in the same manner
as it was used by the depositor. The cheque is then removed from the instrument,
and if no new punctures have been made the cheque is correct, but if one
or more new holes have been formed, it indicates that the cheque has been raised or
forged.
In the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5 the holes in the plate E and disc G
are not in true circles, but are in squares with their angles rounded off, and they
are concentric with each other, and eccentric with reference to said plate and disc,
so that punctures made through two holes in said disc and plate cannot exactly
coincide. In this case also the springs are omitted, and the plates are held down by
their own weight. The arms of the bars B, B¹, are also omitted. To the plate A¹
beneath one end of the bar B¹ is attached a pin a', which when the bar is lowered
punctures the cheque, and to the forward edge of the other end of the bar B¹ are
attached or upon it are formed points b', which mark the said cheque. When the
cheque is presented at the bank, the puncture made by the pin a¹ is passed over
the pin a attached to the plate A, and the marks made by the points b¹ are brought
into line with the edge of the other end of the bar B, which brings the cheque into
exactly the same relative position upon the plate A that it had upon the plate A'
when being marked.
If desired the holes in the disc G may be made larger than the holes in the
plate E, so that the punctures in the cheque can be seen through the holes in the
said disc without its being necessary to use the pin I. To the rear corners of the
plate A are attached or upon them are formed blocks or projections K made with a
straight forward edge for the edge of the cheque to abut against when the plate E
is forced down upon it, and to the rear corners of the plate A are attached or upon
them are formed blocks or projections L, made with a straight forward edge for the
edge of the cheque to abut against when being arranged upon the said plate A.
The block L at the corner of the plate A, next the pin a, may be omitted as the
said pin a holds that corner of the cheque securely in place. Along the side edges
of the plate F, and the forward edges of the bar or plate B, are arranged the index
numbers of the several depositors, and to the plate E of each depositor's part of
the device is attached a pin e¹ in such a position as to puncture the cheque in such
a place that the puncture thus formed will be directly opposite the said depositor's
index number upon the edge of the plates F, B, of the banker's part of the device,
thus forming an additional safeguard.
If desired a handle M may be attached to the disc G, for convenience in turning
it. To the under side of the plate A are attached springs N (see Figures 8 and 9),
to the free ends of which are attached pins O, which pass up through holes in the
said plate A, so that their upper ends may rest against the lower side of the
plate B and raise the plates B, F, from the plate A, when released from the hand of
the operator.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The combination of the plate A¹, the hinged bar B', the lever D¹, and
the plate E, provided with the concentric circles of holes arranged upon
radial lines, and with the series of combination numbers, to adapt it for

page_text: use by a depositor for marking his cheques, substantially as herein shown and
described.
2nd. The combination of the plate A, the hinged bar B, the lever D, tho
plate F, provided with the circular hole, and the series of index numbers, and
the rotating circular disc G, provided with circular holes arranged upon radial lines,
and the series of combination numbers to adapt it for use by a bank for testing a
marked cheque, substantially as herein shown and described.
3rd. The combination of the guide blocks K, L, with the plates A, A¹, substantially
as herein shown and described.
4th. The combination of the pin e¹ with the plate E to adapt it for use in con-
nection with the combination numbers upon the edges of the plates F, B, substan-
tially as herein shown and described.
5th. The combination of the springs N and the pins o with the plates A, B, F,
substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
T