Improvements in Tills.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 17th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
Improvements in Tills.
I, JEHU CHRISTOPHER Cox, of No. 174 Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Licensed Victualler, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
The
The present invention relates to improvements in tills, more particularly to
those of the type described in the specification of Letters Patent 29861883
principal object of it is to indicate audibly the value of the coin dropped through
the coin slit.
According to one modification of the invention, a series of coim slits, preferably,
one for each value of coin, occupies' a central position on the top of the till. The
coins drop as heretofore upon a shelf fast to the sliding glass screen. The removal
of them from this shelf is effected by a fixed projection standing in their path
as the shelf is moved to either hand. They fall into either of two branch shoots
which conduct them into a main shoot occupying a central position in the till.
There are three methods of providing for the sounds given by the till gong,
differing from each other. One of these is to allot a gong to each value, each gong
having a different tone. A second one is to provide for the gong being sounded
a different number of times for each coin according to the value of the latter;
and a third is a combination of the two methods just described.
There is one sounding mechanism for each coin slot in the series; and, pre-
ferably, one series of mechanisms for each lateral motion of the screen. In the
latter case, there is a series on each side of the till, preferably, on the top of it,
the gong or gongs, as the case may be, standing between them.
The coin on the shelf is the connecting link between the screen and the respec-
tive gong mechanism, such connection depending, upon the rigidity and, pre-
ferably, the diameter of the coin. The trigger of a mechanism is pivotted so as
to be actuated by the coin during its removal from the shelf, and, for that purpose,
its free end hangs down in the path of the coin far enough to make such removal
sound the gong. The screen engages the coin by means of a rigid wiper fast
to it and projecting into the till to one side of the position of the coin.
The second method of making the sounds given by the gong differ, is by com-
bining with the screen, a rack for each value. Each rack is so positioned as to
engage the respective trigger and differs from the others, in respect of the number
of its teeth.
There may be combined with each shoot or with each trigger an electric circuit
containing an indicator and the trigger and coin, or coin shelf, the latter being
divided up by insulations into strips according to the values: In that case, the
circuit will be made and broken by the coin and the trigger. Or the coin may
be omitted from the circuit, the trigger alone being the circuit closer.
The fixed wiper and moveable shelf may be replaced by a moveable wiper and
a fixed shelf.

page_text: shewn. It consists substantially of gongs 1, 2, 3, 4 differing in sound, one for
cach different value of coin the till is intended to receive, the said gongs being
supported preferably one within the other, to economise space and render the
mechanism compact.
These gongs are struck, or sounded by a series of strikers or hammers 1', 21, 31, 41
pivoted at their lower end 5 to a fixed piece 6 on the top of the till. Beyond the
said pivot 5 and preferably above it are levers or links 7 pivoted at 71 by one of
their extremities, their other extremity 8 coming in contact with a flat tumbler 9
which in turn is pivoted to the slotted money shoot 10. This alarm mechanism
is preferably duplicated on either side of the gongs as shewn, and there may be
any number of gongs &c. more or less than here illustrated.
The money shoot consists of a block 10, more or less rectangular in shape, in
which vertical slots, one for each coin value, are formed to below half the depth
of the block. It is rigidly suspended immediately over the sliding screen so that
about half of it projects above and half hangs within below the top of the case.
The operation of the till is as follows:--The piece of money according to its
value is introduced into one of the slots in the money shoot and it falls on to the
solid bottom of the slot at 11, the operator then, by means of the trigger or bolt 12,
should move the sliding transparent screen 13 across the till by hand in a
horizontal direction as far as it will go, or until the trigger has been traversed
the full length of the opening 14 in the front of the case. The said trigger 12 is
provided with an extension in the form of a pin 14 projecting out at the back
of it, which pin 14 passes through a slot 15 across the lower part of the money
shoot 10 so that this pin 14 during its passage across the said slot 15 comes in
contact with the coin represented at 16 resting on the bottom of the slot, which it
carries or pushes along with it, ejecting it at the end of the stroke through an
opening 17 in the side of the money shoot, when it falls down on to the top shelf 18
of the sliding screen 13, where it remains until another coin is dropped in the
money shoot. Just previous to the coin falling down on to the top shelf 18 it
meets with the edge of the pivoted tumbler 9 which is thereby moved in a circular
arc, causing the pivoted link 7 to thrust backwards one of the strikers 11. Imme-
diately the coin drops, the said mechanism is released and returns to its normal
position, the movement being accelerated by the spring 21 pressing behind the
striker, which is thus caused to sound its respective gong 1, and give the desired
notice or alarm. The next coin will of course fall the reverse side of the pin. 14
on the trigger, and will, consequently, be expelled from the money shoot into the
opposite compartment 19 to that 18 of the former coin.
It will be remembered that the shelves forming the bottoms of the compart-
ments are fast to the sliding screen 13, consequently the former coin 16 will be
carried along with the screen, only until it meets with an obstacle 20 in the form
of the vertical partition; the sliding screen 13 passing on and the coin 16 not
being able to follow, on account of its progress having been arrested by the central
partition, it becomes thereby knocked off the shelf 18 into the next lower com-
partment, and so on, until it finally issues into a general receiving box, not shewn,
at the bottom of or beneath the till.
In order that the value of the money duly deposited in the till may be trans-
mitted and seen at a glance at any distance away from the till, say in another
room to that in which the till stands, I provide an electric indicator such as that
illustrated at 22 which may be situated at any convenient distance from the till,
and there may be any number of such indicators all in connection with the same
till and working synchronously. They may be operated by the movement of the
sliding screen simultaneously with the gong mechanism as follows:-The edge of
the coin in passing out of the money shoot, tilts one of the tumblers say until its
upper edge 31 comes in contact with a bridge piece 24, to which one end of a
wire 25 is connected but insulated therefrom by insulite 26, its other end being
connected to one pole of an electric battery 27 in the circuit of which is placed
an indicating and recording device, the other pole of the said battery being con-