US3900219A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Document having a concealed marking and method of making same
Assignee: BNY Mellon NA
•
Filing: 1973-04-23
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Granted: 1975-08-19
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Expires: 1993-04-23
Abstract
Abstract The documents illustrated are lottery tickets, each having a number concealed by being printed on a base sheet having a twoply cover means including an intermediate sheet and a cover sheet. The intermediate sheet is opaque and extends over the area on the base sheet where the number is printed. The upper side of the intermediate opaque sheet is coated with a wax. The cover sheet is larger than the intermediate sheet and the under side of the cover sheet is coated with an adhesive material which forms a strong bond with the paper of the cover sheet and of the base sheet, and a relatively weak, releasable bond with the wax on the opaque sheet. One edge of the opaque sheet is engageable with the fingernail so that the opaque sheet may be lifted, thereby tearing the cover sheet along the edges of the opaque sheet and revealing the concealed number. The cover sheet is not weakened along lines registering with the edges of the opaque intermediate sheet. Nevertheless, the cover sheet is provided with short diagonal cuts diverging from those lines into the surrounding portions of the cover sheet. These cuts are effective to lead a tear along such a line intermittently into those surrounding portions so that tearing produces an irregular edge which it is practically impossible to restore to its original appearance. The margins of the cover sheet, where it adheres to the base sheet, are cut to define a multiplicity of small localities enclosed by cuts. If an attempt is made to peel the adhesive coated cover sheet away from the base, then some of these small localities stick to the base and become separated from the cover sheet. These small localities become slightly displaced from their original positions during that separation, making it practically impossible for the cover sheet to be removed and replaced without detection. Any attempt to restore the cover sheet to its original position will result in a misalignment between the cover sheet and some of the small enclosed localities which stuck to the base. The base sheet and the cover sheet have contrasting colors, so that any such misalignment appears in sharp contrast, revealing that an attempt has been made to read the concealed number. A method of making a multiplicity of such lottery tickets is disclosed.
Inventors
- 👤 Amato Salvatore F D
- 👤 John J Kimball
- 👤 Oliver Lednicer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 03:54
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/06; A63F3/065; A63F3/069; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S283/00; Y10S283/901; Y10S283/903
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. an opaque sheet smaller than the base sheet and overlying said area, said opaque sheet being separable from the base sheet; c. a cover sheet overlying said opaque sheet and larger than the opaque sheet so that portions of the cover sheet extend beyond the opaque sheet throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said cover sheet being adhesively attached to the opaque sheet and having said extending portions adhesively attached to the base sheet; d. said opaque sheet having one edge accessible so that it may be gripped to displace the opaque sheet and tear the overlying attached cover sheet along the edges of the opaque sheet to reveal the marking on the base sheet, so that the torn edges of the cover sheet provide a permanent indication that the opaque sheet has been displaced.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
171 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. an opaque sheet smaller than the base sheet and overlying said area, said opaque sheet being separable from the base sheet; c. a cover sheet overlying said opaque sheet and larger than the opaque sheet so that portions of the cover sheet extend beyond the opaque sheet throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said cover sheet being adhesively attached to the opaque sheet and having said extending portions adhesively attached to the base sheet; d. said opaque sheet having one edge accessible so that it may be gripped to displace the opaque sheet and tear the overlying attached cover sheet along the edges of the opaque sheet to reveal the marking on the base sheet, so that the torn edges of the cover sheet provide a permanent indication that the opaque sheet has been displaced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A document as in claim 1, in which said extending portions of the cover sheet completely surround the periphery of the opaque sheet, said cover sheet is cut in alignment with one edge of the opaque sheet to make said one edge accessible, and all said sheets are flexible, to allow access to said one edge of the opaque sheet by flexing the document.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A document as in claim 1, in which said opaque sheet includes separate regions overlying a plurality of areas on the base sheet, all of which separate regions are surrounded by said extending portions of the cover sheet, and said cover sheet is cut in alignment with one edge of each of said separate regions, so that each separate region has one edge accessible for gripping.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
87 words
A document as in claim 1, in which: a. said opaque sheet includes a portion overlying said one area of the base sheet and a tear strip abutting said overlying portion and extending therefrom to an edge of the base sheet; b. said cover sheet has a first portion covering the overlying portion of the opaque sheet, a second portion covering said tear strip, and extending portions adjacent the periphery of the overlying portion of the opaque sheet, where the overlying portion thereof abuts the tear strip.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A document as in claim 4, in which the tear strip and the second portion of the cover sheet extend beyond the edge of the base sheet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A document as in claim 5, in which the base sheet has a recess in an edge thereof, and said tear strip and said second overlying portion of the cover sheet extend into said recess.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A document as in claim 1, in which said cover sheet hAs a plurality of cuts therein, transverse to an edge of the opaque sheet and diverging therefrom into the extending portions of the cover sheet so that the displacement of the opaque sheet is accompanied by irregular tearing of the cover sheet between said cuts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
A document as in claim 1, in which said cover sheet has cut lines substantially enclosing a multiplicity of areas in the extending portions of the cover sheet, so that if an attempt is made to separate the cover sheet from the base sheet, some of the enclosed areas separate from the cover sheet and remain attached to the base sheet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
A document as in claim 1, in which said cover sheet is printed, at least in the region of one edge of the opaque sheet, with even color areas separated by fine contrasting lines.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
209 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. cover sheet means overlying at least a part of said base sheet including said printed area, and opaque at least in the region covering said printed area, said cover sheet means having portions extending beyond said printed area throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said extending portions being adhesively attached to the base sheet; c. said cover sheet means being tearable between the extending portions and the region covering said area, so that the region covering said area may be displaced to reveal the marking on the base sheet; d. said cover sheet means having a plurality of straight parallel cuts separated by uncut material, and diverging from the edge of said region at angles less than 90* and terminating at blind ends in said extending portions, so that the displacement of said region to reveal the marking is accompanied by irregular tearing of the cover sheet means between said cuts, said irregular tearing extending along substantially the entire length of the displaced edges and permanently indicating that the region has been displaced.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
209 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. cover sheet means overlying at least a part of said base sheet including said printed area, and opaque at least in the region covering said printed area, said cover sheet means having portions extending beyond said printed area throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said extending portions being adhesively attached to the base sheet; c. said cover sheet means being tearable between the extending portions and the region covering said area, so that the region covering said area may be displaced to reveal the marking on the base sheet; d. said cover sheet means having a plurality of straight parallel cuts separated by uncut material, and diverging from the edge of said region at angles less than 90* and terminating at blind ends in said extending portions, so that the displacement of said region to reveal the marking is accompanied by irregular tearing of the cover sheet means between said cuts, said irregular tearing extending along substantially the entire length of the displaced edges and permanently indicating that the region has been displaced.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
A document as in claim 10, in which the outer surface of the cover sheet means is printed with even color bands separated by fine contrasting lines, said bands and lines overlying the boundaries of said area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
201 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. cover sheet means overlying at least a part of said base sheet including said printed area, and opaque at least in the region covering said printed area, said cover sheet means having portions extending beyond said opaque region throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said extend-portions being adhesively attached to the base sheet; c. said cover sheet means being tearable between the extending portions and the region covering said area so that the region covering said area may be displaced to reveal the marking on the base sheet; d. said cover sheet means having cuts substantially enclosing a multiplicity of localities in the margins of the cover sheet means, said enclosed localities extending in a plurality of abutting rows, so that if an attempt is made to separate the cover sheet means from the base sheet, some of the substantially enclosed localities remain attached to the base sheet, and provide a permanent indication that the cover sheet means has been separated from the base sheet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
201 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. cover sheet means overlying at least a part of said base sheet including said printed area, and opaque at least in the region covering said printed area, said cover sheet means having portions extending beyond said opaque region throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said extend-portions being adhesively attached to the base sheet; c. said cover sheet means being tearable between the extending portions and the region covering said area so that the region covering said area may be displaced to reveal the marking on the base sheet; d. said cover sheet means having cuts substantially enclosing a multiplicity of localities in the margins of the cover sheet means, said enclosed localities extending in a plurality of abutting rows, so that if an attempt is made to separate the cover sheet means from the base sheet, some of the substantially enclosed localities remain attached to the base sheet, and provide a permanent indication that the cover sheet means has been separated from the base sheet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A document as in claim 12, in which said cut lines include two sets of parallel cuts intersecting to define a multiplicity of quadrilateral localities.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
A document as in claim 12, including a plurality of straight parallel cuts in the cover sheet means separated by uncut material and diverging from the edge of said region at angles less than 90* and terminating at blind ends so that parting of the cover sheet means is accompanied by tearing thereof between the cuts.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
228 words
A Document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. an opaque sheet smaller than the base sheet and overlying said area, said opaque sheet being separable from the base sheet and having two parallel edges; c. a cover sheet overlying said opaque sheet and larger than the opaque sheet so that portions of the cover sheet extend beyond the opaque sheet throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said cover sheet being adhesively attached to the opaque sheet and having said extending portions adhesively attached to the base sheet; d. said opaque sheet having a third edge accessible so that it may be gripped to displace the opaque sheet and tear the overlying attached cover sheet along the parallel edges of the opaque sheet to reveal the marking on the base sheet; e. said cover sheet having a plurality of straight parallel cuts separated by uncut material and extending from the parallel edges of said opaque sheet along the entire lengths thereof at angles less than 90* and terminating at blind ends, said tearing of the cover sheet producing irregular edges crossing the uncut material between the cuts, said irregular edges providing a permanent indication that the opaque sheet has been displaced.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
228 words
A Document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. an opaque sheet smaller than the base sheet and overlying said area, said opaque sheet being separable from the base sheet and having two parallel edges; c. a cover sheet overlying said opaque sheet and larger than the opaque sheet so that portions of the cover sheet extend beyond the opaque sheet throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said cover sheet being adhesively attached to the opaque sheet and having said extending portions adhesively attached to the base sheet; d. said opaque sheet having a third edge accessible so that it may be gripped to displace the opaque sheet and tear the overlying attached cover sheet along the parallel edges of the opaque sheet to reveal the marking on the base sheet; e. said cover sheet having a plurality of straight parallel cuts separated by uncut material and extending from the parallel edges of said opaque sheet along the entire lengths thereof at angles less than 90* and terminating at blind ends, said tearing of the cover sheet producing irregular edges crossing the uncut material between the cuts, said irregular edges providing a permanent indication that the opaque sheet has been displaced.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
239 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. an opaque sheet smaller than the base sheet and overlying said area, said opaque sheet being separable from the base sheet and having two opposite edges; and c. a cover sheet overlying said opaque sheet and larger than the opaque sheet so that portions of the cover sheet extend beyond the opaque sheet throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said cover sheet being adhesively attached to the opaque sheet and having said extending portions adhesively attached to the base sheet; d. said opaque sheet having a third edge accessible so that it may be gripped to displace the opaque sheet and tear the overlying attached cover sheet along the parallel edges of the opaque sheet to reveal the marking on the base sheet; e. said cover sheet having cuts substantially enclosing a multiplicity of localities in the extending portions of the cover sheet, said enclosed localities extending in a plurality of abutting rows, so that if the cover sheet is lifted by loosening the adhesive bond between the extending portions thereof and the base sheet, some of the substantially enclosed localities remain attached to the base sheet and provide a permanent indication that the cover sheet has been separated from the base sheet.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
239 words
A document having a concealed marking, comprising: a. a base sheet having a marking printed on one side thereof in at least one area spaced inwardly from all edges of the sheet; b. an opaque sheet smaller than the base sheet and overlying said area, said opaque sheet being separable from the base sheet and having two opposite edges; and c. a cover sheet overlying said opaque sheet and larger than the opaque sheet so that portions of the cover sheet extend beyond the opaque sheet throughout at least a major part of its periphery, said cover sheet being adhesively attached to the opaque sheet and having said extending portions adhesively attached to the base sheet; d. said opaque sheet having a third edge accessible so that it may be gripped to displace the opaque sheet and tear the overlying attached cover sheet along the parallel edges of the opaque sheet to reveal the marking on the base sheet; e. said cover sheet having cuts substantially enclosing a multiplicity of localities in the extending portions of the cover sheet, said enclosed localities extending in a plurality of abutting rows, so that if the cover sheet is lifted by loosening the adhesive bond between the extending portions thereof and the base sheet, some of the substantially enclosed localities remain attached to the base sheet and provide a permanent indication that the cover sheet has been separated from the base sheet.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
76 words
A document as in claim 16, in which said cover sheet has a plurality of straight parallel cuts separated by uncut material and intersecting the parallel edges of said opaque sheet along the entire lengths thereof at angles less than 90* and terminating at blind ends, said tearing of the cover sheet producing irregular edges crossing the uncut material between the cuts, said irregular edges providing a permanent indication that the opaque sheet has been displaced.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-18 | 1979-02-17 | 1979-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-18 | 1983-02-17 | 1983-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-18 | 1987-02-17 | 1987-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |