US3661407A - Record keeping system and method employing plural forms and co-operating reusable adhesive strip - Google Patents

Abstract

Two different, but related form sheets are provided for use in sequence by different departments. EAch form sheet has two separate pluralities of headings thereon, one for each department. Each form sheet has also one or more strip receiving spaces extending transversely across both pluralities of headings thereon. A plurality of strips of re-usable, adhesive backed writing material are provided, each strip being of a size to fit onto, and to extend the entire length of, one of said spaces. With one of the strips adhesively applied to its space on a first form sheet, data entries are made on the strip by the originating department in register with each of the headings of the first plurality thereof. The strip is then peeled off and forwarded to a follow-up department, where the strip is adhesively applied to one of the spaces provided on a second form sheet and entries are made on the strip by the follow-up department in register wit each of the headings of the second plurality thereof. The completed strip is then peeled off of the second form sheet and returned to the originating department, where it is adhesively reapplied to its previous space on the first form sheet for billing and filing as a permanent record of the complete procedure.

Description

United States Patent Warren [54] RECORD KEEPING SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING PLURAL FORMS AND CO-OPERATING REUSABLE ADHESIVE STRIP James R. Warren, Chula Vista, Calif. 73] Assignee: Rohr Corporation, Chula Vista, Calif. [22] Filed: June 1, 1970 [2 1] Appl. No.: 41,930

[72] Inventor:

[52] U.S. Cl. [58] Field of Search ..283/55, 283/66 ..B42d 15/00 ..283/66, 55, 48, 54, 6l;

282/23, 29 A, 29 B, 26, 27; 28l/2, 3

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,520,749 4/1968 France ..282/27 R 151 3,661,407 [451 May 9, 1972 Primary Bummer-Lawrence Charles Attorney-George E. Pearson 5 ABSTRACT Two different, but related form sheets are provided for use in sequence by different departments. EAch form sheet has two separate pluralities of headings thereon, one for each department. Each form sheet has also one or more strip receiving spaces extending transversely across both pluralities of headings thereon. A plurality of strips of re-usable, adhesive backed writing material are provided, each strip being of a size to fit onto, and to extend the entire length of, one of said spaces. With one of the strips adhesively applied to its space on a first form sheet, data entries are made on the strip by the originating department in register with each of the headings of the first plurality thereof. The strip is then peeled off and forwarded to 'a follow-up department, where the strip is adhesively applied to one of the spaces provided on a second form sheet and entries are made on the strip by the follow-up department in register wit each of the headings of the second plurality thereof. The completed strip is then peeled off of the second form sheet and returned to the originating department. where it is adhesively reapplied to its previous space on the first form sheet for billing and filing as a permanent record of the complete procedure.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures NUMBER PATENTEDMM 9 I972 SHEEI 1 [if 2 ATTORNEY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many branches of industry,.production type manufacturing orders require a relatively small, and therefore inexpensive, amount of paper work, while orders for spares and replacement parts require a relatively large and costly amount of such paper work. For example, in one large firm approximately 90 percent of the dollar revenue is attained from production orders, and only about percent from spares and replacements. However, the spares and replacement orders account for approximately 90 percent of the overall paper work pertaining to ordering, manufacturing, recording. and billing.

In one phase of this unbalanced situation eight forms were previously used in the processing and keeping track of a single type of spares order, and each set of these eight forms required 100 to 200 entries per day. Many of the entries on these forms included alarge number of repetitive items, such as part number, quantity, sales order number, priority, etc. These eight forms have now been replaced by two formsheets and a single strip of re-usable adhesive material which is trans ferable from a coordinating position on one form sheet. to a similar position on the other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary objective of the present invention to improve and simplify the keeping of records and thetransmitting of information between two or more interrelated departments or facilities which co-operate in sequence to produce an ultimate result or product. A further objective of the invention is to provide at least two different form sheets for use in sequence by different but coordinated departments, each form sheet having two pluralities of headings thereon, one for each department, and a re-usable adhesive strip for application to each-form sheet in register with headings thereon during the period of use of each form sheet by its respective department.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS .The foregoing objectives and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a first type of printed form sheet embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view showing a fragment of a single adhesive type of re-usable adhesive strip used in conjunction with the forms shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a second type of printed form sheet embodying the invention.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIG. 2, showing a multi-adhesive type of re-usable adhesive strip.

DETAILED DESCRIITION Referring to the drawings in detail, an illustrative embodiment of the invention comprises a first type of form sheet A, see FIG. 1, used by an originating department, a second type of form sheet 8, see FIG. 3, used by a followup department, and a plurality of strips C, see FIG. 2, of re-usable adhesive material which co-operates with either type of form sheet.

The term "department" as used'herein is intended to mean any type of entity, such as a person, company, group, facility, organization, or other, which works or. co-operates with another department in sequence to 'jproduce a result or product.

Extending across an upper portion of each form sheet A and B are two pluralities of printed headings 10a and 10b divided by a line 11. The headings on both forms A and B are similar, the headings 10a to the left of the line 11 pertaining to information items supplied by an originating department, while those 10b to the right of the line 11 pertain to information items supplied. by a follow-up department. Such headings will, of course, vary with the requirements of the departments employing the invention.

For the purposes of the present description it is assumed that the first form sheetA is used by the order taking and bookkeeping department of a manufacturing company, and

the second form sheet B is used by a manufacturingdepartment of the same company. For example, the left hand head-- ing of the plurality 10a thereof reads Part Number." Other headings of this same plurality 10a may be, for example, Quantity," Availability," Sales Order Number," Work Order Number, Priority, Previous Sales Order," etc. Theheadings 101710 the right of line 1 l pertaining to the follow-up department, may be, for example, "Container Type," Production Order," Special Order," Date Planning Available, Tooling Date," Tooling Charges, Completion Date, etc.

One-or more spaces areprovidedon each of the form sheets Aand-Bextending transversely-across beneath both pluralities of headings 10a and 10b for the adhesive application thereon of the. re-usable' adhesive strips C.

Each strip C, see FIG: 2, is of single adhesive type, and comprises a face .layer 12 of suitable writing material such as paper, a backing layer 13 of suitable, re-usable, adhesive material applied to the back of the face layer 12, and a layer 14 of protective material such as wax paper which is peeled off before use to expose the adhesive backing layer 13.

To be satisfactory for the present invention the re-usable adhesive material 13 should be of a type which will permit the strips C to be peeled off and re-used during their transitory phase without damaging either the strips or the form sheets to which they are applied, but which will retain the strips firmly attached to the original forms A when reapplied thereto for permanent storage. Since most re-usable adhesive coated material, for example, many types of masking tape, tend to become more firmly attached with the passage of a relatively short period of time, the development of a suitable adhesive material 13 is well within the capabilities of any manufacturer of such material.

The face layer 12 of each strip C preferably has imprinted on its exposed side a plurality of transverse, linear markings 15, which divide the strip C into spaces 17, one of which is aligned beneath each of the headings 10a and 10b when strip C is applied to either a form sheet A as shown in FIG. 1, or a fonn sheet B as shown in FIG. 3.

In the event that there is some doubt that the single adhesive tape strips C will remain securely attached to their respective first forms A for final storage when they are returned, completed, to an originating department for re-application to their respective forms A, a dual adhesive type strip D, see FIG. 4, may be employed. This modified form of strip D comprises a face layer 18 of suitable writing material, such as paper, with a backing layer 19 of permanent adhesive material. A peel-off strip 20 of suitable material, such as light sheet plastic material, is removably adhesively attached to the permanent adhesive backing layer 19 by a layer 21 of re-usable adhesive material, and is also coated on its other side with a layer 22 of re-usable adhesive material. I

A protective layer 23 of wax paper or other suitable material may be provided to protect the re-usable adhesive layer 22 prior to use. All of the layers except the protective layer 23 remain assembled, and the strip D is in effect a re-usable type adhesive strip, during the transitory phase of its use, but when the strip D is returned, completed, to an originating depart ment for permanent attachment to its first form A, the peel-off layer 20 with its re-usable adhesive coatings 21 and 22 is stripped away to expose the permanent adhesive 19.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION It is assumed that the first form sheets A are used by an originating or order taking and bookkeeping department of a manufacturing corporation for certain types of spares orders, and that the second form sheets B are used by a follow-up or manufacturing department which makes these spares. When an order is received from a customer for such spares, the originating department employs a first form sheet A with a strip C applied thereto as shown in FIG. 1, and fills in all pertinent portions of said fonn, including all pertinent spaces 17 of the strip in register with the headings a of the strip C, at the same time striking a line 24, see FIG. 1, through any nonpertinent spaces 17. The forms A preferably are printed on a good grade of record paper which will not be damaged by the peeling ofi of the strips C.

Preferably a photocopy is made of the first form sheet A with the thus partly completed strip C thereon for two reasons, 1, to identify its proper form sheet A when the strip C is returned completed by the follow-up department, and, 2, as a record in case the strip C should be lost or damaged.

The strip C is then peeled off of its first form A and is forwarded to the follow-up department involved. For such forwarding, the strips C may be applied by their temporary adhesive 13 to a smooth surface such as that provided by a sheet or plate of plastic material, not shown. Any desired number of such semi-completed strips C may be forwarded at once to a follow-up department, where a supply of second form sheets B, see FIG. 2, are on hand for use in further processing the various orders, each of which is represented by one of the semi-completed strips C.

The form sheets B for use by the follow-up department preferably are either printed on hard, smooth surfaced, durable material, such as sheet plastic or heavily plasticized paper, or are covered with or encased in transparent plastic material and the strips C applied to such plastic material. Then, when an order represented by one or more of the strips C is completed, such strip or strips are peeled off and the form sheet B can be used over and over again by applying new strips C thereto as future manufacturing orders, represented by such new strips, are received. Such re-use of the second forms B is possible since it is unnecessary for the follow-up department to make any entries on the second form sheet B itself, but only in the column spaces 17 on the strips C. When several strips C pertain to similar items, more than one thereof may be applied to a single form sheet B as shown at Ca, Cb and Cc in FIG. 3. It will be noted from the entries under the headings 10a that the strip C in FIG. 1 is the same one as that shown at Ca in FIG. 3.

As the various operations called for by the headings 10b are performed by the follow-up department, appropriate entries are made on each attached strip C in the corresponding spaces 17 under said headings, a line 24', see FIG. 3, being drawn through any non-pertinent spaces 17.

Upon completion by the follow-up department of the processing of the items called for by the headings 10b, and the entry on the tape strips of the appropriate data in each of the spaces 17 under the headings 10b, the completed tape strips C are stripped off of the second form sheet B and are returned to the originating department, preferably in the same manner as that in which they were forwarded to the follow-up department as explained previously herein.

When the completed strips C are received back by the originating department, said originating department adhesively reapplies each such completed strip to the linear space provided on its original form A, and completes such other portions of the fonn A outside of the strip C as may be required, such as items pertaining to billing, etc. The photocopy which was made of the first form A by the originating department before forwarding its partly completed strip C to the follow-up department may then be removed and destroyed. The completed first form A, with the completed strip C attached thereto is then filed away by the originating department as a permanent and complete record of the transaction with no need of extra forms, copying, etc.

It will be understood that if a multi-adhesive type tape strip D is used instead of the single adhesive type C, the steps described herein for the use of the tape strip C will be followed for the tape strip D with the exception that prior to the final re-application of the strip D to its form A after return of the completed strip by the follow-up department, the strip 20 with its adhesive coating 21 and 22 will first be peeled off to expose the permanent adhesive layer 19, which is then used for final attachment of the strip to its form A.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 now claim as new and useful and desire to secure by U. 8. Letters Patent is:

l. A cumulative record keeping system for recording a plurality of designated operations performed by each of at least two departments operating in sequence on a single item, said system comprising a first record form sheet for use by a first of such departments and having thereon a plurality of original entries and having also two groups of column headings imprinted thereon, one of such groups designating operations to be performed on such item by such first department, and the other of said groups designating operations to be perfonned on the same item by such second department, said first form sheet having a strip-attaching space thereon extending transversely across, and adjacent, the column headings thereon,

a strip of writing material with pressure sensitive, releasable, adhesive backing initially attached to the strip attaching space on such first form sheet for entering, under appropriate headings of the first group, operations performed on such item by such first department,

a second form sheet for use by such second department and having similar two groups of column headings imprinted thereon, said second form sheet having a plurality of strip attaching spaces thereon extending transversely across both groups of column headings thereon and aligned in column form relative to such column headings, whereby operations on such item designated by column headings of such first group are completed and entries made pertaining thereto on such strip opposite appropriate column headings of the first group, the strip is detached forwarded, together with the item to which it pertains, to such second department where such strip is attached to one of such spaces of the second form sheet, and operations on such item designated by column headings of the second group are completed and entries made pertaining thereto on such strip opposite appropriate column headings of the second group, and the strip is detached and returned to such first department, where it is reattached in the space provided on its first form sheet to comprise, with the original entries thereon, a complete record of the operations performed on such item by both such departments.

2. A record keeping system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reusable adhesive backed strip comprises a strip of writing material with a single backing layer of reusable adhesive material of a type which becomes more firmly attached after it has been adhesively attached to an object for a period of time of the order of a few weeks.

3. A record keeping system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reusable, adhesive backed strip comprises a strip of writing material, a first backing layer of permanent adhesive material, and a second backing layer of reusable adhesive material removably attached to the strip to underlie and cover the layer of permanent adhesive material for use of the strip as a reusable adhesive strip while the layer of reusable adhesive is in place, and for permanent attachment of the strip to one of the forms by means of the permanent adhesive upon removal of the layer of reusable adhesive material.

4. A record keeping system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first form sheets are of paper, and the second form sheets are of a material having an impermeable surface.

5. A record keeping system as defined in claim 1 wherein each adhesive backed strip has a plurality of transverse linear markings thereon, the markings being located to lie between adjacent headings on either of the form sheets when the strip is adhesively attached to the space provided therefor on such fonn sheet.

6. The method of recording the progress of an item through two successive departments acting in sequence on such item, with comprises,

adhesively attaching, by a first of two departments, a strip of reusable adhesive backed material to a first form sheet having a plurality of original entries thereon and having also two pluralities of headings thereon pertaining to such item with the strip extending transversely across both pluralities of such headings; marking, by the first of such departments, of pertinent processing data pertaining to such item on the strip in register with each heading of one plurality of such headings,

removing the strip by such first department and forwarding the strip together with such item to a follow-up department,

adhesive attaching, by such follow-up department, the strip of reusable adhesive backed material to a second form sheet having a similar two pluralities of headings thereon with the strip extending transversely across both pluralities of such headings with the data entered on the strip by the first of such departments in register with each of the headings of one plurality thereof,

marking by such follow-up department of pertinent processing data pertaining to such item on the strip in register with each of the other plurality of such headings, and

removing the strip and returning it to the first of such departments for reattachment of the strip to the first sheet with data entered on the strip by both of such departments in register with respective headings of both pluralities thereof, whereby such strip, together with the original entries and column headings on the first form provides a permanent record of the processing of such item through both such departments.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein each strip is one of several similar strips, each pertaining to similar items, and each originating as a single strip attached to a first such form, and the several strips are attached in column alignment relative to the headings on such second form, for simultaneous processing by such second department.

Claims (7)

1. A cumulative record keeping system for recording a plurality of designated operations performed by each of at least two departments operating in sequence on a single item, said system comprising a first record form sheet for use by a first of such departments and having thereon a plurality of original entries and having also two groups of column headings imprinted thereon, one of such groups designating operations to be performed on such item by such first department, and the other of said groups designating operations to be performed on the same item by such second department, said first form sheet having a stripattaching space thereon extending transversely across, and adjacent, the column headings thereon, a strip of writing material with pressure sensitive, releasable, adhesive backing initially attached to the strip attaching space on such first form sheet for entering, under appropriate headings of the first group, operations performed on such item by such first department, a second form sheet for use by such second department and having similar two groups of column headings imprinted thereon, said second form sheet having a plurality of strip attaching spaces thereon extending transversely across both groups of column headings therEon and aligned in column form relative to such column headings, whereby operations on such item designated by column headings of such first group are completed and entries made pertaining thereto on such strip opposite appropriate column headings of the first group, the strip is detached forwarded, together with the item to which it pertains, to such second department where such strip is attached to one of such spaces of the second form sheet, and operations on such item designated by column headings of the second group are completed and entries made pertaining thereto on such strip opposite appropriate column headings of the second group, and the strip is detached and returned to such first department, where it is reattached in the space provided on its first form sheet to comprise, with the original entries thereon, a complete record of the operations performed on such item by both such departments.

2. A record keeping system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reusable adhesive backed strip comprises a strip of writing material with a single backing layer of reusable adhesive material of a type which becomes more firmly attached after it has been adhesively attached to an object for a period of time of the order of a few weeks.

3. A record keeping system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reusable, adhesive backed strip comprises a strip of writing material, a first backing layer of permanent adhesive material, and a second backing layer of reusable adhesive material removably attached to the strip to underlie and cover the layer of permanent adhesive material for use of the strip as a reusable adhesive strip while the layer of reusable adhesive is in place, and for permanent attachment of the strip to one of the forms by means of the permanent adhesive upon removal of the layer of reusable adhesive material.

4. A record keeping system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first form sheets are of paper, and the second form sheets are of a material having an impermeable surface.

5. A record keeping system as defined in claim 1 wherein each adhesive backed strip has a plurality of transverse linear markings thereon, the markings being located to lie between adjacent headings on either of the form sheets when the strip is adhesively attached to the space provided therefor on such form sheet.

6. The method of recording the progress of an item through two successive departments acting in sequence on such item, with comprises, adhesively attaching, by a first of two departments, a strip of reusable adhesive backed material to a first form sheet having a plurality of original entries thereon and having also two pluralities of headings thereon pertaining to such item with the strip extending transversely across both pluralities of such headings; marking, by the first of such departments, of pertinent processing data pertaining to such item on the strip in register with each heading of one plurality of such headings, removing the strip by such first department and forwarding the strip together with such item to a follow-up department, adhesive attaching, by such follow-up department, the strip of reusable adhesive backed material to a second form sheet having a similar two pluralities of headings thereon with the strip extending transversely across both pluralities of such headings with the data entered on the strip by the first of such departments in register with each of the headings of one plurality thereof, marking by such follow-up department of pertinent processing data pertaining to such item on the strip in register with each of the other plurality of such headings, and removing the strip and returning it to the first of such departments for reattachment of the strip to the first sheet with data entered on the strip by both of such departments in register with respective headings of both pluralities thereof, whereby such strip, together with the original entries and column headings on the first form provides a permanent record of the processing of such item through both such departments.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein each strip is one of several similar strips, each pertaining to similar items, and each originating as a single strip attached to a first such form, and the several strips are attached in column alignment relative to the headings on such second form, for simultaneous processing by such second department.

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