US2912259A - Identifying device for documents - Google Patents

Description

- Nov. 10, 1959 E. YHOUNG x IDENTIFYING DEVICE FOR DOCUMENTS} FiledFeb. 21. 1958 PAY To BANK NATIONAL Afr'roRNEY Unimd 168 new and useful identifying bearing the signature of the This invention relates to a device for use on documents person issuing or passing said document.

More specifically, the device is intended for use on checks, stock certificates, wills, deeds, and other documents where the authenticity of the person signing the respective document may be questioned. The device may prove particularly useful as a safeguard against fraud in cases Where a person pretending to be the payee of a respective check will present the check in a store or some other establishment either to obtain cash or mechandise.

It is the object of this invention to eliminate such practices by providing a small folder which may be quickly and readily applied to a document or a negotiable paper such as a check, and on which the person, upon signing the document, will be required to leave the imprint of a finger.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which will be adapted for immediate application, which will not add to the bulk of the document, and which will be economical in cost and yet fully practical and efiective.

I shall now describe my device with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my ing applied to a document;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device in which a part of one of its leaflets is torn off,

Fig. 3 is a plan elevational view of a check, the view including my identifying device, one leaf of which is attached to the underside of the check;

Fig. 4 is a plan elevational view of a portion of a'check and the identifying device attached thereto, the view disclosing a leaf afiixe'd to the upper surface of the check, this being the leaf adapted to receive a fingerprint;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal edge view of the check and the identifying device connected thereto;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified species of said identifying device.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The identifying device includes, as a principal element thereof, a two-leaf folder made of a rectangular piece of paper. T o be made into a folder, the paper is folded upon itself midway its length to form two leaves 10 and 11, which leaves are of the same size.

For the purpose of describing the leaves and the respective faces thereof, it will be assumed that the identifying device is lying on one face so that the free ends of the two leaves are at left and the line of fold is on the right. While the device is in this position, I shall first refer to leaf 10, the upper surface of which is marked 12. The surface is coated with an adhesive substance, preferably with a water-soluble adhesive substance such as a natural vegetable gum, of which gum arabic may be an example. The surface of the leaf 11 on the side facing said leaf 10 is also coated with a similar adhesive substance, while the outer face 14 of the leaf 11 is device prior to becally,

2,912,259 Patented Nov. 10, 1959 ice to fit over the whole upper surface of the leaf 11. The

cover includes an integrally-formed strip 16 which is glued to the underside of said leaf 10.

One side of the cover, namely, side 17 facing the tacky surface of the leaf 11, is waxed in order that the cover, after having been applied over the tacky surface 14, may be peeled off easily without roughing or damaging said surface.

To facilitate lifting of the cover from said leaf 11, the cover may include a tab or tongue 17a extending outwardly from the outer end of said cover. This species of the cover is shown in Fig. 4.

A modified species of my identifying device is shown in Fig. 6. This species is also made of one oblong piece of paper folded along two parallel lines to form a bot tom leaf, a top leaf, and an intermediate leaf, the leaves being attached in an end to end relation. More specifithe device includes a bottom leaf 2% which on its upper surface is covered With an adhesive substance for attachment to the undersurface of a check, a leaf 21 which is covered on the underside with an adhesive substance for attachment to the upper surface of the check,- and a top leaf 23 which serves as a cover analogous to cover 15. The top or outer surface of the cover 23 is free of any adhesive substance. The underside 24 of the cover is covered with a relatively hard wax coating, while the upper face of the leaf 21 is provided with the same coating as that on face 14 of the leaf 11. It isthis leaf 21 which is adapted to receive the imprint of a finger.

The manner in which the above-described devices are to be used is as follows:

Prior to being used, the folder, with its cover, may be handled in its closed position with the two leaves 10 and 11 adhering to each other and the cover adhering to the top surface 14 of the leaf 11.

Assuming that a check is to be signed and a record of the finger-print is to be taken for identification, the leaves 1% and 11 are first spread apart. Next, the top surface of the leaf 10 is afiixed to-the underside of the check at one end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. If the adhesive substance on face 12 is soluble in water, it may be moistened in order that the surface may stick to the check. Next, the leaf 11 is turned over the check and pressed manually against the upper face of the check to cause said leaf 11 to adhere to the face of the check. Naturally, if the surface 13 of the leaf 11 is coated with a water-soluble adhesive substance, the substance would be first moistened.

Once the leaf 11 is in person issuing or endorsing the check will be required to press the front end of a finger, on the side remote from the fingernail, against the tacky surface 14 in order to leave the print of the whorls upon said finger on said surface 14. Thereupon, the cover is folded over the leaf 11 and lightly pressed against said surface 14 till it sticks thereto.

If desirable, place a signature mat the person issuing said check may also least the initial letters thereof on the outer surface of the cover, as shown in Fig. 1.

The procedure with respect to the species shown in Fig. 6 is identical, with the exceptionthat the cover 23 is an integral part of the leaf 21 which is to bear the imprint. 1

While in the two species of the invention described herein the surface adapted to receive the imprint of a finger is coated with a substance which, like the surface of the Scotch tape is somewhat sticky, it will be understood that at least the central portion of said surface may be left clear of such a substance to make it suitable place as shown in Fig. 4, the

for reception of ink prints in the manner in which such prints are usually made for record. By this I mean that a separate ink pad may be used for the purpose of inking that area of the finger which is to be pressed against the surface on which the print is to be made.

Thus, the surface 14 in Fig. 4 may be left entirely free of said sticky surface, or it may be provided with but a marginal area covered with such substance in order that the cover may adhere thereto. The same pertains to the upper surface of leaf 21 in Fig. 6.

In conclusion, I Wish to add that for the purpose of identifying the establishment in which the print Was taken, the folder or the cover of the device may carry the name and address of said establishment.

After having described my identifying device, What I which to claim is as follows:

1. A device to identify a person signing or passing a document, the device comprising a paper folder including a leaf adapted to be secured by adhesive means to the undersurface of the document, a leaf adapted to be afixed by adhesive means to the upper surface of the 4,} document and having a top face covered with an oleoresinous substance and providing an area for reception of a fingerprint, and a sheet cover integrally connected to the last-named leaf and adapted to lie flat thereon, said cover having a WZIX coating on the side adapted to face the print receiving area, While the opposite face thereof offers a space for continuation of a signature appearing in part on the document itself.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the leaf affixed to the upper surface of the document is coated on its upper face With a Water repellant substance of 10W adhesive character for reception of a fingerprint thereon.

References @Iited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 891,505 Smith June 23, 1908 1,374,208 Jones Apr. 12, 1921 1,560,047 Edwards Nov. 3, 1925 2,198,802 Brady Apr. 30, 1940 2,500,612 Krogh Mar. 14, 1950 2,736,114 Krueger Feb. 28, 1956

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