Pattern Types and Their

Interpretation
The proper interpretation of fingerprint patterns is very important in order to
classify fingerprints and assign the correct coding for computer input.

The Henry System of Classification refers to a formula applied to a set of ten

fingerprints for the purpose of personal identification.

I. LOOP (65%)
a. Radial Loop
b. Ulnar Loop

II. ARCH (5%)

a. Plain Arch
b. Tented Arch
1. Angular Type
2. Upthrust
3. Loop type

III. WHORL (30%)

a. Plain Whorl
b. Central Pocket Loop whorl
c. Double Loop Whorl
 d. Accidental Whorl

In order to interpret the different patterns, it is necessary to learn the definition

of each one.

The Loop

A loop is that type of fingerprint pattern in which one or more of the ridges enter
on either side of the impression, recurve, touch or pass an imaginary line drawn
from the delta to the core, and terminate or tend to terminate on or toward the
same side of the impression from where it entered.

The definition of a loop can be summarized in the list of essentials below:

A. A sufficient recurve
B. A delta
C. A ridge count across a looping ridge (This is determined when the imaginary
line from delta to core crosses at least one recurve)

The recurve must pass in front of the delta in a loop pattern. Once the recurve
without an appendage is found the core is chosen.

In order to evaluate a loop or any other pattern in classification, the center of the
fingerprint is the starting point. The characteristics in this area will help to
determine what the pattern is. Descriptions of the characteristics within a loop
are explained below.

INNERMOST SUFFICIENT RECURVE is the centermost recurve that is free of

appendages touching on the outside of the recurve at a right angle.

LOOPING RIDGE is a ridge that enters a fingerprint, curves and exits on the same
side from which it entered. The looping ridge in a loop is referred to as a recurve.
FOCAL POINTS are delta and core appearing in the pattern area.

TYPE LINES are the two innermost ridges which start parallel, diverge, surround or
tend to surround the pattern area. “Tend to surround” means that a line or lines
appear to surround but do not completely enclose the patter area. The direction
of the lines must clearly indicate this.

Type lines are not always two continuous ridges and are often broken. When
there is a definite break in a type line, the ridge directly below it is considered it
continuation.

Type lines may be very short (Figure 19)

An angular formation may never be used as a type line. In figure 16A the ridges
marked C and D are type lines.

The two forks of a bifurcation may never be used as type lines. The exception is
when the forks run parallel after bifurcating and then diverge. In this case the two
forks become the two innermost as required in the definition and are the type
lines as in Figure 20.
Again, in Figure 17 the difference between and divergence and bifurcation is
shown.

The Delta is that point on a ridge nearest the center of the divergence of the type
lines. A delta may be: a bifurcation, an abrupt ending ridge, a short ridge, a
meeting of two ridges or a point on the first recurving ridge. The delta should
never be placed in an empty space but on a ridge as the definition indicates.
When there is no ridge between the type lines, the delta is placed on the first
recurving ridge.

DELTA RULES

The Delta may not be located at a bifurcation that does not open toward the core.

When there is a choice between a bifurcation and another type of delta, equally
close to the point of divergence, the bifurcation is selected. Notice in Figure 21,
the dot A and the bifurcation are equally close to the divergence of the type lines,
but the bifurcation is selected as the delta.
When there is a series of bifurcations opening toward the core at the point of
divergence of the two type lines, the bifurcation nearest the core is chosen.
Figure 24.

The delta may not be located in the middle of a ridge running between the type
lines toward the core, but at the nearer end only. If the ridge is entirely within the
pattern area, the delta is located at the end nearest the point of divergence of the
type lines. If the ridge enters the pattern area from a point below the divergence
of the type lines the delta is located at the end nearest the core. (Figures 22 and
23)
Core is placed on or in the innermost recurve. Innermost refers to the recurve
that is closest of the center area of the pattern. The lines within the sufficient
recurve are called “rods” and are used for core placement. The ridge used for the
core is not always in a straight line. The lines within the innermost recurve may be
curved.

When the innermost sufficient recurve contains no ending rod or ridge rising as
high as the shoulders of the loop, the core is placed on the shoulder farthest from
the delta. Figure 25.

If both shoulders are equal distance to the delta, the core is located on the center
of the sufficient recurve. (Figure 31)
When the innermost sufficient recurve contains an uneven number (1,3,5) of
rods rising as high as the shoulders, the core is place upon the end of the center
rod whether it touches the looping ridge or not.

When the innermost sufficient recurve contains an even number (2,4,6) of rods
rising as high as the shoulders, the core is placed upon the end of the farther one
of the two center rods; that is, the farthest one from the delta.
In Figure 30 there are two rods but “A” does not come up as high as the shoulder
line X so B is the core.

Figure 5,6,7 show interlocking loops at the center. In all these examples two loops
are considered as one with two rods inside.
Radial and Ulnar Loops

A loop that flows in the direction of the ulna bone (little finger) is call an ulnar
loop. The ridges of an ulnar loop enter the pattern area from the side nearest the
little finger, curve at the top and end on the same side.

A radial loop is one that flows in the direction of the radius bone (thumb). The
ridges of a radial loop enter the pattern area from the side nearest the thumb,
curve at the top and end on the same side.

For purposes of testing, place the fingers of the hand just beneath the
corresponding prints on the fingerprint card. Notice the direction of the type
lines, if the type lines are diverging toward the little finger, the pattern is an ulnar
loop and divergence toward the thumb is a radial loop.

The Arch
In plain arches the ridges enter on one side of the fingerprint and flow or tend to
flow out the other with a rise or wave in the center. The plain arch is very easily
interpreted.

PLAIN ARCH

In plain arches the ridges enter on one side of the fingerprint and flow or tend to
flow out the other with a rise or wave in the center. The plain arch is very easily
interpreted.

There may be various ridge formations such as bifurcations, ending ridges, dot
and islands in the plain arch, but the general ridge outline is the entering on one
side, rising in the center and flowing out the opposite side.
TENTED ARCHES

There are three types of tented arches

Angular

Upthrust

Loop type tented arch

Angular or angle type tented arch.

The type in which ridges at the center form a definite angle 90 degrees or less.
When ridges come in from opposite directions and meet in the center of the
pattern an angle type tented arch is formed.
Upthrusted tented arch

The type in which one or more ridges at the center form an upthrust. An upthrust
is an ending ridge of any length rising from the horizontal plane: 45 degrees or
more.

The upthrust comes up from the bottom of the print where the ridges flow
horizontally. There must be a space between it and the ridge immediately below
it. An upthrust should not be confused with ending ridges, even though they end
in the same abrupt manner.

Upthrusts are slightly curved ridges that end upward and are not connected to
any other ridge at the top or immediately below it.

Notice how the ridges in the center of the patterns form a peak
In figure 76 three upthrusts can be clearly seen. No specific number is needed: if
there is only one upthrust in the center, the pattern should be evaluated for an
upthrust tented arch.

Loop type tented arch

The type in which a pattern has two of the basic requirements of the loop but
does not have the third.

If the imaginary line drawn between delta and core does not cross a recurve
(looping ridge), the pattern must be called a loop type tented arch.
 THE WHORL
The Whorl is that type of pattern in which at least two deltas are present with a
recurve in front of each delta.

The whorl pattern is divided into four divisions:

1. Plain

2. Central Pocket Loop Whorl

3. Double Loop Whorl

4. Accidental Whorl

The whorl can be described as a circular pattern. When the ridges of a pattern
flow in any form of a circle, it should be evaluated to determine if it is a whorl.

PLAIN WHORL

The plain whorl has three requirements:

1. Two deltas

2. A complete circuit (at least one, usually many)

3. An imaginary line between the two deltas must touch or cross at least one
of the recurving ridges within the inner pattern area.

The complete circuit in a whorl may be spiral, circular, oval or any form of a circle.
An appendage in the line of flow will spoil the recurve in front of a delta.

A whorl must have a smooth recurve in front of each delta.

The central pocket loop whorl definition is similar to the plain whorl, the one
exception is: a line drawn between the two deltas does not touch or cross any
recurving ridge within the inner pattern area.
DOUBLE LOOP WHORL

The double loop whorl consists of two separate loop formations, with two
separate and distinct sets of shoulders and two deltas.

The two loops of this type whorl must not be joined together by a common ridge.

No ridge count is needed for loops in a double loop whorl.

The accidental whorl is a pattern consisting of a combination of two different
types of patterns, with the exception of the plain arch, with two or more deltas;
or a pattern that conforms to none of the definitions.

WHORL TRACING

The procedure for whorl tracing begins with locating the deltas. The ridge starting
from the lower side or point of the extreme left delta is traced until the point
opposite (or parallel to) the extreme right delta is reached. If the ridge traced
passes above the right delta, and three or more ridges are between the tracing
ridge and the delta, the tracing is designated as an “inner” (I)
If the ridge traced passes below the right delta, and three or more ridges are
between the tracing ridge and the delta, the tracing is designated as an “outer”
(O)

The Symbols for Whorl Tracing

a) 3 or more above the right delta = I

b) 3 or more below the right delta = O

c) Less than 3 in either direction = M

Tracing begins from the left delta. If the delta ends or is a dot, tracing is
continued on the next lower ridge.

A type line should never be used to begin tracing. In figure 143 the type line is
used because it is the next lower ridge. When a ridge that is being traced ends
abruptly, the tracing continues to the point on the next lower ridge immediately
below where the ridge above ends.
Short breaks in lines are sometimes due to improper inking, the presence of a
foreign substance on the ridges, enlarged pores, disease or worn ridges. They are
not considered to be definite ridge endings. The classifier will determine if a
definite ending exists, and appropriate reference tracing should be done in all
such cases. If the ridge traced bifurcates, follow the lowest branch.
Accidental whorls sometimes have three or more deltas. Only the extreme deltas
are considered in tracing them. The tracing begins at the extreme left and
continues to the extreme right delta.

In a double loop or accidental whorl the rule of tracing is, when the tracing passes
inside of the right delta, stop at the nearest point to the right delta on the upward
trend.
If there is no upward trend, the tracing continues until a point opposite the right
delta or until the delta itself is reached.