Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Jan., 1852-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators.
I, RICHARD RAHILLY, of Ballylongford in the County of Kerry Ireland,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
For actuating the recording trains of wheels of cash registers I use for each
denomination of coin, such as pounds, shillings or pence, which the register is
adapted for registering a row of finger keys and a cylinder parallel with the row
of finger keys and with stops projecting from its circumference- one stop in the
saine plane as each finger key and the stops set on different radial lines. Normally
the cylinder is stopped from revolving and retained in one fixed or zero position
by a suitable catch. When any one of the keys is depressed, it depresses one end
of a lever and brings the other end into position for the stop which is in the same
plane with it to come against when the cylinder is allowed to turn. At the same
time the catch which retains the cylinder is released, and the cylinder is turned
by the action of a spring or weight until the stop is arrested by the stop lever.
The distance the cylinder is allowed to turn thus depending upon the position of
the stop upon the cylinder. For example, say for recording pence there would be
eleven finger keys and stop levers and eleven stops on the cylinder, the keys would
be numbered one to eleven, the stop acting with No. 1 key might project from the
cylinder at such a point that if No. 1 key were put down the cylinder would be
free to make of a revolution-and the stop acting with No. 2 key in such
position that if No. 2 key were depressed, the cylinder would make of a
revolution and so on.
In order to release the cylinder and set it free to turn whenever any one or
other of the finger keys is depressed, the detent or catch which normally keeps it
from turning is connected with a bar which lies flat across the tail ends of the lever
stops so that when the tail end of any of the levers rises it raises the catch and
releases the cylinder.
When one key has been depressed, the depressed key may be prevented
from rising until the cylinder has been turned back to its normal position.
A similar cylinder and system of finger keys is used for the shillings except
that in this case the cylinder would carry 19 stops. For the pounds also another
cylinder would be used with as many stops upon it as may be desired.
These three cylinders may advantageously be mounted horizontally and placed
one above the other.
In order that the cylinders may be caused to turn whenever the catches or detents
which retain them are released. I preferably employ for each cylinder a spring
attached at one end to a cord wound around the cylinders axis. The opposite end
of the spring I attach to a slide which can be moved to and fro by the movement
of a lever or other handle.
The axes of the cylinders also have other cords wound around them attached at
their ends to the sanie slide but on the opposite side of the cylinders.
When all the cylinders are to be set back to their zero position, the slide is moved
in a direction to unwind these cords from the cylinder. To ensure that the cylinders
shall all be moved with certainty back to the zero position springs with short play
are interposed between the cords and the slide.
When the slide has thus been moved in one direction to set back all the
cylinders to zero it is immediately afterwards moved back in the opposite direction,
this movement extends the springs which are attached to the other cords and enables
them to turn the cylinders whenever the cylinders are released by the depression of
any of the finger keys.

page_text: Or in place of the above arrangement for causing the cylinders to turn whenever
a key is depressed to cause the cylinders to rotate on a key being touched, I could
use a coil spring on end of cylinder. Then to reverse to zero, I would employ a
chain fixed at one end to cylinder so that it would be coiled round cylinder, by the
motion of cylinder when a key is touched. The other end of the chain to pass
through a hole in a spring fixed on slide in such a way as that while the chain would
pass freely through this spring sufficiently to allow the cylinder to revolve enough
to make highest record it would be caught by the spring through a stop fixed at
extremity of the chain when slide was moved.
On moving back the slide therefore the spring on it catches and carries back the
chain and this spring being stronger and more powerful than the coil spring actuating
cylinder overcomes the latter and brings cylinder back to zero.
Each cylinder as it is turned by the action of the springs whenever a finger key
is depressed gives motion to a train of recording wheels, but when the cylinder is
turned back to zero, this train of recording wheels remains at rest, a pawl and
ratchet wheel being interposed in the connection between the two.
Thus after any sum of money has been recorded by the recording mechanism the
slide above mentioned has to be moved first in one direction and then back again in
the opposite direction before the apparatus is ready for being again used.
In order that the person by whom the money has been paid and every one
present may see that the amount paid has been properly recorded, each finger key
may carry a label having upon it a figure which corresponds to the value of the
key and when the key is depressed this label may by the movement of the key be
brought into view, through an aperture in the back of the casing of the apparatus
and be kept in view until another transaction has to be recorded."
Or the figures exhibited through apertures in the back of the casing might be on
the circumference of three wheels or narrow cylinders set side by side on one axis
parallel with the stop cylinders and be geared with them, so that when any one of the
stop cylinders was turned a distance in either direction the indicating cylinder geared
with it would be turned a. corresponding distance. Or the figures might be upon
slides or plates, and these slides or plates be moved to and fro by their being geared
by suitable gearing with the axes of the cylinders.
Dated this 4th day of March 1891
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators.
I, RICHARD RAHILLY, of Ballylongford, in the County of Kerry, Ireland,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
For actuating the recording trains of wheels of cash registers I use for each
denomination of coin, such as pounds, shillings or pence, which the register is
adapted for registering a row of finger keys and a cylinder parallel with the row of
finger keys and with stops projecting from its circumference-one stop in the same
plane as each finger key and the stops set on different radial lines. Normally the
cylinder is stopped from revolving and retained in one fixed or zero position by a
suitable catch. When any one of the keys is depressed, it depresses one end of a
lever and brings the other end into position for the stop which is in the same plane
with it to come against when the cylinder is allowed to turn. At the same time
the catch which retains the cylinder is released, and the cylinder is turned by the
action of a spring or weight until the stop is arrested by the stop lever. The
distance the cylinder is allowed to turn thus depending upon the position of
the stop upon the cylinder. For example say for recording pence there would be

page_text: eleven finger keys and stop levers and eleven stops on the cylinder. The keys
would be numbered one to eleven, the stop acting with No. I key might project
from the cylinder at such a point that if No. 1 key were put down the cylinder
would be free to make of a revolution and the stop acting with No. 2 key in
such position that if No. 2 key were depressed, the cylinder would make
revolution and so on.
of a
In order to release the cylinder and set it free to turn whenever any one or
other of the finger keys is depressed, the detent or catch which normally keeps it
from turning is connected with a bar which lies flat across the tail ends of the lever
stops so that when the tail end of any of the levers rises it raises the catch and
releases the cylinder.
When one key has been depressed, the depressed key may be prevented from
rising until the cylinder has been turned back to its normal position.
A similar cylinder and system of finger keys is used for the shillings except that
in this case the cylinder would carry 19 stops. For the pounds also another cylinder
would be used with as many stops upon it as may be desired.
These three cylinders may advantageously be mounted horizontally and placed
one above the other.
In order that the cylinders may be caused to turn whenever the catches or
detents which retain them are released, I preferably employ for each cylinder
a spring attached at one end to a spring attached at one end to a toothed
sliding-rack working on a toothed wheel fixed on the axle of the cylinder and at
the opposite end to a movable slide in such manner that when the slide is moved in
one direction the cylinders are set back to zero and when the slide is moved in the
opposite direction the spring is extended ready to turn the cylinder. When the
spring is so extended and a finger key is depressed the barrel turns a greater or less
distance according to which key is depressed as above explained.
Each cylinder when being reversed to zero (after having been turned by the
action of the spring on depressing a finger key) gives motion to a train of recording
wheels but when first started from zero by depressing a key this train of recording
wheels remains at rest, a pawl and ratchet wheel being interposed in the connection
between the two.
Thus after any sum of money has been recorded by the recording mechanism the
slide above mentioned has to be moved first in one direction and then back again
in the opposite direction before the apparatus is ready for being again used.
In order that the person by whom the money has been paid and every one
present may see that the amount paid has been properly recorded, each finger key
may carry a label having upon it a figure which corresponds to the value of the
key and when the key is depressed this label may by the movement of the key be
brought into view, through an aperture in the back of the casing of the apparatus
and be kept in view until another transaction has to be recorded.
The drawings annexed shew a cash register and indicator constructed in the
manner I prefer for carrying out my invention.
Figure 1 is a front view and Figures 2 and 3 are vertical sections on the line A B
Figure 1 looking in opposite directions.
Figure 4 is a plan view with some of the parts removed.
Figure 5 is a face view of the dial.
A is the outer casing of the apparatus.
BCD are three horizontal rows of
finger keys one above the other-the keys B are for pounds, the keys C for
shillings and the keys D for pence-E is a train of recording mechanism for
recording the number of pence taken. The recording mechanism for the shillings
and pounds is not shewn. F is a horizontal cylinder the axis of which is in a line
with the axis of the first of the train of wheels used for recording pence-a similar
cylinder is in a line with the axis of the first of the trains of wheels used for
recording shillings and pounds but these are not shewn in the drawings.
The cylinder has upon its end a ratchet wheel F. A pawl F engages with the
teeth of this wheel-the pawl is carried by a ratchet wheel F³ which is fast on the

page_text: axis of the first wheel of the train of wheels E. Another pawl H engaging with
the teeth of this ratchet wheel only allows the train of wheels to turn in one
direction.
The cylinder also has on its end a disc I having a notch I at one point in its
circumference. Normally the end of a catch lever drops into this notch and
holds the cylinder in its zero position. This lever has a second arm extending
from it which is bent so as to lic horizontally just above the tail ends of the finger
keys D so that when any finger key is depressed the end of the catch lever is lifted
out of the notch I¹.
On the opposite end of the cylinder is a pinion K which gears with the teeth of
a horizontal rack L which can be slidden to and fro end wise in fixed guides.
M is a slide which can be moved to and fro in guides parallel with the rack L.
N is a coiled spring one end of which is fixed to the slide M and the other to the
rack L.
O is a crank arm on a spindle O which can be turned by a hand lever 0-
O is a connecting rod coupling the crank arm with the slide M-so that the
slide can be moved to and fro by giving one complete turn to the hand lever ()²—
Pis a drawer which may be used for holding the coins received.
When closed it is retained by a catch lever Q the tail end of which is drawn
upwards by a spring Q-Q is a spring by which the drawer is pushed forwards
whenever it is liberated from the catch lever.
Q3 is a rod extending upwards from the tail end of the catch lever Q and coming
against the circumference of a cam wheel-0 on the spindle O.
If the parts are in the position shown in the drawing and the handle is turned in
the direction of the arrow Figure 2 the cam presses downwards the rod Qand
trips the catch Q the drawer is then thrown open by the action of the spring Q
As the handle continues to be turned the rod Q3 is again drawn upwards by the
-action of the spring Q until the upper end of the rod comes into a position for a
shoulder on the cam to strike against and so prevents the handle from making
more than one complete turn until the drawer has been again closed. A. pawl R
engaging with a ratchet wheel on the spindle O prevents the crank handle from
being turned in the wrong direction.
Fare radial projections standing out from the circumference of the cylinder F
one in the plane of each finger key as before explained.
On the tail end of each finger key is a projection D' which whenever a finger
key is depressed comes into the path of one of the radial projections on the cylinder
and limits the extent to which the cylinder can be turned. A Hy wheel or fan
may be geared to the cylinder to prevent its being turned too rapidly by the action
of the spring when it is released.
The tail end of each finger key has also rising up from it a projection D² with
ratchet teeth cut in it. S is a pawl which engages with these teeth whenever a
finger key is depressed and so retains the finger key and prevents it returning to
its normal position. The tail end of each finger key has also a rod D³ extending
up from it and carrying at its upper end a small plate D upon the back and front
face of which is marked a figure corresponding to the value of that key.
When the key is depressed and the plate thereby raised it can been seen through
slots both in the front and in the back of the casing so that it can be seen both by
the person who pays and the person who receives the money and it remains in view
until the drawer has been again closed and the handle has again been turned.
If desired a bell may be caused to ring whenever the handle is turned to open
the drawer.
In place also of the apparatus being so constructed that the cylinders when
released turn in the direction indicated in the drawings it might if desired be
constructed so that they would be turned in the opposite direction.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When any fresh transaction has to be recorded the handle O2 is turned one
complete turn. As the handle is making the first half turn the drawer is liberated

page_text: and thrown open as above explained the slide M is moved towards the back of the
casing and a pin M' upon it comes against a spring arm S' which projects down-
wards from the pawl S and turns the pawl so as to liberate it from the ratchet
teeth on the projection D* of any finger key which may previously have been
depressed and so liberates this finger key and allows it to resume its normal
position. A spring M on the slide M at the same time comes against a pin L¹
which projects from the rack L and moves back this rack until the cylinder is
brought to its zero position-the cylinder cannot then be turned any further as a
projection on the disc 1 which is fast with the cylinder then comes against the
end of the catch lever J and the end of the catch lever then drops into the notch I¹
and locks the cylinder. As the handle is making the second half turn the spring N
is extended and when the whole turn is completed all further movement of the
handle is arrested by the shoulder on the cam 0 coming against the upper end of
the rod O³.
Any one of the finger keys D is now depressed according to the number of pence
shillings or pounds paid in the transaction to be recorded. The depression of the
finger key first brings the projection D' upon its tail end into a position for one of
the radial projections on the cylinder to strike against and then lifts the catch
lever J so as to free the cylinder-the cylinder is then turned by the action of the
spring N until the radial projection on the cylinder comes against the projection D'
and the parts remain in this position with the figure on the plate which has been
raised exhibited until a fresh transaction has to be recorded when the handle will
have to be again turned and another finger key depressed and so on.
The amount of the transaction last made is therefore always visible until a fresh
transaction has to be recorded and the sum of all the transactions recorded can be
seen upon the dial faces of the trains of recording wheels. These can be inspected
by removing a shutter at the side of the casing.
Registers constructed as above described are more capacious and comprehensive
than others heretofore made-as on it can be recorded any possible sum between £10
and one halfpenny and at any moment and without disturbing or arresting the
working of the apparatus the total amount taken can at any time be seen at a
glance and without the trouble of having to add up a long list of figures as in
existing machines-it is also very portable and not likely to get out of order.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction of cash registers and indicators substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In a cash register the combination of a cylinder with radial projections
standing out from it on different radial lines-a series of finger keys one for each
radial projection-stops moved by the finger keys any one of which when moved
by the depression of its finger key comes in the way of one of the radial projections
on the cylinder and limits the extent to which the cylinder can be turned-a catch
which locks the cylinder in zero position but which is liberated whenever any finger
key is depressed-mechanism for revolving the cylinder whenever it is set free by
the depression of a finger key and for subsequently turning back the cylinder to its
zero when the finger key has been allowed to return to its normal position and a
train of recording wheels revolved by the cylinder when it is turned in one
direction.
3. The combination of the cylinder with radial projections, the stops moved by
fiuger keys, the catch for retaiuing the cylinder in zero position, the slide moved
to and fro by one revolution of a handle and at each to and fro movement first
bringing back the parts to their normal position and then extending a spring or
raising a weight to revolve the cylinder whenever a finger key is next depressed.
4. The arrangement of the finger keys and numbered plates which are brought
into view on the depression of the finger keys substantially as described.

page_text: 5. The arrangement of the three sets of finger keys and three sets of numbered
plates one above the other substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of January 1892.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.