GB1599906A - Cheque or receipt books - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO CHEQUE OR RECEIPT BOOKS (71) I, SAMUEL WILLIAM JOHN RICHARDS of Cherry Mill, 118, Mill Road, Lisvane, Cardiff, Giamorgan, a British subject, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to form books, and is particularly applicable to cheque or receipt books. It is primarily intended to overcome some of the drawbacks associated with writing cheques or receipts and at the same time entering the details in a permanent record system.

A current solution is to arrange cheques or receipts generally in overlapping or shingled relationship and to register them with a record sheet, tor example by means of locating pins and punched holes in the margins of the sheet and forms. Parts of the backs of the forms are carbonised or otherwise treated so that as one writes on the form the essential details are reproduced on the record sheet below. This saves writing the same information twice, but there are still a considerable number of drawbacks. Shingling the forms is an expensive and inconvenient process, and requires special measures to keep them in that relationship.

Also, they must be compatible with the record sheet both for line and column spacing and for the punched hole arrangement. Usually, the record sheet has to be removed from a binder and applied to a peg board, and then the forms placed over it. When completed, the record sheet has to be retuned to the binder.

It is an object of the invention to do away with such a cumbersome procedure and to provide a form book which bears a close similarity to a normal cheque or receipt book, for example, which can be used in the same way, and which can also be used to record entries in a wide variety of record sheets or books.

According to the present invention there is provided a form book comprising a back cover, a stack of superimposed forms, such as cheques or receipts, removably attached to an edge of the back cover, and abutment means upstanding from the back cover, below the forms and adjacent said edge, the reverse of each form being at least partially carbonised or otherwise treated whereby, when the book is arranged so that a record sheet overlies the back cover and locates against the abutment means, a record of at least some of any matter written on the form will be transferred to the record sheet In use, the lowermost form is placed over the record sheet, with the back cover underneath, and the remaining forms are folded back.The carbonised zone is registered with permanent lines or columns of the record sheet and the form is made out, the essential information being reproduced on the record sheet. The form is then torn out of the book and the next lowermost form is folded over onto the record sheet and the book is moved along to the next entry space. The process is then repeated.

Preferably, the abutment means is a shoulder provided by a thickened portion of the back cover along said edge. Generally forms have line entries and the carbonised or otherwise treated zone will accordingly be a band extending perpendicular to said edge.

The book can be provided with counterfoils, although they do require additional entries, and this is preferred when it is a cheque book.

But in one version, to allow the book to be used separately from a record sheet as described above and without the need for completing counterfoils, although they could still exist, behind each form there is a duplicate slip on which the essential entries will be reproduced as a barbon copy. A flap may be attached to another edge of the back cover to be foldable over between any duplicate slip and the next form below, thereby to prevent any writing going through onto other unused forms. Such a book can of course still be used with a record sheet, in which case the duplicate slips are redundant and can be discarded.

With a counterfoil cheque book, the counterfoil can be used for remittance or advice purposes and be detached and sent with the cheque.

Preferably the forms will be numbered in sequence from the lowermost one.

S The cheques, receipts or other forms can also have an address panel and with a suitable window envelope this avoids having to address an envelope as well as the form.

Although intended for use with any ledger, cash book or other record book, a form book according to the invention can still be used with equal facility with shingled or overlapped forins.

For a better understanding of the invention one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an edge view of a cheque book according to the invention, in conjunction with a record sheet, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the cheque book of Figure 1, open for making an entry.

The cheque book has a stiff back cover 1 and a spine 2, which provides a locating abutment 3 adjacent one edge of the cover 1. This abutment is a double-thickness portion cf the cover 1 and can be put squarely up against the edge of a sheet 4 on which record entries are to be made. A bundle of cheques 5, via counterfoils 5', is attached to the spine 2 to overlie the back cover but to leave the abutment 3 clear.

There is also a cover 6 protecting the uppermost cheque. As indicated in Figure 2, each cheque and counterfoil has a carbonised band 7 on the reverse side extending perpendicular to the spine 2 and registering with the line of entry on the front side which it is desired to reproduce on the sheet 4.

When the lowermost cheque is completed, including an address in space 8 below the Payee's name, the others being folded back as shown in Figure 2, that cheque and its counterfoil is torn out along perforated line 9. The next lowermost cheque, numbered in sequence from the previous lower one, is then folded over the sheet 4 and the book moved down so that the carbonised strip 7 of that cheque over lies the next line of entry. To assist this loca tion, the front side of the cheque has a mark 10 indicating the end of the carbonised strip re mote from the spine, while the proper engage ment of the abutment 3 with the edge of the sheet 4 will ensure that the book is not twisted out of line.

The cheques may be interleaved with removable duplicate slips, and a flap 11 extend ing from the end of the book opposite the spine can be used as the cheque book cover (instead of an additional to cover 6) and as a protective interleaf between any duplicate slip and the form next below.

The book shown can only co-operate use fully with sheets 4 whose left hand margins are free. A reversed arrangement can readily be provided for use with sheets whose right hand margins are free.

The sheet 4 may be an individual sheet, or part of a book, looseleaf or bound. It does not require punched holes or similar locating @ @ means, and it can have any desired line spacing.

The cheque book can be adjusted accordingly for each entry. It will be appreciated that different cheque books can be used and interchanged with ease. Also entries, as for standing orders, can be made on the sheet 4 without major disruption: the cheque book is simply shifted clear of the line to be entered.

It will be appreciated that making out a cheque correctly positioned over a record sheet in a cash book or ledger, for example, simultaneously completes the cheque and counterfoil, makes the entry in the record sheet, and provides the address for the envelope. There is no requirement for pegboards or other special equipment, or for shingled or specially punched cheques.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A form book comprising a back cover, a stack of superimpcsed forms removably attached to an edge of the back cover, and abutment means upstanding from the back cover, below the forms and adjacent said edge, the reverse of each form being at least partially carbonised or otherwise treated whereby, when the book is arranged so that a record sheet overlies the back cover and locates against the abutment means, a record of at least some of any matter written on the form will be transferred to the record sheet.

2. A form book as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abutment means is a shoulder provided by a thickened portion of the back cover along said edge.

3. A form book as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the carbonised or otherwise treated zone is a band extending perpendicular to said edge.

4. A form book as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the forms are attached via counterfoils adjacent said edge.

5. A form book as claimed in claim 4, wherein the counterfoils are themselves detachable.

6. A form book as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are duplicate slips interleaved with said forms.

7. A form book as claimed in claim 6, wherein a flap is attached to another edge of said back cover and can be interleaved between any duplicate slip and the form next below.

8. A form book as claimed in claim 7, wherein said flap also serves as a front cover for the form book.

9. A form book as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the forms are numbered in sequence from the lowermost form.

10. A form book substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

11. A record system including record sheets and a form book for recording entries as claimed in any preceding claim.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. S The cheques, receipts or other forms can also have an address panel and with a suitable window envelope this avoids having to address an envelope as well as the form. Although intended for use with any ledger, cash book or other record book, a form book according to the invention can still be used with equal facility with shingled or overlapped forins. For a better understanding of the invention one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is an edge view of a cheque book according to the invention, in conjunction with a record sheet, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the cheque book of Figure 1, open for making an entry. The cheque book has a stiff back cover 1 and a spine 2, which provides a locating abutment 3 adjacent one edge of the cover 1. This abutment is a double-thickness portion cf the cover 1 and can be put squarely up against the edge of a sheet 4 on which record entries are to be made. A bundle of cheques 5, via counterfoils 5', is attached to the spine 2 to overlie the back cover but to leave the abutment 3 clear. There is also a cover 6 protecting the uppermost cheque. As indicated in Figure 2, each cheque and counterfoil has a carbonised band 7 on the reverse side extending perpendicular to the spine 2 and registering with the line of entry on the front side which it is desired to reproduce on the sheet 4. When the lowermost cheque is completed, including an address in space 8 below the Payee's name, the others being folded back as shown in Figure 2, that cheque and its counterfoil is torn out along perforated line 9. The next lowermost cheque, numbered in sequence from the previous lower one, is then folded over the sheet 4 and the book moved down so that the carbonised strip 7 of that cheque over lies the next line of entry. To assist this loca tion, the front side of the cheque has a mark 10 indicating the end of the carbonised strip re mote from the spine, while the proper engage ment of the abutment 3 with the edge of the sheet 4 will ensure that the book is not twisted out of line. The cheques may be interleaved with removable duplicate slips, and a flap 11 extend ing from the end of the book opposite the spine can be used as the cheque book cover (instead of an additional to cover 6) and as a protective interleaf between any duplicate slip and the form next below. The book shown can only co-operate use fully with sheets 4 whose left hand margins are free. A reversed arrangement can readily be provided for use with sheets whose right hand margins are free. The sheet 4 may be an individual sheet, or part of a book, looseleaf or bound. It does not require punched holes or similar locating @ @ means, and it can have any desired line spacing. The cheque book can be adjusted accordingly for each entry. It will be appreciated that different cheque books can be used and interchanged with ease. Also entries, as for standing orders, can be made on the sheet 4 without major disruption: the cheque book is simply shifted clear of the line to be entered. It will be appreciated that making out a cheque correctly positioned over a record sheet in a cash book or ledger, for example, simultaneously completes the cheque and counterfoil, makes the entry in the record sheet, and provides the address for the envelope. There is no requirement for pegboards or other special equipment, or for shingled or specially punched cheques. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A form book comprising a back cover, a stack of superimpcsed forms removably attached to an edge of the back cover, and abutment means upstanding from the back cover, below the forms and adjacent said edge, the reverse of each form being at least partially carbonised or otherwise treated whereby, when the book is arranged so that a record sheet overlies the back cover and locates against the abutment means, a record of at least some of any matter written on the form will be transferred to the record sheet.

2. A form book as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abutment means is a shoulder provided by a thickened portion of the back cover along said edge.

3. A form book as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the carbonised or otherwise treated zone is a band extending perpendicular to said edge.

4. A form book as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the forms are attached via counterfoils adjacent said edge.

5. A form book as claimed in claim 4, wherein the counterfoils are themselves detachable.

6. A form book as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are duplicate slips interleaved with said forms.

7. A form book as claimed in claim 6, wherein a flap is attached to another edge of said back cover and can be interleaved between any duplicate slip and the form next below.

8. A form book as claimed in claim 7, wherein said flap also serves as a front cover for the form book.

9. A form book as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the forms are numbered in sequence from the lowermost form.

10. A form book substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

11. A record system including record sheets and a form book for recording entries as claimed in any preceding claim.