US2980446A

US2980446A - Business form assembly

Info

Publication number: US2980446A
Application number: US646772A
Authority: US
Inventors: Moss Jack
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-03-18
Filing date: 1957-03-18
Publication date: 1961-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 1978-04-18

Description

April 18 1961 Moss 0,446

BUSINESS FORM ASSEMBLY Filed March 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z SIOOI S HPPER I I I2 l3 I4 $3, INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY April 18, 1 61 J. MOSS 2,980,446

BUSINESS FORM ASSEMBLY Filed March 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 SHIPPED x SHIPPE'Q FROM Vm smm esz xxxxx xxx X X INVENTOR. 1 7 /6 M055 J. MOSS BUSINESS FORM ASSEMBLY April 18, 1961 Filed March 18, 1957 PPED SmPPEra FROM Vm SHIPPER XXX XX X 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

(l 46K Moss flrraeNEy.

April 18 1961 MOSS 0,446

BUSINESS FORM ASSEMBLY Filed March 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I I I I I I I I I I I I JOHN DOE MFG. CO.

INVENTOR. JAC K M 055 ATTORNEY Unit d te P t ifi BUSINESS FORM ASSEMBLY 7 Jack Moss, 1516 Cory Drive, Dayton, Ohio Filed Mar. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 646,772

. 10 Claims. (Cl. 282-22) The present invention relates to businessforms and more particularly to multiple paper forms used in establishing business records. The invention further relates to a novel assembly of such multiple forms, aswell as to an improved method for such assembly.

The operation of retailing is a highly complex internal operation. The average large store is composed of a number of departments each of which is individually managed. Such a store may have as many as 150 separate departments each of which stocks thousands of different items. Each department is subject to individual accounting just as if it, were an individual store. This departmental accounting covers every phase of the departments merchandising cost and profit aspects.

' It is a fact not generally known that retail stores are probably the largest receivers in the United States of less than carload or truckload lots of freight, parcel post, and express. While total tonnage may be less than industrial or manufacturing plants of comparable size, the number of individual shipments received is much greater. The merchandise must always be available for prompt sale and the location of retail receiving department facilities in congested downtown locations limits the space needed to properly handle the thousands of inbound shipments of all sizes and description. Any delays which occur are costly to the store and to the transportation companies and have an important efiect on distribution. Because of the large number of shipments, the receiving system must carry proper and simple controls over loss and damage claims so that the nature of these may be determined, responsibility fixed, and claims properly and promptly filed.

In addition, the receiving department must authenticate as properly payable every invoice covering all merchandise and supplies which the store receives. This invoice then serves as the posting medium from which all departmental records are obtained, inventories calculated, and buying budgets adjusted.

A further factor which adds to the complexity of handling retail merchandise is the fact that practically every individual article of merchandise which the store sells must carry a so-called price tag. Actually the price on the tag is but one of the important items of information which the retail marking ticket carries. This ticket is the basis of the stores inventory and sales records, reorder information, and unit controls. The receiving department of the store is charged with the responsibility of preparing and attaching these marking tickets. 7

All of these conditions have created a need for a receiving system which will handle shipments very speedily but with proper departmental controls. These controls must cover not only the actual inbound distribution of the physical materials, but they, must also see that invoices and orders are properly cleared so discounts may be obtained and departmental purchase records kept accurate and up-to-date. Furthermore, the various merchandising divisions must be provided with proper records of the actual merchandise units moving through the store.

Another aspect of a retail system is the need for controls which prevent loss or stock shortage which requires that proper paperwork maintain contact with all goods at every point where they change hands.

As described in applicants prior Patent No. 2,757,940 patented August 7, 1956, of which this present invention is a modification and improvement, a highly eflicient business form assembly is provided which satisfies the requirements mentioned above, particularly in connection with the maintenance of receiving records for department stores and the like. Such a form is comprised of a staggered assembly of a plurality of multiple part sets which must be numbered, collated and properly assembled prior to use. t

In view of the fact that these business form assemblies are composed of a large number of separate elementsor sets, certain problems occur during assembly as well as in shipment, handling and. usev subsequent thereto. In accordance with the present invention, these problems are eliminated or minmized by the attachment of a sheet or film to the forms which have been arranged in their proper staggered relationship, and prior to or duringtheir assembly with the key record sheet utilized in the construction of the above-mentioned patent. In this way, the respective elements of the assembly are retained in their proper relationship during handling and assembly and binding with thekey recordsheet. The sheet or film is of such nature that it may be readily torn when it is desired to remove a form or a group of forms from the assembly. Perforations or weakened lines may be provided in the proper position to facilitate tearing. It is frequent ly desirable to provide for the attachment of invoices which relate to the shipments described'on the original form of each of the above-mentioned sets. This attachment may be facilitated by utilizing as the sheeet or film, a material having suitable adhesive properties, so that as each form or set of forms is removed from the assembly, a strip of such material will remain along one edge of the form and this adhesive material may be utilized for attachment of the corresponding invoice in a manner to be described further below. i

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a business form assembly in which the individual elements thereof are maintained in the proper relationship by means of an overlying or attached sheet'or-filtn of suitablematerial. V i

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method for the assembly of groups of business forms in a definite relationship.

It is a further object of the present'invention to provide a means for the assembly. of business forms which will provide adhesive or attaching means for invoices'or related documents.

Other objects will become apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawings described below.

In the drawings: V

Figure 1 is a plan-view showing a group of forms or form sets arranged in staggered relationship prior toassembly or bindingthereof;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of theprearranged forms of with a transparent sheet or film of plastic material over;- lying said forms in such a manner that they are held in their pre-arranged relationship; 7 I i Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the assembly of Fig. 2 bound at the edge to a key record sheet; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modified form of theinvention corresponding, in general, to Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention illustrating a difierent type of adhesive sheet;

Fig. 6 illustrates a single form which has been removed from the assembly after completion, illustrating the means of. attaching aninvoice thereto. Q Referring to the drawings, it will be seen thatFigi"? 1 illustrates a group of forms or formsets 25, inelujsive, arranged in staggered, superimposed relationship,

' readily.- adhesive, or

- :dis'arrange'd.

of each form or set of forms through carbon 1 struction. As shown,

- about to be torn as shown. 'These forms are sequentially numbered; for

a I example, thenumbers selected for the forms shown are 26- to 41, inclusive. However, anydesired system of identification of these forms any. desired, numueriof forms maybe utilized 1' assembled. The number illus trated is seIected b y'wayof example onlylj'l'he'se forms.

ar anged sothat thelhottom line of each exposed; Wi

" which will" be fully exposed. The topmost form filled and may then be tornofior fiippedjto one Jsideso that'the next form maybe utilized. Of course, the staggered arrangement maybe reversed if desired, the bottom formof-the' assembly eing'uppermost; '3 As shown in Fig.2, thepfearrangedfornisfofifigrl are maintained inv such a position ina' jig, clamp; or

Eithersuitahleretaining.meansQWhiIeQa sheet 42' is ap v k v an adhesive nature as shown at 45c. Whenform 10c is plied thereover inisuch amanner I that it engages the bot-- "tom line of the topmost .form. and. the exposed bottom 'of the forms positioned beneath it. In the drawth the exception of the first or topmost formorj set of,

New: a a

' farm, the adhesive i 1 o s will remain on the form for reasons dESOtlbfidbfilOW As shown, sheet 42b is provided'with a series of preperforations or weakened lines 70 to 74, inclusive, to facilitate tearing. When form or form set 1011; is ready to be torn from the assembly, the

. entire formmay be removed along tear line 70 carrying with it overlying strip 45b, which may be then stripped from the form leaving behind a' layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 75; The sameprocedure is followed in removing the remaining forms-of the assembly, in each case leaving behind a strip of pressure sensitiveadhesive exposed on the bottom margin ofthe respective-forms As shown in Fig; 6, where his desiredto attach an invoice ing, the bottom right-hand corner is shown turned upjfor P p .or ofjsheet'plasticv material, preferably thin enough tobe These sheets. may belappliedby-meansof if the sheet material is of a thermosensitive satire, heat maybe applied to itto'lcause 'it'to adhere to used for adhesion,- and in the case of plastic sheet or film,

suitable -adhesives maybe utilized to permit these mate rials to' adhere to the'formsa .Where'. the. material is of a thermosensitive nature, a'heated roll or platen may be rolled over the area of the 'sheet,causing it to adhere to the' forms beneath. It will beseen that the assembled bly ismade by adhering a folded 'over edge of the key' sheet, by means of adhesive applied to the-inner surface of this edge, against the edge area of the assembled forms,

taken with or withouta heavier backing sheet, If desired,

stitching .or staples may be used, but since the .forms are held together by't'he overlying sheet, this is not necessary" and represents one of the advantagesof this con- 7 the top form or setof forms 10 after completionlis about to. be tornfrom the overlying "sheet leaving strip afiixed toI thebottomiedge of jthetopmost form of. thissetQ 'Asillustrated, a portion of strip 44 is-lifted from-thebottom edge to showits 'sep,-

in Fig. 3, the.assembled'group'oiforms from of illustration... This: sheet may be ofpaper the'formsl In, the case of paper, ordinary glue. maybe or other document to eachof the forms of theassembly described above, or where multiple sets areusedwhere it is desirableto attach such invoice to the topmost or priginal form of each set, a strip o'f material: which remains after removal from the/overlying sheet may be of case of plastic materials, theses'tripsmayqbe of a thermosens'iti've nature jl-i'n case, ppon, the" application of the top edge of the invoicetdthebottom edge of'th'e' form, adhesion may be affected by applying a'heated iron orshoeorsimilar. memberpto the superimposed areas using the adhesive material'to soften anduniteit with the invoice. As examplesof therrnosensitive' sheet or film a materials which may be utilized in this'manner, may be mentioned the'polyvinyl chlorides, polyvinyl acetate films,

- cellulose acetatefilm and similarthermoplastic or thermosensitive adhesives. Pressure sensitive adhesives which 'may be utilized in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 5 may includepaper'or plasticsheet or film, coated onthe reverse side with such knownsp'ressuresensitive adhesives assolutions or dispersions of unvulcanized natural or synthetic rubbers, solutions of polybutenes (Vistanex), or suitable blendsor mixtures thereof as known to the .prior. art In such case, the overlying sheet'such as 4215 may be formed of or coated on its reverse side with a material less adherentlto the adhesive than the paper of the form. Such a material or coating maybe of polyethylene sheet or film .or a coating composition containingit; Other nonadherenticoatings. are waxes,

silicone solutions, and the like. The use of such materials permits'the adhesiveto be, in effect, stripped from the mate nature and, ifgdesired, it may-be;,c6mpletely re moved, provided the adhesive 45 willpermitrhowever strip generally remains attached toathe bottom edge. The same procedure is; followed during use in. detaching the other forms with the strip of paper or. plastic material remaining afiixed'to. thebottom edge of each-successive a form." a

' As' shown is Fig; 21f tastiest-as dramatist 'ot ch the overlying. sheet 42a is.

separating the remain in g forms or sets offorms from-the assembly; o A further modification of'the invention is 'illustratedin Fig. 5 which illustrates a partial assembly. of a group of. forms. similar to that described in thepreceding figures.

Overlying'sheet 42b is coatedon thereverse sidewith a j pressure sensitive adhesivefof such a. nature that when thesheet or. stripsthereofare removed from the under back of the sheet and remainon the form. AtV-the same 'time,- the sheetwill be sufiicientlyadherent to retain the iormsin their desired positions a I x: While preformed sheets of IhEI'IIlOSEBSltlVODSlIHllfiIIY adhesive materials may be utilized, equivalent layers or filmsmay beapplied to the superimposed staggered'forms byispraying, brushing, rolling orlotherwise. These may be applied from solutions or dispersions of thermoplastic resins, such as polyvinyl chloridesolutions or dispersions,

polyvinyl chloride plastisols and similar. known materials; While the drawings illustrate'the .use of continuoussheets or films overlyingthefforms;localized strips or similar areas which may bespacedfrom each other'ma'y be utilized in order tosave material, as'long .as these stripsoverlie the forms insuch a manner that they will be held together; For example, after. the forms have been assem bled in a properrelationship, a plate havingopenings corresponding to the. desired areas which will engage the superimposed forms may be applied over the assembled formsan acoating of a suitable thermoplastic material may be sprayed or otherwiseapplied to the forms through the openings. in the plate order.v to. obtain. the desired localized pattern. When the coating material or dispersion dries or jells, a thin film of adhesive material remains upon the assembled forms.

The inventor claims:

1. A business form assembly comprising a plurality of separate forms arranged in superimposed staggered relationship with the side edges thereof in substantial registration with each other with a marginal end edge area of each form being exposed thereby, and a flat sheet member positioned over said forms and bonded to the exposed end edge area of each form over a major portion of the width of said forms between the side edges of the assembly whereby the positional arrangement of said forms and said end edge areas between the side edges is maintained against longitudinal movement and separation of said forms and said edge areas from each other.

2. A business form assembly according to claim '1 wherein said sheet member is severable between adjacent forms to leave a segment thereof bonded to the corresponding marginal area.

3. A business form assembly according to claim 1 wherein the sheet member is adhered by means of a pressure sensitive adhesive whereby the bonded portions are removable from said forms.

4. A business form assembly according to claim 1 wherein the exposed outer surface of the sheet member comprises an aotivatable adhesive material.

5. A business form assembly according to claim 4 wherein the activatable adhesive material is of the heat sensitive type.

6. A business form assembly according to claim 4 wherein the activatable adhesive material is of the solvent activated type.

7. A business form assembly according to claim 4 wherein the activatable adhesive is of the water activated type.

8. A business form assembly according to claim 1 wherein said sheet member is formed with a relatively non-adhesive bottom surface having a pressure sensitive adhesive applied thereto whereby upon removal of said sheet or any segment thereof said adhesive remains preferentially adhered to the exposed surface of the form, said remaining adhesive being thereby receptive to a supplemental form to be applied thereto.

9. A business form assembly according to claim 1 wherein said superimposed forms are bound together along one side edge thereof.

10. A business form assembly according to claim 1 wherein each of said separate forms comprises a multiple part set with pressure responsive duplicating means interposed between each member of the set and a key record sheet underlying said assembled forms and separated therefrom by pressure responsive duplicating material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,973,796 Cottrell Sept. 18, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 607,428 Great Britain- Aug. 31, 1948 843,542 Germany July 10, -2