Patent GB-638036-A (GB)
Abstract: 638,036. Controlling sales. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Sept. 3, 1947, No. 24323. [Class 116] [Also in Group XIX] A recording device for marking record material under control from a remote station, includes a component for effecting marking of the record material, a member adapted manually to be moved from a normal to an operated position to stress a spring, a latch adapted to latch the member in its operated position and controllable from the remote station to release the member to permit its return to normal position under energy from the spring, and mechanism operable by the member during its return movement temporarily to actuate the marking component to effect marking of the record material. In the described embodiment a recording device adapted for sanctioning customers' credit comprises a casing 10, Fig. 1, supporting a telephone 9 by means of which a salesman may speak to a ledger clerk at a central office to ascertain whether a customer shall be allowed credit. The salesman inserts a bill in a slot 53 and depresses a key 11, thus causing illumination of an indicator lamp at the ledger clerk's station. If the customer is to be given credit, the ledger clerk presses a button switch causing energization of a magnet in the unit 10 which releases spring-actuated printing and punching means acting on the inserted bill. Depression of the key 11 moves a slide 20, Fig. 2, downwards between guides 18, 19, tensioning a strong spring (17, Fig. 4 -not shown). Return movement is prevented by a pawl 22 engaging ratchet teeth on the slide 20. Upon energization of a magnet 13, its armature 14 engages and rocks the tail of the pawl 22 counterclockwise about a pivot 21 thus releasing the slide 20 which is returned by the spring, a spring-biassed arm 39 engaging a collar 38 to cushion this movement towards the end of the stroke. The counterclockwise releasing movement of the pawl 22 frees a step 32 in a spring-urged pitman 23 from an extension 33 of the pawl 22, allowing a quick downward movement of the pitman until a second step 31 therein engages the extension 33 of the pawl 22 holding the latter clear of the ratchet teeth on the slide 20 until the slide approaches its uppermost position, when its upper edge engages a lug 34 on the pitman and restores it sharply to its initial position. Punching mechanism.-A lug 36 on the slide 20, Fig. 2, actuates mechanism during the upward movement of the slide to punch a pattern of perforations in the inserted bill indicating that credit has been sanctioned. The lug 36 rides down the R.H. edge of a cam 46, Fig. 5, during the downward movement, rocking a lever 43, to which it is secured, idly against the tension of a spring 129. At the bottom of its stroke the pawl passes round the nose of the cam 46 and, when the slide is released for the upward, actuating movement, slides up the L.H. edge of the cam forcing the lever 43 in a clockwise movement whereby the shaft 142, to which it is fixed, lifts an arm 47 which, through a pin 134, lifts the die plate 49 to cause punches 50 to perforate the inserted bill. A spring 51 on a guiding rod returns the die plate to its lower position. Printing mechanism.-The return movement of the pitman 23 actuates a printing hammer or platen 76, Fig. 5, the lug 35 at the bottom of the pitman lifting an arm 68 integral with an arm 73 which engages a lug 72 on an arm 71 fixed to a shaft 70 supporting, by rods 74, 75, the platen 76. The type wheels comprise numeral wheels 79, Fig. 7, which are set manually for a number identifying the particular machine and held in register by a pawl 195, date wheels 78 which are geared to setting discs 99 (see also Fig. 1) by intermediate pinions 98 which co-operate with pawls 102 for correct registering of the type, and consecutive number wheels 77, the units wheel of which is stepped on at each operation by a pawl 87, deep-notch type transfer mechanism being employed between adjacent denominations. The stepping-on movement of the pawl 87 also serves to oscillate an .arm 92 bearing a spring-urged pawl 94 co-operating with a ratchet wheel 95 to step on an inking drum 90 over which an endless ink ribbon 91 passes. The pin 86 (see now Fig. 5) which actuates the pawl 87 is secured to a spring-biassed member 82 pivoted to an arm 81 which, through a shaft 54, turns with an arm 67 which is engaged by a lug 37, Fig. 2, on the slide 20 each time the latter is pushed down. Besides stepping on the consecutivenumber type wheels and the ink ribbon, the rocking of the shaft 54 (see now Fig. 6) lowers a pin 66 on a curved arm 65 fixed to the shaft, to press a conducting pin 62 into contact with a conductor 64. When a feeler 56 is depressed by the entry of the bill into the slot 30, a second conducting pin 63 is allowed to contact the conductor 64 and so complete a circuit to an indicator lamp L at the sanction clerk's station. The closure of contacts 131, 132 by the sanction clerk causes a heavier current to energize the magnet 13 and so release the spring- urged slide in the manner described. In a modification an additional key 122, Fig. 8, is provided for use when sanction is withheld and it is desired to restore the mechanism without unnecessarily operat. ing the printing mechanism. Depression of the key 122 rocks a bell crank 119 which, by a pin-and-slot connection, moves a pitman 111 longitudinally to the right. This movement causes a member 125, which normally transmits the movement of the lug 35 on the slide 20 to actuate the printing platen, to be swung clear of the lug 35 and return underneath it. Also the member 82 which normally transmits a thrust to the pin 86 for stepping on the consecutive number type wheels, is cammed over causing the pin 86 to move idly in the vertical portion of an L-shaped slot. Specification 106,523, [Class 40(iv)], is referred to.