Patent GB-650357-A (GB)
Title: Differential setting mechanism for cash registers or similar accounting machines
IPC: G06C7/10
Filed: 1948-10-08
Abstract: 650,357. Receipts, checking. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO. Oct. 8, 1948, No. 26248. Convention date, Jan. 22. [Class 106 (i)] A cash register comprises for each denominational order, a series of entering keys 35 engaging on depression differentially-spaced lugs 50 on a shaft 52 having gears 54 for setting a plurality of totalizers 70 extending across the orders, the shaft 52 being driven by a disc 66 the axis of which is at right-angles to the shaft 52. The disc 66 is connected by a beam 77 to a secondary differential member 80 which drives indicating and printing mechanism. In subtracting, the totalizers are engaged with the gears 54 prior to their initial motion which effects the subtracting. In adding, the totalizers are engaged with the gears 54 after their initial movement and the return motion of the gears effects the adding after which the totalizers are disengaged. In total recording, the totalizer is engaged with the gears 54 which are allowed to rotate an amount corresponding to the value on the totalizer, thus driving the differential 66, 80 to operate the printing mechanism. The totalizers are then disengaged from the gears so that they remain in zero position. For sub-total recording the operation is as for total recording except that the gears 54 remain in engagement with the totalizers during the return of the former. The totalizers can be brought into operation as required and by appropriate operation of the controls the amount on one totalizer can be transferred either additively or subtractively to any other totalizers. A repeat mechanism and a zero elimination mechanism are provided. Machine framework and amount key banks. The column of keys 35 (Figs. 1 and 18), have each a stem provided with a hook 42 and riding in slots in a channel member 34 mounted on which is a spring 43 upon which the hooks 42 bear. The channel bottom carries a bar 47 tensioned by a spring 49 and having slots co-operating with lugs 46 on the key-stems. Depression of a further key in the order releases a previously depressed key and means are provided to release the depressed key. Totalizers and the setting means therefor, (Figs. 1 and 18). The bottom of the stem of a depressed key coacts with the differentially spaced lug 60 on a disc 51 carried on the shaft 52 having a gear 64 meshing with teeth 65 on the primary differential member 66. The shaft also carries a gear 57 co-operating with a pawl 58 to prevent retrograde motion of the shaft 52 when being driven. The pawl 58 is engaged and disengaged at appropriate times by a cam 62 on the main cam shaft 63 which is rotated by motor or manual means through one revolution at each machine operation. Shaft 52 also carries a roller 74 which engages with the member 66 of the next lower order to keep the gears 64, 65 in mesh. Shaft 52 also carries twenty gears 54 each driving one totalizer 70 which can be raised or lowered when appropriate by means not described. Each totalizer carries combined stop and tripping cams 71 and corresponding stop pawls for use in total and sub-total recording operations. The cams 71 also coact with transfer mechanism from one denomination to another, which mechanism comprises gear segments which lock the totalizers when out of engagement with the gears 54. The shafts 52 may drive similar shafts actuating additional totalizers. Amount differential mechanism, (Figs. 1 and 22). The beam 77 is carried on a stud 76 in the primary member 66 and has a forked extremity in which lies a stud 79 on the secondary member 80 which has a stud 81 carrying a plate 82 having teeth engaging a gear 83 formed on a collar 84 free on a shaft 86. The collar 84 also has a gear 85 which drives the outer gear of an internal-external gear 87, the inner gear of which drives a gear 90 on one square-section shaft 91. Shaft 91 drives an internal-external gear 92 driving, through gears 98, 93, front and back indicators 99, 95 respectively. Shaft 91 also drives through internal-external gears 104 upper and lower type wheels 105, 107 at one side of the machine and a lower type wheel 102 at the other side. The upper set of wheels 105 are used for recording on a detail strip and the set of wheels 107 for recording upon an issuing receipt. The set of wheels 102 is for recording upon a passbook or the like. Additional type wheels may be mounted for actuation by the shafts 91 for tabulation purposes. Secondary differential member restoring mechanism, (Figs. 1 and 22). At the start of an operation, the secondary differential member 80 is restored to a neutral position (in the present machine, the eleventh position) from the position to which it was set in the previous operation. The shaft 86 carries a disc 116 having a tongue 117 projecting into a longitudinal slot 118 in the shaft 86 and having a projection 115 engaging a stud 114 on gear 85. Shaft 86 is rocked back and forth once per operation by cam means driven by the main shaft 63 (Fig. 19, not shown). This results in the disc 116 rotating to cause the projection 115 to restore the gear 85 and hence the member 80 to neutral position whereupon the shaft 86 rotates the other way to return the restoring parts to their original position. Positioning of the primary differential member. When the secondary member 80 has been restored to neutral position, the rotary differential is positioned in accordance with the entered value of the keys 35. The primary member 66 has a concentric slot 139 through which passes a rod 140 connected to two similar bell-cranks 141 carried on the shaft 67 and connected by links 143 to arms 144 fixed on a shaft 145. Also fixed on shaft 145 is an arm 153 carrying a roller 154 which runs on a surface 155 on the beam 77. The shaft 145 is rocked back and forth once in each revolution of the main shaft 63 by cam and lever mechanism (Fig. 20, not shown), and when the secondary member 80 is in neutral position and the primary member 66 in zero position the roller 154 is on the surface 155. Initial movement of the shaft 145 turns the arm 153 clockwise to rotate the differential only the primary member of which rotates by the beam 77 pivoting on the stud 79 because of the load on the secondary member 80 due to the printing and indicating mechanism. The member 66 thus drives the shaft 52, the pawl 58 being engaged, until a lug 50 engages a key stem. This blocks the movement of member 66 whereupon continued motion of the roller. 154 rocks the beam 77 and thus the secondary member 80 about the stud 76 to set the printing and indicating mechanism. Rotation of the primary member 66 is aided by a spring 156 connected between the member and the rod 140. Reverse movement of the shaft 145 retracts the roller 154 and the rod 140 which engages the end of the slot 139 to restore the primary member to zero position, the secondary member remaining set. Secondary differential member justifying mechanism. When the rotary differential has been set, the secondary member 80 is justified by a pawl 161, free on the shaft 145, which engages teeth 160 on the member 80. The pawl is freed at the start of the machine operation before the secondary differential member restoring mechanism comes into operation. The pawl 161 is operated in appropriate time sequence by a cam and lever mechanism (Fig. 16, not shown), driven from the main shaft 63. Repeat mechanism. Actuation of a repeat key disables the secondary differential restoring mechanism and the secondary differential member justifying mechanism by breaking the connection between the lever connections of these mechanisms and their cams on the shaft 63. The pawl 161 is left in engagement with the teeth 160. The details of the mechanism are described with reference to Figs. 16 and 19 (not shown). Zero elimination mechanism, (Figs. 1, 14, 22). Certain higher denominational orders are provided with means to suppress the indication and printing of zero values. In these orders the secondary member 80 carries a stud 134 riding in a slot 135 in the gear segment 82, a roller 136 which normally runs on a concentric surface 137 of a slot in a plate 138 free on the shaft 67. When the primary member 66 is set at zero by depression of a zero value key 35, means are provided to move the plate 138 a step clockwise so that the roller 136 falls into a lower part of the slot (Fig. 14) so that the segment can pivot on pin 81, with stud 134 sliding in slot 135, a further step to take the indicators and printing wheels a step beyond zero to a blank position. A bail 197 common to all zero elimination orders free on the shaft 67 and carries on a rod 198 a bail 199 for each order. The bail 199 rides on a part 214 upstanding from the edge of member 66 and engages past the end of the part 214 a shoulder 202 on the plate 138 if the member 66 is set in zero position. The bail 197 is rotated at each operation first counterclockwise and then clockwise by cam and lever mechanism (Fig. 11, not shown), from the main shaft 63. It contacts a lug 195 on plate 138 and carries it up to a fixed stop 212 shaped to engage also a surface 213 on the bail 199 to render it inoperative. The bail 197 then moves back and, if the member 66 has been set in zero position, the bail 199 drops into the shoulder 202 to rotate the plate 138 for zero elimination. The bail 199 carries a lug 200 overlying the bail 199 of the next lower order so that the latter order can only have its zero eliminated if the zero of the former order has been eliminated, during which action the lug 200 has dropped out of the way.