Patent GB-449467-A (GB)
Abstract: 449,467. Postmarking. NATIONAL CASH REGISTER CO., Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A. (Assignees of Robertson, W. H. ; 1302, Patterson Road, Dayton, Ohio, U.S.A.) Oct. 26, 1934, No. 30757. Convention date, Oct. 27, 1933. [Class 100 (ii)] [See also Group XIX] A machine for printing and issuing tickets, postage stamps, and the like, and having a removable totalizer formed as a self-contained unit lockable to the machine, is provided with means carried by the unit for locking the unit to the machine, means carried by the machine for locking the machine to the unit, and common operating means for both locking means. The invention is of general application but is described as applied to a cash register of the kind disclosed in Specification 285,500, [Class 106 (i)], as modified for the issue of postage stamps in the manner disclosed in Specifications 406,654 ; and 406,676, [Group XIX]. Such machines are provided with means for issuing gummed stamps, Fig. 7, printed with the amount, weight, zone number &c. for keeping a detailed record on a strip stored in the machine and for printing totalizer readings on an inserted strip. The present machine is provided, in addition to the usual totalizer 210, Fig. 13, with a totalizer unit or postage meter contained in a casing 81, Figs. 13 and 20, removable from the machine. The meter includes two totalizers, an increasing totalizer 330 visible through a window in the casing 81 and not resettable, and a decreasing totalizer 328 visible through a window in a lid 582. Prior to the insertion of the meter into the machine, the postal authorities set the decreasing totalizer to the amount purchased and lock the lid. Upon the insertion of the meter and rotation of a control key 476, the machine is unlocked, the meter is locked to the machine, and shutters are removed from slots in the meter and machine to allow the totalizer mechanism to mesh with the actuator 344. The machine can now be operated until the decreasing totalizer is overdrawn, when locking means become operative to prevent further operation until the totalizer has again been reset by the authorities. Interlocks between the control lock, the lid lock, and a transfer release key 617 ensure a definite sequence of operation. Meter casing The framework of the meter is enclosed by a casing 81, Figs. 13 and 20, secured thereto by a lock (not shown). Studs 585 project from the framework to the exterior of the casing and are connected by a wire seal 586 applied by the maker or repairer. Rollers 325 are provided on the front and back of the casing for reception within channels in the machine casing. When the meter is in place in the machine, a latch takes over one of the rollers to maintain the totalizer pinions in alignment with the actuators. The lid 582 giving access to the decreasing totalizer is controlled by a lock, the entrance to which is normally covered by a cap 598 applied by the postal authorities who also retain possession of the key. Totalizers. The increasing and decreasing totalizers 329, 328, Figs. 13, 20 and 33, are mounted in axial alignment on a shaft 331 and differ from each other only in that the numerals on the wheels of one are in opposite order to those on the wheels of the other. Each totalizer wheel is connected through gearing 332, 334 to a pinion 336 adapted to be engaged with actuators 344 by rocking the totalizer unit about a rod 338. Totalizer-engaging mechanism. The totalizer frame 322, Fig. 16, is rocked first counterclockwise and then clockwise during each normal machine operation by means of a cam 383 carried by a shaft 382 mounted in the totalizer frame. The cam co-operates with rollers 384, 385, 387 on the machine frame and receives a to-and-fro rotational movement from cams 371 on the main shaft 111. The connections between the shaft 382 and the cams 371 include gears 379 ... 381, sector 373, dog-clutch 353, arm 355, link 358, pitman 362, stud 368, and cam-follower 369. To render the cam 383 inoperative to rock the frame 322 when the totalizer unit is removed from the machine, the stud 387 is carried by a freely mounted lever that, when the unit is in the machine, is locked by a stud projecting from the machine casing. Taking totals. The increasing and decreasing totalizers do not participate in totaltaking operations. A shaft 249, Fig. 16, is rocked clockwise in total-taking operations and through an arm 367, lever 364, and link 363 lowers the pitman 362 to render the totalizer-engaging mechanism inoperative. Transfer mechanism. Transfer is effected by pawls 407, Figs. 13 and 33, co-operating with ratchet wheels 408 rigid with the intermediate totalizer-pinions 334, each pawl being freely mounted on one of a series of transfer plates 402 that are successively rocked counter clockwise about the rod 338 by cams 404 on the shaft 382. At transfer, teeth 418, 419 on the pinion of lower order rock a lever 414 counterclockwise which, through a lever 411 renders operative the transfer pawl for the higher order. Each pawl is maintained in operative or inoperative position by a spring- urged lever 422 pivoted to the associated plate 402 and notched to receive the righthand end of the pawl. The control lock. This lock is operated by a key 476 and serves to control the means for locking the meter to the machine, the means for locking the machine when the - meter is removed therefrom, and the shutter means for the slots through which the totalizer pinions are engageable with the actuators. The effect of turning the control key is to rotate a shaft 456, Fig. 51, in the meter and through a dog clutch and gearing to rotate a shaft 441 in the machine in unison therewith. As the shaft 441 rotates, cams 442 thereon reciprocate plungers 444 that pass upwardly through slots in the machine and meter casings into engagements with the lower ends of spring plungers 448. As the shaft 456 rotates, radially spaced lugs 454 on discs 455 pass through recesses 453 in the flanged edges of the spring plungers. The mechanism is repeated in the inverse order, that is cams 442 are mounted on the shaft 456 and operate plungers to lock the meter to the machine while discs 455 are mounted on the shaft 441. Rotation of the key through 180‹ serves to lock the meter to the machine or unlock it therefrom. In a slightly modified form, non- return pawls are applied to the discs-455 while the lugs projecting therefrom are semi-cylindrical and in the event of mis-operation enter recesses in the spring-plungers to lock the shafts. Shutter mechanism. In unlocking the meter from the machine, shutters 377, 378, Fig. 23, are drawn across the apertures 341, 342 in the meter and machine casings through which the totalizer pinions engage the actuators. This is accomplished by cams 554, 569 on the shafts 441, 456 respectively acting through levers 558, 561, and 571, 574. In the closed position of the shutters, notches 619 in the levers 574 take over a rod 425 of the totalizer frame to lock the latter while the meter is removed from the machine. Machine lock. The machine is locked against release when the decreasing totalizer becomes exhausted and is maintained in locked condition by the control lock while the meter is out of the machine. When the decreasing totalizer becomes overdrawn, a tooth 543, Fig. 47, on the wheel of highest order acts through levers 541, 540 in the meter, a dog-clutch 534, and lever 533, link 532 and lever 530 in the machine, to rock an arm 514 into the path of movement of a machine release lever 504. The locking arm is maintained in locking position by a spring detent 519. Operation of the control lock to release the meter from the machine also operates the locking arm 514 by means of a cam 508 on shafts 441, and in addition interposes the periphery of a disc 500 to the upper end of a pitman 502 pivoted to the release lever 504 further to lock the latter. Rotation of the control lock while the release lever is in releasing position is prevented by the entry of the pitman into a recess in the disc 500. Meter lid lock. The meter lid 582, Figs. 20 and 42, is normally locked by a bolt 608 engaging a recess in an arcuate flange secured to the lid. Upon the insertion of a key in a slot covered by a cap 598 and rotation through 180‹, cams 604 on a shaft 603 operate to withdraw the bolt. Means are provided in the lock barrel to prevent rotation of the control lock past unlocking position until the lid lock key has been rotated through a complete revolution to unlock and lock the lid. In addition, means are provided to prevent operation of the lid lock until the transfer pawls have been withrawn from their ratchets by a wrench 617, Fig. 20, that is engaged with the clutch cuts in the toothed sector 373, Fig. 16, and rocked to shift the transfer plates 402, Fig. 33, clockwise. On the return or locking movements of the lid lock a bail 635 on the shaft 603 trips a series of levers 636 pin-and-slot connected to the transfer pawls to restore any of the latter that may have become tripped during the resetting of the decreasing totalizer by the authorities.