
The ridges, which adjoin each other in the center, converge and thrust upward, giving the impression of a pitched tent. However, the difference in the tented arch lies in the ridges in the center, which are not continuous as in the case of the plain arch. Tented Arch-this pattern is similar to the plain arch in that it starts on one side of the finger and flows out in a similar pattern to the other side.The plain arch is the simplest of the fingerprint patterns to discern. The plain arch then continues its journey along the finger to the other side. It starts on one side of the finger, and then the ridge cascades upward slightly, almost resembling a wave out on the ocean. Plain Arch-this pattern has a consistency of flow to it.There are two sub-groups that further define the arch pattern: In arches, the ridges of the finger run continuous from one side of the finger to the other with no recurving. Henry‘s four types of pattern groupings (arch, loop, whorl, composite) and their interpretations are as follows: Within each major group there exist sub-groups containing similar differences among patterns in that particular group. Henry's system is based on four distinct groups of patterns, with each group possessing the same basic characteristics and resemblances. The system was mainly intended for use in the identification and tracking of criminals, and its groupings are still the foundation of the fingerprint classification and storage that is employed today. In 1896, an English Police Official stationed in India, Sir Edward Richard Henry, revised the Galtonian system and devised a classification system based on the different patterns in the fingerprints of various individuals. In 1888, a British anthropologist by the name of Francis Galton established the first classification of fingerprints in order to hasten the retrieval process. Before computerization, the fingerprints of individuals had to be manually filed and then compared to all others in a particular system.
