Patent GB-687908-A (GB)
Abstract: 687,908. Accounting-machines. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. June 29, 1951 [July 12, 1950], No. 15455/51. Class 106 (i). In an accounting-machine including control keys and printing hammers, certain of which are normally associated with certain of the keys so as to be selectable thereby, an adjustable device is provided by which the hammers can be disassociated from their normally associated keys and associated with different ones of the keys. The invention is applied to a machine of the Shipley type adapted for banking transactions and having an add-subtract totalizer and two lines of interspersed adding totalizers. A total amount is first entered into the add-subtract totalizer and then the individual items are entered selectively under the control of three rows of transaction keys into the various adding totalizers, each item being subtracted from the add-subtract totalizer. Normally associated with ten of the transaction keys are ten record-strips, depression of a transaction key causing the selection of the corresponding record-strip for printing. Other transaction keys may alternatively be associated with the record-strips by adjusting control knobs. Record-strip frames. Each record-strip is mounted at the bottom of the machine in a readily removable frame having side plates 217, Fig. 5, tied by cross-rods and having flanges 226 which co-operate with a flanged guide 214 secured to a plate 213 fixed in the machine. A latch 231 cooperates with a bar 66 of the machine frame to hold the recordstrip frame in position. The strip passes from a supply roll 233 over rollers on rods 221, 223, 222 to a feed - roller 235 and then into a guide 242. The latter may be drawn forwardly by a knob 245 to enable the strip to be torn off against an edge 241. Machine release interlocks. When a recordstrip frame is inserted in the machine, a lever 258, Fig. 8, engages a lug 254 on a slide 250 mounted on the fixed guide 214. The slide is thus moved rearwardly against a spring and the lever engages a stud 261 in a lever 262 pivoted on a shaft 263 fixed in the machine frame, and rocks the lever against a spring 264. If all of the levers 262 have been so rocked, a shaft 267, to which are secured arms 266 co-operating with studs in the levers 262, is rocked clockwise by a spring and a stud 271 in an arm on the shaft rocks an arm 273 counter-clockwise away from a flange 280 of a lever 281 coupled to the machine release shaft 71. If a record-strip frame is absent or improperly positioned, the spring 264 acting on the corresponding lever 262 will prevent rocking of the shaft 267 and hence rocking of the lever 281 and of the release shaft 71. A feeler 303 pivoted on a rod 255 and coupled to the lever 258 is normally urged against the record-strip 212 by the spring acting on the slide 250. If the strip supply is exhausted or if the strip is broken, the lever 258 rocks and frees the associated lever 262, thereby preventing release of the machine. Each feeler 303 is rocked by cam means away from the strip during the feeding movement of the latter. Line spacing. The feed roller 235 of the selected strip is advanced by a pawl 334 acting on a ratchet-wheel 332 with which also cooperates a retaining pawl 340. The pawl 334 is mounted on an arm 333 actuated by a link 336 carrying a stud 341 engaged, when the strip is selected as described below, by a notch in an arm 343 pivoted to an arm 345 on a camcontrolled shaft 346. Hammer-impression mechanism. A hammer 381, Fig. 7, is associated with each record-strip and co-operates with type-wheels 282 set by the amount differential mechanisms through the usual ring gears. Each hammer is pivoted on a rod 382 and connected by a link 383 to a lever 384 carrying a stud 398. During each operation, the lever 384 is rocked counter-clockwise through a small angle and later restored by fingers on a cam-controlled arm (not shown). A stud 386 in the lever 384 is thus aligned with a notch 387 in a link 388 pivoted to an arm 389 on a cam-controlled shaft 311. If the recordstrip is selected, a lever 361 is rocked counterclockwise as described below and the link 388 connected thereto by a link 395 is lowered to engage the stud 386 so that the hammer is operated when the shaft 311 is rocked clockwise. If the strip should break after the commencement of an operation, the consequent clockwise rocking of the lever 262, Fig. 8, moves a flange on the lever beneath an arm 356 fast to the arm 361 to prevent counter-clockwise movement of the latter and hence operation of the hammer. Selecting record-strip. Associated with each record-strip is a group of notched control discs differentially positioned through ring gearing, similar to that normally employed for setting the type wheels, by the differential mechanisms associated with the four columns of transaction keys and by two hand-set knobs 442, Fig. 13, each having six positions of adjustment. Each knob 442 is geared to a rack 448 which meshes with a ring gear 460 to which is secured an aligning disc 462 engaged by a pawl 463. The control disc set under control of the first column of transaction keys is sensed by a feeler projection 425, Fig. 7, of the arm 361 and the other discs in each group are sensed by two feeler projections 427, 428, Fig. 5, on a lever 426 pivoted to the arm 356 which is secured to the arm 361. The shaft 359 on which the arms 356, 361 are freely mounted is cam-controlled and arms secured thereon carry studs 363 which co-operate with fingers 362 on the arms 361 to allow them to be rocked counter-clockwise by springs during each operation. Such movement is only permitted when the feeler 425 encounters a notch in the one disc and either the feeler 427 or the feeler 428 finds notches in all of the other discs. When the arms 361, 356 rock counter-clockwise, the arm 361 lowers the link 388 and the arm 356 lowers the arm 343, to which it is pin-and-slot connected, to render the hammer and line-spacing mechanism effective. The discs are so shaped that, according to the setting of the knobs 442, various record-strips are selected by various transaction keys. If desired, the knobs may be so set as to prevent entirely the selection of certain of the strips.