GB1594771A

GB1594771A - Business form

Info

Publication number: GB1594771A
Application number: GB779578A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: IMPACT BUSINESS FORMS Ltd
Current assignee: IMPACT BUSINESS FORMS Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-08-05

Description

(54) AN IMPROVED BUSINESS FORM (71) We, IMPACT (BUSINESS FORMS) LIMITED, a British Company of 128 Regent Road, Leicester LE1 7PA do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention is for an improved business form.

The business form to which the present invention relates is one which is for use with a print-out terminal controlled by a computer, and is of web form in which a continuous sheet may be folded in concertina manner and fed to a printer. The continuous sheet may also be stored on a drum in roll form. Perforations are provided extending horizontally across the width of the web forming the continuous sheet, so that the form may be seaprated into separate sheets after passing through the print-out terminal. It will be appreciated that when the horizontal lines are printed on the form as it passes through the printer that the width of the form may be such that the eye does not readily co-relate information on the left-hand side of the form with that on the right-hand side of the form.

Expecially when the printer is printing out figures in tabulated form. Thus, it is desirable to have some form of horizontal lines across the width of the web in order that the eye may co-relate the lines and ensure that the figures on the left-hand side are in alignment with those on the right-hand side and thus dispense with the need for the reader of the form to have a ruler extending across the form to align the figures.

It is known, therefore, to provide forms for use with computer terminals with bands of coloured markings so as to give the impression of horizontal bands extending across the width of the form. Such bands hitherto have been of a height approximately 3.5 mm and the form has been folded to form sheets of approximately 280 mm in height. However, this results in a substantial waste of paper in many cases and it is thought that by modifying the width of the bands and providing bands of different opacity that a substantial saving of paper may result.

More particularly the invention provides a printed sheet for use with a print out terminal controlled by a computer consisting of at least two series of bands, extending across the width of the sheet all printed bands being printed from the same coloured ink, but with the bands of one series differing in visual appearance from the bands in another series, the bands in one series being separated from a band of a different series by a non-printed band. Desirably, all the printed and nonprinted bands are between 3.17 and 3.18 mm m height. The bands are provided on a sheet of approximately 216 mm in height. A substantial saving in paper over the number of bands on a conventional computer print-out sheet is thus achieved.

The sheet itself will be provided with apertures or other means at the marginal edges in order to progress the sheet through the print-out terminal, and perforations extending horizontally of the length of the sheet may be provided in order after printing of the sheet for it to be separated into separate individual pages or sheets as desired.

The bands are printed all of one colour.

However, each series of bands has a different visual appearance from another series of bands. For example, the bands of one series may be printed in the solid colour while the bands of another series are printed with a diagonal line equally spaced from each other, the line running from left to right as a sheet is normally viewed. Other means of indicating different visual appearance are possible as for example, a stipple effect caused by a half tone screen so as to give a different tonal appearance to the band but being printed as one printing from the same coloured ink as the solid band. One of the bands in a series may be printed as a solid colour over the other with a stipple or both bands may be printed with a stipple. At all times each band in a series is bounded on both sides by a white or non-printed band.All the bands will be between 3.17 and 3.18 mm in height, preferably 3.175 mm, that is both the printed bands and the non-printed bands.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood reference is now made to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a printed form according to the present invention Figure 2 is an enlarged portion of the form of Figure 1 and to the drawings accompanying the present specification in which: Figure 3 is a view similar to figure 2, but showing an alternative construction, and Figure 4 is a further view similar to figure 2 showing yet a further construction.

Referring firstly to figures 1 and 2 a printed form is indicated generally at 1 and consists of a plurality of sheets which may be separated by horizontal extended perforated lines 3 into a plurality of leaves 4. Each sheet is provided with marginal apertures 2 for engagement by pegs on the print-out terminal for driving the sheet through the printout.

Each front face of each sheet is printed from the same colour ink with a series of bands all 3.175 mm in height and in the illustrated embodiment two series of bands, one of darker opacity 5, are provided and a second series of bands of lighter opacity 6 are provided.

The difference in opacity being obtained by different density of stipple caused by using different sizes of half tone screens.

Both series of bands being interspersed by a series of bands 7 which are non-printed thus giving a white or clear appearance. The bands 7 are also of 3.175 mm in height, so that the distance between the perforated lines 3, thus forming the individual sheets 4 is 216 mm in height. By the present invention substantially the same number of bands are provided on a sheet of approximately 216 mm as are usually provided on a sheet 280 mm in height. The height of the sheets will be preferably 216 mm and will be between 215 and 217 mm. It will be appreciated that by using the same colour ink that only one printing or one pass of the sheet through a panting machine is necessary to produce the sheet.

Sheets in accordance with this invention are particularly suitable for use with a computer printer having a type face PM3 which is supplied by I.B.M. Ltd. Computer printers manufactured by other companies are also suitable.

Referring now to figures 3 and 4 the sheet 1 is provided with a coloured band 6 which is of solid stippled colour and with a band 5 which consists of diagonal stipple stripes 5a, of exactly the same colour as that forming the band 6. The bands 5 and 6 are separated by a non-printed band 7.

In an alternative embodiment illustrated in figure 4, the band 6 also consists of diagonal stripes 6a, which are of the same colour as the diagonal stripes 5a of the band 5, but in this event the band 6 stripes move from right to left as viewed, whilst the stripes in band 5 move from left to right. The stripes on band 6 may be solid in colour and not screen.

It will be appreciated that other designs or patterns of a solid nature may be provided, for example, a pattern of dots or squares of solid colour may be provided in the bands in order to give a different appearance between the bands 5 and 6. It is of the essence of the present invention that the bands 5 and 6 appear differently and are printed of the same colour, ensuring that only one pass through a printing machine is necessary to produce the desired different visual appearance effect.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A sheet for use with a print-out terminal controlled by a computer consisting of at least two series of printed bands extending across the width of the sheet, all the printed bands being printed of the same coloured ink, the bands of one series having a different visual effect to the bands of another series and each printed band in a series being separated from a printed band of a different series by a non-printed band all the printed and non-printed bands being between 3.17 and 3.18 mm. in height.

2. A sheet according to Claim 1 in which all the printed and non-printed bands have a height dimension of between 3.17 and 3.18 mm.

3. A sheet according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 having two series of printed bands, one series being of solid colour and the other of oblique lines.

4. A sheet according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 having two series of printed bands, both series of oblique lines, the angle of obliquity of one series being different from the angle of obliquity of the other series.

5. A sheet according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 in which at least one of the printed bands is stipple printed by using a half tone screen.

6. A sheet according to any of the preceding Claims in which the height of the bands is 3.175 mm.

7. A sheet according to any preceding claim in which the height of each individual sheet is between 215 and 217 mm.

8. A sheet according to Claim 6 in which the height of each sheet is 216 mm.

9. A sheet according to Claim 6 or 7 in which the sheets are perforated along their horizontal edges and folded into concertina manner.

10. A sheet according to Claim 1-7 when rolled up.

11. A sheet according to any preceding claim having a plurality of marginal apertures for engagement by means to progress the sheet through a print-out terminal.

12. A sheet for use with a print-out terminal controlled by a computer substantially

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. readily understood reference is now made to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a printed form according to the present invention Figure 2 is an enlarged portion of the form of Figure 1 and to the drawings accompanying the present specification in which: Figure 3 is a view similar to figure 2, but showing an alternative construction, and Figure 4 is a further view similar to figure 2 showing yet a further construction. Referring firstly to figures 1 and 2 a printed form is indicated generally at 1 and consists of a plurality of sheets which may be separated by horizontal extended perforated lines 3 into a plurality of leaves 4. Each sheet is provided with marginal apertures 2 for engagement by pegs on the print-out terminal for driving the sheet through the printout. Each front face of each sheet is printed from the same colour ink with a series of bands all 3.175 mm in height and in the illustrated embodiment two series of bands, one of darker opacity 5, are provided and a second series of bands of lighter opacity 6 are provided. The difference in opacity being obtained by different density of stipple caused by using different sizes of half tone screens. Both series of bands being interspersed by a series of bands 7 which are non-printed thus giving a white or clear appearance. The bands 7 are also of 3.175 mm in height, so that the distance between the perforated lines 3, thus forming the individual sheets 4 is 216 mm in height. By the present invention substantially the same number of bands are provided on a sheet of approximately 216 mm as are usually provided on a sheet 280 mm in height. The height of the sheets will be preferably 216 mm and will be between 215 and 217 mm. It will be appreciated that by using the same colour ink that only one printing or one pass of the sheet through a panting machine is necessary to produce the sheet. Sheets in accordance with this invention are particularly suitable for use with a computer printer having a type face PM3 which is supplied by I.B.M. Ltd. Computer printers manufactured by other companies are also suitable. Referring now to figures 3 and 4 the sheet 1 is provided with a coloured band 6 which is of solid stippled colour and with a band 5 which consists of diagonal stipple stripes 5a, of exactly the same colour as that forming the band 6. The bands 5 and 6 are separated by a non-printed band 7. In an alternative embodiment illustrated in figure 4, the band 6 also consists of diagonal stripes 6a, which are of the same colour as the diagonal stripes 5a of the band 5, but in this event the band 6 stripes move from right to left as viewed, whilst the stripes in band 5 move from left to right. The stripes on band 6 may be solid in colour and not screen. It will be appreciated that other designs or patterns of a solid nature may be provided, for example, a pattern of dots or squares of solid colour may be provided in the bands in order to give a different appearance between the bands 5 and 6. It is of the essence of the present invention that the bands 5 and 6 appear differently and are printed of the same colour, ensuring that only one pass through a printing machine is necessary to produce the desired different visual appearance effect. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A sheet for use with a print-out terminal controlled by a computer consisting of at least two series of printed bands extending across the width of the sheet, all the printed bands being printed of the same coloured ink, the bands of one series having a different visual effect to the bands of another series and each printed band in a series being separated from a printed band of a different series by a non-printed band all the printed and non-printed bands being between 3.17 and 3.18 mm. in height.

8. A sheet according to Claim 6 in which the height of each sheet is 216 mm.

10. A sheet according to Claim 1-7 when rolled up.

as described and illustrated herein with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

13. A sheet for use with a print-out terminal controlled by a computer substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

14. A sheet for use with a print-out terminal controlled by a computer substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

15. A sheet for use with a print-out terminal controlled by a computer substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.