Patent GB-524967-A (GB)
Abstract: 524,967. Accounting machines. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Feb. 14, 1939, No. 4779. Convention date, Feb. 14, 1938. [Class 100 (iv)] [Also in Group XIX] Sheet-feeding arrangements.-A cash register or similar accounting machine, having means for making impressions on insertable record material, has means for feeding the record material to the impression means and subsequently for feeding the record material in the reverse direction, a second means for feeding the material in the reverse direction, and means for controlling the operation of both feeding means and for controlling the ejection of the record material from the machine after it has been fed by the second feeding means. The invention is described as applied to a machine of the Shipley type having differential mechanism for the control banks of the kind disclosed in Specification 268,839, [Class 106 (i)], and printing mechanism of the kind disclosed in Specification 447,481. The invention consists principally in the provision of positive means to invert and eject the inserted sheet after it has been printed. The machine is designed for use by gas and electricity supply companies and has a single line of type-wheels for printing simultaneously in the appropriate columns of an inserted sheet 90, Fig. 2, that is composed of three detachable portions comprising an office copy, a customer's bill and a cashier's stub. Each transaction includes three preliminary operations wherein the code number and present meter reading, the previous meter reading, and the difference between the readings are successively set up and printed in the appropriate columns of the sheet: These preliminary operations are followed by an itementering operation in which the name of themonth and the amount calculated from the difference in the readings are set up and printed. Other item-entering operations may follow if the first item-entering operation was initiated by a " Multiple Amount key. The inserted sheet is fed to printing position during the first preliminary operation by feed-discs 88, Fig. 6, which also serve to line-space the sheet during thesecond and each subsequent operation of a multiple-item transaction. After a single-item or the total of a multiple-item transaction has been printed, the discs 88 are reversed to direct the sheet to issuing rollers 201 and ejecting sectors 301, whereby it is deposited face-downwards in a receptacle 341. In addition to the usual amount keys 29, Fig. 1, the machine is provided with two banks of keys 30 for setting up code numbers and the names of the months, three banks of transaction keys 26, 28 all of which act as release keys, and a bank of keys 25 to position the usual operation control plate. The keys- 26 of the first transaction bank include " Present " and " Previous keys to control the printing of the meter readings. The keys 28 of the third transaction bank include a "Consumption Service " key to control the printing of the difference in meter readings, " Single-Amount " and " Multiple-Amount " keys to condition the machine for single-item and multiple-item transactions, and "Arrears" and " Credits " keys to control the entry of the items of a multiple-item transaction. Multtple-item total-taking operations are controlled by a " Total Bill " key in the operation-control bank or by a " Credit Balance " key in the first transaction bank in accordance with the size of the balance.  Hammer impression mechanism. The inserted sheet is impressed from a single line of typewheels 79, Fig. 6, column-spacing being effected by selection of the appropriate hammers 99 under the control of the differential of the first transaction bank. This differential mechanism is of the kind described in Specification 268,839, [Class 106 (i)], and is controlled by the keys 26 situated in the first bank and by the keys 28 of the third transaction bank, which latter keys co-operate with camplates appropriately to position arresting levers for the differential. The type wheels 79 are driven by control segments of the differential mechanism through ring gears as described in Specification 280,828, [Class 100 (iv)]. Inserted sheet, feeding. The sheet 90, Figs. 2 and 6, is inserted manually into the machine until its leading edge abuts right-angled recesses 89 in a pair of feeding discs and spaced arms 89 rotatable with the discs. The discs are controlled by means of the kind disclosed in Specification 447,481, under the control of the operation-control plate and the differential of the first transaction bank, to feed the sheet to printing position at the beginning of the first preliminary operation, to linespace the sheet at the beginning of each operation following an item-entering operation of a multiple-item transaction, and, at the end of a single-item or multiple-item total-taking, operation, to feed the sheet backwardly to the inverting and storing devices. Inserted sheet, inverting And storing. After having been ejected from the printing mechanism by the feeding discs 88, Fig. 6, the sheet is issued to an inverting shoot 217 by feed rollers 201 and co-operating pressure rollers 221, whereupon sectors 301 become operative to carry the sheet round the shoot and deposit it facedownwards in a receptacle 341: The issuing- rollers 201 are driven by a cam-oscillated section 208 and are controlled by a latch 283, as described in Specification 447,481, in such a manner as to be operative only in single-item and multiple-item total-taking operations. The pressure rollers 221 are normally elevated to enable the sheet to be inserted, but are lowered into contact with issuing rollers during each operation, a plate pivoted to the pressure-roller shafts being simultaneously lowered to guide the ejected sheet to the inverting shoot. The pressure-roller shaft is removably mounted on carriers 242 to enable access to be had to the ink-ribbon. The carriers are spring-urged downwardly, but normally held raised by cam-plates 232 disabled during each. operation. The ejecting sectors 301 are rocked clockwise at the beginning of a series of operations by a cam-actuated rack 328 and are held in rocked position by means rigid with the latch 283 until the issuing rollers feed the sheet into .  the shoot. Immediately after the sheet has left the issuing rollers, the cam permits the sectors to return counter clockwise carrying the sheet with them. Resilient blocks 308 spring-urged outwardly from the sectors are aligned with arcuate slots in the shoot positively to feed the sheets. Access to the receptacle 341 is obtained by lifting spring-mounted plates 345. Specifications 255,076, [Class 100 (iv)], and 407,380, also are referred to.