Patent GB-655039-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for registering and recording data relating to sales transactions
Inventor: JOHNSON WILLIAM EDWARD
IPC: G06C27/00
Filed: 1947-10-27
Abstract: 655,039. Accounting-machines. POWERSSAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Oct. 27, 1947, No. 28673. [Class 106 (i)] [Also in Group XVI] A power driven machine for registering and recording data relating to sales transactions comprises a keyboard having columns of dataentering keys 3, Figs. 1 and 21, a differentially movable setting plate or slide 98 for each column, a punch unit including punches 217 arranged in corresponding columns, a type element 215 corresponding to each column, setting members 141, moved by the corresponding setting plates through connection members, e.g. pivoted levers 140, to select simultaneously the appropriate punches and type, means, e.g. a bar 108, for restoring the setting plates 98 to the normal position, and accumulator mechanism operable by some of the setting plates to register the total value of the transactions. The machine shown has, as well as the keys 3, normally locked levers 7 for entering fixed data. After all the data have been entered, a control key 6 is depressed which starts an electric motor to effect one machine cycle, during which a record card is punched and the data are printed on a record sheet and a customer's ticket. Also, the monetary value of the sale (entered on keys CK) is added to the totalizer or accumulator. A subtotal may be recorded after depression of a key 315, Fig. 3, which is normally guarded by a shutter 14, Fig. 1. A counter TC counts the number of machine cycles. Driving mechanism. An electric motor 16, Figs. 3 and 5, has its shaft connected by a belt and pulleys to a shaft 20 having a worm 23 meshing with a worm wheel 24 freely mounted on a main shaft 25. The shaft is driven through a one-revolution clutch comprising a member 46, Fig. 6, fixed to the wheel 24 and a spring-urged pawl 43 pivoted to a disc 44, fixed to the shaft, the pawl being normally held away from the member 46 by a latch 40 fixed to a shaft 39. A spring-urged lever 54 normally prevents rotation of the disc 44. Depression of the control key 6 rocks an arm 30, Figs. 3, 6 and 7, on a spindle 31 to engage and rock a lever 38 on the shaft 39 and thus rock the latch 40 to free the pawl 43 and effect engagement of the clutch. At the same time a lever 65, Fig. 6, on the shaft 31 is rocked to remove check and feed pawls 62, 60 from a ratchet 61 which is then rotated by a spring until a pin 69 thereon abuts a fixed stop 70. The pin 69 frees a lever 72 connected by a spring-urged link 79 to a pivoted lever 75, Fig. 3, which actuates a tumbler switch 28 to start the motor 16. After one revolution of the shaft 25 the pawl 43 is tripped by the latch 40 or, if the key 6 is still depressed, by a latch 48 freely mounted on the shaft 39 and connected to the latch 40 by a spring so as to rock therewith. The motor continues to rotate the wheel 24, however, while a pin 57 thereon rocks a feed-pawl-carrying lever 58 to rotate the ratchet 61, until the pin 69 again engages the lever 72 to switch off the motor. Keyboard. Differential mechanism. The keyboard comprises fourteen columns of keys, each column consisting of a separately detachable unit, Fig. 9. There are one column of removable " assistants " keys AK, Fig. 1, seven columns of keys DK for recording data relating to the sale and six columns of keys CK for recording the value of the sale. Each column unit includes angle brackets 80 which are secured to angle bars 81, Fig. 21. The key stems 88 are slidable in plates 82, 83 and are held down when depressed by latches 86, Fig. 12, secured to a pivoted bar 85, A depressed key displaces blocks 95 with inclined faces which slide in a bar 93, to prevent a further key being depressed in the same column. A re-setting lever 4 is fixed to one end of the bar 85, and when a latch 86 is rocked by a key, engages and rocks a pivoted latch plate 103 against a spring to release the spring-urged slide 98. On operation of the control key 6 the released slides move forward (leftwards in Fig. 9), until stopped by blocks 102 engaging the depressed keys. In the AK column the keys are individually removable and are retained by a spring-urged slide 109, Fig. 15, slotted to engage the key stems. To remove and/or insert a key, a release key 113 is depressed which rocks a bellcrank 116 connected to an extension 120 on the slide. The keys AK are not interchangeable. Resetting the keys and differential mechanism. The slides 98 released by the depressed keys are allowed to move forward by a restoring bar 108, Fig. 21, supported by bars 123 connected by linkwork to a shaft 127 carrying a link 129, Fig. 24, which is rocked by an eccentric strap 130 actuated by rotation of a shaft 131 connected to the main shaft 25 through intermittent gearing. The keys AK and CK are automatically restored before the end of a machine cycle by a cam (not shown) on the shaft 131 which rocks a lever connected by a shaft 169, Fig. 23, and arm 165 to a link 162 having projecting pins which engage the resetting levers 4. The slides 98 are returned to their latched position by the bar 108. The keys DK may be restored individually by manual actuation of the levers 4, or altogether, except for the key in the second column, by depressing the resetting key 5. The stem of the key rocks an arm 154, Figs. 3 and 23, on a spindle 155 connected to the link 162 and additional links 163, 164 having projecting resetting pins for the DK key columns, by arms 159, 160 and 161 respectively. The arm 161 is fixed to the spindle 155 so that depression of the key 5 rocks the link 164 directly and the links 163, 162 through pins 177, 174 on links 164, 163 respectively. Entering fixed data. Fixed data are preset in the machine by levers 7, Figs. 1 and 26, each connected to a corresponding setting bar 141. These bars have teeth 195 engaged by spring-pressed plungers 196 which are locked by a plate 202 pivoted to a lever 8 which is rocked against a spring when a newsetting of the levers 7 is required. Card-punching unit. The mechanism for feeding record cards individually from a magazine 219, Figs. 5 and 26, to be punched, and feeding the punched cards to a receiver 264 is substantially as described in Specification 578,413. The card is fed by a picker 220 between rollers 231 to a movable die unit comprising lower and upper die plates 232, 233, having holes to receive the punches 217, and secured to a block 237 carrying a comb 239, Fig. 5, forming an additional guide for the bars 141. The block 237, and therefore the die unit, is rocked by links 241 eccentrically mounted on a shaft 243 connected by intermittent gears (not shown) to a shaft coaxial with and coupled to the main shaft 25. Rocking of the die unit causes all the punches to be pushed up by the card except those aligned with stops 216, Figs. 21 and 26, on the bars 141, which perforate the card. The card is then fed to a platform 263 which delivers it sideways and then upwards into the receiver 264. Windows 10, 11, Fig. 1, permit the magazine 219 and receiver 264 to be inspected. When the card is passed into the receiver it rocks spring-urged supporting flaps 283, Fig. 5, one of which has an extension 287 which normally engages a flange 305 on a bellcrank 288, Fig. 33, carrying a relatively slidable spring-urged link 292 which is engaged by cam 296 on the shaft 243. If a card rocks the extension 287, the bellcrank is rocked by a spring to bring the link 292 out of alignment with a plunger 297. The bellcrank is returned by a cam 300 which rocks an arm 301 to engage the flange 305. If, however, no card is delivered to the receiver, the cam 296 pushes the link to actuate the plunger which, through a Bowden cable 298, pushes a spring-urged stop 307, Figs. 5 and 7, in the path of the arm 30 to prevent further operation of the machine by the control key 6. The stop is carried by sleeves 308, 309 and is retained in the machinestopping position by a latch 312 engaging a shoulder on sleeve 309. The machine can be restarted only by pressing the sub-totals key. Printing unit with autographic arrangement. The data to be recorded is set on type wheels 215, Figs. 21 and 26, connected by gear wheels 321 to pinions 214 meshing with rack teeth 213 on the setting bars 141. An aligning bar 323 is normally spring-pressed into engagement with the wheels 321 and is lifted therefrom by linkwork connecting it to a spindle 328, Fig. 36, carrying an arm 329 which is rocked by a link 330 operated by a cam 325 on the shaft 243. Paper is fed from reels 318, 319 to form respectively a customer's ticket to be torn off along a serrated edge 13, Figs. 1 and 43, and a retained record sheet. An impression ribbon is fed between the paper sheets. The ticket is fed forward, after printing, by rollers 334, 335. The roller 335 is driven through a one-way spring frictional clutch from a pinion 345, Fig. 43, meshing with a rack secured to one of the bars 123. A spring-urged sliding plate 341, Fig. 26, prevents the paper being caught up beneath the edge 13. The roller 334, mounted between arms 432, 433 pivoted to frame plates 338, Fig. 43, and 337, Fig. 39, respectively, is urged towards roller 335 by springs 436. The record sheet is fed from the reel 319, Fig. 26, between guide plates, over a platform 356 and roller 357, and between rollers 358, 359 to a re-winding spool 360. An aperture 12, Fig. 1, opposite the platform 356 permits a written entry to be made on the sheet which is then adjusted by a knob 9 attached to the spindle 367, Fig. 39, of the roller 359. On the other end of the spindle is a ratchet 368 engaged by a check member 370 and a spring-urged, pawl 365 pivoted on an arm 364 secured to a shaft 361 which is mounted in the plates 337, 338 and carries an impression hammer 352, Fig. 26, on arms 362. A plate 363, Fig. 39, on the shaft 361 is urged anticlockwise by a spring 376, to cause the hammer to co-operate with the type wheels 215, and is normally latched by a spring-urged lever 373. The l