US2677555A - Coupon issuing and record book - Google Patents

Description

May 4, 1954 W. G. M MILLAN ET AL COUPON ISSUING AND RECORD BOOK Filed April 9, 1952 FIG. 2

MONEY ORDER RATES IIIm.

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. :V v 1 53 29 5 05 M Patented May 4, 1954 COUPON ISSUIN G AND REGORD BOOK William G. McMillan and Caryle L. Michel, St.

Louis, Mo., assignors to Merchants Service Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application April 9, 1952, serial No. 281,416

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to coupon or chec books and consists in novel record keeping means.

Heretofore, books of detachable coupons, checks, money orders, and the like have customarily incorporated a commonly called stub associated with each detachable instrument, or a series of pages dispersed at defined intervals throughout the book, or fly leaves at the ends of the book for recording data concerning the various instruments issued. None of such record means permit the user to open the book in the usual manner and, while issuing a check, to have simultaneously visible a complete record of all previously issued checks and the like for ready summing thereof, but, on the contrary, obligate the user to refer to the numerous stubs or leaves for information as to prior transactions. Furthermore, such means require a durable binding to the book to contain the stubs or leaves for orderly storage purposes.

It is the main object of this invention to provide a coupon or check book having associated therewith a sheet for receiving issuance data of all coupons or checks in the book and which is secured to the book so that when the book is closed the sheet forms a cover and its data surface faces downwardly. When the book is opened by reversing the sheet, the data surface faces upwardly with guide lines substantially parallel to the lines of the coupons or checks for permitting facile inspection and ready tallying of entries for all previous issuances.

It is another object to provide a single record or account sheet which is detachable from the book for storage in minimum space when the book has been exhausted.

It is a further object to provide, in connection with a single comprehensive record or account sheet, duplicate or companion record sheets for receiving in selected sequence portions of the entries made on the account sheet, whereby, if desired, the firms upon which the checks or the like are drawn, may collect periodically the partially filled companion sheets to keep currently advised as to the transactions under which they are obligated while the issuing party retains the remainder of the book with a single complete record sheet.

It is another object to provide a coupon or check book which is most convenient in use, simple in construction and economically made.

These and other detailed objects will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

' erably three Figure 1 is a perspective view showing in closed position a money order book constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the book in open position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the account pad in more detail.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating another form of account pad.

For illustrative purposes only, the invention herein is described primarily with reference to money order books. However, the applicability thereof to coupons, checks, and related instruments will become apparent.

Referring to Figure l, A represents a money order book comprising a money order pad I and a slightly shorter record or account pad 2 disposed in registration on three of its edges with pad I being in face-to-face relation therewith when book A is closed, wherein the book is compact and of easily handled size. As shown in Figure 2, pad I consists of elongated money orders 3, each of which is conventionally printed on one face with the customary blanks 4 formed by lines parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. Each money order 3 is separately connected at its outer end by a line of perforations 5 to a purchasers receipt or voucher 6. At the opposite or inner end, each money order 3 is detachable by a line of perforations i from a marginal or base section 8. A metal fastener 9 secures money orders 3 together in pad formation.

The record or account pad 2 comprises prefidentical elongated registering sheets [0, H, I2, each being detachable adjacent its normally inner end by a line of perforation [3 from a marginal or base section Hi, all

of which sections are secured together proximate their normally upper left hand ends as by a fastener 15. Each of sheets l0, Ii, I2 is provided on one face with rulings denoted l6, ll, perpendicular to each other with rulings ll parallel to the longitudinal axis of account sheets [0, ll, I2, to produce columns of box-like blank spaces l8 arranged in parallel transversely extending series and equal to the number of money orders 3 in book A, whereby each such series of spaces I8 may have entered therein one below the other explicit data of successive money orders issued, such as the date, the amount, the fee charged and the initials of the issuing clerk. Rulings ll cause spaces is in each series to be aligned'in columns, designated l9, which extend substantially throughout the length of the sheets H), H, l2 to permit facile summing of the amounts therein in appropriate footing spaces Pads l, 2 are secured together by a single fastener 20 through the marginal sections 8, I4 adjacent the lower left hand corner of the book. Fastener 20 is disposed in :angular or oblique relation to the longitudinal axis of pads l, 2 so that when book A is opened, as by turning pad 2 backwardly and outwardly into the position shown in Figure 2, the latter willswing upwardly away from the plane of pad I and then downwardly to a position with its longitudinal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis-of pad I.

By creasing pad 2 along a. relatively extended fold line 2|, substantially parallel to the length of fastener 29, account pad 2 will, when the book A is opened, naturall assume a position perpendicular to, but approximately co-planar with, pad I and columns is will be presented for ready summing of the various figures therein with a record of all. previous issue-noes fully visible. By means of the single point of attachment of pads I, 2 to each other at the normally lower corner of the book A, pads l, 2 will be in register when the back is closed and columns It will be axially parallel to blanks 4, and will be in normal relation when in opened position so that columns I9 will be normal to blanks 4.

As disclosed in Figure 3, there is interposed between the account sheets 20, H a sheet of carbon paper 22 whereby copies can be made of the entries on the sheet ID. Until account sheet H has been removed from pad 2, it will receive all copies of the entries, with sheet i2 remaining unused. Thus, with carbon paper 22, only one duplicate can be made of each record entry. If sheet I! is not detached prior to the exhaustion of money orders 3, sheet II will provide a comprehensive duplicate record. However, if sheet ii is removed prior to the exhaustion of money orders 3, sheet ll will perforce contain only a record of all transactions up to the time of its detachment, which will thereby cause sheet 12 to come into contact with the carbon paper 22 to receive copies or all subsequent entries. In this case, sheets H, i2 will coniunctively provide a complete duplicate record.

In use, the issuing agency, such as a retail establishment and the like, will retain sheet I with the original entries thereon as its permanent record while the drawee firm will preserve copy receipts H, l2 for its similar purposes. In order to be advised relatively currently as to the extent of the transactions made by the issuing'agency, the drawee firm may collect sheet II when the book A has been partially used and at a later date, when all the money orders 3 have been sold, collect sheet [2 as complementary record.

Upon issuance of the last money order 3, sheet [0 may be detached along the line of perforation [3 from book A which, at that juncture, consists of the connected, stub-like marginal sections t and :4, whereby the single, fiat, record sheet provided may be suitably filed or otherwise stored. 1

Another form of account pad 2' is shown in Figure 4 and comprises account sheets H-, l2, which are similar in all respects to sheets Iii, ii, i2, respectively, described above, and are joined together and to pad I in like manner. Interposed between sheets H, l2-is a sheet of carbon paper 23 for transmittal to the normally bottom sheet ii of copies of all entries made on sheets 10 or II. In using pad 2, the issuing agent will retain sheet 12 as its permanent record and the servicing or drawee firm will retain original entry sheets l0, II, for its record purposes. Since sheet II will remain unused while sheet 10' is attached to pad 2', it will only have entered thereon records of transactions oc curring subsequent to the removal of sheets 10. Thus, the use of two original entry sheets I0, I I, permits the servicing or drawee firm to have the original entries for its records and permits the latter to maintain reasonably current accounts without having to await the exhaustion of money orders 3.

Pads 2, 2' provide permanent records for both the issuing agency and the servicing or drawee firm, obviating the necessity of laborious transcription from one record to another, while most importantly allowing each to keep currently informed as to the extent of transactions. It is evident that the number of sheets in each of the account pads 2, 2' could be varied to suit the purposes of the particular type transaction in question so that by providing additional account sheets, the servicing or drawee firm could obtain records of transactions at relatively shorter intervals throughout the life of book A.

The present invention is adapted for booklets containing instruments of different character than money orders, such as coupons, checks, bills of exchange and the like. For example, with the typical bank check book the average individual depositor uses, a single sheet, such as sheet H), could be affixed to the pad of checks for outward folding in the manner described, to provide a convenient surface for receiving data concerning each withdrawal, which sheet could be retained by the depositor in minimum space for future reference.

The details of construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of those modifications coming within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

l. 'A multiple book-like assembly comprising a first pad of check-forming sheets and a second pad of record-forming sheets superimposed on the first pad, said pads having edges substantially in register, means adjacent one of the corners formed by said edges permanently assembling all of said sheets, the sheets of the first pad being perforated to form end marginal portions adjacent said corner and to form detachable checkforming sheets provided with a plurality of guide lines for aiding the user in writing names, dates and the amounts on the normally upper faces of the sheets, the sheets of the second pad hav-, ing guide lines on the normally lower faces of the sheets for aiding the user in writing records of the items written on said check-forming sheets, a duplicating sheet in the second pad intermediate the last two of the sheets, the outer sheets of the first and second pads providing covers for the assembly when it is closed, the sheets of the second pad being swingable upwardly and then downwardly from the plane of the sheets of the first pad about an oblique fold line adjacent to said securing means to reverse the direction of the sheet faces, whereby the guide line bearing faces of the upper check and record sheets are exposed simultaneously for inscription purposes.

2. A multiple book-like assembly comprising a first pad of elongated check-forming sheets and a second pad of elongated record-forming sheets superimposed-on the first pad, an elongated edge and a shorter edge of one pad being substantially 5 in register with corresponding edges of the other pad and disposable so that said elongated edges may be termed the bottom edge of the assembly and said shorter edges may be termed the left hand edge of the assembly, means adjacent the lower left hand corner of the assembly when so disposed permanently securing all of said sheets together, the sheets of the second pad being swingable upwardly and then downwardly about a fold line extending diagonally across said corner adjacent to said securing means to a position in which the faces of the sheets of the second pad, presented downwardly when the assembly is closed, are reversed and face upwardly when the assembly is opened, the sheets of the first pad having guide lines on their upper faces extending lengthwise of the sheets and the sheets of the second pad having guide lines on their lower faces extending crosswise of the sheets and the guide assembly is open to facilitate entries on the upwardly facing sheet of each pa-d.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 401,948 Harsha Apr. 23, 1889 1,336,804 Allen Apr. 13, 1920 1,459,702 Cott June 19, 1923 2,442,269 Gromer May 25, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 527,730 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1940

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