US409877A - George d - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. 1). SMITH. SERVICE, CASH, AND PASS CHECK.

No. 409,877. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

W ATTORNEYS.

III'VENTOH WITNESSES: %6% i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE 1). SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SERVICE, CASH, AND PASS CHECK,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.409,877, dated August 27, 1889. Application filed October 27, 1888. gerial No. 289,278. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. SMITH, of

the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Service, Cash, and Pass Check, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to cash-checks designed more particularly for use in restaurants, but adapted also for use in other branches of retail trade with satisfaction to proprietor and patron; and the object of the invention is to guard against mistakes favoring either the patron or proprietor, and prevent losses to the proprietor by delays or chances for fraud incident to the use of other systems of checks of this general character.

The invention consists in a cash-check which will be hereinafter claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 ofthe drawings are face views of three of the cash-checks having different colors and embodying the principles of my invention.

I will describe the invention with more special reference to the use of the checks in the restaurant business as follows:

On the face of the check, and preferably at or along each side edge of it, there is printed or produced in any approved way a series of numerals A, which commence preferably at 5, and range by successive additions of fives to 175, said numerals preferably ranging from 5 to 7 5 at one edge of the check and from 80 to 175 at its other edge, the numerals being disposed to read transversely of the check, as clearly shown in the drawings. Near each of these numerals or numbers, which I call cash-value numerals, a dot or mark a is placed to form an independent distinguishing-mark next each numeral, and preferably in front of it, as a guide to be punched out by a hand-punch to indicate the money value of the food served. These dots or marks facilitate the correct punching of the check, and to further promote this object I separate the first row of numerals from 5 to 75 at one edge of the check somewhat farther from each described and other than the opposite row of 80 to 175, there being fifteen numerals in one row and twenty in the other. This arrangement gives increased space between the contiguous marks a, which indicate charges from five to seventy-five cents, which is within the range of the check may be arranged closer together, as

shown, without materially obstructing the punching operation, as the check-puncher can .well afford to take more time to guide his punch'more carefully in punching out the more closely-spaced marks a at this side of ,the check, and which he will not so often be required to do.

By placing the row of higher cash-value numerals more closely together,

as described, a smaller check indicating a given maximum sum of money may be used to promote convenience of both patron and proprietor. I consider the arrangement of the cash-value numerals to read transversely of the check, as shown, is a most desirable feature, as it brings all these numerals in full view at once and allows them and their dots or marks to be spaced evenly apart at each side of the check to facilitate quick and correct punching of it. If desired, the left-hand row of numerals may be arranged with 80 at the top and 175 at the bottom, instead of the preferred reverse arrangement shown in the drawings.

On the face of the check, and preferably along its central portion, is produced, by printing or otherwise, special directions to the patron or buyer, which at once notify him or.hcr of the use to which the check is to be put and what they are required to do to secure service and pay for their meal or goods. These directions are important in the working out of the system involved in the use of the checks, and they consist, preferably, of the phrase To be served, you will require this check. Please return it to cashier and pay highest amount punched, but any other wording may be used which has a like import.

An important feature of my cash-check provided with cash-value numerals, as above described, consists in providing the check with a passport, indicating to the cashier how many persons are to be passed out on one check, that no one may pass the cashier without being accounted for on the check presented to him. This passport consists, preferably, of numerals 1, 2, 3, 4, 850., up to 8, or higher, if preferred, and with the prefix Pass in front of them, and as shown in the drawings in full lines at the tops of the three checks. It Will be understood, however, that the prefix Pass maybe dispensed with, and instead of the numerals 1, 2, 3, &c., the written words one, two, three, 650., may be employed as a passport, and these words may or may not have the prefix Pass in front of them. Fig. 2 of the drawings shows in dotted lines the check slightly lengthened at the top and with the passport Two produced thereon, while Fig. 3 in dotted lines at the top shows thepassport using both the written word and prefix, or Pass Three, in illustration of the many modifications of the passport, which may easily be made.

Another desirable feature of the cash-check consists in giving the checks having the same passport character a like color, which differs from the color of other checks adapted for passing out or'accrediting to the cashier a larger or smaller number of persons. For instance, all checks on which but one person my pass out will be yellow, as indicated in Figure 1 of the drawings; allchecks on which two persons may pass out will be blue, as indicated in Fig. 2, and all checks to pass three will be pink, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and so on for a series of checks having any desired passport capacity or value up to seven, eight, or more persons. By thus giving each series of passport-checks the same color readily distinguishable from the colors of every other series of passport-checks the cashier by associating the colors with the passport capacity of the checks will more easily identify them, and avoidance of errors and economy of time will thereby be promoted.

Another important feature of the cashchecks provided with series of cash-value numerals consists in numbering them in series and preferably by consecutively higher numerals, each series of checks to run from 1 to 500,000 or 1,000,000. I place these numbers preferably at the lower ends of the checks, as shown clearly in the drawings. The object of these serial numbers is to prevent fraudulent use of the checks, which is readily done by the cashier noticing the highest number on all checks of a certain passport value or capacity at any certain hour or interval of time, and if after such time a check is presented to him having a number lower than those about passing through his hands fraud.

is evident, and may immediately be traced in any manner to the culprit, be he either a waiter, clerk, or patron.

In using these cash-checks, one of them bearing a passport for one person, or the yellow check shown in Fig. l of the drawings, will be given to each person entering the restaurant, who will give the check to the waiter with his order, and as the waiter leaves the kitchen or store-room with the food ordered, a person whom I call a checker will with a punch, out from the check a dot or mark a. opposite the numeral A, indicating the total value of the food, and the waiter will deliver the check with the food to the patron. On receipt of every subsequent order from the same patron the waiter will take the previously punched check with him to the kitchen, and on bringing out the order the checker will punch out a higher cash-value numeral representing the value of the food, and the check will again be delivered to the patron with the food, and the patron may guard against overcharge or other error by comparing the check or the amount last punched on it with the bill of fare. The highest numeral punched will indicate the sum of money the patron will pay to the cashier on his way out of the restaurant, and the passport, together with the distinctive color of the check, is evidence to the cashier that but one person may pass out on this check. Should a party of two, three, or more persons enter the restaurant, a Pass 1 yellow check will be given each one, and if one person is to pay for all the waiter taking their order will also take all the checks to the kitchen, and the checker will retain all of them and substitute one check for all having a passport corresponding to the number of persons or the number of Pass 1 checks. For instance, if there be three persons in the party, a Pass 3 pink check will be given the waiter by the checker after it is punched to represent the cash value of the food fur nished all three persons. As this party of three persons'leave the restaurant, the cashier will by the check notice that three persons are to be passed out on it, and all confusion or embarrassment or chance of loss to the proprietor by exit of a dishonest patron without paying for his meal are obviated. When a patron or party orders more than one dollar and seventy-five cents will pay for, a check of substantially similar nature to the one herein shown and described, but having cash-value numerals ranging from 175 to 400 or more, will be substituted for the check punched out, as will be readily understood.

To briefly summarize the uses of my check, I would state that it constitutes a service, cash, and pass check, entitling the holder to be served, registering the value of single or cumulative orders, acting as a voucher to the receiving-cashier, enabling the holder to pass out unquestioned, and, finally, by reason of IIO its passportcharacters, as described, one check of the series is adapted to be exchanged for and used in place of a number of other checks of the series and to enable a corresponding number of persons to pass out.

The herein-described checks are not limited in their use to the promotion of safety and regularity in carrying on the restaurant business, but may be used to advantage in other branches of retail trade with satisfaction to both proprietor and patron, as they furnish a mutual safeguard against unpleasant misunderstandings liable to arise in ordinary course of trade and effectually defeat the intentions of dishonest persons.

It is manifestthat I am not limited to the use of the preferred style of cash-checks combining all the above-described features, as some of these may be omitted Withoutaffecting the utility of checks combining any two or more of them; hence I claim various combinations and sub-combinations of the novel features of the cash-check, as hereinafter set forth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A service, cash, and pass check having marginal rows of cash-value numerals inscription of the use of the checks, together adapting a check to secure service, to register the value of single or cumulative orders, and to act as voucher to receiving-cashier, the said checks being also provided with passportcharacters, as described, whereby one check of the series is adapted to be exchanged for and used in place of anumber of other checks of the series and to enable a corresponding number of persons to pass out, all substantially as set forth.

GEORGE D. SMITH.

Witnesses:

HENRY L. Goonwnv, O. SEDGWIQK.

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