Patent GB-421966-A (GB)
Abstract: 421,966. Cash registers. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO., Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. -(Assignees of Placke, E. H. ; 115, Klee Court, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.) March 31, 1933, No. 9700. Convention date, Feb. 24. [Class 100 (iv)] [See also Group XIX] In a cash register or similar accounting- machine adapted to print multiple-item transactions with total, or single-item transactions, on inserted material such as cheques, and having feeding means adapted for multipleitem transactions to feed the inserted record material by successive operations a variable number of line-spaces and then to a predetermined printing point irrespective of the number of line-spacing operations, the feeding means may be alternatively controlled for single-item transactions to feed the inserted material direct to the predetermined printing point. The invention is described as applied to the type of machine forming the subject-matter of Specifications 8119/15, 199,046, [both in Class 106 (i)], and 351,064, and having motor control mechanism of the kind described in Specification 17534 /08, [Class 106]. The machine is designed to print detailed pay cheques such as those shown in Figs. 35 and 36, and to print the amounts of the cheques on a payroll sheet, Fig. 34. Cheques such as those shown in Fig. 36 are formed in blocks of five preprinted with the employee's name and number and certain invariable matter. The block of cheques is positioned face upwards on a table 182, Fig. 1, with its top edge 183 in register with a line 184, the feed rollers being separated at this time by a knee-lever 185 or hand-lever 186. The various items are printed under the control of the lower eight transaction bars 100, Figs. 1 and 38, the cheque being line-spaced prior to each printing. The items are accumulated in an add-and-subtract totalizer and their algebraic amount printed upon the adjustment of the total-taking control lever 115 to " Clear Total Check " position. This amount is printed in duplicate together with the date and consecutive number, signature &c., in positions on the cheque that are constant and independent of the number of items. After printing the amount, the machine feeds the block of cheques sufficiently to position the next cheque in printing position. Single-item cheques are issued under the control of the uppermost transaction bar 100, the amount &c. being printed at the same positions on the cheque as in a multiple-item transaction. If no payment is due to the employee, a " No Check " key 111 is depressed and results in the printing of a single-item cheque for a zero amount. A stub cheque such as that shown in Fig. 35 is printed in a somewhat similar manner. The cheque is positioned on the table 182 with its lower edge 192 in register with a line 193. The items are printed as before, and the amount printed at an invariable position on the upper part of the cheque by the adjustment of the control lever to " Subtotal Check " position. Finally, after the adjustment of the control lever to " Clear Total Check " position, the amount and other matter is printed on the lower part of the cheque, which is then fed out of the machine. The payroll sheet, Fig. 34, is preprinted with the employees' names and numbers and is positioned face downward on a table 195 to receive the number and amount of each employee's cheque from type-wheels geared to those that print on the cheques. The linespacing of the payroll sheet may be effected automatically, or manually by a handle 609, and its amplitude is variable by a lever 628. The feed rollers for the sheet are separated by a handle 602 during the insertion of the sheet. Slip-feelers are provided to prevent release of the machine for an ordinary operation in the absence of either a cheque or sheet and for a total-taking operation in the absence of a sheet. The machine is provided with the usual banks of amount keys 80, Figs. 1 and 38, and three banks of transaction keys, associated keys in the first and second transaction banks being connected by bars 100 for simultaneous depression. The keys of the first transaction bank serve to select the appropriate side of the add- and-subtract totalizer, while the keys of the second bank select the individual totalizers for the various transactions. The top transaction bar is depressed to initiate a single-item transaction, the remaining bars being used in multiple-item transactions. The third transaction bank comprises three keys 110-112, the upper and lower controlling grand totalizers for the various positive and negative items, while the central key controls the printing of cheques for those employees to whom nothing is due. The item type-wheels 216, 217, Fig. 10, for printing on the payroll sheet and cheques, respectively, are mounted on parallel shafts and intergeared in known manner. The lower shaft carries two sets of such wheels to enable the amount to be printed in two laterally spaced positions on the cheque. In addition, dating and consecutive number wheels adjustable by hand knobs 189, 190, Fig. 1, are mounted on a shaft 223 for printing on the cheque ; duplicate consecutive number wheels being mounted on the shaft of the item type-wheels 216 for printing on the sheet. A block 231 secured by a lock 232 is provided for impressing the signature or signatures on the cheques. The consecutive number wheels for the cheques and sheet are geared to nested sleeves 225, Fig. 22, through which they are adjustable by hand knobs 190, Fig. 1, and are advanced during machine operations that involve the printing of amounts on the cheques and sheet, namely, in operations initiated by the depression of the uppermost transaction bar, the " No Check " key, or the adjustment of the total-taking control lever to " Clear Total Check " position. The wheels are advanced by the rocking of a differentially-tined pawl secured to a partial gear 240 that is connected to a pitman 246 through a sector 241, link 244 and bell-crank 245. The pitman is normally held in the position shown, with a notch 247 in its righthand end out of engagement with a stud 248 that receives a left-and-right excursion at each machine operation from a cam 255 on the printer shaft 203. However, in operations of the kind mentioned above, the pitman is lowered to embrace the stud 248 and becomes operative to advance the counter wheels. The lowering of the pitman 246 is effected by the movement to the right of a pitman 273, a stud 276 on the latter entering a cam slot 277 in the former. The pitman 273 is pivoted to a spring-urged arm 271 that is freed for counter clockwise rocking at the beginning of each operation by a cam on the printer shaft. In item-printing operations, however, the arm 271 and pitman 273 are locked by means operated by the key pins of the eight lower transaction bars, while in all positions of the control lever other than " Add " and " Clear Total Checks " a notched disc 283 presents its periphery to the pitman, thus preventing advancement of the consecutive number wheels except when an amount is printed. Hammer - impression arrangements.-The cheques are printed by four hammers, Fig. 11, of which the first 305 prints the date and consecutive number, the second 308 prints the amount on the body of the cheque, the third, not shown but in alignment with the second, prints the items and the amount therebelow, while the fourth 312 prints the signature or signatures and other constant matter. The hammers normally rest by pins 316 on the horizontal arms of spring-urged cocking levers 317 that are adapted to be rocked clockwise by a bail 319 and suddenly released to effect impression. The bail is operated by a cam 328 on the printer shaft to which it may be connected by the lowering of a link 324, Fig. 12, to position the vertical part of a slot in the link over a pin 322 rigid with the bail. The link is normally in the position shown but may be lowered to operative position by the rocking of a shaft 334 connected to the link through arms 333, 331, pin 330 and slot 329. This shaft is freed at each operation by a cam on the printer shaft and is subsequently variously controlled in operations of different types as described below. Blocking arms 340, Fig. 20, projecting from a shaft 341 normally serve to disable the hammers 305, 308, 312, by preventing the hammers from following the cocking levers 317. In printing the items of a multiple-item transaction under the control of the eight lower transaction keys, the hammers are controlled by a pitman 354, Fig. 14, pivoted to an arm 358 that abuts a stud 352 rigid with the hammercontrol shaft 334. When the shaft is freed, it is rocked by the movement of the pitman to the right under the action of a spring 353. In this type of operation the item-printing hammer alone is active, the remaining hammers being disabled by the blocking arms 340, Fig. 20. The amount of a multiple-item transaction is taken from the add-and-subtract totalizer upon the movement of the total-taking control lever to " Clear Total Check " position. This movement of the control lever locks the pitman 354 by interposing the periphery of a disc 357, Fig. 14, in the path of a stud 360 on its right-hand end. However, during this type of operation, the arm 271, Fig. 22, is rocked counter-clockwise as described in connection with the consecutive-number mechanism. This rocking movement is communicated through an arm 279 and an arm 362, Figs. 14 and 15, rigid therewith, to a lever 368 that is thus moved out of the path of a stud 369 on a pitman 370. The pitman moves to the right under the action of its spring and through arms 371,373, Figs. 15 and 20, and rod 352, rotates the shaft 334 to condition the printing-hammers for operation. This movement of the arm 371 also serves through the linkage shown in Fig. 20 to rock the shaft 341 and thus free all the hammers. Single-item operations are initiated by the depression of the uppermost transaction bar or " No Check " key, the