Patent GB-528567-A (GB)
Abstract: 528,567. Cash registers. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Feb. 17,1939, No. 5295. Convention date, Feb. 18, 1938. [Class 106 (i)] A cash register suitable for filling stations, stores and the like has differential actuators for the totalizers set by driving means variably movable according to the amount keys depressed only upon the operation of a control key and prior to an operation of the machine operating means. The key set and operated machine described in Specification 346,465 is now adapted for operation by a lever handle and is provided with means for printing the purchase-item, totals and sub-totals on a record strip, Fig. 3. The type-wheels set by the amount keys are axially shiftable under the control of transaction keys to print the purchase-items in selected columns A-N of the record strip. The type-wheels set by overflow denominations of the totalizer in total and sub-total operations are axially fixed, and the shiftable type-wheels are positioned adjacent thereto under the control of a total lever to print totals and sub-totals always in the same column N of the record strip. The part of the strip to be impressed is shifted from visible position beneath a window 588, to printing position, and back to visible position during each operation. An aperture 589 in the window permits autographic entries to be made in the left-hand column of the strip. Keyboard. The machine is provided with four banks of amount keys 84, Figs. 1 and 33, a bank of transaction keys 86 and a total control lever 325. The keys of each bank are mounted in aligned slots in a channel member 89 and closure member 90. and are urged upwardly by a spring 92. The rearward ends of the channel members are forked to embrace a cross-rod 95 and the forward ends apertured to take over studs 96 in the frame member 54. Keyboard interlock. The keyboard is of flexible type, the keys of each amount bank co-operating with a detent plate 106, Figs. 1 and 6, and the keys of the transaction bank with a similar plate 122, Fig. 33. All the detent plates are spring-urged forwardly and connected at their forward ends to individual levers 100 free on a shaft 101, downwardly extending arms of the levers being forked to co-operate with a rod 102 rigid with the shaft 101 normally to limit forward movement of the plates. Upon the depression of a transaction key all the keys are locked. For this purpose, a cam-plate 126 is situated in the transaction bank and connected through a lever 128, rigid with a bail 121, to a second lever 131, depression of a transaction key thus lowering the bail and removing a surface 138 from the path of an arm 103 of shaft 101 to free the rod 102 and the amount-key detent plates, which slide to key-locking position. The transaction detent plate is freed immediately after the amount plates by the surface 138 passing an arm of a lever connected to the transaction plate. The keys are released towards the end of a machine operation by a counter clockwise rocking of shaft 101 and rod 102 past the normal position. Depression of a transaction key, after the total lever has been rocked to total-taking or sub-total-taking position, is prevented by a lever 344, an offset arm of which intercepts a finger 346 rigid with the bail 121. Operating means ; sequence arrangements. The main shaft 78, Fig. 1, is given a clockwise and counter clockwise excursion during each operation by a lever handle to which it is connected through a resiliently mounted clutch member that prevents the communication of excessive torque to the shaft. A full-stroke device ensures complete operation of the machine. The main shaft is normally locked by a shouldered arm 149, Fig. 10, of the shaft encountering,a locking arm 146, that is rocked to releasing position upon the depression of a transaction key or the adjustment of the total lever 325 to total-making or sub-total-taking position. Differential mechanism. Associated with each key bank is a control slide 109, Figs. 1 and 6, and 134, Fig. 10, provided with spaced abutments 108 for engagement with the stem of a depressed key. Setting movement of the slides under the action of springs 120 is normally prevented by the bail 121 that is lowered to release the slides by the depression of a transaction key, in the manner already described. Pin-and-slot connected to the upper end of each slide is a lever 118, Fig. 6, the lower rounded end 181 of which is angularly positioned in accordance with the value of the key depressed. Now, upon the clockwise rocking of the operating lever, an aligner 150 locks the levers 118, and pairs of scissor arms 182, 183 close on their rounded ends 181. Each pair of scissor arms is actuated by a roller 191 that passes through complementary slots 187, 188 in the arms and is given an outward and inward excursion during each operation, each roller being carried by a pair of companion arms 193, 194 free on a common rod 196, swung by cams on the main shaft. As described in Specification 346,465, the scissor arm 182 associated with each amount bank actuates a related totalizer wheel 219 through a forked driver 215, pinion 216 and actuator 217. A cam 221, Fig. 1, bears against flanges of the driver to engage its lower rack with the pinion 216 in adding operations and to engage its upper rack in totaltaking operations. The setting of the scissor arms is communicated to the indicators and type-wheels in known manner by a sector 189 having heart-shaped openings 190 with which the rollers 191 co-operate. The control levers 118, and slides 109. are restored towards the end of each operation by fingers 232 on the supporting shaft 119 for the levers, which shaft is rocked at this time to engage the fingers with studs 233 on the levers. Totalizer engaging-mechanism. The totalizer wheels 219, Figs. 1 and 25, are engaged with the actuators 217 at the beginning of each operation and are disengaged after the setting movement of the differentials in adding and total-taking operations and at the end of the operation in sub-total-taking operation. The totalizer shaft 220 is carried by a frame 253 rockable about a shaft 254 by a cam-pack that is free on a stud 274 and rotated 180 degrees counterclockwise at each operation by ratchet means actuated from the main shaft. The totalizer frame is normally connected by a stud 255 and latch 265 to a forked lever 257 rockable about the shaft 254 by cams of the pack, whereby the totalizer is engaged and disengaged in accordance with adding and total-taking timing. In sub-total-taking operations, the adjustment of the total lever rocks a lever 382 clockwise whereby its ear 383 cripples the latch 265 and retains the totalizer in engagement during the restoration of the actuators. At the end of the operation, the automatic restoration of the total lever to adding position frees the latch and permits the frame to return by spring-action to normal position where it is relatched to the forked lever. Transfer mechanism. Each totalizer wheel is provided with a zero tooth for actuating transfer mechanism and arresting the differential mechanism in total-taking operations as described in Specification 346,465: The total control lever. Rocking the total control lever 325, Figs. 1 and 10, clockwise to total-taking position or counter clockwise to sub-total-taking position locks the transaction keys and releases the machine. In the ensuing operation, a single oscillation of the operating lever sets up the total on the differential mechanism and prints it in column M of the record strip, Fig. 3. Movement of the control lever away from adding position depresses a slide 331 against the restoring action of a spring 338 that urges a lever 334 upwardly against a stud 333 of the slide. The slide is held depressed by a latch 341 and locks the control lever in set position until the end of the operation, when the latch is crippled by a trip pawl 386 on lever 334. The depression of the slide rocks the lever 334 counter clockwise to lock the transaction keys in the manner previously described. As no transaction key can be depressed, the bail 121 holds the differential control slides 109, Fig. 6, 134, Fig. 10, and the levers 118 in the position shown wherein the rounded ends 181 of the levers are out of the path of the scissor arms. Rocking of lever 344, through a stud 347 and a lever 142, also serves to disable the locking arm 146 and release the machine. Upon the operation of the machine, the forked driver for each denomination is lowered to engage its upper rack with the pinion 216 and the scissor arms controlled by the totalizer pinions in the manner described in Specification 346,465, the necessary movements being derived from a camshaft 337 rocked only in total and sub-total operation. For this purpose, the lever 334, Fig. 10, is pivoted to an arm of the camshaft and is provided with an L-shaped slot 353 embracing a stud 352 in an arm 349 with a stud 350 engaging a cam slot on the shouldered arm 149 of the main shaft 78. In adding operations, the stud 352 moves idly in the slot 353, but upon the depression of the slide 331 and lever 334 the stud is embraced by the vertical part of the slot and becomes effective to rock the lever 334 and camshaft 337. A link 493 connected to an arm of the camshaft serves to restrain the left-hand scissor arm of the transaction differential to position the type wheels for printing in column N. Record strip. The record strip 85, Figs. 1, 3, and 23 passes from a supply roll 524, round a stationary, guide roller 525, over two rollers 526, 528, and a writing plate 527 carried by a platen franie 534, round a second guide roller 529 to a storage roll 530. The platen frame is guided by rollers 536, 540, engaging within cam-slots in the side frames and, during the clockwise rocking of the main shaft 78, is shifted rearwardly to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 23, in which position the line of the strip to be impressed is shifted from a