IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR PREPARATION OF PAPER FOR CHEQUES AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, AND IN PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Nowlan, of No. 17, Soho Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Artist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT
OR PREPARATION OF PAPER FOR CHEQUES AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, AND IN
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Nowlan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st July 1881.
<<
.
FRANCIS NOWLAN, of 17, Soho Square, in the County of Middlesex, Artist.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR PREPARATION OF PARER FOR CHEQUES
AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, AND IN THE COMBINATION OF MATERIALS THEREIN
EMPLOYED, FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENDERING VISIBLE FRAUDULENT ALTERATIONS
THEREOF."
My Invention relates to the production of a safety paper designed for use in
cheques and other documents requiring to be protected against alteration, and
consists essentially in the substitution for the single thickness of paper now used,
of two or more superposed thicknesses thereof, cemented face to face and enclosing
a tinted, lined, or other ground, together with the printed matter, if any, said
ground and printed matter or either of them being, as a rule, formed partly of a
permanent or chemically unalterable pigment, and partly of another pigment of
such a nature as to be visibly acted on by any reagents capable of attacking
writing ink. I will now describe one of the modes of carrying my Invention into
effect, adopting as illustration thereof its application to a cheque or bill form com-
posed of two thicknesses of paper enclosing two pigments of different nature.
Both sheets of paper, but especially the uppermost, should preferably be as thin
and transparent as possible. For the upper sheet which requires to show on the
surface the printing applied beneath, I have successfully employed the tissue paper
used for press copying, and also a thin paper of Japanese manufacture, well known
in the market.
The printed portions of the cheque composed of the wording and of the lined or
other ground, especially on those parts intended to correspond with the surface
writing (say, sums and signatures), are printed either on the obverse of the upper,
or on the face of the second sheet in different inks, one of which has for its basis a
permanent pigment, such as carbon, and the other an alterable pigment, such as
TDA77

page_text: one of the sensitive aniline colours, said inks being either mixed together or
alternated as required. I give preference to inks of which the vehicle for the
pigments is soluble in water, but such may, if so desired, be used in connection
with fatty and other inks. As a further precaution, the parts of the external face
of the upper sheet corresponding with the sum and signature spaces may be filled
in with a ground capable of rapidly changing colour in presence of any ink
destroying reagents, so as to render necessary a more prolonged application of
moisture, and thus increase the certainty of blurring the pigments beneath. A
surface ground of this description might, for instance, be formed of an aniline and
vanadium ink, which, as is known, would blur and blacken on.contact with most
reagents. As a still greater security, the upper sheet may, if so desired, be cut
through part of its thickness by well known means into squares or other forms,
which, while increasing the tendency to blurring in presence of moisture, would
come away in fragments on any attempt to separate the superposed sheets.
The separate sheets printed or otherwise treated as above are cemented together
by any appropriate adhesive material so as to form a single thickness, enclosing in
its centre the printed matter and ground work of the cheque, which shew by
transparency through one or both of the external surfaces, while shut off from
direct contact therewith. It is obvious that any attempt to remove or modify the
writing applied to the surface of a cheque prepared as above must give rise to one
or other of the following consequences, either of which would afford visible evidence
of tampering, and so lead to detection.
1. If abrasion be employed to erase the writing, it will not only alter the surface
of the paper, but will, by thinning the latter, render more distinct than before the
lines or other ground beneath, while increasing the transparency of that part of the
sheet.
2. If chemical reagents be employed, whether in the gaseous or liquid state, they
must, while attacking the surface writing, penetrate through the upper sheet of
paper and act on the alterable parts of the pigments beneath. When liquid reagents
are used, their action on the alterable pigments would be both chemical and
mechanical, as such pigments, while undergoing change of colour, would tend to
run between the superposed sheets of paper. The action on the permanent
pigments would be mainly mechanical, as, while retaining their colour, they would
be exposed to the same running tendency, and thus, whether combined or alternated
with the other, would form a blur between the superposed papers, which could not
be repaired by any external manipulation.
Any attempt to separate the superposed sheets by any known or imaginable
process, with a view of obtaining access to and restoring the blurred lines or tints
within would (even if not rendered impracticable by the disruption of the paper),
give rise to a general running of the pigment printed matter or ground, and to
absolutely irreparable alteration thereof.
From the preceding description it will be understood that my Invention may be
applied to the production of compound safety papers. of various descriptions, and
applicable to a variety of purposes, the nature and mode of application of the
enclosed pigments or their equivalents being varied according to circumstances.
Thus for instance, the combination of permanent and sensitive pigments above
referred to enclosed between the superposed sheets may be replaced by one, more
or less, colourless ingredient of such a nature, as to undergo visible change in
presence of ink destroying reagents applied to the surface writing. Then again
the sensitive aniline or other pigment may be replaced by or combined with a
metallic powder, such as one of the copper bronzes which, on contact with certain
reagents, would be transformed into a differently coloured salt of its basis.
The number of superposed sheets and the mode of treating the same may also be
varied according to circumstances.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Francis Nowlan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th December
1881.
FRANCIS NOWLAN, of 17, Soho Square, in the County of Middlesex, Artist.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR PREPARATION OF PAPER FOR CHEQUES
AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, AND IN THE COMBINATION OF MATERIALS THEREIN
EMPLOYED, FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENDERING VISIBLE FRAUDULENT ALTERATIONS
THEREOF.
33
My Invention relates to the production of a safety paper designed for use in
cheques and other documents requiring to be protected against alteration, and
consists essentially in the substitution for the single thickness of paper now used
of two or more superposed thicknesses thereof cemented face to face, and enclosing
a tinted, lined, or other ground, together with the printed matter, if any, said
ground and printed matter, or either of them, being, as a rule, formed partly of a
permanent or chemically unalterable pigment and partly of another pigment of
such a nature as to be visibly acted on by any reagents capable of attacking
writing ink.
I will now describe one of the 'modes of carrying my Invention into effect,
adopting, as illustration thereof, its application to a cheque or bill form composed
of two thicknesses of paper enclosing two pigments of different nature.
Both sheets of paper, but especially the uppermost, should preferably be as thin
and transparent as possible. For the upper sheet, which requires to show on the
surface the printing applied beneath, I have successfully employed the tissue paper
used for press-copying, and also a thin paper of Japanese manufacture, well known
in the market.
The printed portions of the cheque, composed of the wording and of the lined
or other ground, especially on those parts intended to correspond with the surface
writing (say, sums and signatures) are printed either on the obverse of the upper
or on the face of the second sheet in different inks, one of which has for its basis a
permanent pigment, such as carbon, and the other an alterable pigment, such as
one of the sensitive aniline colours, said inks being either mixed together or alter-
nated as required. I give preference to inks of which the vehicle for the pigments
is soluble in water, but such may, if so desired, be used in connection with fatty
and other inks. As a further precaution the parts of the external face of the upper
sheet corresponding with the sum and signature spaces may be filled in with a
ground capable of rapidly changing color in presence of any ink-destroying
reagents so as to render necessary a more prolonged application of moisture and
thus increase the certainty of blurring the pigments beneath. A surface ground of
this description might, for instance, be formed of an aniline and vanadium ink,
which, as is known, would blur and blacken on contact with most reagents.
still greater security the upper sheet may, if so desired, be cut through part of its
thickness by well known meaus into squares or other forms, which, while increasing
the tendency to blurring in presence of moisture, would come away in fragments
on 'any attempt to separate the superposed sheets.
As a
The separate sheets, printed or otherwise treated as above, are cemented together
by any appropriate adhesive material so as to form a single thickness, enclosing
in its centre the printed matter and ground work of the cheque, which shew by
transparency through one or both of the external surfaces while shut off from
direct contact therewith.
It is obvious that any attempt to remove or modify the writing applied to the
surface of a cheque prepared as above must give rise to one or other of the following

page_text: consequences, either of which would auord visible evidence of tampering, and so
lead to detection:―
1. If abrasion be employed to erase the writing it will not only alter the surface
of the paper, but will, by thinning the latter, render more distinct than before
the lines or other ground beneath, while increasing the transparency of that part of
the sheet.
2. If chemical reagents be employed, whether in the gaseous or liquid state, they
must, while attacking the surface writing, penetrate through the upper sheet of
paper and act on the alterable parts of the pigments beneath.
When liquid
reagents are used, their action on the alterable pigments would be both chemical
and mechanical, as such pigments, while undergoing change of colour, would tend
to run between the superposed sheets of paper. The action on the permanent
pigments would be mainly mechanical, as, while retaining their colour, they would
be exposed to the same running" tendency, and thus, whether combined or alter-
nated with the other, would form a blur between the superposed papers which
could not be repaired by any external manipulation.
Any attempt to separate the superposed sheets by any known or imaginable
process with a view of obtaining access to and restoring the.blurred lines or tints
within would (even if not rendered impracticable by the disruption of the paper),
give rise to a general running of the pigment, printed matter, or ground, and to
absolutely irreparable alteration thereof.
From the preceeding description it will be understood that my Invention may be
applied to the production of compound safety papers of various descrirons, and
applicable to a variety of purposes, the nature and mode of application of the
'enclosed pigments or their equivalents being varied according to circumstances.
Thus, for instance, the combination of permanent and sensitive pigments above
referred to enclosed between the superposed sheets may be replaced by one, more
or less, colourless ingredient of such a nature as to undergo visible change in
presence of ink-destroying reagents applied to the surface writing. Then again
the sensitive aniline or other pigment may be replaced by or combined with a
metallic powder, such as one of the copper bronzes, which on contact with certain
reagents would be transformed into a differently coloured salt of its basis.
The number of superposed sheets and the mode of treating the same may also be
varied according to circumstances.
Among the colourless reagents which may be substituted for or used in connection
with pigments may be mentioned the iodide or ferrocyanide of potassium, sulphate
of manganese, and other sensitive salts or combinations thereof, applied either
directly to the paper or mixed with the adhesive material by which the sheets are
cemented together.
This adhesive material may be composed of any of the pastes or cements com-
monly used with paper, provided it be of such a permeable or soluble nature as to
induce, on application of moisture, the spreading of the blurring ingredient, or in
extreme cases the separation or disintegration of the compound sheets.
I have obtained for certain purposes satisfactory results from a combination of
dextrine with saccharum or glucose, but it is obvious that almost any description
of permeable paste can be employed, due regard being had to the nature of the
pigments or reagents and to the intended application of the paper.
Having thus described the nature of my said improvements, and the manner in
which the same are or may be carried into effect, I would state in.conclusion that
I am aware that pigments and reagents of various kinds (including most of those
above enumerated), have already been used as checks to forgery, and also that the
interposition of certain media, such as threads, tissues, gutta-percha, etc., between
separate layers of paper has been suggested as a means of preventing the repro-
duction by splitting, photography, and otherwise, of bank notes and other
documents of value, I therefore lay no claim to any of these elements, per se,
but what I do claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is,
-
A compound safety paper for cheques and other documents composed of two or

page_text: more superposed sheets joined together by a permeable or soluble cement, and
enclosing a ground work with the lettering (when such exists), said ground work
and lettering being formed partly of permanent and partly of alterable pigments.
or reagents, or one of these alone so applied that any attempts to modify the
surface writing on such paper by either chemical or mechanical means may be
rendered irremediably visible by their reaction on the materials beneath, the whole
substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Nowlan, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
F. NOWLAN. (L.S.)