IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPON PASS BOOKS
Year: 1889

page_text: I, SAMUEL COLLEDGE PORTER MCCLURE, residing at Dayton, State of Ohio, United
States of America, gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COUPON PASS BOOKS," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The ordinary pass books at present in use by merchants and their customers
require the names of the articles and the charge therefore to be written in the book
upon delivery of the goods. Under this system, frequent mistakes are liable to
occur owing to carelessness in making the entries and computations, and it also
requires the keeping of two accounts by the merchant, one account being kept in the
day book and ledger, and the other in the pass-book.
The object of my invention is to overcome the objectionable system of keeping two
accounts by the merchant; and the nature of my invention consists of a pass-book
having a title or certificate, a stub having a detachable note, each having blank spaces
for the insertion of the amount of credit to be given, which credit is to be entered in
the title, note and stub of the latter according to the amount of coupons in the book
at the time of delivery of the same to the customer, a series of leaves each divided
into a series of detachable coupons, and a contract, as hereinafter more fully described
and pointed out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawing :
Figure 1 is a plan view of a pass-book embodying my invention, with the front
cover thereof open, showing a title or certificate printed on the inside of the cover,
and a stub and detachable note on the leaf facing said title or certificate.
Figure 2 is a like view, showing the rear leaves provided with a contract or
agreement, and
Figure 3 is a like view showing the intermediate leaves of the book, each of which
is divided into a series of detachable coupons.
Figure 4 is a perspective view.
Referring to the drawings, in which like letters of reference denote corresponding
parts in all the figures:
A designates the back of a pass-book embodying my invention, and B the leaves or
pages thereof.

page_text: The leaves B of the book are divided into a suitable number of coupons C, by
means of one or more longitudinal and transverse lines of perforations, c, d, respec-
tively, which are disposed at suitable regular intervals to make the coupons of uniform
size. In figures 2 and 3, I have shown but one longitudinal line, c, of perforations
and five transverse lines, d, to divide the sheet or page into ten (10) coupons of
uniform size.
Each coupon bears on its face suitable words descriptive of its character or nature,
as for instance, the words "Merchantile Coupon ;" and each coupon further has
figures, words or any character indicating its value, as for instance the words " one
cent five cents,
and the corresponding numerals, 1 and, as the case may be.
Of course, the value of each coupon can be fixed or placed to suit the requirements
of the case, by making the coupons represent the different figures; and the arrange-
ment of the words etc., on the coupon to denote its character and value, can
be varied and changed at pleasure without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
Each book may have one or more pages thereof devoted to one-cent coupons ;
another page or number of pages to two cent. coupons; another page or series of
pages to five cent. coupons, and so on throughout the book, as represented in figure 3;
or if desired the entire leaves or pages of the book may have coupons of one
uniform value.
Any suitable number of leaves may be bound together to make the book represent
a certain value, say twenty leaves or pages each having fifty one-cent. coupons to make
the book worth ten dollars, or other comparative numbers of leaves and coupons.
When the customer purchases one or more articles of merchandise, the book is
handed to the salesman, who immediately detaches a number of coupons representing
the total amount of merchandise purchased, and return the book to the purchaser.
The salesman then returns the coupons to the cashier or money drawer in the same
manner as if the sale were a cash one.
The back A of the pass-book is preferably made of flexible or pliable material; and
the back and leaves or pages are suitably bound together.
Opposite the first page of the book, on the inner side of the front cover, a title or
certificate D is provided, which is printed with blank spaces to be filled in with the
name and residence of the purchaser, or holder of the book, or the conditions of
issue the amount or value which the coupons in the book represent, and the name of
the merchant who delivers the book and who will honor the coupons tendered in
payment for merchandise, or service see figure 1. It will be understood that it is
not essential that the instructions referred to shall be located at the place described;
nor do I wish to confine myself to the language used to convey the instructions,
nor to the exact form of the contract or agreement, and note, presently referred to
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
The contract or agreement F is preferably located at the end of the book, (see
figure 2), and it contains a blank space f which is to be signed by the purchaser
upon the delivery of the book. I also provide the pass-book with a promissory
note, G, which is arranged at the front of the book and has the usual blank spaces
in which the value and time thereof is inserted. The note, after having been signed
by the purchaser, is detached by the merchant, for which purpose a transverse line of
perforations is formed near the inner end thereof, so as to leave a stub y on which is
briefly entered the conditions, value, etc. for which the note is given.
It will be understood that the note is executed for and in consideration of the
credit to be given by the merchant firm or company to the purchaser or holder of
the coupons for an amount or figure corresponding to the value represented by the
coupons.
By providing the title or certificate D, the promissory note G, and the contract F,
the note can be issued to the holder for a less amount than the total value represented
by the coupons, which is a very great convenience, as the amount for which the book
is issued can be readily inserted in the blank spaces left in the certificate and note
provided for the purpose, and the surplus coupons readily torn out before the book

page_text: is delivered to the owner. This enables the merchant to issue the book for an odd
amount, which is oftimes a matter of convenience to the purchaser.
By the use of my improved coupon books, the merchant is compelled to keep only
one set of accounts, in which the notes executed by the purchasers and the commodity
retailed by him are entered, instead of keeping individual accounts with all the
purchasers and noting each article purchased, thus materially reducing the labor of
the accountant and the liability of making errors.
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 :-
.
As a new article of manufacture, a coupon pass-book, having a title or certificate D,
a leaf containing a detachable promissory note G and a stub g, each provided with
blank spaces, as set forth, including a blank space for the insertion of the amount
represented by the coupons in the book at the time of delivery of the same to the
customer, a contract F, and the intermediate leaves, each divided into a series of
detachable coupons which are inscribed with numerals, figures, or other characters,
to denote the value, and nature, of the same, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Dated this Oak L
1000