Improvements in or relating to Cheques, Drafts, and other Documents.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cheques, Drafts, and other
Documents.
A communication from CHARLES MICHAEL HIGGINS, of 168 and 170 Eighth
Street, Brooklyn, County of Kings, State of New York, United States of
America, Manufacturer.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 111 Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do 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:-
The object of this invention is to render alteration of the writing of the cheque
or the like either by mechanical erasure or chemical manipulation difficult or
impossible. Many methods have been heretofore devised to this end, most of
which consist in systems of registering or indicating numbers or figures on the
cheque, or in numbers punched into or cut out of the cheque which show the
original and true amount thereof.. Other methods act by so slitting, puncturing or
embossing the cheque on the written spaces as to prevent alteration of the writing
on such spaces without great difficulty. Still other methods employ a system of
sensitive tinting or ruling under or upon the writing spaces, the removal of which
in attempts to alter the writing gives indications of such attempts. In some cases
soluble or sensitive colours are ruled on or under the writing spaces, which being
dissolved and spreading when altering fluids or chemicals are applied thereto,
indicate by the consequent stain so produced that attempts have been made to
wash out or dissolve the writing.
In this invention, however, the desired purpose is accomplished by means of the
material, substance, or fabric of the cheque or other document itself and the ink or
writing in relation thereto. Heretofore the body or substance of the cheque has
usually been made of some kind of paper, but in this invention the body or
substance of the cheque is formed of a finely woven fabric of cotton, linen or other
fibre which is so treated or prepared as to present a smooth writing surface and of
such an absorbent nature as will allow the writing ink to sink in or penetrate the
threads of the fabric entirely or partly through the same, thus rendering mechanical
erasure of any kind impossible or very difficult without easy detection. A thin
penetrative ink is preferably used which is chemically unalterable or uncolorable,
such as a fine aqueous carbon ink, or any equivalent thereof, which being proof to
the bleaching, dissolving or discoloring action of all chemicals cannot be bleached,
removed or washed out chemically when once within the texture of the woven
cheque body, thereby preventing both mechanical and chemical tampering with the
This invention
writing of the cheque, and by very simple and effective means.
therefore consists mainly in the features above out-lined, as hereinafter fully set
forth.
In the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 presents a face view of an improved cheque
according to this invention, and Fig. 2 a reverse or back view of the same.
Fig. 3 is an exaggerated cross-section of a portion thereof; and Fig. 4 illustrates
diagrammatically the preparation of the fabric of the cheque.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the entire web sheet or body A of
the cheque is formed of some finely woven fabric of cotton, linen, silk or other

page_text: fibre, preferably of cotton. The texture of this woven cheque body is of course
shown very much exaggerated in the drawing for the purpose of clear illustration,
but in practice the weave or mesh will be exceedingly fine, having no appreciable
space between the threads, yet showing a distinctly woven mesh on close examination.
It is preferred to use one of the finest qualities of cambric for the basis of the
fabric of the cheque, which cloth has a simple, fine, square weave, but a fine silesia
or satine having a twilled weave may also be used to advantage. The cloth as it
comes from the mills will require some treatment to form a suitable writing surface
thereon, which can be done in various ways. One simple way is illustrated in
Fig. 4 in which the cloth as it unwinds from the roll a passes through a tank or
trough b of suitable sizing, then between scrapers c c, which remove the surplus
size, and then passes over a series of supports or rollers d d and through a drying
space or room until sufficiently dry or set, and then passes between hot calendering
rollers ff which render one or both sides of the cloth smooth and even, and also
preferably somewhat compresses or condenses the cloth and thus makes a smooth
and even writing surface thereon. The combined operations of saturating the
cloth with size and rolling or compressing it between the calender rolls ff will not
only cause the fine interstices of the mesh to become filled up, but the grain or
roughness of the weave will also be smoothed down, compressed or obliterated and
the fibrous or hairy surface thereon eliminated, thus forming a smooth writing
surface over which the pen will glide smoothly without being liable to catch its
points in the mesh or be fouled by the hairy fibres projecting from the threads, as
would happen if the cloth were not thus treated. It will not be objectionable,
however, if a slightly grained or corrugated surface is left on the cloth, provided
it is not such as to catch the pen and as would exist in ordinary untreated cloth.
The size used should preferably be soluble in water; a suitable size would be such
as gelatine, starch, dextrine or gum or their equivalents, and preferably with some
mixture of earthy matter, such as tale, whiting, etc. so as to nicely fill the texture
of the cloth and preferably render it quite opaque either with a pure white color or
a suitable tint. Both the sizing and calendering operations should be so conducted
as to leave the cloth with a writing surface which will be quite absorbent and non-
repellent to the ink without allowing it to spread thereon materially, so that when
written on the ink will sink, partly or entirely through the body of the fabric, as
this is most important to this invention.
When the cloth is thus prepared it can be cut up into suitable sheets and the
cheques, drafts, bills of exchange, or other instruments may be printed thereon
with ordinary printer's ink either by surface printing, plate printing, lithography
or other means, in the same way that ordinary cheques or other instruments are
usually printed, as shown in Fig. 1, as this invention does not concern the printed
matter or printed form of the cheque. It will now be noted, however, referring to
Fig. 1, that when this improved cheque is written upon the ink will sink into and
penetrate the threads of the fabric through, or partly through, the same, so as to
appear partly or wholly on the back of the cheque, as indicated in Fig. 2. If an
attempt is now made to alter any part of this writing by mechanical erasure, the
threads of the woven fabric will be exposed and become immediately appareut by
such erasure, and if the erasing .be continued the threads will become cut and
broken, as indicated at k in Figs. 1 and 3, and thereby give a glaring indication
of such attempts, which will obviously be much more apparent and conspicuous and
more difficult to safely conceal than would be any equal erasure on a paper
fabric.
As the writing practically extends completely through the fabric of this
improved cheque, it would be thus necessary to erase entirely through the fabric to
remove the ink, and it will be seen that the difficulty of doing this without detection
will form a great deterrent to attempted frauds or defeat them if attempted. Now
it is well-known that it is comparatively easy to effect or to conceal an erasure in a
paper fabric on account of its conglomerate felted texture, as it is only necessary to
cover the erased spot with a small deposit of wet paper pulp similar to the original

page_text: paper, which will unite with the underlying and surrounding fibre and completely
conceal the erasure. Even if the ink should extend entirely through the paper it
is quite possible to cut an entire piece out of the paper and replace it with pulp
and then press and iron the part, thereby making a new surface indistinguishable
from the original, on which the altered amounts can be written. Such alterations
have been, as a matter of fact, frequently made successfully in paper cheques by
expert criminals. It will be noted, however, that in this improved woven cheque
with the ink or writing extending through the same, any superficial erasure will be
difficult to conceal on account of the definite meshed texture giving instant
indication when abraded or cut and of the great difficulty of applying anything
over the superficial wound to conceal the same; whereas if a piece be actually cut
out of the cloth and a new piece put in, the difficulty of matching the threads of
the mesh will be so much greater than is the case with a similar patch in the
indefinite or conglomerate texture of paper as to be practically impossible or so
difficult as to be a great deterrent to all criminal intentions.
It will be obvious that not only will it be difficult to conceal any erasures on the
woven cheque, but it will also be much more difficult to effect them than would be
the case on a paper cheque, on account of the individual threads of the meshed
texture catching the erasing blade and being liable to cause a break or tear which
will be difficult to conceal. And here it should be specified that in sizing and
treating the cloth as described, it should not be made stiff, or inflexible, but only
sufficiently charged to form a smooth absorbent and non-spreading writing surface
thereon, leaving the body of the cloth soft and flexible, as this superior flexibility and
toughness of the cloth cheque with its absorbent and meshed texture are obviously
great advantages over the paper cheque in the great difficulties thereby presented
to all abrasions or erasures.
For writing on this improved cheque any thin penetrative ink can be used,
which will sink into and penetrate the fabric through or partly through the same
as specified. Any of the writing inks or fluids now in common use for writing
cheques may be so used, and it will be practically impossible to alter them by
mechanical erasures when once written on this improved cheque as already
explained. It will also be much more difficult to alter such ordinary inks by
solvents or chemicals applied to the cloth cheque than would be the case with
paper cheques for the reason that the woven cheque will become warped and
distorted more than would the paper, and the displacement of its threads will give
a more certain and glaring indication than would exist under similar conditions in
paper. To render the cheque more secure, however, against chemical manipulation,
the writing should be executed in a thin penetrative unalterable or imperishable
ink, which cannot be bleached or discoloured by chemicals or is not soluble by
ordinary solvents, and for this purpose it is preferable to use a fine, aqueous, carbon
ink, such as India ink diluted, or any of the liquid carbon inks now on the market.
It will therefore be seen on again referring to Figures 1 and 2 that when the
writing of the cheque has been executed in such carbon ink and has penetrated the
fabric as shown and dried therein, that no solvent or chemical action will remove
it, and any liquids or solvents so applied will only act to fix the ink more firmly
in the cloth or so warp and twist the cloth as to leave a clear indication of
tampering and thus protect the cheque effectually against chemical as well as
mechanical alterations.
In some cases the cloth of the cheque can be impregnated with fixing or
mordanting chemicals which when written on with a suitably prepared dye or fluid
will form a fixed or unalterable ink in the texture of the cloth and having great
adhesion for the fibre. In this way indelible aniline black may be produced in the
writing of the cheque, as will be readily understood by chemists and dyers. This
is mentioned as an instance of the effects which can be so produced which can be
varied a great deal by varying the mordants or fixing chemicals in the cloth and
the dye or fluid with which the writing is effected, which is well known to dyers and
chemists.

page_text: It will be readily understood that the difficulties already named in the way of
altering the writing on this improved cheque will also apply to attempted alterations
of the cheque punch-marks or figures shown at m in Figures 1 and 2. In paper
cheques it has been known that the punched figure holes have sometimes been filled
up with paper pulp or with a patch or piece of paper of corresponding form deftly
inserted and united with the surrounding paper and the original amount thus
altered. But it will be seen that it will be very difficult to do this successfully in
this improved cheque for the reason already given, the great difficulty of matching
the threads of the mesh at any cut parts, a condition quite different from what
exists in the conglomerate texture of the paper cheque. Furthermore it will be
seen that any attempts to tamper with the cut out figures in this improved cheque,
even though no patching and filling is attempted, will be much more apparent on
account of the tendency of the threads to unravel at the cut edges when thus
tampered with, and thereby expose such attempts.
Indeed all the usual safeguards heretofore employed in paper cheques will act
with much greater efficiency on this woven cheque and may be used to add to the
difficulties and increase the margin of safety. For example, embossing, slitting or
puncturing the cheque over the written and figured amount spaces will be very
effective of this cheque, as any attempts to either mechanically erase or chemically
dissolve the writing thereon will almost immediately disintegrate the fabric by the
unravelling of the short threads at the cut or slit parts; whereas the slit or cut
paper would stand more soaking without any disintegration on account of its
compacted felted structure. Again, tints of soluble colours ruled on the cheque
under or upon the writing spaces, or colouring substances impregnating the body
of the cheque, will be also very effective on this cloth cheque, for when dissolving
liquids are applied thereon the cloth will absorb them more readily and rapidly
than paper would, and the colours of the ruled tint or of the impregnating particles
will be absorbed by the cloth and spread therein more readily, and the cloth will
also retain them more tenaciously than paper, as cotton cloth is much more
absorbent than paper and has usually more affinity or tenacity for colours. Hence
the detective and indicating stain on the cloth cheque under such circumstances will
become much more certain and glaring than on the paper cheque. It will be
here observed that by having the sizing of the cheque fabric soluble in water, as
before described, not only is it more readily penetrable to the ink without
objectionable spreading but the cloth is also made readily absorbent to all the
ordinary chemical solvents used for removing inks, which. are usually aqueous so
that the absorbent non-repellent quality of the cloth with its meshed structure,
easily ravelling when cut, and its soluble sizing are all important elements of safety
in the improved cheque.
It is preferred to prepare both sides of the cloth from which the cheques are
made with a similar writing surface, as already described and shown in Figure 4,
so that the cheque can be as readily written upon it at the back as on the front, as
shown by the endorsing signature in Figure 2. It is also preferred to make the
cloth quite opaque so that although the writing from either side extends nearly
through to the other, yet the opaque ground will render the reading of the cheque
distinct and its appearance easy to the eyes.
This invention of course applies to all commercial papers as well as bank cheques
and drafts, such as bills of exchange, notes, letters of credit, bonds, stock, and
other documents which are to be protected from mechanical or chemical alterations,
as will be understood.
My correspondent is aware of the safety paper made of a sheet of paper overlaid
with a facing of open net work. But this is distinct from his invention in the
fact that in that case the paper sheet essentially forms the writing surface to
receive and retain the ink, the writing of the cheque being thus done essentially
on paper as heretofore, and not on absorbent cloth as in this invention. In this
invention the whole writing surface and body of the cheque is formed of a finely
woven absorbent fabric having no appreciable opening or mesh-space and this fine

page_text: fabric forms in itself the essential writing surface and medium to receive and
retain the ink which penetrates through the absorbent fabric, thus rendering
erasure practically impossible which is not the case with any paper sheet as already
explained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-.
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A cheque draft or its equivalent, made of a finely woven fabric formed'
with a smooth absorbent writing surface on one or both sides adapted to allow
the writing ink to sink into and penetrate the same, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
2. A cheque draft, or its equivalent, made of a finely woven fabric formed with a.
smooth absorbent writing surface, and having its wording written in a penetrative.
ink, which penetrates the threads of the fabric through, or partly through, the
same, thereby rendering alteration or erasure difficult or impossible, substantially
as described.
3. A cheque, draft, or its equivalent, formed of a finely woven fabric formed'
with an opaque and absorbent writing surface, and having its wording written with
a penetrative unalterable ink, which penetrates the substance of the fabric,.
substantially as herein described.
4. A cheque, draft, or its equivalent, made of a finely woven fabric formed with.
an absorbent writing surface, and having its wording written with a thin penetrative
carbon ink, which penetrates the threads of the fabric through, or partly through,.
the substance of the same, thereby rendering erasures difficult or impossible either
by mechanical or chemical means, substantially as herein described.
5. A safety writing fabric consisting of a finely woven fabric formed with a.
smooth absorbent writing surface adapted to allow the ink to sink into, or penetrate
the substance of the same, without objectionable spreading, substantially as herein.
described.
6. A safety writing fabric consisting of a finely woven fabric of cotton, linen,
or other fibre, formed with a smooth non-repellent opaque writing surface, sub-
stantially as herein described.
7. A safety writing fabric consisting of a finely woven cloth impregnatel with a
size soluble in water, having a flexible aud opaque body and a smooth absorbent
and non-spreading writing surface, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. A safety writing fabric for cheques and other documents formed with a
flexible opaque body and smooth absorbent writing surfaces on both sides of said
body, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 15th day of April 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant..