FORMULAIRES COMMERCIAUX A LIGNAGE TRANSVERSAL COLORE ET SE PRETANT A L'IMPRESSION MECANIQUE

MACHINE IMPRINTABLE BUSINESS FORM WITH TRANSVERSE COLORED BARS

Abrégé anglais

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A business form having a surface adapted to be imprinted with charact-
ers of a predetermined size by the printing means of a business machine. The
form has a plurality of adjacent parallel bars of at least three different
colors, one of which is lighter than the other two. The bars have a height
dimension at least equal to but less than twice the height of the characters
so as to accommodate a single line of characters. Lighter colored bars are
spaced apart from each other alternately by a single bar of one of the other
colors and any sequence of four adjoining bars includes bars of at least three
different colors.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A business form having a surface adapted to be imprinted with
characters of a predetermined size by the printing means of a business machine,
said form having a row of feed holes extending along at least one side margin
thereof and arranged to engage the feed means of said business machine so that
the business form is thereby advanced into and past a position in which said
surface can be engaged by said printing means, a plurality of continuous
parallel bars of at least three different and unlike colors, one of which is
lighter than the other two colors, said bars occupying a substantial part of
the area of said surface and extending conterminously longitudinally of said
form with individual ones of said bars extending transversely across said
form in a direction generally perpendicular to said row of feed holes for
the optional printing of characters across substantially all of the width of
said bars in random manner with regard to their transverse position on said
bars, said bars being uninterrupted by lines or other individual markings at
locations that would substantially interfere with such random transverse
positioning of characters, said bars having a height dimension of at least
equal to but less than twice the height of said characters so that only a
single line of characters can be printed on any bar, said bars being spaced
repetitively along said form in such manner that said lighter color bars are
spaced from each other alternately by a single bar of one of said other colors
and any sequence of four adjoining bars includes bars of at least three
different colors, whereby a line of characters printed on one bar will be
clearly distinguishable from lines of characters printed on adjoining bars on
said surface of said form.
2. The business form as defined in Claim 1, wherein said other two

colors are complementary colors.
3. The business form as defined in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said
other two colors are halftone in character formed by dots printed on said
surface.
4. A business form having a surface adapted to be imprinted with
characters of a predetermined size by the printing means of a business machine,
said form having a row of feed holes extending along at least one side margin
thereof and arranged to engage the feed means of said business machine so that
the business form is thereby advanced into and past a position in which said
surface can be engaged by said printing means, a plurality of continuous
parallel bars of at least two colors different and unlike each other and the
color of said surface and overlying portions but not all of said surface, so
that said surface also forms bars where it is not overlaid by said color bars,
said color bars and said surface bars extending conterminously longitudinally
of said form and individual bars extending transversely across said form
generally perpendicualr to said row of feed holes for the optional printing of
characters across substantially all of the width of said color and surface bars
in random manner with regard to their transverse position on said bars, said
bars being uninterrupted by lines or other divisional markings at locations
that would substantially interfere with such random transverse positioning of
characters, said bars having a height dimension at least equal to but less than
twice the height of said characters so that only a single line of characters
can be printed on any bar, said color and surface bars being spaced repetitively
along said form in such manner that said color bars are alternately disposed
on said surface and each said color bar adjoins a surface bar on either side
thereof, and any sequence of four adjoining bars includes at least one surface
bar and two different color bars, whereby a line of characters printed on one

bar will be clearly distinguishable from lines of characters printed on
adjoining bars on said surface of said form.
5. The business form as claimed in Claim 4, in which said color bars
are of complementary colors.
6. The business form as claimed in Claim 4, in which the color of
said surface is lighter than the colors of said color bars, and said color bars
are printed on said surface.
7. The business form as claimed in Claim 6, in which said color bars
are halftone in character.
8. The business form as claimed in Claims 4, 6 or 7, wherein said
surface bars are substantially white in color and said color bars are halftones
of green and reddish-yellow.
9. The business form as claimed in Claim 4, Claim 6 or Claim 7,
wherein said color bars have color designations of PANTONE(R)474 and PANTONE(R)
571.
10. A business form having characters of a predetermined size printed
on its surface by the printing means of a business machine, said form having a
row of feed holes extending along at least one side margin thereof and
arranged to engage the feed means of said business machine so that the business
form is thereby advanced into and past a position in which said surface can be
engaged by said printing means, plurality of continuous parallel bars of at
least three different and unlike colors, one of which is lighter than the other
two colors, said bars occupying a substantial part of the area of said surface
and extending conterminously longitudinally of said form and individual
11

ones of said bars extending transversely across said form generally
perpendicular to said row of feed holes, said characters having been printed
at randomly selected locations that extend across substantially all of the
width of said bars, said bars being uninterrupted by lines or other divisional
markings at locations that would substantially interfere with such random
positioning of characters, said bars having a height dimension at least equal
to but less than twice the height of said characters so that only a single line
of characters is printed on any bar, said bars being spaced repetitively along
said form in such manner that said lighter color bars are spaced from each
other alternately by a single bar of one of said colors and any sequence of
four adjoining bars includes bars of at least three different colors, whereby
a line of characters printed on one bar is clearly distinguishable from lines of
characters printed on adjoining bars on said surface of said form.
11. The business form as claimed in Claim 10, in which said
characters are printed on at least one bar of each of said colors.
12. The business form as claimed in Claim 10, wherein said three
different and unlike colors include a white color and two mutually different
colors of halftonal character formed by dots printed on said surface.
13. The business form as claimed in Claim 10, Claim 11 or Claim 12
wherein said two different colors are tones of green and reddish-yellow.
14. The business form as claimed in Claim 10, Claim 11 or Claim 12,
wherein said two different colors are selected from the group of color
designations consisting of PANTONE(R)474 and PANTONE(R)571.
15. A business form having a surface adapted to be imprinted with
12

characters of a predetermined size by the printing means of a business
machine; said form being substantially rectangular in shape and having upper,
lower and side margins; said form having a plurality of adjacent parallel bars
of at least three different and unlike colors, one of which colors is lighter
than the other colors, with individual ones of said bars extending contermin-
ously across said form in a direction generally perpendicular to the side
margins thereof for the optional printing of characters along substantially all
of the length of said bars in a random manner with regard to their lengthwise
position on said bars; said bars being uninterrupted by lines or other individ-
ual markings at locations that would substantially interfere with such random
lengthwise positioning of characters; said bars having a height dimension of at
least equal to but less than twice the height of said characters so that only a
single line of characters can be printed on any bar; said bars being spaced
repetitively along said form in such manner that said lighter color bars are
spaced from each other alternately by a single bar of one of said other colors
and any sequence of four adjoining bars includes bars of at least three differ-
ent colors, whereby a line of characters imprinted on one bar will be clearly
distinguishable from lines of characters printed on adjoining bars on said
surface of said form.
16. A business form as defined in claim 15, wherein the bars are of three
different and unlike colors, the two darkest of which are complementary
colors.
17. A business form as defined in claim 15 wherein a row of feed holes
extends along at least one side margin thereof and is arranged to engage the
feed means of said business machine so that the business form is thereby
advanced into and past a position in which said surface can be engaged by said
13

printing means.
18. A business form having a surface adapted to be imprinted with charac-
ters of a predetermined size by the printing means of a business machine; said
form being substantially rectangular in shape and having upper, lower and side
margins; said form having a plurality of adjacent parallel bars of at least two
colors different and unlike each other and the color of said surface and over-
lying portions but not all of said surface, so that said surface also forms
bars where it it not overlaid by said color bars; individual ones of said color
bars and said surface bars extending conterminously across said form in a
direction generally perpendicular to the side margins thereof for the optional
printing of characters along substantially all of the length of said color and
surface bars in a random manner with regard to their lengthwise position on
said bars; said bars being uninterrupted by lines or other individual markings
at locations that would substantially interfere with such random lengthwise
positioning of characters; said bars having a height dimension of at least
equal to but less than twice the height of said characters so that only a
single line of characters can be printed on any bar; said color and surface
bars being spaced repetitively along said form in such manner that said color
bars are alternately disposed on said surface and each said color bar adjoins a
surface bar on either side thereof, and any sequence of four adjoining bars
includes at least one surface bar and two different color bars, whereby a line
of characters printed on one bar will be clearly distinguishable from lines of
characters printed on adjoining bars on said surface of said form.
19. A business form as defined in claim 18, wherein said color bars are
of complementary colors.
14

20. A business form as defined in claim 18, wherein a row of feed holes
extends along at least one side margin thereof and is arranged to engage the
feed means of said business machine so that the business form is thereby
advanced into and past a position in which said surface can be engaged by said
printing means.
21. A business form as defined in claim 18, 19 or 20 wherein said surface
bars are substantially white in color.
22. A business form having characters of a predetermined size printed on
its surface by the printing means of a business machine; said form being sub-
stantially rectangular in shape and having upper, lower and side margins; said
form having a plurality of adjacent parallel bars of at least three different
and unlike colors, one of which colors is lighter than the other colors, indiv-
idual ones of said bars extending conterminously across said form in a direc-
tion generally perpendicular to the side margins thereof, said characters hav-
ing been printed at randomly selected locations that extend along substantially
all of the length of said bars; said bars being uninterrupted by lines or other
individual markings at locations that would substantially interfere with such
random lengthwise positioning of characters; said bars having a height dimen-
sion at least equal to but less than twice the height of said characters so
that only a single line of characters is printed on any bar; said bars being
spaced repetitively along said form in such manner that the lighter color bars
are spaced from each other alternately by a single bar of one of said other
colors and any sequence of four adjoining bars includes bars of at least three
different colors, whereby a line of characters printed on one bar is clearly
distinguishable from lines of characters printed on adjoining bars on said
surface of said form.

23. A business form as defined in claim 22, in which said characters are
printed on at least one bar of each of said colors.
24. A business form as defined in claim 22, wherein said bars are of
three different colors, which colors include a white color and two complement-
ary colors.
25. A business form as defined in claim 22, wherein the bars are of three
different colors, the two darkest of which are complementary colors.
26. A business form as defined in claim 22, wherein a row of feed holes
extends along at least one side margin thereof and is arranged to engage the
feed means of said business machine so that the business form is thereby
advanced into and past a position in which said surface can be engaged by said
printing means, and the bars are of three different colors, the two darkest of
which are complementary colors.
27. A business form having a surface adapted to be imprinted with charac-
ters of a predetermined size by the printing means of a business machine; said
form being substantially rectangular in shape and having a plurality of
adjacent parallel bars of at least three different and unlike colors, one of
which colors is lighter than the other colors, with individual ones of said
bars extending conterminously across said form generally perpendicularly to an
edge thereof for the optional printing of characters along substantially all
the length of said bars in a random manner with regard to their lengthwise
positioning on said bars; said bars being uninterrupted by lines or other
individual markings at locations that would substantially interfere with such
random lengthwise positioning of characters; said bars having a height dimen-
16

sion of at least equal to but less than twice the height of said characters so
that only a single line of characters can be printed on any bar; said bars
being spaced repetitively along said form in such manner that said lighter
color bars are spaced from each other alternately by a single bar of one of
said other colors and any sequence of four adjoining bars includes bars of at
least three different colors, whereby a line of characters printed on one bar
will be clearly distinguishable from lines of characters printed on adjoining
bars on said surface of said form.
28. A business form having a surface adapted to be imprinted with charac-
ters of a predetermined size by the printing means of a business machine; said
form being substantially rectangular in shape and having a plurality of adja-
cent parallel bars of at least two colors different and unlike each other and
the color of the surface, so that the surface also forms bars where it is not
overlaid by the color bars, with individual ones of said bars extending conter-
minously across said form generally perpendicularly to an edge thereof for the
optional printing of characters along substantially all the length of said
color and surface bars in a random manner with regard to their lengthwise posi-
tioning on said bars; said bars being uninterrupted by lines or other individ-
ual markings at locations that would substantially interfere with such random
lengthwise positioning of characters; said bars having a height dimension of at
least equal to but less than twice the height of said characters so that only a
single line of characters can be printed on any bars said color and surface
bars being spaced repetitively along said form in such manner that said color
bars are alternately disposed on the surface and each color bar adjoins a sur-
face bar on either side thereof, and any sequence of four adjoining bars
includes at least one surface bar and two different color bars, whereby a line
of characters imprinted on one bar will be clearly distinguishable from lines
of characters printed on adjoining bars on said surface of said form.
17

29. A business form as defined in claim 1, 4 or 10 wherein a measurement
of one inch along the direction of feed of said form into and past said print-
ing means includes at least eight bars, whereby at least eight characters per
inch may be printed on said form.
30. A business form as defined in claim 15, 18 or 22 wherein a measurement
of one inch taken in a direction perpendicular to the long axes of the bars
includes at least eight bars, whereby at least eight characters per inch may be
printed on said form.
18

Description

12~7~1~
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates generally to continuous business forms, and
more particularly to such a form as having differently colored reprinted penal-
lot bars thereon to avoid confusion between closely spaced lines of type as one
line is read across the form.
BACKGROUND OF TIE INVENTION
In printing continuous computer forms, a high-speed business machine
successively prints lines of type in several rows across the form as it moves
in the direction of the feed through the printer. Adequate spacing between
lo the lines of type must be maintained so that one line is not confused with an
adjacent one while reading the form. Obviously, fewer lines per inch requires
the use of more paper for the same information thereby resulting in increased
paper costs for the customer and an inefficient use of the computer paper. On
the other hand, if less spacing is maintained between the printed lines of
type, the reader must resort to the use of a straight edge or some other guide
in reading each line across the form lest he confuse one for the other. Further-
more, the reader may eventually suffer from the effects of astigmatism as his
vision becomes blurred while reading large numbers of printed lines of type
closely spaced together.
Forms have been provided in the past using parallel reprinted bars
of a single color of between one-sixth and one-half inch width equally spaced
to accommodate six lines of type per inch in the direction of feed. The bars
normally consisted of full value printed lines closely spaced horizontally
across the form, or of stippling. This arrangement did not, however, effect-
lively eliminate confusion in reading one line of type across the form, nor did
it err to avoid eye fatigue and astigmatism normally occurring when reading
large numbers of lines for long period of time.
-- 1 --

1217S~5~
SYRIA OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to improve upon the use
of continuous computer forms by allowing for easily readable and quickly disk
cernible printed lines of type spaced as closely as eight lines per inch on
the form in the direction of feed through the printer.
The invention in one broad aspect comprehends a business form having
a surface adapted to be imprinted with characters of a predetermined size by
the printing means of a business machine. The form is substantially rectangular
in shape. The form has a plurality of adjacent parallel bars of at least three
different colors, one of which is lighter than the other colors. Individual
ones of the bars extend conterminuously across the form generally perpendicularly
to one of its edges for the optional printing of characters across substantially
all of the length of the bars in random manner with regard to their lengthwise
positioning on the bars. The bars are uninterrupted by lines or other individual
markings at locations that would substantially interfere with such random
lengthwise positioning of characters. The bars have a height dimension of at
least equal to but less than twice the height of the characters so that only
a single line of characters can be printed on any bar. The bars are spaced
repetitively along the form in such manner that the lighter color bars are
spaced from each other alternately by a single bar of one of the other colors
and any sequence of four adjoining bars includes bars of at least three
different colors, whereby a line of characters printed on one bar will be
clearly distinguishable from lines of characters printed on adjoining bars on
the surface of the form.
The invention also contemplates a business form of the above nature
having characters of a predetermined size printed in lines at randomly selected
locations that extend across substantially all the width of the bars.

12~7~L9
Another aspect of the invention comprehends a business form having a
surface adapted to be imprinted with characters of a predetermined size by the
printing means of a business machine. The form is substantially rectangular in
shape. The form has a plurality of adjacent parallel bars of at least two
colors different and unlike each other and from the color of the surface and
the bars overlie portions but not all of the surface, so that the surface also
forms bars where it is not overlaid by the color bars. Individual ones of the
color bars and the surface bars extend conterminously across the form generally
perpendicularly to one of its edges for the optional printing of characters
across substantially all of the length of the color and surface bars in random
manner with regard to their lengthwise position on the bars. The bars are
uninterrupted by lines or other individual markings at locations that would
substantially interfere with such random lengthwise positioning of characters.
The bars have a height dimension at least equal to but less than twice the
height of the characters so that only a single line of characters can be print-
Ed on any bar. The color and surface bars are spaced repetitively along the
form in such manner that the color bars are alternately disposed on the surface
and each color bar adjoins a surface bar on either side thereof. Any sequence
of four adjoining bars includes at least one surface bar and two different
color bars, whereby a line of characters printed on one bar will be clearly
distinguishable from lines of characters printed on adjoining bars on the
surface of the form.
Preferably the other two different color bars are half tone in
character and are printed on the surface of the form. The two different color
bars are preferably half tones of green and reddish-yellow. The most preferred
business form is one wherein one of the different colors is a PONTOON 474
color designation and the other is a PONTOON 571 color designation with
the spacings there between, being surface bars of bright white color to
facilitate

SLY
a clear distinction of one bar from the other, and an easy eye-soothing reading
of a line of type across the form without confusion or without the need for a
guide marker.
A row of feed holes may extend along one of the side margins of the
form so that the form may be fed by a business machine. The bars will generally
but not essentially, occupy a substantial part of the area of the surface of
the form.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
-
Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein:
Figure ] is a plan view of part of one embodiment of a continuous
business form in accordance with the present invention; and
Figures 2 and 3 are views each similar to Figure 1 showing other
embodiments of the invention.
In the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and
corresponding parts throughout the views, part of a continuous business form
section 10 is shown in Figure 1 as having rows of aligned feed holes 11 provided
along opposite side margins thereof for feeding the form through a high-speed
printer in the direction of feed shown by the arrow 12. The form is of the
continuous type and the high-speed printer normally has a series of selectively
changeable printing devices, one for each character space in a line and arranged
in a row so as to simultaneously print complete lines of type 13 along form
lines 1 through 68 on each form section. Such a form section is defined by
transverse lines of weakening (not shown) extending transversely across the top
and bottom margins thereof, Columns such as 14 are printed on the form across
each line. In this example, a plurality of columns 14 of ten characters each
are printed on a form section such as 10 shown in the drawings. It should
.

~Z~7Sl~
be noted, however, that any number of characters may be used in the columns
without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, each section of
form 10 is provided with a plurality of reprinted parallel bars 15 and 16,
each of equal length and extending transversely across the form substantially
between feed holes 11 at opposite side margins thereof. One preselected color
is made for bars 15 which can be seen to alternate with bars 16 in Figure 1
for which another preselected color is made. Each of the bars lo and 16 is
formed by stippling or dots, using a half tone process of bright and clear
color inks having a tonal value as close as possible to a 20% lithographic
screen or an 85-line 17% letter set screen. Such half tone character is there-
fore lighter than the line of solid characters 13 printed thereon by the high-
speed printer.
Also, the color selected for bars 15 is a Pontoon 571 color design
nation and the color selected for bars 16 is a Pontoon 474 color designation.
The Pontoon (Registered Trademark) matching system is a well-recognized stand-
end of designating accurate color hues for all the colors in the visible
spectrum. The Pontoon 571 color and the Pontoon 474 color is therefore
believed to most accurately identify the green and reddish-yellow tones
selected for bars 15 and 16, respectively.
Each of the bars 15 and 16 is of a constant height substantially equal
to the pitch of the characters in the line of type printed across the form.
Also, each of the bars in figure 1 are spaced apart a distance equal to the
pitch of these characters printed across the form. The bars and spacings
there between are in alignment with successive ones of the lines of type printed
by the printing devices across the form as the form is moved in the direction
12 of feed through the printer.
- 5

lZ1~7519
as 15 and 16 are preappointed on a substrate defining form
section 10 which is of a bright white color. Each of the bars is therefore
separated by spacingsl7 ox such bright white color, and alternate bars
are reprinted using the two afore-described colors. These particular green
and reddish-yellow colors are used because they are complements on the color
wheel which aid the reader in following any one specific line of type across
the form without confusing it with another. This eliminates some of the
effects of astigmatism and confusion between lines of type when read across
the form. Also, the reader becomes easily acclimated to this color
combination since it recurs often in nature, thereby resulting in a reduction
of eye fatigue. The bright green color of dots or stippling produced by
the afore-described half tone process is therefore selected for form lines
"1", "5", "9" and so on, alternating with bars 16 at form lines "3", "7",
"11" and so on between the top and bottom margins of the form section.
As an alternative, bars 15 and 16 may be disposed directly adjacent
one another, green bars lo being paired with reddish-yellow bars 16 between
the top and bottom margins of the form section, and the pairs being spaced
from one another as shown partly in Figure 2. Bars lo are therefore selected
for form lines "1" and "4" and so on, alternating with bars 17 at form lines
"2" and "5", etc. Bars 15 and 17 are printed on the bright and clear white
substrate similarly as in the Figure 1 embodiment except that they are
arranged differently in the manner described above.
In another embodiment shown in Figure 3, bars 15 are provided in
spaced pairs separated from bars 16 also provided in spaced pairs alternately
with bar pairs 15~
Other arrangements of bars 15 and 16 are made possible within the
scope of the invention. For example, three bars of one color each having
--6--

I
spaces 17 there between may be followed by a single bar of the other color at a
spacing 17 therefrom. Moreover, other colors for bars 15 and 16 than those
specifically disclosed herein may be selected so long as they are such tonal
quality as to permit the reader to follow one line of type across the form
without confusing it with another, and without the effects of eye fatigue
during reading.
It has been found that useful combinations of colors may be identi-
fled by selecting complementary pairs of colors on the color wheel.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that a simple yet highly effective
technique is used in allowing as many as eight lines of type per inch to be
printed on the continuous form sections in the direction of feed through the
printer while at the same time substantially eliminating any confusion between
lines as the reader follows on intended line of type across the form. Hereto-
fore, only as many as 3 to 6 lines of type per inch were made possible because
of the need for adequately spacing the lines of type apart on all-white
substrate so as to avoid confusion between lines when reading across the form.
Despite the large number of lines of type per inch printed across each form
section with the present invention, the eye of the reader is able to easily and
quickly follow any intended line of type completely across the form without
confusing it with any other line of type and without ultimately suffering from
eye fatigue or astigmatism in the process of reading large numbers of lines at
one time. Selection of

~17519
green and rudely colors I the abutted type for the respective
bars 15 and 16 is to be preferred since it it these colors which have been
found to enhance the interpretability of the eight lines per inch spacing,
reduce eye fatigue of the reader and Kermit the use of a more useful
printout in the same space of the form as it is run through the high-speed
printer.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present
invention are made possible in the light of the above teachings. It is
therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims,
lo the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.