US1054198A - Control and pay system. - Google Patents

Description

J. J. GRAIN.

CONTROL AND PAY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.6,1909.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

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J. J. GRAIN.

CONTROL AND PAY SYSTEM.

APPLIUATION FILED oon, 1909.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

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J.J.GRAIN.

CONTROL AND PAY SYSTEM.

APPLIOATION FILED ooms, 1909.

Patented Feb. 25, 1913.

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i) ad? ATTORNEYS L D. N. 0 T a m n s A W m C H P A m W n. M B M U L 0 c UNTED STA'ES PAlEN T OFFICE JEAN J'. GRAIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONTROL AND PAY SYSTEM.

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN J. GRAIN, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and a resident of New York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Control and Pay Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates more particularly to means for controlling pay checks and the the like in hotels, restaurants and the like.

In the devices and systems ordinarily employed by the best hotels and restaurants to avoid loss due to the carelessness or dishonesty of waiters and other employees, the said systems or devices are either too complicated or impracticable, and when the same can be used they do not serve properly the purpose for which they are intended, and are also difficult to audit or control. The control of the individual checks is impossible under the ordinary system, and much time and labor is consumed in the ordinary means employed for checking as well as the cost incident to the employment of checkers. rlhe usual system requires some days in which to audit the accounts and receipts of the day where the business is large as the case with the large hotels, so that it is impossible to tell for some time just what is the condition of business.

The primary object ot' the invention is to overcome the objections referred to and to provide a system and devices to do away with the ordinary checkers and checking utensils, thus saving the expense resulting` from such methods, and to dispense with a part of the help usually employed in the auditing department; and to provide a system in which the waiter or waiters are absolutely controlled so that no loss by accident or otherwise can result from the carelessness or dishonesty on the part of the waiter without being detected, and at the same time controlling and auditing each transaction so that the condition of business within a very short time can be known and any discrepancies immediately ascertained.

Other objects of the invention are to improve the service, as the waiters do not have to wait to get the order checked by the checker, and the waiter is permitted to assist in putting the price on the checks, but which assistance of the waiter is absolutely under control; to provide means whereby the use of checks out of their rotation and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October G, 1909.

Patented Feb. 25,1913.

Serial No. 521,326.

the presenting of wrong checks to guests are prevented and also each check or book so controlled and the system so arranged that the waiter must return his check book each day after business, so that the objections arising from leaving them in the pocket over night is avoided, and to provide a system which is substantially self-auditing, as the auditing may be immediately transacted after the close of business by the same person who is intrusted with keeping score upon the system.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for the immediate review of the individual checks, portions or coupons which form a part of a check, and which are employed in connection with the sale of goods other than such as are found in the dining room, as for example, those known as appetizers, articles coming from the bar and cordials or cigars, and the easy contro] of the amount of these coupons used or not used.

A further object of the invention is to readily determine how many waiters have worked, the numbers of checks they have used, the individual amount of coupons employed for the purchase of goods in other departments than the dining room, and the easy detection of any error committed on the part of the employees through neglect or otherwise in the use of the coupons.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and will then be pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

ln the drawings, .Figure l is an elevation showing a book opened and containing one form of pay checks used by the waiter. Fig. Q is a plan view, looking from the top of the book. Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the duplicate checks. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the controllers sheet. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the sheet for final report of the controller of each days transaction. Fig. G is a detail View of one of the sheets of the cashiers day book, used in connection with the waiter-s cheek for controlling the same. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the cashier-s iinal statement of the transactions for the day; and Fig. 8 is a detail View of a guide for the sheets of the cashiers day book. lhile I do not show all of the sheets employed in carrying out my system, it will be understood that the number of sheets of each kind and size of the same may vary, and that the said sheets or members employed as a part of the system may have the printed matter thereon changed to suit the particular use to which the invention is put.

The Waiters check 10, Fig. 1, may be arranged in the form of a pad or otherwise, and may be held to the cover or backing 11 at the edges thereof, as at 12, and between every two original checks 10 is a duplicate check 18 on which are characters to indicate to which check the duplicate belongs, and said duplicate and original may form part of a single sheet or of separate sheets as desired. Each original check 10, the numbers of which may run yfrom one to one thousand or otherwise, has its body portions 14 provided with lines to divide the articles to be ordered and on opposite sides of the cover or backing are the cards or members 15 and 16, the former of which may represent the wine list with the prices thereon, and the card or member 16 the menu for dinner or breakfast with the prices thereon, and each of these members or cards 15 and 16 may have horizontal lines spaced/apart and corresponding to the position of the horizontal lines of the original check. These cards 15 and 16 may be detachably held under clips or corner pieces 17 so that the same may be readily removed, and the cover may be made of such form that it may be folded over as in a book.

Each check 10 has a part or column 18 for the number or portions ofthe articles ordered, a part 19 for the articles, a part 20 for the price of the articles ordered, and a duplicate part or stub 21 for the price of the articles ordered. The parts 18, 19 and 20 are substantially the same as the ordinary form of waiters check but instead of the usual checker putting down the price and the amount, it is intended that the waiter himself attend to this and the amount or total of the order is alsoi filled in in the part 20 by the waiter. rlhe waiter puts a carbon sheet between the original check 10 and the duplicate thereof, as for example the one shown in Fig. 3, so that all insertions on the original check 10 appear also on its duplicate. Instead of the checker the controller himself, when the goods are ordered, compares the articles with the check and the prices of the same as made by the Waiter, and these prices if proper are also inserted in the part 21 for dollars and cents so that duplicate prices appear on each check, and the amount of all the articles may be added by the controller himself or this operation may be left to the cashier. The parts 20 and 21 are divided by a line of perforations 22 and the body of the check is also perforated horizontally, as at 28, so that the check portion may be separated from the body portion and leave the part 21 as a stub which remains as a part of the book and which stub has the price of the articles and total amount thereon to serve as a controlling means for the check portion when removed.

The duplicate check 13 is perforated l lengthwise, as at 24, and horizontally, as at 25, corresponding to the perforated lines 22 and 28 so that the duplicate part or check portion may be removed from the check book and sent to the kitchen so that the order may be filled which is often complif cated and requires some time to lill. The proper checking and controlling of the order can be done while the order is being marked lines 27, and this stub is intended to be retained by the waiter, after the amount of the order has been paid, in order that the waiter may havev a record of the amount paid by him on each check. After the order lhas been filled and the amount of the order has been submitted to the guest, the waiter delivers the original check removed from the book or still in the book to the cashier to be removed by the cashier who. totals the amount of the'order on the controllers stub 21 and enters the amount which should cor respond with that 1added by the waiter. The cashier also, enters the amount on the waiters stub 26 and marks the same paid and delivers the same to be retained by the waiter. The book is then returned to the waiter for a further order and should a deduction have tol be made, as for example one item should not correspond with the order, then such deduction from the total amount is entered in the part 28. The stub 21 and the duplicate stub serve to control the check made out by the waiter, and the amount entered on the waiters stub serves as a controlling means for the cashier.

The body of the original Waiters check is provided with a plurality of` coupons 29,30, 31 and 32. The coupon 32, remains as a part of the stub 21 and similar checks or coupons form a part of the duplicate check. Each coupon has the number of the waiter and the number of the check, and the coupons to be used, that is 29, 30 and 31 have also a character to indicate the department for the item or goods to be purchased. The coupon 29 has the letter A for appetizer, such as cocktails; coupon 30, the letter B, for purchase at the bar, as for example champagne and other wines and liquors; and the coupon 31 has the letter C for cigars and cordials or other articles. If either of the coupons 29 to 3l are to be used, as for example coupons 29 and 30, the price of the order is placed upon the coupon, which will be also indicated on the duplicate coupon, and the spew cific order with its price is entered so as to form a part of the check, and this amount entered by the waiter is verilied on the stub 29 by the controller as the waiter leaves the department where the items are to be had. Any order such as should ordinarily go on the coupon 3l, instead of tearing oit the other two coupons, the controller may change the lettering on the coupon accordingly so that the outer coupon would answer for any one oi' the purposes for which the other coupons are used, and a similar change would be indicated on the duplicate coupon, thus avoiding the necessity for removing any more coupons than is necessary to supply the order given. By this means the controller determines whether or not the waiter has supplied the proper items, and also that the price given is correct, and the said entries may serve to control each other in such a way that any mistake would be quickly ascertained.

It is desirable that the controller have some record oi' the checks and coupons and for this purpose the controller has a sheet or check 33 which is divided horizontally, as at 33, to correspond with the numb'er of waiters and vertically into a plurality of parts 34 to correspond with the number of cheeks, the sheet being of any suitable size to adapt the same i'or use in connection with any desired number of checks and there being as many of these as desired. Each part 34 is sub-divided into a plurality of divisions, as for example, 35, 36, 37 and 38, the

iir'st row 35 for all of the waiters has the letter A means appetizers; the second the letter B representing coupons for the bar; the third the letter C for cigars or cordials, and the row 3S the letter F for food. As will be seen only two of the coupons have been used by the waiter and these are indicated under letters A and B, and one check for food has been used, the same would occur with any number of checks used, and the total should be added at the bottom. If any of the coupons are missing, the controller can enter on any space the letter m, or if any of the coupons are void can indicate the same by the letter fu, so that a complete record is obtained immediately the checks are used, void or missing. The controllers sheet 33 is intended as a record of the transactions for the entire day with the different waiters, and this record is summarized in the final report sheet or member 32, as shown inFig. 5. This sheet or member 39 is provided at one edge, as 40, v

food check, and under these letters are added all of the coupons and checks of all of the waiters. The member 39 is divided at 41 to give the total number of food checks used, those missing or those void, and the total is placed to one side as indicated, which, as before stated, represents the transaction of one check and its coupons for one waiter while the total for a number of waiters would be correspondingly larger. There is also a place, as at 42, tor any special remarks'with relation to any waiter or waiters, and a part 43 is provided for the coupons indicating those used, blank, missing or void, together' with any remarks, as in the space 44, relating to the same. These totals can be hadV very readilyirom the controllers sheet by adding the respective columns of each check under the letters A, B, C, and F, and this can be done in a comparatively short time so that the final report of the cont-roller can be made shortly after the closing of business, in order that the entire days transaction may be known. These members or sheets not only serve as controlling means in case any discrepancy arises, but the sheet 33 also serves to control all of the checks and the coupons of all of the waiters, and the coupons delivered by the waiters to the departments to remove the items therefrom, and in this way any error by oversight, or otherwise, will be quickly discovered.

lVhen the waiter has submitted the check to the guest and receives the money to pay the cashier, the cashier after the payment of the same and the removal of the waiters stub delivers it to the waiter and enters upon a sheet or member 45 the amount of the check. These cashier sheets or checks 45, Fig. 6, may correspond in number with each waiter and the number of these sheets may correspond to the number of checks the waiter is expected to use. These sheets 45 may be each provided with openings, as 46, so that they may be loosely held in substantially the same manner as in loose-sheet systems, and each sheet may be cut away at one side to provide a tab 47 on which may be placed a character indicating the number of the waiter. The sheets for each waiter have a similar tab and these tabs are so ar' ranged that they will follow in succession. As shown, the sheet or member 45 is arranged for thirty-five (35) checks of waiter No. l, and the amount of each check as the waiter submits the same to the cashier properly verified, is entered under the column 47 marked cash and in a line corresponding to the number of the check. In case of hotels some checks are not paid immediately, and in this case, a column 48 is provided for the name of the guest, the column 49 for the and` easily enter up the total amount taken in by'eachwaiter'during theday, and these amounts* must correspond to the stubs in the books which are returned to the controllerlsl otlice' eachI day and also with the checks-as-paid to the cashier, and the said sheetl ory member serves asameans to quickly=aseerta1n any misuse'of' the checks,

or using thesamefoutfof rotation, and serves also-to control in ameasure the controllers sheet, aswell asthe latter acting to control theslieet/or sheets ofthe cashier.

"lli'e sheets1ormembers45` maybe-arranged in' thef frin of-a bookl and to'avoid the lia,- bilityof aE mistake Jin entering; up the-'amount zonlthe sheetofrthe'wrong waiter, a guide 5 OJA 51E-is-I provided which has the numbers of. thef-waiters-onv the body thereof, and this guidef-haslapart 55 which is adapted to enten a recess or cut-awaypart 56- of the sheet* or" member and1 is adapted to cover up the tabs 477 off all of the sheets except of1-"thef-particularwaiter against whichv thef entriesiare tobemade. If'it' is lwaiter No. l thessaidguideft will cover all ofy the tabs offtlie waiterssheetsexcept waiter No. 1

for example and'these tabs will correspond to the: position of" the waitersnumbers on the-guide, so' that if one on the guide is covereditv will be seenlthat the entriesare y vrality ofi sheets held t-osaid cover and each to be madelopposite this number, though the guide may beusedin any other desired Way.

Milinal statement'vr is to be delivered bythe cashierY after eachj days `transactions to the controller, as the number of sheets 45 will vary according to the number of waiters andy the number of checks used each day. This sheet'- or member 57, Fig. 7, is divided intoa column-58 -with the numberof waiters which are likely to-be employed during the day, and*y acolumn 59 for the amount of'` cash receivedv by each waiter, and at the bottom ofthe column the total of cash received during the day.' Asecond column G() is .pro-

vided to represent the number of checks 'i l lpair, thesaidk check being arranged for the cashed, acolumn 6l! for the amount charged and; a column 62 for the number of checks c harged. This final sheet can be' quickly illedfout after the closeof business, so that the exact' amount of cash received and amount'charged to guests and the number of' checks-cashed or charged can be quickly determined. These totals should correspond witlil those ofthe controllers sheetA so that eaclitransactionof the diierent sheetsv is readily` apparent, and the controllers sheet servesto immediately determine if any mistakeI hasI been made on theV part of the cashier, and: eaclrserve to control the other, and they waiters as well as the food and other items from the several departments.

In the drawings, the transaction of one waiter-for one check only is shown but this will serve-to illust-rate the entire system for a number of waiters, and it is only necessary inaddition totake into account such checks as are void, missing or-blank.

From theforegoing it will be seen that a simple and etlicient system is provided for absolutely controlling the-waiters; that said `system and devices, forming a part thereof,

do away withy the usual checkers and the expensey and delay connected therewith; thatv eachl transaction is controlled and audited and that thenal report of thedays business may-be readilymade-within aV very short time afterthe close of business; that thevariousdevices serve to control each otherfso that any inaccuracy or error will be quicklyy ascertained; that asimple and effective check with coupons is provided; that a simpleJ andeiicient book of checks for the useY of1V the waiters is provided in which cards representing the wineor menu may beV readily heldt for the purposeofavoiding mistakesvon the part of the Waiter; and that` any mistake or erro-r on the part of the waiteror-off' any oftheother departments will' be quickly discoveredl as the severa-l departments bythe devices serve to control eachother.

Having t-hus described my invention, I claim as newv and desire to secure by Letters* Patent 1?; The combinationwith a cover, of a plusheet arranged in pairs, one of which is Vadapted to form a duplicate, each sheet and fits duplicate beingnumbered and provided -with a check portion for the entry of the varticles ordered'` and the amount of same, a

stubfportionv permanently held to the cover and adapted for an entry of the amount of Athe articles ordered to correspond with the `check portion, a plurality of coupons each numbered identically with the number of 'thelcheckportion and differently marked to represent ordersA from diiierent departments, and a` detachable stub for the waiter forming a part ofthe original sheet of each entry of any deductions from the amount lof check.

2. A pay check for waiters comprising al vsheet provided with duplicate columns for 'the entry oi"- thecost of articles, spaces for the articlesv ordered, and a column for the Aand stub bearing identical marks of identi- This specification signed and witnessed fcation, said sheet having its upper porthis 4th day of October A. D. 1909.

tion provided with spaced parallel lines of horizontal perforations forming detachable JEAN J' GRAIN' coupons for the entry of articles from diflVitnesses:

ferent departments than the detachable WV. A. TOWNER, Jr.,

check. M. DINNHAUPT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. C.

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