Automatic Change-giving Apparatus or Till.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th July, 1889-Accepted, 31st Aug.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Change-giving Apparatus or Till.
I, ISIDORE ESKELL CLIFFORD, of 8 Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Surgeon-Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of this
Invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide an automatic change-giving apparatus, or
till, which is so constructed that the coin contained therein cannot be got at until a
disc or counter be first introduced in order to disengage the mechanism, and to permit
the till to act.
The apparatus, broadly speaking, consists of a series of tills or boxes, the
mechanisin of each till or box being identical, but each till or box being utilized for
holding coin of a different value or size, such for instance as sixpenny pieces,
shillings, florins, half-crowns, crowns, and sovereigns.
The attendants or clerks, charged with the control of these tills, are each given a
certain number of discs or counters for the purpose of causing the working of the
apparatus when it be desired to give change, thus, if the apparatus contain 20,
1 pieces, or 20 sixpenny pieces, 20 discs or counters are distributed, these
corresponding to the number of coins contained in the boxes, and these discs or
counters are numbered, or otherwise marked, so that it may be readily ascertained
which one of the attendants has withdrawn any change from the tills or boxes. The
coin to be changed is not placed in the apparatus, but is deposited in a separate till,
of any suitable and known construction, forming no part of my invention.
1 will now describe the construction of one of my automatic tills or boxes, it being
understood that the remaining ones are of identical construction, as before stated.
The till consists of a box, of suitable shape, containing two compartiments, an upper
one and a lower one, the upper one containing the mechanism and the money for
change, and the lower one a drawer, into which fall the discs or counters used for
working the till.
The mechanism consists of a tube containing the change (say 20 1/- pieces)
beneath which is a tray or plate extending from the front to the back of the box,
and which, when in its normal position, is locked by means of a catch or hook
entering a slot cut in said tray or plate. This catch or hook is formed at the
extremity of the short arm of a rocking lever, which is bent at a right angle, the
long arm of said lever working in a shoot through which the dises or counters are
dropped, and which, by depressing the long arm of said lever effects the liberation
of the catch or hook from the slot, thus freeing the tray or plate, and permitting of
its withdrawal. The tray or plate terminates at its front end in a finger pull, or
handle, projecting outside the till, and at back it is furnished with a heel piece, or
raised portion, which, on the drawing out of the tray or plate, catches, removes, and
brings forward, through a slot in the front of the till, the lowerinost shilling of the
pile, while, at the same time, keeping up the remaining shillings in the tube. On
the tray or plate is an arm or stop to regulate its travel, and when this tray or plate
is in its norimal position, the arm or stop prevents the discs or counters, as introduced
into the shoot, falling through a lateral opening in said shoot, until allowed to do so
by the drawing out of the tray or plate, for the purpose of giving change. From
this shoot the discs or counters fall through a slot (cut in the partition separating the
compartments) into the drawer.
The drawers being all locked the disces or counters cannot be rot at.

page_text: The apparatus herein described may be used in conjunction with any till, or with
the apparatus set forth in my Provisional Specification filed on the 20th September
1888, No. 13,596.
Dated this 10th day of (Intabar 1888
ERNEST DE PASS, Fel. Inst. P.A.,
68, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.
-
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Change-giving Apparatus or Till.
I, ISIDORE ESKELL CLIFFORD, of 8 Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Surgeon Dentist, 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, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is
to say :-
The object of my invention is to provide an automatic change-giving apparatus or
till which is so constructed that the coin contained therein cannot be got at unless a
disc or counter is introduced to release mechanism and permit of change being
obtained. .
The apparatus consists essentially of a series of tills or boxes, the mechanism
contained in all being identical and each till or box being utilized for holding coin of
a different value or size, such for instance as threepenny pieces, sixpenny pieces,
shillings, florins, half-crowns, etc.
Each till or box consists of two compartments, one containing the mechanism, and
the other a drawer into which the discs or counters, after working the till, finally fall.
The mechanism consists of a tube containing the change (say 20 one-shilling
pieces) beneath which is a tray or plate normally locked and prevented from being
withdrawn by means of a weighted pivotted catch or hook entering a slot formed in
said tray or plate. This pivotted catch or hook is placed near the bottom of a shoot
through which the disc or counter falls, after being inserted into the apparatus, and
by dropping upon and depressing the extremity of the pivotted catch or hook causes
its weighted end to rise and become disengaged from the slot in the plate or tray,
which may then be withdrawn at will. To facilitate the withdrawal of this tray or
plate it is provided at its front end with a finger-pull or handle; at its rear end it is
provided with a raised portion or heel-piece which, on withdrawing the plate, causes
the lowermost coin of the pile resting upon it to be carried forward and, at the same
time, keeps the remaining coins in place by coming beneath and closing the tube
containing them.
An arm standing up from the plate or tray, when in its normal position, covers a
longitudinal opening in the shoot before mentioned and prevents the check therein
from being released, until said tray is withdrawn when the longitudinal opening is
uncovered and the check falls through a slot formed in the partition separating the
two compartments, into a drawer beneath. This arm also acts as a stop to prevent
the tray or plate from being entirely withdrawn.
In order that my said invention may be more fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 shews a front elevation of the apparatus consisting of a series of tills or
boxes, side by side, each containing coins of different value.
Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of one of such tills or boxes, and shews the
mechanism for releasing the tray or plate after a disc, counter, or its equivalent, has
been inserted.
Fig. 3 is another transverse section and shews the tray or plate and coin tube or
container.

page_text: Fig. is a plan.
Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line A, B, of Fig. 2.
a, a, is the casing of the apparatus. b is the slot through which the discs or
counters are inserted to release the mechanism. c is a pivotted arm or finger
situated near the bottom of the shoot d, one extremity of which finger is provided
with a weighted catch or hook c¹. When no disc or counter is in the apparatus this
weighted catch or hook preponderates and enters a slot e¹ formed in the plate or
tray but should a disc be inserted it falls upon and depresses the pivotted arm c,
causing the weighted catch c¹ to be lifted out of the slot e', and rendering the plate
or tray free to be withdrawn.
The coins to be delivered for change are contained within the coin container or
tube placed centrally over the plate or tray e upon which the lowermost coin lios.
The rear portion or heel-piece ex of this plate or tray is raised and being behind the
coin causes it to be carried forward when the plate is withdrawn.
g is another slot formed in the division plate a¹; when the plate or tray e is
withdrawn an arm e² carried by it uncovers a longitudinal opening formed in the
shoot d and allows the disc or counter to fall therefrom through the slot g into the
drawer beneath.
The front portion of the plate or tray e terminates in a finger-pull e³ by which it
may be easily withdrawn.
a² is a hinged cover or lid to allow of refilling the coin-container f, whenever
necessary. All the lids a³ and the drawers h are capable of being locked simul-
taneously by any suitable means, such as shewn in Fig. 1, consisting of a hinged
plate or bar coupled at each of its ends by a link or arm j¹ to a rod j³ so that on
turning said plate or bar on its hinges all the lids and drawers are free to be opened.
A lock is provided on one of the end boxes to enable the plate j, and with it the
rod j, to be locked.
The apparatus hereindescribed may be used in conjunction with any ordinary till ;
or it may be used in combination with the apparatus set forth in my Specification
No. 13,596, dated 20th September 1888, by using this last named apparatus as a
receiver for the money in bulk.
The apparatus is accessible to clerks or attendants to each of whom is given a
number of the discs or counters each bearing a distinctive mark for identifying
which clerk or attendant has used it for withdrawing change from the apparatus.
Thus, if the apparatus contain twenty one-shilling pieces, or twenty sixpenny pieces,
twenty discs or counters will be distributed. The apparatus is used in the following
way Say for instance a purchaser is to pay 1/6 and presents to the clerk or
attendant à florin-the clerk or attendant will drop into the box containing sixpenny
pieces one of the discs with which he is provided and obtain therefrom the necessary
change, viz. sixpence. The florin he receives being placed in the ordinary till.
predetermined intervals the drawers containing the discs will be unlocked and
their contents emptied and counted.
:
At
Having now particularly described and ascertained my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The construction and use of automatic change-giving apparatus or tills
substantially as described and shewn by the annexed drawings.
2. In automatic change-giving apparatus or tills whereby, after the insertion of a
suitable disc, counter, or its equivalent, a coin or coins may be obtained in exchange
therefor, the means or mechanism arranged and combined substantially as hereinbefore
described, and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this hth daw of 177 XXQ
Enth law of Inly 1880
ERNEST DE PASS,
68, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.