US719209A - Control and guest's pay-check for hotels, restaurants, &c. - Google Patents

Description

men STATES FFICE,

CONTROL AND GUESTS PAY-CHECK FOR HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, 8L6.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 719,209, dated January 27, 1903.

Application filed December 13,1901. Serial No. 85.822. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LMIGHAEL GELLI'JR,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Control and Guests Pay-Check for Hotels, Restaurants, dad, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to devices for controlling and checking the service to guests in hotels and other similar institutions; and the purpose of the invention is to produce a simple self-contained check so arranged that all errors in charges or receipts and peculations can be automatically, quickly, and infallibly detected and located.

Theinvention consists in the novel arrangement and combinations of the parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which is shown a plan view of the improved check.

The check consists of a card A of suitable dimensions, preferably made of paper and provided with a column B, in which the names of the articles ordered and served are ontered, and duplicate account-columns O and D, in which latter columns the prices of the articles are duplicated in opposing spaces 10 in dollars and cents. These duplicate account-columns C and D are separated by a score-line 11, which is carried from edge to edge of the card, forming whatl term a control-strip E. In the body portion of the card each account-card is provided with an accompanying space 12, in which the totals of the amounts appearing in the account-columns are entered.

Preferably at one end of the control-strip E a stub F is located, but divided from the body by a transverse score-line 13, so that this portion of the check, which constitutes the checkers stub, can be separated from the control-strip along the score-lines 11 and 13. This checkers stub F appears in the controlstrip at the lower corner of the check, although its position relative to the body of the check may be changed, and the stub is usually divided into two sections 14 and 15, the upper section bearing the word Waiter and the number of the Waiter and check-numher, while the lower section 15 is intended to have the checkers number produced thereon by the checker when the card is presented to him and he places in the account-columns O and D the charges for the first article upon the check. This section usually bears the inscription Checkers No. The score-line 13 is met by a second transverse score-line 13, which extends from the line 13 to the opposite end of the card, producing alone stub F, preferably divided into sections 16 17 18 19. The section 16 has the word Waiter and the number of the waiter produced thereon. The section 17 is provided with the words Check No. and numeral indicating the number of the check, while the section 18 bears the phrase Amount received. On this section the amount of money is entered when received from the waiter, which amount corresponds to the amount expressed in the totalspaces 12, and the section 19 may be used to locate a trade mark or instructions or may be omitted. The stub F is intended as a waiters receipt for the money paid to the cashier by the waiter at the time of the settlement of the account, as will be hereinafter more particularly described. At the opposite end of the body of the check panels 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 are shown. The panels 20 and 21 are a portion of the control-strip E, and the panel 20 bears the number of the check and the panel 21 the number of the waiter. The other panels just mentioned form a portion of the body of the check. The panel 22 bears the check-numher and the panel 23 the number of the waiter. The panel 25 may be used to receive the checkers number or for any purpose desired, and the panel 24 is usually employed to indicate the number of the table. The panel 26 may be used to indicate deductions, if any,and the panel 27 is usually a blank panel; but the number of the panels connected with the body of the check may be changed or their location varied, as likewise the matter produced in the panels, and I desire it to be understood that the account-columns G and D,which are shown at the right of the column in which the names of the articles served are written, may be placed at the left-hand side of the check or at either end thereof, asmay be found most convenient or most desirable.

In the use of thecheck when the waiter receives his first order from a guest the name of the article is written in the column B, and the waiter in filling the first portion of the order calls at the desk of the checker for that department, who stamps or otherwise produces the amount representing the cost of the arti cle in both of the columns O and D opposite the name of the article ordered. Thus the amount appears in duplicate, one amount upon the body of the check and the other upon the control-strip. After the checker has thus placed the cost of the article in the accountcolumns 0 and D the checker writes, prints, or otherwise produces his or her number upon section 15 of the checkers stub F and detaches the stub from the check, retaining it until the return of the control-strip. The waiter now proceeds to fill other orders from the same guest, and the checkers of the various departments as the orders are filled in sert the cost of the various articles in the account-columns C and D; but subsequent checkers are not identified with the particular waiters check or number or otherwise, the checker of the leading article being the only person responsible for the check to the end of its service.

After all the articles ordered have been served the waiter presents the check to the cashier, who adds up the amounts in the account-columns O and D and writes or prints the totals in the spaces 12. The waiter will now return to the guest and collect the amount of the bill and present it and the money to the cashier; but the waiter will detach the control-strip E, keeping the same. This control-strip may be removed by the waiter at any time after the totals have been Written in the check. The cashier after receiving the amount of the bill Writes or prints the amount in the receipt-section 18 of the stub F and detaches the same from the body of the check, which stub is handed to the Waiter and is his receipt for the money turned in. Finally the waiter returns to the desk first visited and presents the control-strip E, re-

ceiving in turn the checkers stub F, that was first removed from the check. The controlstrip is kept by the checker, and the body of the check is retained by the cashier, and in proving accounts a control-strip should be found for each check bearing a corresponding total amount. If the control strip is not forthcoming and the waiter is questioned, the checkers stub which he received will indicate which of the checkers is responsible for the control strip or slip, and should a question arise as to whether or not the full amount of the bill was presented to the cashier the waiters receipt, if forthcoming, would decide the matter. It is evident that the controlstrip is a check on the checker, as the amounts in the column 0 of the body of the check must agree with the amounts in the column of the control-strip if everything is straight.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A check for use in hotels, restaurants and similar establishments, consisting of a sheet provided with a main column B adapted to contain the names of articles, and duplicate and adjoining columns 0 and D separated one from the other by a weakened longitudinal line, which columns G and D are adapted to contain amounts in duplicate, the said sheet being also provided below the column D with a checkers stub F in vertical alinement with the column D and defined by an outer margin of the sheet and by weakened lines, the sheet being further provided with panels 20 and 21 above the column D,the weakened line separating the columns 0 and D forming the inner side lines of the said panels, which panels 20 and 21 contain respectively a checknnmber and a waiters number, and duplicates of the panels 20 and 21 located above and below the column 0, all arranged for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL GELLER.

\Vitnesses:

BENJAMIN LEERBURGTS, ABRAM STYsE.

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