Patent GB-190010904-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Cash Registering Machines.
Filed: 1900-06-15
Granted: 1901-07-13
Abstract: 10,904. Empire Cash Register and Collins, N. June 15. Type-writers and like machines.-Relates to improvements on the cash register described in Specification No. 25,241, A.D. 1897, means being provided t o furnish printed records of each individual amount of cash received and the aggregates o f t h e several amounts recorded as well as a record of the time at which each transact i o n is registered. Three spring-rotated stud barrels 2, Fig. 2, corresponding to pounds, shillings, and pence, are geared directly with corresponding type-wheels through gear-wheels 10, 11, 12, the wheels 12 being fast on the type-wheel shafts, which are concentric. Each key-lever 17 of one bank is pivoted on a cross-rod 16, and, when depressed, raises a cross-bar 18 carried by arms 19 also pivoted to the rod 16 and carrying a cam 20 operating a stud on a detent lever 21 pivoted loosely on a shaft 22 and having a lug 23 to engage a stud 24 on the barrel 2 and thus retain it in zero position. The key-lever operates a detent 26 adapted to be brought into the path of one of the studs 25 on the barrel. The detent is preferably carried by a pair of plates 27 pivoted on the rod 16, straddling the lever, connected by studs 28 and 29, and pressed upwards by a spring 30. The barrels are geared to concentric shafts 32, for adjusting the type-wheels which print the totals, by spring-actuated couplings, one of which is brought into action when a cross-bar 18 is raised. The coupling comprises a gear-wheel 37 fast on the shaft 32 and in axial alignment with the intermediate wheel 11 loose on the shaft and connected to the wheel 37 by a broad pinion 38 loose on a rod 39 fitted to slide longitudinally in bearings in the frame. The pinion 38 is pressed by a spring so as always to tend to engage with both wheels 11 and 37, but is normally held out of engagement with the wheel 11 by a stop 41 engaging a peripheral groove in its boss, carried by a link 43 joined at 44 to one of the arms 19, and guided by a fixed stud 45 engaging a slot 46. The coupling pinion is disengaged by the operation of a cam 47 secured to the shaft 22 and engaging a stud 48 on an arm 49 rigidly attached to the slide rod 39 carrying a collar bearing against the boss of the coupling pinion. When out of gear, motion of the pinion is prevented by a fixed stud 66. The rewinding of the springs 5 is effected by rotating the shaft 50, through a clutch on the shaft 22 and thrown into gear by the cross-bar 18. One member of the clutch may consist of an arm 57 fixed on the shaft 22 and carrying a stud 58 adapted to engage a hole in a disc 60 fixed to a sleeve 54 loose on the shaft. A roller 61, on a bracket 62 carried by the bar 18, presses against the rounded edge of the disc 60 so as to throw the clutch into gear against the action of a disengaging spring. The disc 60 is at the same time thrown out of engagement with a fixed arm 64. Motion is imparted to the sleeve 6, to which the spring is attached through wheels 55, 56. The type-wheel transferring mechanism consists of cam discs fixed to the shaft 22 and having grooves engaged by studs on the tail ends of bell-crank levers rocking on a fixed shaft and consisting of pairs of plates riveted together with distance pieces between them. To each lever is pivoted a propelling pawl normally held out of operative position by its tail being engaged by a latch, from which it is freed only when the latch is tripped. The latch is tripped by a stud on one disc so as to allow the pawl to be thrown by a spring into engagement with one of a number of studs on the next disc. The latch is guided by two slots and pins and is pressed forward by a spring. The tens of shillings type-wheel and the units of pounds type-wheel are joined together. The type-wheels of higher order than the units of pence are in the form of rings mounted to rotate upon discs fast upon sleeves connected to the gear-wheels. Each ring has internal teeth engaged by a spring jumper fixed to its disc to allow the ring to be operated independently. The tens and hundreds of pounds type-wheels are operated by any known form of transferring-mechanism. The tail ends of the levers 17 support a main weight bar 108 carried by arms 109, pivoted on the shaft 16, and raised by the operation of any key. This bar carries a double-acting non-return pivoted pawl 110 controlled by oppositely acting springs 113 and adapted to engage a stationary rack 111 so as to prevent retrograde motion before it has completed a stroke. A pivoted and spring-operated hooked detent 114 supports the weight bar when raised, and retains it until a tappet 118 on the shaft 50 strikes the arm 117, when the descent of the bar is assured by the action of a stud, on the wheel 51, on a thrust block. The bar is held down by a spring-operated latch bolt, retracted by a cam turning with the wheel 52 and engaging a connecting pivoted lever. The shaft 50 is operated by hand and prevented from moving back by a silent or friction-operated detent consisting of a pivoted bell-crank lever, the tail end of which is slotted and engaged by the end of an arm on a split or spring ring embracing a grooved hub on the wheel 52, the motion of the detent being limited by a stop. The shaft 50 is prevented from being turned forwards, until a key has been operated, by a locking detent engaging a notch in a disc fast on the wheel 52, and carried by an arm fixed on a pivoted bell-crank lever having a finger piece at one end, its rear end being drawn down by a spring and raised by a stud on the weight bar 108, its backward movement being limited by a stop. The weight bar serves as a coupler for the keys operated together and as a locking bar for the other keys. The simultaneous actuation of two key-levers in the same bank is prevented by sliding balls or bolts confined in a cross slotted tube or other means. Each lever 17 carries a pivoted latch lever 139 having a nose 140 operated by a roller 141, engaging a fixed cam 142, so as to engage the top of the weight bar. The disengagement of the latch is effected by the tail 144 striking against a fixed cross-bar 145. A stem 147, resting on each key-lever, carries a tablet 146 raised by the lever when operated so as to be exhibited at a window 152, but hidden by a blind 148 attached to a spring roller 149, and a second roller 150, until the key is depressed. The blind has an aperture brought opposite to the window by the fall of the weight bar operating the roller 150 by a cord 153. Each stem is held raised by a pivoted latch bar 156 engaging a lug 155 and connected by a lever 158 and link 159 with a lever 160 operated by a roller 162 mounted so as to turn aside on the down stroke and release the latch on its up stroke, the fall of the tablet being ensured by a spring. The type-wheels for printing the time record are actuated by a clock and are mounted in alignment with the other type-wheels. The types are all inked by an inking pad 178, Fig. 4, carried in a frame 179 having arms 180 pivoted at 181 to side limbs 182 pivoted at 183 on fixed studs and connected by a recess 190 and a projection 189 to a slotted rod 186 guided by pins 188 and operated by a spring 185 and a cam 184 on the shaft 50. The elastic inking-pad is pressed against a marginal seat in its frame by a backing-plate and springs. The impressions are made upon a continuous strip of paper 198 drawn from a spool 199 and wound upon a spool 200 operated by a ratchet-wheel 201 and a spring-pressed pawl 202. The frame 203 carries a rubber-faced platen 204 and is oscillated by rods 211, 212, the rod 212 carrying rollers 222, 223 operated by a cam 214 fixed to the shaft 50 and a cam 216 mounted loosely on the shaft to which it is connected by a spring suddenly released, to cause the impression to be produced, by an escapement consisting of a tooth on the spring barrel and an escapement cylinder carried by a wheel gearing with a wheel fixed to the shaft 50. A strip of paper, together with a strip of carbon paper, may be introduced at a slot 224, and, to enable this print to be taken without disturbing the stud barrels, a special key attached to the locking lever is operated. The inspector by whom the special print is taken preferably has a special portable plug key inserted through a key-hole in the casing of the machine so as to present a special type to the inking-pad. The plug key has a web or fin having inclined surfaces which force back a sliding bolt so as to cause its nose 230 to engage a notch 231 in a disc 232 on the shaft 22 and thus prevent the rotation of this shaft until the key is fully inserted. A pivoted latch is provided to lock the keys out of business hours, and is adapted to engage a lug on the thrust bracket attached to the weight bar. The notched tail end of the latch engages a jumper spring, by which it is retained in operative or inoperative position, and is secured in position by the slide plate of a lever lock. The setting of the time record type-wheels is permitted by the operation of a cam 241, Fig. 12, on the shaft 50 and acting on a pivoted lever frame 244 carrying a cross-bar 245 bearing on three spring-raised levers 246 fulcrumed at 249 and carrying segmental racks gearing with pinions 254 carried by the type-wheels. The downward movement of the levers 246 is determined by the cam 241, while their upward movement is determined by pallets 257 and time cams 258, 259, 260 connected to the hour arbor 261 of a clock through a disc 262 connected to the units of minutes cam by a spring 263 attached to a stud 264 on the disc and a stud 265 on the cam and passing through a slot 266. By this means stopping of the clock is prevented when the rotation of the cams is temporarily checked. The hours cam 260 is not fast on the arbor 261, and is caused to suddenly rotate to the extent of one-twelfth of a rotation every hour by means of a ratchet-wheel 267 and a spring pressed driving pawl 268 pivoted to a lever 270 secure