CASH REGISTERS

Abstract: A cash register in which the till is a front compartment (10) of the register-body (1), and is closed by a hinged (or sliding) lid (12) that opens in response to predetermined operation of a set of keys (9). The keys (9) are incorporated in the upper surface of the lid (12) with the lid (12) sloped downwardly towards the front of the body when closed, so as to incline the keys (9) forwardly. A releasable lock (14) holds the lid (12) closed against the action of a spring or gravity, the lock (14) being released to open the lid (12) under control of electronic circuits (23) that respond to data and instructions entered in the register via the keys (9). An interlock (28 to 31) inhibits release of the lock mechanism while the lid (12) is open.

Description: Technical Field: This invention relates to cash registers of a kind having a set of keys for entering data and instructions into the register and a till that is opened in response to predeter- mined key-operation. Background Art: Cash registers of the above-specified kind conventionally have a till that is provided as a slideable drawer in the body of the machine, or in a separate unit on which the main body of the machine normally stands. At the conclusion of each transaction and following operation of the keys of the machine to enter data and instructions into the register, the drawer is driven out automatically to open the till and thereby enable the machine operator to deposit cash in the drawer and give change. After the deposit of cash and the giving of any change, the drawer is pushed back by the operator to close the till in preparation for further actuation of the keys in the next transaction. The weight of the drawer, especially when loaded with coin, can be substantial and -the task of repeatedly closing the drawer following successive transactions can become arduous unless mechanical assistance with closure is provided. The mechanism for holding the drawer closed and for effecting the automatic opening operation is, furthermore, required to be capable of securing the heavy drawer, accelerating it rapidly from rest and arresting it smoothly at the end of its travel. All these requirements add considerably to the cost, complication, bulk and weight of the cash register. Disclosure of the Invention: It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a cash register in which the disadvantages referred to above are reduced or eliminated. More especially it is one of the objects of the present invention to simplify provision of the till. According to the present invention there is provided a cash register having a set of keys for entering data and instructions into the register and a till that is opened in response to predetermined key-operation, characterised in that the till is a compartment that is closed by a dis- placeable member, and that the said member is displaced in response to said predetermined key-operation to enable access to said compartment. The keys, which may be one or more electrical push¬ button or touch-responsive switches, may be carried by the said displaceable member. More especially, the said compartment may be provided at the front of the body of the cash register with the said member sloped downwardly towards the front of the body when closing the compartment, such that the set of keys is then inclined forwardly of the register so as to present them conveniently to the operator. The mounting of the key set on the member that closes the till has the particular advantage that both the key-set and the till-compartment can be located most conveniently for the operator, the keys being in such location while required for entry of data and instructions and then being displaced with said member to give access to the till compartment in that same location when use of the till is required. The said displaceable member may simply be a lid to the till compartment, and the set of keys may be convenient incorporated into the upper surface of such lid. The lid may be hinged, or may alternatively be arranged to slide from the position in which it closes the compartment to open the till. The use of a lid, whether hinged or other¬ wise, enables significant economy to be made in the provisi of the mechanism required to open the till rapidly at appropriate times during transactions. Furthermore such lid can be of very light construction and accordingly will in general require little expenditure of effort to close at the end of each transaction. The lid or other displaceable member may be urged by a spring or otherwise to move from the position in which it closes the till-compartment, a releasable mechanism which is for holding the said member in said position being released in response to the predetermined key-operation so as to open the till. An interlock may be provided to inhib \j IN *- - . release of the mechanism unless the said member occupies the position in which it closes the till; such an interlock reduces the risk of interferences with security of the till. Brief Description of Drawings: A cash .register in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figures 1 and 2 are front and plan views respectively, of the cash register with its till closed; Figure 3 is a side view of the cash register of Figures ϊ and 2 with the till open; Figure 4 is a plan view of the till- compartment of the cash register of Figures 1 to 3; and Figure 5 is a partly schematic representation of part of the cash register, illustrating release mechanism used in conjunction with the till, .together with modifications of the cash register of Figures 1 to 3. Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention: Referring especially to Figures 1 and 2, the body 1 of the cash register has feet 2 that enable it to stand firmly with an upper flat platform 3 of the body 1 horizontal. A display and printing head 4 of the register is mounted to the back of the platform 3 and serves to ' provide transaction displays to the customer and operator, respectively, in windows 5 and 6. The head 4 additionally incorporates a printer (not shown) that is operable to print out trans¬ action data on sales slips, such as those indicated as slips 7, that are laid on the platform 3 and are pushed by the operator to enter beneath either side of the head 4. The printer is also operable to provide a print out of the transaction data for receipt and audit purposes, on paper strips 8 that are supplied from reels (not shown) accommoda within the machine. The machine also includes a set of electrical push¬ button switches or keys 9 for use by the operator to enter transaction data and instructions into the register. The keys 9 are individually marked with legend appropriate to their numerical or functional significance,_ and as each ite of transaction data is keyed into the register by the operator, it is displayed appropriately in bright numerical characters in the windows 5 and 6. Instructions on conduct of the transaction are also displayed to the operator in th window 6. The displays provided in the windows 5 and 6 are controlled by electronic circuits incorporated in the machi These circuits, which are conventional both as to their construction and programming, respond to actuation of the keys 9 to perform the calculations appropriate to the numer and functional information entered, and to effect display of the relevant sub-totals and totals in the windows 5 and When the total for the transaction is finally displayed, the machine directs the operator to key in the amount tendered by the customer. Once this amount has been entere the machine computes the amount of change to be given and indicates this in the display windows 5 and 6. Display of the amount of change due is followed automatically, and in accordance with normal practice, by opening of the machine till. (Change computation by the machine may be omitted and in this case the till opens immediately following displ of the transaction total.) The till of a cash register is conventionally provided as a slideable drawer in the body of the machine or in a UK OMPI -— -:\ - - - > separate unit secured beneath the machine body. The drawer remains closed until such time as an appropriate function key is actuated whereupon it is driven out automatically so as to open the till and enable the operator to enter received cash and give change as appropriate. However such a drawer adds considerably to the bulk of the machine and requires the provision of a somewhat complicated mechanism for holding the drawer closed and, more especially, for effecting the automatic opening operation. Such mechanism normally involves many (usually in excess of fifty, or even one hundred) individual components that are costly to provide and assemble. Furthermore the weight of the drawer, especially when loaded with coin, can be substantial, and the actuating mechanism must be capable both of exerting considerable force to drive the heavy drawer open rapidly, and of arresting it smoothly at the end of its travel. All these factors add considerably to the cost, bulk and weight of the cash registe_r, and it is one of the objects of the present invention to simplify the provision of the till. In this respect, and as illustrated in particular in Figures 3 and 4, the till of the machine of Figures 1 and 2 is provided in accordance with the present invention, simply as a compartment in the body of the machine that is closed by a flap or lid. Referring especially to Figures 3 and 4, the till- compartment 10 is in this example provided to the front within the machine body 1, and is divided appropriately into a multiplicity of .sections ϊl to receive individual denominations of coin and note. The compartment 10 has a lid 12 which is hinged to the body 1 on cranked arms 13, and which furthermore carries the set of keys 9. The keys 9 are incorporated into the upper surface of the lid 12 so as to be readily accessible to the operator when the lid 12 is closed (as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2) . In this respect the lid 12 when closed slopes forwardly down from the platform 3 so as to present the key set at a convenient inclination for the operator. A releasable lock 14 mounted in the front of the body 1 ~ . - £ engages a catch 15 on the front-lip 16 of the lid 12 to hol the lid 12 down and thereby maintain the till-compartment 1 closed. The lock 14 is controlled from the electronic circuits of the register- to release the catch and allow the lid 12 to rise whenever the till-compartment 10 is to be opened (as illustrated in Figure 3) . Automatic opening of the lid 12 in response to release of the lock 14 may be effected by means of a spring, or (by suitable balance adjustment) under its own weight. Whichever is the case, closing of the till by the operator at the end of the transaction, involving in this case simply the closing down of the hinged lid 12 to re-engage the catch 15 with th lock 14, is less arduous than the action required to close the heavy drawer of a conventional cash register. The facility for opening the till by means of a key- actuated lock may be incorporated into the machine describe above with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The manner in whic this facility may be incorporated into the machine, together with a possible construction of the mechanism of the lock 14, is illustrated in Figure 5. There is also illustrated in Figure 5 an alternative form of hinging of the lid; instead of using cranked arms 13 to provide the offset hinging of Figure 3, the lid 12 in this case is hinged directly to the foremost edge of the platform 3 by an elongate hinge 17. Referring to Figure 5, the catch 15 is arranged to enter slots 18 of a plate 19 of the lock 14, when the lid 12 is closed. A lock-slide 20 is biased by a spring 21 into engagement with the catch ' 15 in the slots 18 for holding the lid 12 down. An electromagnetic solenoid 22 is coupled to the slide 20 and is energized transitorily from the electron circuits of the machine, indicated schematically as block 23 in Figure 5, whenever the till is to be opened in response to relevant operation of the keys 9. Energization of the solenoid 22 withdraws the slide 20 so as to release the catch 15 and thereby allow the lid 12 to open. The catch 15 can be released alternatively by actuatio of a cylinder lock 24 mounted on the platform 3 of the machine. In this respect insertion and rotation of the appropriate key 25 in the lock 24, engages a lug 26 with a pin 27 on the slide 20 to withdraw the slide 20 and release the catch 15. An interlock is provided to ensure that the lock- slide 20 can only be withdrawn while the lid 12 is closed. In this respect a cranked ar 28 is biased by a spring 29 into the path of a shoulder 30 on the slide 20, so as to prevent withdrawal of the slide 20 to an extent sufficient to release the catch 15. When the lid 12 is closed, an arm 31 moves to displace the arm 28 against the action of the spring 29 and clear the path of the shoulder 30 from obstruction. Thus it is only when the lid 12 is closed to displace the arm 28- that the lock 14 can be released; this reduces the possibility of the lock action being interfered with for the purpose of subsequent dishonest withdrawal of money from the till. An electrical micro-switch 32 is provided to respond to withdrawal of the lock-slide 20 and signal this fact to the electronic circuits 23 of the machine. The electronic circuits 23 are unresponsive to actuation of the keys 9 during signalled withdrawal of the slide 20. Other forms of hinging of the till-compartment lid from those illustrated in the drawings may be used. In particular the lid may be hinged to move forwardly of the machine; the lid and the set of keys may in this respect be inclined more steeply downwardly from the platform 3 and be pivoted to move forwardly and downwardly to open the till. However, the lid may be arranged for displacement otherwise than by hinging, and in this respect may be arranged to slide; in particular the lid may be arranged to slide up and under, or up and over, the platform 3 for enabling access to the till-compartment 10. Furthermore the location of the catch may be different from that described above. In particular the latching face may be provided on an extension of "the lid to the rear of the hinge, and in these circumstances the catch, together with the release solenoid, may be housed more within the body of the machine so as to be less accessible to interference. Q O ι< t - ( ~ -

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A cash register having a set of keys for entering data and instructions into the register and a till that is opened in response to predetermined key-operation, characterised in that the till is a compartment that is closed by a displaceable member, and that the said member is displaced in response to said predetermined key-operation to enable access to said compartment. 2. A cash register according to Claim 1, further characterised in that the keys are carried by the said member. 3. A cash register according to Claim 2, further characterised in that the said compartment is provided at the front of the register-body, and that the said member slopes down¬ wardly towards the front of the body when it closes the compartment such that the set of keys is then inclined forwardly of the register. 4. A cash register according to Claim 3, further characterised in that the said member is a lid to the compartment, and .that the set of keys is incorporated into the upper surface of the lid. 5. A cash register according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 further characterised in that the said member is a hinged lid. 6. A cash register according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 further characterised in that the said member is urged to move from the position in which it closes the said compartment, and that a releasable lock-mechanism which is for holding the said member in the said position is released in respons to said predetermined key-operation so as to open the till. A cash register according to Claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 further characterised in that a releasable mechanism is operative to hold said member in the position in which it closes the said compartment, and that an interlock is operative to inhibit release of the said mechanism unless the said member occupies that said position.

Inventors: VALLANCE L
Applicants: CHUBB ELECTRONICS LTD, VALLANCE L
Application year: 1979
Main classification: G07G1
IPC codes: G07G1