Improvements in Bank Cheques, Drafts, and like Instruments.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bank Cheques, Drafts, and like Instruments.
I, CHARLES MELBOURNE WHITE, of 27, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me from abroad by William Henry Howard, of the City,
County, and State of New York, in the United States of America, Manager of
The Bank Check Security Company, of 37 to 39, Maiden Lane, in said City),
to be as follows:
-
The invention relates, generally speaking, to a means or method of preventing
alterations in the values of issued cheques, drafts, or other like commercial paper,
technically known as raising."
The invention consists primarily in providing the form upon which the cheque,
draft or the like is to be written with a diagram or chart lying preferably at
one end and within the area of the form, said diagram or chart being composed
of two parts, each of which is made up of a fan shaped series of triangular spaces
formed by lines radiating toward the respective sides of the cheque from a given
intermediate point near one end, said spaces providing panels upon which may
be imprinted or otherwise placed successively increasing denominations of value,
the whole being arranged so that any one or more of the panels on either side
may be removed so as to leave an appropriate mark or marks of denomination to
designate the value for which, or a limit of value within which the instrument
is drawn.
The respective portions of the diagram or chart are preferably marked
to designate digits extending from one to nine of different locations decimally, so
that the panels of the respective portions can be removed independently and
indicate any combination of the digits, thus giving a corresponding scope within
which to designate values.
A further feature of the invention consists in varying the location of the
points from which the panels radiate, as well as the angles of radiation of said
panels, so as to bring in changes in the diagrams and consequently changes in
the appearance of the end of the instrument and in arbitrarily selecting diagrams
thus differing, for cheques, drafts and the like of different series, so as to offer a
still further safe-guard against raising a cheque, draft or the like of one series in
which may be classed all such instruments below a given value, to instruments
of a different series within which are classed all such paper of higher value but
drawn within another given limit, and so on.
"
In order to differentiate the blanks for different series they may be marked
Series A," "Series B," "Series C" and "Series D."
The cheque or other order is formed with a body and a stub which may be
utilised for receiving the usual memoranda.
The body of the cheque is of any suitable and well known form and bears
such description as may be desired.

page_text: At the left hand end of the cheque, and within the area of the cheque proper,
is the diagram or chart consisting of two lettered parts, said parts corresponding
with one another, and being each formed of a series of lines, all radiating from
a central point.
The radial lines divide the said portions of the diagram or chart into triangular
spaces, and these spaces will contain at their outer wider ends numerals or other
indicating characters or words, or both characters and words for the purpose of
designating values to be represented by said spaces.
For instance, one part may contain at its outer edge the numerals 1 to 9
inclusive, each space between the radial lines being devoted to one numeral,
while the other part of the cheque, diagram or chart bears numerals ranging
from 10 to 90 inclusive, each space being devoted to one numeral.
In every case the lower numerals will of course be the innermost on the
cheque so that all panels or spaces indicative of numerals expressing higher
value than that for which the cheque is drawn may be cut off or otherwise
removed and render it thereafter impossible to indicate by any of the original
printed matter on the form, a value higher than that for which the instrument
has been actually drawn.
For example, if it be desired to express any sum from 10 to 90, all of the panels
or spaces of the one part are removed and the highest sum expressed by matter
contained within the other part will indicate the limit within which the instru-
ment has been drawn.
In like manner any less amount expressed by two figures may be indicated
by removing all of the one part, and any given portion of the other part.
If a sum less than ten dollars (or other denomination) is to be expressed, then
all of the other part is removed, and an appropriate number of panels or spaces
of the one part.
In like manner panels from either side may be removed to express sums
indicated by digits in both the tens and units places.
It will be seen that cheques of different series may readily be designated by
this system by arbitrarily selecting for each series a special arrangement of
diagram or chart, all of which however, embrace the same fundamental features.
One means of distinguishing cheques, notes or the like of the different series
is their designation by the letters A, B, C, and D, each letter distinguishing the
limitation of the instrument or order without specifying its exact amount.
But a more exact distinction results from the difference in position of the
radiating lines.
In the form adopted for "Series A" the two parts of the diagram may have
a base line at right angles to the longer edges or length of the cheque.
In "Series B" the radial lines may be so arranged that the base lines of the
respective parts of the diagram run at an obtuse angle to the lower edge of the
cheque or the like and at an acute angle to the upper edge of the cheque.
"
In Series C" the positions of the lines may be reversed from what they are
in "Series B," while in "Series D" the base line may be bent at the point from
which the dividing lines radiate and arranged at an acute angle to both the upper
and lower edges of the cheque or the like.
It will therefore be seen that not only have been arranged the sections of cut
away portions respectively denominating or indicating different values whereby
the limit of value may readily be determined and raising prevented, but the safe
guard has also been increased by providing different arrangements of diagrams
whereby the drawer of the cheque, draft, or other instrument can easily deter-
mine which of the series to use and the drawee using reasonable diligence can
readily ascertain whether a cheque drawn for an amount within a limit for
which one series of cheques has been assigned, has been raised to such an amount
which would have necessitated the use of another series in drawing the cheque.
While I have described specific arbitrary arrangements of the diagram or
charts for designating the different series, the invention is not limited to this

page_text: precise system for it is obvious that the spirit of the invention will not be
departed from, even though these details be largely varied.
Dated this 10th day of September 1897,
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
Improvements in Bank Cheques, Drafts, and like Instruments.
I, CHARLES MELBOURNE WHITE, of 27, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a
communication to me from abroad by William Henry Howard, of the City,
County, and State of New York, in the United States of America, Manager of
The Bank Check Security Company, of 37-39, Maiden Lane, in said City),
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement: —
The invention relates, generally speaking, to a means or method of preventing
alterations in the values of issued cheques, drafts, or other like commercial paper,
technically known as "raising."
The invention consists primarily in providing the form upon which the cheque,
draft or the like is to be written with a diagram or chart lying preferably at
one end and within the area of the form, said diagram or chart being composed
of two parts, each of which is made up of a fan-shaped series of triangular spaces
formed by lines radiating toward the respective sides of the cheque from a given
intermediate point near one end, said spaces providing panels upon which may
be imprinted or otherwise placed successively increasing denominations of value,
the whole being arranged so that any one or more of the panels on either side
may be removed so as to leave an appropriate mark or marks of denomination to
designate the value for which, or a limit of value within which the instrument
is drawn. The respective portions of the diagram or chart are preferably marked
to designate digits extending from one to nine of different locations decimally, so
that the panels of the respective portions can be removed independently and
indicate any combination of the digits, thus giving a corresponding scope within
which to designate values.
A further feature of the invention consists in varying the location of the
points from which the panels radiate as well as the angles of radiation of said
panels, so as to bring in changes in the diagram and consequently changes in
the appearance of the end of the instrument and in arbitrarily selecting diagrams
thus differing, for cheques, drafts and the like of different series, so as to offer a
still further safe guard against raising a cheque, draft, or the like of one series in
which may be classed all such instruments below a given value, to instruments
of a different series within which are classed all such paper of higher value but
drawn within another given limit, and so on.
Having thus briefly outlined the nature of the invention and of its applica-
tions, I will now describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which,
Figure 1 represents a face view of a cheque, draft or other like instrument
embodying the fundamental features of the invention and drawn for a given
Bum with the diagram cut or divided to correspond therewith.
Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 are face views of unmutilated or intact cheques or drafts
also embodying the said fundamental features, but having a distinctive appear-

page_text: ance or diagram or chart in each case so as to differentiate the blanks for different
series, as suggested by the marking of said series "Series A" "Series B"
Series C" and Series D."
66
Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings A designates the body of the cheque or
other order and E the stub which may be utilised for receiving the usual
memoranda. The body of the cheque A is of any suitable and well known
form and bears such inscription as may be desired. At the left hand end of the
cheque, and within the area of the cheque proper, is the diagram or chart con-
sisting of the two lettered parts F and G, said parts corresponding with one
another and being each formed of a series of lines H, I, all radiating from the
central point J. The lines H and I divide the said portions of the diagram or
chart F and G, into triangular spaces K and L, and these spaces will contain
at their outer wider ends numerals or other indicating characters or words, or
both characters and words for the purpose of designating values to be represented
by said spaces. For instance the part F contains at its outer edge the numerals 1
to 9 inclusive, each space K being devoted to one numeral, while the part G
of the cheque, diagram, or chart bears numerals ranging from 10 to 90 inclusive,
each space L being devoted to one numeral. In every case the lower numerals
will of course be the innermost on the cheque, so shall all panels or spaces
indicative of numerals expressing higher value than that for which the cheque
is drawn may be cut off or otherwise removed as indicated in the drawing, and
render it thereafter impossible to indicate by any of the original printed matter
on the form, a value higher than that for which the instrument has been
actually drawn. For example, if it be desired to express any sum from 10 to 90,
all of the panels or spaces of the part F are removed and the highest sum
expressed by matter contained within the part G will indicate the limit within
which the instrument has been withdrawn. In like manner any less amount
expressed by two figures may be indicated by removing all of the part F and any
given portion of the other part G. If a sum less than ten dollars (or other
denomination) is to be expressed, then all of the part G is removed and an
appropriate number of panels or spaces of the part F. In like manner panels
from either side may be removed to express sums indicated by digits in both
the tens and units places.
Referring to Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, it will be seen that cheques of different
series may readily be designated by this system by arbitrarily selecting for each
series a special arrangement of diagram or chart, all of which, however, embrace
the same fundamental features. For instance, in " Series A" shown in Figure 2
it is possible to designate any sum from 1 to 99 dollars. By the diagram shown
in Figure 3 it is. possible to designate any sum from one hundred dollars to nine
hundred and ninety dollars. In "Series C" illustrated in Figure 4, it is possible
to designate sums ranging from one thousand dollars to nine thousand nine
hundred dollars, and in Series D" illustrated in Figure 5, any sum ranging
from ten thousand dollars to ninety nine thousand dollars may be designated.
By comparing these different forms of diagrams or charts it will be seen that
one means of distinguishing cheques, notes, or the like of the different series
is their designation by the letters A, B, C, and D, each letter distinguishing the
limitation of the instrument or order without specifying its exact amount. But
a more exact distinction results from the difference in position of the radiating
lines Hand I. In the form adopted for "Series A" the parts F and G of the
diagram have a base line S at right angles to the longer edges or length of the
cheque. In “Series B
"these lines H and I are so arranged that the base lines
of the respective parts of the diagram run at an obtuse angle to the lower edge
of the cheque or the like, and at an acute angle to the upper edge of the cheque.
In Series C" the positions of the lines are reversed from what they are in
Series B," while in "Series D" the base line S is bent at the point J and
arranged at an acute angle to both the upper and lower edges of the cheque or
the like.
66
6.

page_text: It will therefore be seen that not only have been arranged the sections of cut
away portions respectively denominating or indicating different values whereby
the limit of value may readily be determined and "raising" prevented but the safe-
guard has also been increased by providing different arrangements of diagrams
whereby the drawer of the cheque, draft, or other instrument can easily deter-
mine which of the series to use, and the drawee using reasonable diligence can
readily ascertain whether a cheque drawn for an amount within a limit for
which one series of cheques has been assigned, has been raised to such an amount
which would have necessitated the use of another series in drawing the cheque.
While I have shown and described specific, arbitrary arrangements of the diagram
or chart for designating the different series, the invention is not limited to this
precise system for it is obvious that the spirit of the invention will not be
departed from, even though these details be largely varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The cheque or other order having a diagram lying within the area of the
cheque proper, composed of the two corresponding parts formed of lines and
intervening spaces radiating from a given point, said parts each being in the
form of a triangle and so arranged with respect to one another, that said
diagram may, to properly denote the desired value be severed on connected lines
running through both of said parts and at an angle to one another substan-
tially as set forth.
2. The cheque or other order having a diagram lying within the area of the
cheque proper, composed of the two corresponding parts formed of lines and
intervening spaces bearing indicating characters denoting money values and
radiating from a given point, said parts each being in the form of a triangle
and so arranged with respect to one another that said diagram may, to denote
the proper value of the cheque or order, be severed on connected lines running
through both of said parts and at an angle to one another, the indicating
characters on one of said parts representing values of one denomination and those
on the other of said parts denoting values of another denomination, substantially
as set forth.
3. A series of cheques or similar orders each having a diagram lying within
the area of the cheque and composed of two corresponding parts formed of lines
and intervening spaces which radiate from a common point, whereby in order
to denote value, the diagram may be severed along two intersecting lines; the
parts of the diagram being in the forms of triangles having base lines S, and
said base lines varying in positions in the respective forms of the series, in sub-
stantially the manner explained and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 9th day of December 1897.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.