Abstract: The invention is directed toward improvements in security substrates, such as paper, used for making security documents, such as bank notes, having anti-counterfeit able features and in particular to security substrates incorporating an elongate security element and methods of making the substrate. The invention comprises a security substrate for making security documents and the like comprising a fibrous base substrate and an elongate security element at least partially embedded therein. At one surface of the security substrate one portion of the security element is exposed to provide a continuous track along the length of the security element. A plurality of other portions along at least one edge of the security element are partially covered by overlapping regions of the fibrous substrate. The invention further comprises a method of manufacturing such a security substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to improvements in methods of making sheets for security documents having edge or corner reinforcing watermarks (13, 18) and a surface applied feature (15) and a method of making a sheet from a fibrous substrate, said sheet has corners and edges joined at said corners. The method comprises the step of forming the substrate by depositing fibres on a support surface and forming at least one reinforcing watermark (13, 18) at a predetermined position in the substrate. The reinforcing watermark (13, 18) increases the stiffness of the sheet in the watermarked region and is a positive watermark formed by varying the grammage of fibres of the substrate to form at least two adjacent bars (13a, 18a) of increased grammage relative to the mean grammage of fibres in adjacent areas of the substrate. At least one raised region (17) is formed by increasing the grammage of fibres, which joins the adjacent bars within the at least one reinforcing watermark to form a smooth planar surface.

Abstract: Paper incorporating a wide elongate impermeable element with regions at least partially exposed at one surface of the paper at two sets of windows at spaced locations has its windows formed by two sets of raised portions on the support surface of the papermaking machine. A first set of raised portions has a width transverse to the machine direction in which the paper travels during manufacture which is narrower than the width of the elongate element. A second set of raised portions has a width transverse to the machine direction which is at least equal to the width of the elongate element. During manufacture of the paper the elongate element is brought into contact with both sets of raised portions, with edges of the elongate element being supported by the second set of raised portions.