Improvements in Apparatus for Checking, Recording, and Indicating the Amounts of Cash Received, Taken, or Paid, such Apparatus being also Applicable to other Analogous Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 11th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 12th July, 1887.
Improvements in Apparatus for Checking, Recording, and Indicating
the Amounts of Cash Received, Taken, or Paid, such Apparatus
being also Applicable to other Analogous Purposes.
I, SIDNEY FIRTH, of 22 Royal Exchange, Leeds, in the County of York, Inventor,
Patentee and Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to certain apparatus for which I have obtained Letters Patent
dated 7th November 1884, No. 14,718; and the object of my present invention is to
effect improvements in such apparatus.
In carrying out my present improvements, I (in some cases) dispense with the
arrangements shewn in my former Specification No. 14,718, for printing and issuing
cards or tickets.
I so arrange the apparatus, that when a bill head or other document is inserted in a
slot formed for the purpose, on moving the handle or lever, the amount indicated
becomes printed thereupon.
I also fix the type in an inverted position in the upper part of the case, and cause
the inking roller to pass under the face of the type, previously to the bill-head being
pressed upwards against the type, by the motion of the handle; but in some cases the
ticket, bill-head, or other articles to be printed is or are held stationary, while the type
is made to descend.
The axle to which the handle is fixed, is placed near the bottom of the apparatus; this
axle carries a short arm, which raises a frame, when it is turned, and thereby lifts the
bill-head to and against the type.
On or in a boss or enlargement of the axle a groove, or cam, or equivalent device is
formed, which is caused to operate the inking and other mechanism, and to impart
the necessary motion to the roll of paper, upon which the amounts are printed, and
which unrolled portion remains inside, and cannot be removed from the apparatus
without unlocking the same.

page_text: In my former Specification No. 14,71884, I described certain wheels fitted in the
lower part of the apparatus, the peripheries of which were furnished with numbers,
indicating pounds, shillings and pence; and which wheels were operated by racks
and pinions. I now arrange such wheels in the upper part, and operate the same by
means of circular racks, segment racks, or toothed wheels, to which the handles are
fixed, the levers of such handles passing through the upper part of the case.
The circular or segmental racks or toothed wheels operate upon and rotate, or
partially rotate certain other wheels or segments, having figures painted or other-
wise formed upon their peripheries; which figures can be seen by the operator
through suitable openings, who can thereby arrange the figures or other matters to be
indicated, previously to impressing the same upon the bill-head or other article.
My present invention is designed to operate upon the same principle as my former
invention, and the several parts are now arranged so as to act with greater efficiency
and convenience, and such parts may be modified to suit the particular use to which
the apparatus is to be applied.
It is obvious that in some cases the inking appliances may be dispensed with, and
the indications may be made by stamped or perforated letters and figures.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Checking, Recording, and Indicating
the Amounts of Cash Received, Taken, or Paid, such Apparatus
being also Applicable to other Analogous Purposes.
I SIDNEY FIRTH of 22 Royal Exchange, Leeds, in the County of York Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention consists of apparatus for indicating the date; the amount to be
received; a magazine or reservoir for plain tickets, or tickets with blanks for the
amounts and dates; a roll of paper mounted upon an axle ; mechanism for printing
the amounts indicated upon the tickets and upon the roll of paper, simultaneously; also
for delivering such tickets whether single or double, when printed, and securing the
printed portion of the roll of paper in a suitable receptacle inside the apparatus ; also
for inking the type, and operating the mechanism by hand or treadle. Some portions
of such mechanism being dispensed with when any one or more of the operations is
or are not required.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar
letters and Figures of reference indicate correspoding parts.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, enclosed in a case. Fig. 2 is a back
view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the internal mechanism, with the case
removed.
Fig. 4 is a back view of the same.
Fig. 5 is an end view shewing the index wheels ff adapted to dollars and cents.
Fig. 5 shews the adaptation of the index wheels to English money, and other
obvious adaptations may be made to suit the coins of other nations.
Fig. 6 is a plan on the line y-z, Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 is a view of the underside of the type holder and press.
Fig. 8 is a plan of the base plate, shewing the axles and cams, and some other
attachments. Figs. 9, 10 and 11, are detail views of the lever check, for ensuring the
proper use of the lever d and, Fig. 12 is a side view of the semi-circular cover h.
a is the outer case, b is a slot in the door a¹ of the outer case, lined with brass or
other metal, for the delivery of the tickets properly printed and dated, from which slot
they are ejected by the mechanism hereinafter explained. cis a movable frame which
serves as a magazine for holding a number of tickets, such tickets having blank spaces
for the amounts of money and dates of delivery, or other matter required to be printed
or indicated upon the same, by means of the internal mechanism. d is a handle for
operating the machine, (which may be substituted by a treadle action, if preferred)
and ee ee are other handles (of which there may be any convenient number) for
actuating the dises ff (of which there may also be any convenient number). These

page_text: discs ff have suitable numbers engraved or otherwise marked upon their peripheries
as shown in Fig. 5, one of which numbers, on each disc, can only be seen at one time,
through the openings g g in the cover h (Fig. 12). The numbers visible through
the openings are changed and otherwise controlled through the rotation of the
discs by the handles e e. When the handles are down the discs ff present zero
towards the openings g, and, as the handles are lifted, the numerals from 0 to 9
in some cases 0 to 11 are presented in succession, and may be seen through the
openings. The printing apparatus prints, embosses, perforates, or otherwise impresses
numbers or other matter corresponding to that which is visible on the discs.
The openings in the outer case are secured by locks. The lock i secures the door
which is used for gaining access to the internal record :-the lock is used to secure
the handle d and prevent it being moved, when the apparatus is not required to be
used. This is shewn locked in Fig. 4. Other locks are fitted as required.
m is the base plate to which the frame nn is fixed by screws 1, 1, the heads of which
are under the plate as shewn in Fig. 8. Bosses o o are cast on the frame n, in or to
which the vertical guide rods p p are fixed. These rods pp act as vertical guides to
the bosses qq of the press which are bored to fit the rods PP and preserve the
parallelism of the press as it rises and falls.
The upper part of the frame n forms an entablature, as shewn in Fig. 6,
having the projecting frame n' Fig. 5, which supports the magazine c c, and ejecting
mechanism.
k, (Figs. 3 and 4) is the inking roller which is carried to and fro, upon its axles k¹
in the slotted guides secured to the upper frame or press. The inking roller k
receives its vertical reciprocating motion by being secured in the slotted guides rr,
and the to and fro motions are imparted thereto by the levers s s.
These levers are
fitted to the axle t, which is actuated by the crank u and cam v, Figs. 3 and 8.
The handles ee ee are fixed to the toothed wheels 2, 2, 2, 2, and when the handles
are lifted the wheels 2, 2, rotate therewith to the same extent. The wheels 2, 2, are
in gear with pinions 3, 3 which actuate the wheels ff, and also with wheels 17
(Fig. 7) mounted on centres 18, having numbers on their peripheries as shewn in
Fig. 7.
The handle d is fitted to the axle 4 working in the bearings 5. The axle 4 is fitted
with the cams v and w and eccentric 6, Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 8. The cam actuates the
crank u by means of the pin 7, and the crank u actuates the axle t, and the levers s s.
These levers carry the inking roller k to the inking pad 8, Fig. 3 by its forward
movement; the reverse movement of the levers ss carry the inking roller backward,
passing under the inverted type and at the same time inking the same. The inking
roller is then carried to the back, as shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The cam w
actuates the crank 10 by means of the pin 9, fitted to the short axle 11 and carrying
the vertical lever 12. The lever 12 is carried forward by one motion of the cam w
and backward by the opposite motion. The upper end of the lever 12 is fitted to the
underside of the ejector slide 13. 14 is a roll of narrow paper, working loosely on
the spindle 15. Tension on this roll is furnished by a flat or spiral spring pressing
the roll against the milled head on the spindle 15. The spindle 15 is tightened by
the screw and lever 16. One end of this coil of paper is carried over the plate 16³,
where it receives a print or impression from the wheel 17 immediately over such
plate.
The handle d, at rest is in the position shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, and, to operate the
apparatus, it is partially rotated with the axle 4, to the left, as indicated by the arrows
in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 in which figures ax indicates the direction of the handle;
Fig. 9 shews the normal position, Fig. 10 shows an intermediate position, and Fig. 11
shews its extreme position, ready for the return stroke. When the lever d is in the
position shewn in Fig. 4 the eccentric 6 is raised to its upper position; the eccentric
rod 19 has lifted the printing press 20; the screw pin 21, on the eccentric 6, has
lifted the lever 22. This lever carries the pawl rod 23, the lower end of which has a
spring 24, as shewn. The check pawl 25 prevents the ratchet wheel 26 from rotating
in a backward direction. When the handle d is turned to the left, the eccentric

page_text: .
falls, carrying down the pin 21, lever 22 and rod 23, the wheel 26 remaining stationary.
On the return stroke the lever 22 and pawl bar 23 rise, and cause the wheel 26 to
rotate a certain distance. This wheel moves the drum 27 and follower drum 28,
whereby the paper or ribbon 29 is drawn into the receptacle formed by the plate 30, for
receiving the internal record of the amounts taken. This receptacle is only accessible
by means of the door a¹.
The upward motion of the press 20 is effected by the return of the handle d to its
normal position, and the downward motion by the handle being turned to the left.
When in the position shewn in Fig. 11 the pressure is applied and the printing of the
cards, tickets or invoices under the form 31 (Fig. 7) and of the paper under the
form 32, is effected. Springs 33 are fitted, which enter between the teeth of
the wheels 2, 2, and supply sufficient friction to prevent involuntary motion of the
wheels. 34 is a movable dating plate for altering the date. This plate is made to
slide in and out by hand, and retains its place by friction or otherwise.
The tickets which are placed in the reservoir or magazine c successively fall upon
the ejector slide 13. This slide carries a raised lip at 13ª Fig. 6, of just sufficient
height to seize one of the tickets and carry it forward to a position under the printing
form and type 31, and from which latter position it is ejected through the port b.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are intended to explain the action of the ratchet 35 and pawls 36.
37 and 38; the pawls 36 and 37 being rigidly joined together.
In Fig. 9 this mechanism is shewn in the same position as in Fig. 4, in which one
arm of the pawl of 38 rests against the pin. 39. The horizontal arm of 38 is capable
of being locked by the bolt of the lock 7, as shewn in Fig. 4. When unlocked and
turned to the position shewn in Fig. 10 the pawl 37 enters between the teeth of
the ratchet 35 and prevents its return, the spring 40 presses the pawl 36. 37 towards
the ratchet. One arm of the pawl 38 carries a pin 41 which lifts the pawl 36 just
before it arrives at the position shown in Fig. 11. This throws the pawl 37 out of
gear, in which position the spring 40 retains the same, and thus allows the return
stroke of the handle d, axle 4, and ratchet 35. When the pin 41 is brought down to
the arm 42 of the pawl 36, the position of the pawl 36 with respect to the spring 40 is
restored to the position shewn in Fig. 9 ready for the next series of operations. It
will thus be seen that, on starting the handle d from its normal position, the operation
must be completed; this being necessary to prevent damage to the mechanism.
My invention may be modified by dispensing with the reservoir for tickets cc, and
passing the ticket or invoice by hand into the port b, withdrawing the same when
printed: the ejector slide and its appendages being in that case unnecessary.
It is obvious that instead of placing the press above, to travel upon the upper ends
of the guide rods pp, the same may be placed lower down and carry the type upward
against fixed plates above the same. Also the indications and records may be
performed by dry pressure, or by perforating mechanism, in which case the inking
roller k, pad 8, and other appliances connected with the same may be dispensed with.
Figs. 13 to 19 illustrate a modification of my arrangement for securing the
ribbon 29 on which the amounts taken are recorded, thus dispensing with the
plate 30. Instead of gathering the ribbon loosely, as described above, this arrangement
provides a roller 46, upon which the record is wound.
Fig. 13 is a section, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 14; and Fig. 14 is a side elevation
of so much of the frame as is necessary to shew the arrangement. The frame n
is fitted with a bracket 43 having a dovetail groove 50; a side view of this
bracket being shown in Fig. 15. The bracket 44 is made to slide into 43, as shewn
in Fig. 14. 45 (Fig. 17) is a split pin which carries the reel 46 and provides
sufficient friction to cause the reel 46 to rotate therewith; the pulley 48 being
secured to the pin by a screw. The reel 46 is recessed, and has a set of pointed
pins 47 fitted thereto, as shewn in Figs. 18 and 19, to which pins the end of the
ribbon is secured, previously to winding. Fig. 18 in an elevation and Fig. 19 an
Send view of the reel 46.
The spindle of 27 is prolonged and fitted with a pulley 47, and the spindle of the
reel 46 is driven by a similar pulley 48. A band 49 is passed round both pulleys, so

page_text: .
that when 27 is caused to rotate by the before described mechanism, the reel 46 is
simultaneously rotated therewith.
The reel 46, with its daily or other record, may be removed by hand, the paper being
torn off and unwound from the reel, which reel is then replaced and the end of the
imprinted ribbon is attached to the pins 47 of the reel 46, ready for future operations.
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 improved method of indicating the sums received, or other matters to be
recorded, by the means and appliances, severally operating substantially as herein before
described and shewn on the drawings.
2. The combination, for the purposes aforesaid, of the axle 4, operated by the
handle d, such axle 4 being fitted with the cam blocks vw eccentric 6, ratchet
wheel 35, and double-arm lever 38, controlled by the pawls 36 and 37, spring 40 and
pins 39 and 41, substantially as herein before described and shewn on the drawings.
3. The combination for the purposes, aforesaid, of the levers ss, actuated by the axle t,
crank u pin 7, and cam v, and the lever 12 actuated by the axle 11, crank 10, pin 9
and cam w, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn on the drawings.
4. The method of mounting the press with the wheels and printing appliances,
guided by rods P and guides
and raised and lowered by the eccentric 6 and rod 19,
substantially as herein before described and shewn on the drawings.
5. The method of operating the wheel and roller 26 by means of the rod and
pawl 23, spring 24, lever 22 and pin 21 substantially as herein before described and
shewn on the drawings.
6. The method of securing the ribbon 29 by winding the same upon the moveable
reel 46, by means of the pulleys 47 and 48 and band 49, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn in Figs. 13 to 19 of the drawings.
7. The combination of the parts together forming my improvements in apparatus
for checking, recording and indicating the amounts of cash received, taken, or paid;
such apparatus being also applicable to other analogous purposes, substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn on the drawings.