Patent GB-190412544-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to Cash Registers.
Filed: 1904-06-02
Granted: 1904-08-25
Abstract: 12,544. National Cash Register Co., [National Cash Register Co.]. June 2. Receipts, checking and recording.-Key-operated cash registers, in which the amount keys are locked to the coupler, and the machine then operated by striking the clerks' keys, are provided with interlocking-mechanism between the keys of the three different classes, with totalizing- re g.i s t e r s which are thrown into gear with the operaing-racks to register, with printing-mechanism which always records on the detail strip but prints a check at will, and with means for omitting special transactions from the register, transferring on the register, and setting the same to zero. The amount keys 2, Fig. 1, and specialtransaction keys 3 are journalled upon the shaft 6, and upon their rear ends rest the shanks 10 of the indicators 4, which are placed overlapping in two parallel rows in order to accommodate a large flag. Projections 13 on the shanks normally rest upon the plate 12, but the movement of a key synchronizes with rotation of the shaft 64, Fig. 4, and depression of the arm 19, Fig. 12, by the cam 23, whereby the bar 14 is moved lengthwise against the spring 16 into such a position that the shank is free to rise ; upon the return of the bar, shortly before the key completes its stroke, the lip 13 rests on one of the lugs 15, and does not fall until the next operation of the machine. The special keys have U-shaped indicators 193 surrounding those of the amount keys. The keys are grouped in four banks, each with its own set of hanging key-stops to prevent operation of more than one key at a time, and each key-lever carries a slotted operating-plate 7, Fig. 5. Each plate 7 consists of driving and locking parts 27, 28 in which rides a bar 29 extending between the side-plates 30 of the swinging registering- frame, there being one frame for each bank with its segmental driving rack 41, a staggered arrangement of the slots in each bank controlling the throw given by any particular key. The frames are returned by arms 129<a> on shafts 130<a> operated by the key-coupler 111, and are locked by arms 33 upon a spring - controlled swinging- frame, the cross-bar 35 of which is displaced by the operating-plate of the key as it moves. By means of nested sleeves upon the shaft 20 and intermediate gears 162, the four driving-racks can be so arranged in the machine that they are opposite the pinions 47 of the totalizing-register. The frame 43 of this register is rocked about the shaft 44 in such a manner by a pin thereon engaging in the cam.groove of a disc 92, Fig. 16, upon the operated shaft 64, that the register is in gear only while the driving-racks are moving downwards. A clutch is, however, provided and actuated by a camming-action of the special key-levers, whereby the register is not thrown into gear when either of these keys is struck. At the transferring-point, the studs 49 on the register wheels press back the supporting-pawls 50 against the spring 51, thereby allowing the transfer-pawls 53 to drop on to the ratchets 48 of the next higher wheels, and further depressing the arm 58 to force them to do so if the spring does not bring them down. Each transfer-pawl is pivoted in a slotted lever 54, and these levers are successively operated by staggered finger-pieces 63 on the shaft 64, engaging with rollers 62 on the arms 61, springs 65 returning the parts and plungers 66 pressing retaining-pawls forwards into the ratchets. Rotation of the shaft 45 by means of a key and the gear 70, 71 is arranged to set the register wheels to zero by means of the known groove-and-spring-pawl device shown in Fig. 18. To prevent the wheels from being turned partly forwards and then back, to stop the shaft at zero position, and to lock the machine and prevent tripping of any supporting-pawls, the following interlocking-mechanism is used. On the initial movement of a cam 73, Figs. 5 and 22, upon the shaft 45, the end of the pivoted pawl 76 is thrown out of the notch 74 ; the pin 77 thereupon rocks the arm 79 and shaft 80, the teeth 81, 82 on the cam and pawl respectively then co-operate to prevent return motion, and the cam is finally arrested by the pin 75 locking in the forked end of a pawl 83, which was previously rocked into position by the shoulder 86 engaging with the lug 85. As soon as the pressure upon the shaft 45 ceases, a spring between the shoulder and lug throws the pin and pawl out of gear into the position shown. Lock. ing of the machine is effected by the arms 87, 89 and pin 88, which throw the hook 90 into the notch 91 of the disc 92 when the shaft 80 is rocked. Simultaneously, the wing 93 upon this shaft is forced down upon the tails of all the levers 54 and carries the supporting-pawls out of the paths of the pins 49. A cam 95 upon the shaft 54 co-operates with the arm 96, yoke 97, and pins 98 upon these levers to return them after operation and to hold them against motion while the driving-racks are in gear with the pinions. Fig. 4 shows the means by which the key coupler 111 and its fast arm 110 drive the shaft 64, consisting of a rack-bar 101 gearing with either pinion 104 or 105 according as the spring 106 is below or above the fixed pin 103, continuous rotation of the shaft 64 in the same direction being secured by means of an intermediate wheel 291. The bar is kept in mesh with the proper pinion by means of its pin 107 and the fixed rib 108 on the frame, a stop 109 also limiting its upward motion. The coupler is journalled to the rear of the shaft 6, and, in addition to the usual action between the slots 8 and flange 115, the special and amount keys have spring-pawls 164, Fig. 5, which snap over the flange of the coupler and move the latter until its pin 165 engages with the arm 166 of a yoke 167, which is normally held up by the spring 168. When the yoke is depressed by one of the clerks' keys 163, however, the stroke of the coupler and coupled keys is completed ; but the ratchetwheel 116, Fig. 8, on the shaft 64, with the spring- pawl 118, prevents any retrogade motion of the coupler except to a slight degree at the parts 117 to allow of engagement between the rack and pinions. The coupler is returned and overthrowing of the rack-operated pinions prevented by a lever 121 with arms 122, 123, 124, of which the last is urged upwards by the spring 128. The roller 127 rests upon the coupler, and the disc 119 has a notch with which the noses 126, 125 engage in the extreme positions of the lever. Pins 129 on each of the special key-levers rock an arm 130 and thereby actuate a counter 135, there being an additional customers' counter driven by the arm 181 and cam 182 on the shaft 64. The wheels of all these counters are on the spindle 143, and may be set to zero by means similar to those described above. The drawers 1<a> have latch-plates and plungers 183, 184, the latter lifted at the end of the stroke of the proper clerk's key which passes through a slot therein, the displacement of lockiug hooks on the shaft 186 by previous operation of an amount or special key and arms 190 being first necessary. The flash 194 is carried by a rod 195 and is operated by linkwork from the coupler, and the hammer of the bell is moved by a cam on the shaft 64, its stroke being adjustable by means of a disc and pin so that it may be put out of action. When the top drawer is open, the slide 202 is drawn forwards by the spring 204, and the nose 205 engages with and locks the coupler ; but, by throwing over the lever 208, the slide may be kept permanently in the rear position. The printing-wheels are mounted on the nested sleeves surrounding the shaft 214, Fig. 4, and on the shaft, and are set by means of pinions 215 gearing with the driving-racks, the rock-frame for the bank of clerks' keys similarly setting a printing-wheel. Pins 225 on the special - transaction key-levers engage staggered slots in arms on the shaft 223, thereby setting a corresponding printing-wheel by the linkwork and rack and pinion shown. The wheels 210, Fig. 3, bear duplicate types and print on the detail strip 278 below, and on a check above, when one is inserted and the upper platen locked to the lower. Of the arms 240, 239 which move with the coupler on the same spindle, the former actuates the hooked arm 241, which engages with a pin 244 on the lower platen-arm 245, drawing it down and then allowing it to fly up, while the latter co-operates with the lug 238 on the lever 236 to rock the yoke 231 and move the aligning-pawls 227 in and out of gear with the star-wheels 226. Coupling of the platenarms is effected by means of the piece 254, Fig. 15, the upper platen-arm normally engaging with the slot 255 and lug 256, and the pin 258 with the key 259, so that, when the latter is depressed, the pin 257 will lock in a slot on the lower platen-arm and a double impression can be obtained. Depression of this key is maintained by the pawl 264 and notch 263 until rotation of a cam 266 on the spindle of the wheel 105 moves the lever 267. When the upper platen strikes the spring-controlled piece 210<a>, a type upon the lower end thereof prints upon the detail strip. The normal position of the platens is maintained by plungers 268, and the ribbon 269 passes around a feeding and inking roller 271 and a tension roller 272 carried by two arms, forming a toggle with a spring between them. The train of wheels including the feeding-wheel for the strip 283 and for the ribbon 273 is driven by a pawl 285 on the lower platen-arm.