Patent GB-322532-A (GB)
Abstract: 322,532. National Cash Register Co., Ltd., (National Cash Register Co.). Sept. 8, 1928. Cash-registers with operating-means ; keyboards and differential mechanism ; printing totals &c.- A machine adapted for dealing with multipleitem transactions is provided with a single bank of control keys divided into two groups allotted respectively to clerks and transactions and each controlling its own differential mechanism, and the two differential mechanisms are in the same plane and operate from opposite ends of the bank. The invention is set out as applied to a machine of the Shipley type and as described in Specifications 8119/15, 8120/15, 100,569, 176,781, 191,350, 191,351, 227,861, and 248,763. Keyboard. This consists of the usual amount banks and total lever, a multiple-item key 116, Fig. 17, and the divided bank containing clerks keys 118 and transaction keys 119, Fig. 19. For a single-item transaction depression of a clerk's key and a transaction key in addition to the motor bar is necessary. For a multiple-item transaction the item key 116 must also be depressed, and this remains depressed until the total of the items is taken in the usual manner. Item key. When depressed this key 116, Figs. 17 and 21, is held down by a spring-controlled detent plate 125 and its complete depression or release is essential for the release of the machine owing to the co-operation of a nose 130 of the plate with an arm 63 fast on the release shaft 64. When the item total is taken the detent plate is raised by a lever 132 through means described below and thus frees the key again. Clerks and transaction keys-divided bank. The clerks keys 118, Fig. 10, each have a pin 171 to co-operate with a detent plate 172, the suspending link 183 of which has a lug to co-operate with an arm 191 on the release shaft to ensure complete movement of the keys. A similar detent plate mechanism is provided for the transaction keys 119. An error-correcting hand-lever is provided for depressing both detent plates to release the keys when desired; otherwise the keys are only released by depression of another key in its group. Each key is also provided with another pin, 200 or 204, Figs. 5 and 7, to displace a detent 201 or 205, the upper suspending links 202, 206 of which normally obstruct a pin 216 on a plate 215 fast on the releases shaft 64. A further pin 217 on this plate is also blocked by an arm 23 or 228 connected with the pivot pin 220, 225 of the links. To free the plate 215 therefore a clerk's key and a transaction key must both be depressed in order to remove the respective links and arms in front of the pins. In a multiple-item transaction the clerk's key and the transaction key depressed are locked down throughout until the total is effected, and this is effected by means described below and adapted to take under the ends of the lower links supporting the detent plates 201, 205. Inter-control of keys and total lever in multiple-item transactions. Depression of the item key 116 effects through detent plate 133, Fig. 21, link 240, shaft 242, and arms 243, 245, Fig. 19, the descent of a slide 247 to position a projection 257 out of the path of an arm 251. The latter is rigid with a lever 255 and arms 253, 254, Fig. 20, and is normally held down by the transaction differential mechanism. When this ascends during the first item entry, the lever and arms rise to a greater extent than they would otherwise, owing to the displacement of the projection 257. Consequently the lever is not restored by the differential mechanism at the end of each item-entering operation and the arms 253, 254 remain in position beneath the lower links of the detent plates 172, 182 and thus lock the divided bank until the total is taken. When this occurs the usual manually and automatically rocked shaft 250 shifts the lever and arms clockwise to bring the end of the lever again into the path of the differential mechanism which then restores the parts to normal. The total lever cannot be moved to any position other than the item .total position owing to the provision of a notched arm 268, Fig. 19, pivoted on rod 269 and carrying a roller 267 engaging a cam slot 263 in a plate secured to the total lever. With the item key depressed, a notch 270 in the arm is engaged by the nose 271 of the plate 247 and this prevents movement of the total lever except between the add and item-total positions. Release of item key during item-total taking operations. The lever 286, Fig. 17, forms part of the voucher-feeding mechanism as described in Specification 248,763 and is rocked clockwise by a spring and restored by a pitman 283 at each cycle of operation. The clockwise movement is however less in multiple-item entering operations and this is brought about by the item key. In other operations a hook 289 is removed from the path of a pin 288 on the lever 286 to allow the longer feed movement but when the item-key is depressed a pin 318, Fig. 21, on the detent plate 133 disables a rocking pawl 315 to render it ineffective to produce the otherwise usual displacement of the hook 289. The consequently limited movement of the lever 286 is insufficient to place its pin 285, Fig. 17, behind the bellcrank lever 132 and therefore the pitman 283 restores the lever 286 in each cycle without affecting the lever 132. In the item-total taking operation, however, the shaft 250, when rocked automatically at the end of the first cycle, produces a clockwise movement of shaft 290 sufficient to remove the hook 289 to allow complete rocking of lever 286. The pin 285 thus passes beyond the lever 132 which in the restoring movement is rocked clockwise to raise the detent plate 125 to free the item key. Freeing the machine for ordinary total-taking. When it is desired to take a. total from the clerks or transaction totalizers, the combined control of the release shaft by the clerks and transaction keys must be removed. For this purpose the clerks detent 201 carries a coupling hook 336, Fig. 9, adapted to enter a notch 335 in the transaction detent 205 and thus couple the detents together so that depression of one key only in the divided bank is required in order to remove the locks at 216, 217. Fig. 7, upon the release shaft. The position of the hook 336 is determined by an arm 340 of the arm 268 controlled by the total lever as described above. Interlock between keys in divided bank and the total lever in ordinary total-taking. The arm 268, Fig. 5, carries notches to co-operate with projections on the arms supporting the detent plates 201, 205. With the total lever in totaltaking position and a key 118 or 119 depressed therefore the lever is locked against movement. Furthermore to ensure depression of a key in the group corresponding with the setting of the total lever a plate 347, Fig. 10, is rocked by the arm 268 and is notched to co-operate with lugs such as 350 on the ends of the clerks and transaction detent arms to permit movement of only one or the other. Differential mechanisms. The differential mechanisms for amount banks and the transaction keys of the divided bank are of the usual type described in Specification 8119/15. The differential mechanism of the clerks keys 118 however is of different type and comprises a spring-controlled arm 420, Fig. 5, provided with differentially disposed projections 424 co-operating with the pins 200 on the key stems. The arm 420 is normally held by a latch 422 moved to release in the operation of the machine, by an arm 429 fixed on the release shaft 64. The differential arm is restored by the plate 215 engaging a pin 431 on the arm. Loose upon a shaft 399 is a plate rocked by the arm and carrying a pin 444. Co-operating with this pin is a cam notch 451 in a lever 446 supported by a pin 447 on an arm 448. At each operation of the machine the lever 446 is rocked from the Y lever 367 and receives a vertical movement dependent upon the changed position of the pin 444. This movement is conveyed through a pin 460 to the usual differential link 461 controlling the indicators, type carrier &c. Totalizers. These are of usual construction and are arranged with the item totalizer on the upper line and four transaction and four clerks totalizers on the rear and front lines respectively. The transaction totalizers are selected bv a cam slot in a rack 493, Fig. 7, and the clerks totalizers similarly by a rack 506, Fig. 5, these racks being controlled respectively by the differential links 411, 461. Automatic control of totalizer selection. The selection of the clerks totalizers by the keys is subject to an automatic control by a shaped plate 556, Fig. 15, set differentially in accordance with the transaction key depressed, by means of a link 558 connected with the differential link 411. Fig. 7. The item totalizer is always thrown in when the item key is depressed for this causes a link 570, Fig. 15, to descend to place the end of an arm 571 in front of the pin 554 on the usual totalizer line selecting arm 545 with the result that the pin 525 on the shifting link 524 is placed in effective position. Specification 322,544 also is referred to.