Improvements in Checks, Drafts, Receipts, or similar Instruments for the Prevention of Fraud.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Checks, Drafts, Receipts, or similar Instruments for
the Prevention of Fraud.
I, FREDERICK HEING, of Davenport, in the State of Iowa, United States of
America, Attorney-at-Law, 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:-
-
This invention relates to checks, receipts etc., and particularly to negotiable
instruments.
The object of the invention is to provide a form of check, draft, receipt or
similar instrument so formed as to avoid possibility of perpetration of fraud by
altering to indicate an amount larger than that made by the maker. Further the
object of the invention is to provide a system of checks, drafts, orders, receipts etc.,
of such form that the body of the instrument and the stub, when the two are
separated according to the manner in which their separation is provided for, will
each indicate within certain limits the amount represented, the instruments
being of such form as to prevent alteration to indicate a larger amount without
the addition of paper which addition would be readily discovered. Finally the
object of my invention is to provide instruments of the kind mentioned having
the characteristics above noted and so arranged as to be capable of rapid use by
persons unfamiliar with their use.
With these objects in view, the invention consists of a check or the like,
substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.
As an illustration of my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawing
Figure 1, a blank check made in accordance with my idea.
Figure 2, represents the check shown in Figure 1, drawn for an amount
indicated both on the body of the check and on the stub.
In this drawing A represents the main body of the instrument, which contains
the usual printing and blank spaces indicating the institution on which the
order is drawn, its location etc., the spaces being intended to be filled out with
the date, the amount for which the check is drawn in words and figures, and the
signature of the maker.
The body of the check is preferably made of some color for instance blue.
The stuh B, which in the present illustration is divided into two sections may
be divided into any desired number of sections, each being for the purpose of
indicating when properly cut or torn the amount of denomination of United
States money. For instance the section b adjacent to the main portion A is
provided with means for indicating the number of hundreds, and the next
adjacent b, is intended to denote the number of thousands. The sections b
and are of different strongly contrasting colors, for instance they may be
white and pink respectively.
To provide ready means whereby each denomination of money, as indicated
by the respective sections remaining on the check may be clear at a glance, each

page_text: section is provided along its lower portion with a line 62 at the end of which is
a word indicating the denomination represented by the section, such as one
hundred, one thousand, etc. The upper portion of each section is provided with
a series of short lines 63, nine in number, and, respectively designated by numbers
running from one to nine. The lines 63 are each inclined, the inclination of each
being such that if continued it will intersect the line 62 at the left-hand end of
its section. The number at the top of the line on which the check as severed
from the stub in connection with the color and designation of denomination,
indicates the maximum amount for which the check or the like is good.
In the use of a check made as described and shown, any amount less than one
hundred dollars is indicated on the main portion A, and the fact that the check is
not for more than the amount mentioned is shown by separating the portion_A
from the stub, on the line dividing the two. parts. When the check is drawn for
an amount reaching into the hundreds or thousands, the stub is cut or torn along
the line in the proper section of the stub indicating the maximum amount for
which the check is payable. For instance as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing,
a check drawn for four hundred and seventy-five dollars is cut or torn away
along the line indicated by the numeral four, showing that the check is good
for at least four hundred dollars, and is not good for five hundred. If the check
were drawn for an amount equal to or more than six thousand dollars, and not
exceeding seven thousand dollars, the first section of the stub would be left intact,
and the second section would be cut or torn along the course indicated by the
dotted line in the section indicating thousands.
From the foregoing it will be clear that in the use of my check two effective
safeguards against raising are provided. In the first place the color or colors
of the parts left attached will indicate the amount, and in the next place the
'cutting along the inclined lines, when the check exceeds one hundred dollars,
shows at once the maximum amount for which the check is good. The addition
of paper necessary to make the check indicate a larger amount than originally
intended would be easily detected.
:
It will be seen from an understanding of the invention that while I have
particularly described the same in connection with the check, the idea is the
same and I consider it within the scope of my invention to apply the same to
"other similar uses, for instance to drafts, notes, receipts, etc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and the manner in which the same to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A check or the like having a continuation divided into sections, there being
on each section a line having adjacent to it an indication denoting the denomina-
tion of the section, and a series of lines on each section extending toward the
line indicating the denomination of the section, each of the series of lines having
adjacent to it a number indicating the amount of the denomination of the section
on which it is placed, so that if the section be cut or torn along one of the said
series of lines the line indicating the denomination of the section will be inter-
sected, substantially as described.
2. A check or the like having a continuation divided into sections, each
section having thereon a line at the end of which is indicated the denomination
denoted by the section, and a series of inclined lines numbered as described;
the inclination of the lines being such that if continued they will intersect the
line indicating the denomination at the edge of the section farthest removed from
the body of the check, substantially as described.
3. A check or the like comprising a main portion of one color, a continuation
constituting a stub divided into sections, each section being of a color different
from the main portion and from adjacent sections, and denoting amounts of
different denominations, lines. having adjacent thereto words indicating the
denomination of the sections, inclined lines on each section numbered as described,

page_text: the inclination of the lines being such that if continued they will intersect the
lines indicating the denomination at the edge of the respective sections farthest
removed from the body of the check, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of November 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.