Patent GB-614347-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to cash registers and similiar accounting machines
IPC: G06C7/10
Filed: 1946-07-11
Abstract: 614,347. Accounting-machines. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. July 11, 1946, No. 20729. Convention date, Feb. 10, 1942. [Class 106 (i)] A cash register or similar accounting-machine adapted to perform adding, totaltaking, and subtotal-taking during a single cycle of machine operation, comprises a totalizer, actuators therefor, means potentially effective to impart two complete engaging and disengaging movements to the totalizer with respect to the actuators at each machine operation, operating means and coupling means for the engaging and disengaging means, and control keys adapted to control the coupling means for all types of operations in such manner as to cause the totalizer to be engaged and disengaged in a timing consistent with the type of machine operation to be performed. General description. The machine, which is either motor or manually operated, can be unlocked and removed from the cash drawer base on depression of a key. A total central slide determines whether the machine is to be used as a cash register or for adding, this slide being operated by two insertible keys. The type-wheels for the four lower orders of amount keys are mounted in a laterally movable framework controlled by a row of column - selecting keys. The record web, which has nine columns, passes from a supply to a receiving roll mounted in a removable framework to which access can only be obtained by moving the total control slide by a key. All items printed in columns two to nine are either cash or charge items. Machine framework. The base of the machine fits in and is secured to a member resting on and detachably secured to a drawer cabinet 66, Fig. 1, and is releasable by depressing a key 91 which operates through levers against the action of a spring to move a locking plate engaging locking studs on the cabinet. The key 91 is locked against depression when a total control slide 92 is in register or lock register position. The cash drawer 67 is latched. within the cabinet 66 against the action of a spring, and is released at each operation of the machine by cams on a main shaft 130, Fig. 6, actuating levers connected to the latching means. The drawer as it is unlatched operates a hammer to ring a bell. The hammer is normally retained away from the bell, and is released by levers connected to the latching means to strike the bell under spring action. The hammer is resilient and first strikes a stop, arid then the bell. Operating mechanism. The main shaft 130, Fig. 15, is driven one revolution clockwise for each machine operation by a motor 145, or manually by a handle 864. A pinion on the motor shaft drives a pinion 148 free on a stud 149 and carrying a four-toothed ratchet 150 adapted to co-operate with a shoulder on a pawl 152 carried in a clutch disc 154. The disc is secured to a gear 155 free on the stud 149, the gear meshing with a similar gear 156 fast on the main shaft 130. Driving connection to the shaft 130 is established when the pawl 152 is released, to be pulled by a spring to engage one of the teeth on the ratchet 150, by moving a control arm 158, fixed to a control lever 163, away from the pawl. The lever 163, urged by a spring 164 to turn on a stud 159 so that a surface 165 on an extension thereof engages an ear 166 on a motor release bar 167, has mounted thereon a non-repeat pawl 171 co-operating with a fixed stud 173, and is connected by a link 175 and arm 176 to a key lock shaft 177. The machine cannot operate unless this shaft 177 is free to rock, and the latter is not free when the control slide 92 is being moved, an amount key is partially depressed, and when the proper transaction and column selecting keys are not depressed in registering operations. With the shaft 177 free to rock, depression of the bar 167 rocks the pawl 171 away from the stud 173 and allows the lever 163 to rock counterclockwise so that clutch pawl 152 can engage, under spring action, the ratchet 150. The lever 163 also closes the switch 178, 179 of the motor. A roller 180 on the gear 156 engages the lever 163 to open the motor switch and cause disengagement of the pawl 152 after one revolution of the shaft 130. A spring-pressed lever bears on a cam secured to the gear 155 to assist the shaft 130 to home position after the motor switch has been opened. The shaft 130 may also be turned by means of the handle 864 operating through gears 860-863. Keyboard. The cash drawer release key 91, four rows of amount keys 190, row of adding keys 191 used with the keys 190 when the machine is used as an adding machine, the number printing keys 192, the transaction keys 193, and column selecting keys 194 are all assembled in a single frame which is removable as a unit by removing four screws. A space key 195, a key release lever 196, a key 170 for the motor bar 167, and the control slide 92 are also provided in the keyboard. The single unit keyboard framework comprises front and back frames, a partition plate between each row of keys, and upper and lower plates 200, 201, Fig. 6, secured together by tenon and slot means and tie rods, and is covered by an apertured plate 204. Amount keys. The amount keys 190, Fig. 6, have slots engaged by rods 202, are depressed against the action of horizontal coil springs 205 resting on the plate 200, and are locked in depressed condition by a detent 206 (not shown), which is first cammed by the key against the action of a spring. A further control plate. is also cammed at the same time and a zero stop pawl moved to release a differential slide 216 having projections thereon which engage the depressed key to limit the movement of the slide. When the nine key is depressed, the slide 216 travels the full distance to contact a stud. The entire differential slide assembly is readily removable. Amount differential mechanism. Each slide 216 has secured thereto an arm 230, Fig. 6, slotted to engage a stud 231 in a differential segment 232 free on a rod 233, the segment having a slot engaging a stud 235 in a differential latch 236 (not shown) free on a stud 237 carried by a latch plate 238 free on the rod 233. The stud 235 also engages a slot in a catch control plate 240 free on the rod 233, and a spring 241 urges the segment 232 and plate 240 to create a scissors action between the slots in the segment and plate normally to retain the latch 236 so that a projection thereon engages a shoulder on the further segment 243 (not shown). In this position an extension on the plate 238 engages a stud in the segment 243 to form a driving connection. The segment 243 is slotted to engage a stud in a drive arm 246, free on a rod 247, adjustably connected by an eccentric 248 to an arm 249 free on the rod 247, the arm 249 and similar arms of other differential mechanisms being connected by a rod 250 to an arm 251 free on the rod 247. The arm 251 has rollers engaging plate cams 254, 255 secured on the main drive shaft 130. There is a similar arrangement at the other end of the rod 247. With the machine in home position, the slide 216 is retained one stop beyond zero for effecting transfers. Initially, the cams 254, 255 rock the arm 246 to move segment 243 clockwise so that latch 236 moves plate 238. The stud 235 on the latch carries the segment 232 and plate 240 to cause the stud 231 to shift the slide 216 from home to zero position where the transfer mechanism for this denominational order is restored to untripped position in case it was tripped in the preceding operations. If a key 190 has been depressed, the segment 232 and slide 216 continue movement until one of the ears in the slide strike the key, whereupon the stud 235 rides up the slot in the segment 232 to disengage the latch 236 from the shoulder on the driving segment 243 and simultaneously to engage a tooth on the latch with one of the notches 259 (not shown) in an arcuate rack 221. The differential mechanism is thus positioned by the key 190, the segment 243 being free to complete its initial movement clockwise. An arcuate surface on segment 243 passes beneath an extension of the latch 236 to lock it in the set position. The upper end of a beam 261, pivoted to the plate 238, is forced into engagement with a hub on the rod 233 by a roller 281 on the arm 246 to position the beam in accordance with the value of the depressed key 190. This beam 261 positions indicating and printing mechanisms. Indicating-mechanism for the amount keys comprises the beam 261, Fig. 6, positioned by the depressed amount key 190, to rock a shaft 267 by means of a link 262, bell-crank lever 263, link 265, and crank 266 secured to the shaft 267. A further crank secured to the shaft 267 is connected by a link 269 to a toothed segment 270 free on a rod 271, a pinion 272 free on a rod 273 meshing with the segment and being flexibly connected to a front indicator wheel 274 having numbers thereon visible through a glass-covered aperture 275 in the front of the cabinet 69. A further crank secured to the shaft 267 operates a back indicator wheel visible through an aperture 286 in the back of the cabinet. Each indicator wheel is held in its set position by a pawl 287 engaging the pinion 272 and raised and lowered by levers operated from a box cam on the main drive shaft 130. Printing-mechanism for the ten cent amount keys is operated by the shaft 267, Fig. 6, rocked by the differential mechanism, carrying a crank which is connected by links and a segment to a toothed segment 308 (not shown) meshing with the external teeth of an externalinternal gear 310, Fig. 28, the internal teeth of which bear on a disc free on a bushing 312 on a plate 313 secured to the frame 60. A locating rod 314 passes through the entire type-wheel gear assembly. A pinion 315 (not shown) meshes with the internal teeth of the gear 310 and is supported between separating plates 316 on a square shaft 317 which also carries a similar pinion meshing with the internal teeth of a gear 318, Figs. 6 and 28, adapted to mesh