Patent GB-783849-A (GB)
Abstract: 783,849. Cash registers. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. June 28, 1956 [July 1, 1955], No. 20005/56. Class 106 (1). In a cash register having a key for controlling printing and feeding mechanisms for an inserted slip, and a latch for retaining the key depressed, the latch is disabled to release the key only during operations initiated by certain ones of the machine control keys. These operations are ones involving slip printing so that, once depressed, the slip key remains depressed until the slip has been printed. The invention is applied to a multiple-item machine having a line of five department totalizers, selected by keys 69, and a second line of four clerks' totalizers, selected by keys 68, together with a multiple-item totalizer. Items are entered by means of the department keys 69 and the multiple-item totalizer is cleared by means of the clerks' keys 68. Mechanisms for printing a receipt 76 or on an inserted slip 77 are then operative, the receipt mechanism normally being effective but being disabled upon depression of a slip key 79 to render the slip mechanism effective. According to the invention, latch mechanism retains the slip key 79 depressed until the conclusion of an operation initiated by a clerk's key 68, the key remaining depressed during item entering by the keys 69 and also if a sub-total key 80 is operated to read the multiple-item totalizer before it is cleared. The usual key-locked slide 70 controls the machine for registering, reading and resetting operations. The slip table 78 is illuminated by a lamp in a housing 82, is fitted with a depressible stop 107 for positioning standard record slips and is marked with lines 393 for correctly locating non-standard slips. Slip impression mechanism. The slip hammer 103, Fig. 10, is operable twice by oscillation of a V-cam 113 about its central position shown during each cyclic rotation of main cams 122 and 123. One or both impression movements may, however, be suppressed. The follower,118 of the cams has a driving stud 117 working in an opening 116 in a pitman 115 connected to the hammer, the opening narrowing step-wise in the upward direction. The pitman 115 is supported by a link 127 pivoted to a lever 128, Fig. 11, adapted to be rocked counterclockwise and back under control of a main cam 133 and to an extent determined by a feeler stud 134 on the lever. When all movement of the stud 134 and lever 128 is obstructed, the pitman 115 remains in its upper position shown and the driving stud 117 travels idly in the wide lower part of the opening 116 without therefore actuating the hammer 103. When a partial movement is permitted to the lever 128, the pitman is lowered to register the intermediate part of opening 116 with the driving stud 117, whereby the pitman and cam 113 are moved to the right of their mid positions to make one impression movement. When full movement is permitted to the lever 128, the upper part of opening 116 in the pitman is engaged with the stud 117 and the cam 113 is then moved first to the right and then to the left of mid position to impart two successive impression movements to the hammer 103. Normally an arm 140 free on a shaft 142 blocks the feeler stud 134 against all movement, so that the hammer 103 remains inactive. Depression of the slip key 79 actuates linkage 153, 148 and 145 to move the arm 140 clear, so that the pitman is shifted into one of its effective positions to operate the hammer. A second blocking arm (not shown) for the stud 134 is connected by means of the shaft 142 with a ratchet sector 283, Fig. 7, connected through linkage 284-287 with a slide 290, Fig. 6. Also connected with the slide 290 is a differential stop arm 306 associated with the bank of clerks' keys 68 and sub-total key 80. During cyclic operation, the slide 290 and arm 306 are released for spring movement to the right and counterclockwise, respectively, until the arm is arrested by a stud 308 on the stem of a depressed key, or by a stud 309 if no key is depressed as during item entry. The differential movement is transmitted to the ratchet sector 283 and second blocking arm which again blocks movement of the feeler stud 134 to prevent impression movement of the hammer except when a clerk's key has been depressed. The sector 283 is retained set by a tooth 311 on an arm 312 until the commencement of the next cycle. A third blocking member or sector 347, Fig. 10, for the stud 134 is positioned by the machine control slide 70. In the " register " position of the slide, a notch in the sector clears the stud for full movement. In any other, i.e. a total taking position of the slide, the sector permits a partial movement only of the stud and pitman 127, so that one impression movement only is made. Slip feeding mechanism. Provision is made for imparting a long feed to the slip between the two impressions of an item total operation and a short feed following a single. total impression with the control slide 70 at " read " or " reset." Feed rollers 246, Fig. 13, carried between arms 250 on a shaft 251 are moved up to pressure rollers 243 by the follower 254 of a cam 256 operating through a link 253. A driving rack 262 for the rollers is carried by a slide 263 connected by a link 266 and lever 267 with the follower 269 of a cam 271. Movement of the slide 263 in the take up direction is controlled by the engagement of a stud 274 on the lever 267 with one of several blocking members. The first is an arm (not shown) on the shaft 142 and which is moved with the aforesaid " second blocking arm " (see preceding paragraph) so as to block the stud and prevent actuation of the feed rollers except when a clerk's key 68 is depressed. The second blocking member is a sector 349 sleeved to the sector 347 (see above) and provided with a clearance slot flanked by two adjustable stop plates 350 and 351. The slot permits full movement of the stud 274 when the control slide is in register position, whilst the two stop plates restrict movement when the slide is adjusted to read or reset for the row 1 and row 2 keys respectively. A stationary but adjustable stop plate 275 restricts the full movement during registering operations. Slip key latching mechanism. A latch 159, Fig. 16, retains the slip key depressed until the conclusion of a slip printing cycle initiated by one of the clerk's keys 68. The latch can, however, be tripped manually by moving a slide 163 forwards. This slide is also adapted, upon rearward movement, to engage over the latching stud 158 of the slip key to retain the key depressed for a succession of transactions. The slip key is locked against depression or release during cyclic operation by the engagement of an arm 180, Fig. 18, beneath a stud 184 on an arm 160 fast with the latch 159, the arm 180 being spring moved into blocking position by clockwise movement of the usual key lock shaft 171 upon release by depression of one of the motorized keys. An additional interlock between the slip key and key lock shaft 171 comprises a pivoted stop 211 connected with the key and engageable with a roller 214 on an arm 172 on the shaft. The stop 211 obstructs the roller 214 to delay cyclic operation whilst the key is only partially depressed, the roller finally engaging over the stop to retain the key depressed during the cycle. Automatic release of slip key. When the key lock shaft 171 restores (counterclockwise) at the conclusion of a cycle, it rocks the arm 180 clockwise and clear of the slip key latch stud 184. The arm 180 also rocks a lever 186, Fig. 18, counterclockwise, and a stud 188 on this lever 186 is then operative to rock a lever 189 (see also Fig. 19) engaged with the slip key latch stud 184. The lever 189 is shiftable on its pivot 187 and the stud 184 from the effective position shown to an ineffective position in which it is clear of and is not operated by the stud 188. This shifting of the lever is effected by the differential mechanism for the clerk's keys 68, a ring gear 194 connected with this mechanism having a cam slot 196 engaged by a stud 197 on a lever 198 connected by means of a slide 204 with the lever 189. During item entry by the keys 69 and with the ring gear 194 in its zero position, the lever 189 is shifted leftwardly and clear of the stud 188. The slip key latch therefore is not released so that, if the slip key has been depressed, it remains depressed for the item total printing operation. The lever 189 is also moved to ineffective position by the cam slot 196 upon depression of the sub-total key 80. However, when one of the clerk's keys 68 is operated to clear the item totalizer and print the total, the cam slot 196 moves the lever 189 into its effective position shown, wherein it is engaged by the stud 188; and so the slip key latch is tripped to release the slip key at the conclusion of the cycle. Issue of receipt. Depression of the slip key 79, Fig. 16, moves an arm 216 into blocking relation with a receipt printing control lever 220 in order to prevent issue of a receipt when the machine is conditioned to impress an inserted slip. Issue of a receipt can also be prevented by manual rotation of a shaft 224 which moves an arm 239 also to block the control lever 220. The shaft 224 and slip key are both adapted to position a type sector 235 for printing a no-receipt symbol on the detail strip 75, Fig. 1. Consecutive number mechanism. A consecutive number mechanism is advanced whenever the machine is operated by the clerks' keys 68 to clear the multiple-item totalizer. In these circumstances, a pitman 322, Fig. 6, connected with the slide 290 controlled by the differential arm 306 of the clerks' key bank, is so positioned that a horizontal portion of an angle slot 327 therein is engaged by a stud 328 on a cyclically rocked lever 329. The pitman is therefore actuated by the lever and rocks a lever 323 to advance the counter to print the serial number appropriate to the transaction. In ot