Improvements in Money Tills or Apparatus for Recording and Checking the Amounts Received.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1891-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Money Tills or Apparatus for Recording and
Checking the Amounts Received.
1, THOMAS O'BRIEN, of 45 Fern Grove, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to that class of money till known as check tills in which
the amount of money received and paid into the till is entered on a band or
ribbon of paper which is caused to move forward by the movement of the
drawer.
It is designed primarily with the object of making the drawer self closing for a
portion of its inward travel so that when full open it will remain so but when only
partially open the tendency will be to close.
This may be effected by means of springs acting through levers upon two surfaces
one at an angle to the other the one being in a plane parallel to the direction of
movement of the drawer and the other at an angle thereto.
To the drawer on the bottom or on one or both sides I attach a board, bracket,
or plate, with the edges prepared to receive a friction bowl or runner thereon
carried by a pivoted lever of bell crank or other form. The lever is pivoted to a
stud or bracket affixed to the stationery part of the till, at one end it carries a
small friction bowl or runner and at the other is connected to a spiral or other spring
acting to press inward the end with the friction bowl.
The board, bracket or plate may be made in duplicate or with two surfaces for
the bowl to run upon but I prefer to make it double with two sets of surfaces and
two pivoted levers acting at opposite sides so as to balance one another.
The springs may be affixed to the bottom or sides of the till or may be placed
between the arms of the levers and may be of spiral or other form.
The band or ribbon of paper upon which the amounts are recorded is drawn off
a roll or bobbin either by rollers or onto another roller or drum which are rotated
by a friction pulley, clutch, ratchet or other similar device actuated either by the
pivoted levers which move the drawer or by a similar additional lever preferably
as the drawer is pulled out each outward movement of the drawer moves the paper
from a quarter to half an inch as may be arranged.
paper
be
Where desired the actuating mechanism for moving the
rollers may
arranged to move its full distance by the travel of the drawer a half or other part
of the length it draws out so that in every instance that the drawer is opened
sufficiently far to insert or take out money the paper has travelled the required
distance.
Dated this 20th day of Santamber 1800
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Money Tills or Apparatus for Recording and
Checking the Amounts Received.
I, THOMAS O'BRIEN, of 45, Fern Grove, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Commercial Traveller, 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 :-
This invention relates to that class of money till known as check tills in which

page_text: the amount of money received and paid into the till is entered on a band or
ribbon of paper which is caused to move forward by the movement of the
drawer.
It is designed primarily with the object of making the drawer self closing for a
portion of its inward travel so that when full open it will remain so but when only
partially open the tendency will be to close.
This may be effected by means of springs acting through levers upon two surfaces
one at an angle to the other the one being in a plane parallel to the direction of
movement of the drawer and the other at an angle thereto.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, side elevation partly in section.
Fig. 2, side elevation of drawer.
Fig. 3, transverse sectional elevation on line x x.
Fig. 4, transverse sectional elevation looking in opposite direction on line y y.
Fig. 5, plan with lid removed.
Fig. 6, elevation of lever k and plate K¹ with catch K.
To the drawer A preferably to the side as shown I attach a cam bracket or
plate C with the edges c prepared for a friction bowl D to run upon. The edges c
of the cam plate C are placed one inclined to the other so that while the bottom
edge is parallel with the bottom of the drawer the other is inclined thereto. The
friction bowl D is carried by a lever E pivoted at or near the bottom of the till on
a stud e. To the lever E near its outer end is connected a spiral spring F which
forces it inwards or towards the back of the drawer.
A similar plate and lever is attached to both sides of the drawer to balance it
though if desired it may be applied to one side only. It is obvious that the position
of the plate C may be reversed and the lever E placed above it but I prefer the
arrangement shown as the bowl D acts or lifts against the weight of the drawer
instead of as would be the case pressing down and adding to the friction. The
plate C might also be placed horizontally upon the bottom of the drawer with
either one or two faces and the levers E act thereon but the arrangement shown I
now consider the best.
The band or ribbon of paper G upon which the amounts of money placed in the
drawer A are recorded is drawn off a roller or bobbin g onto a roller or bobbin H.
On the end of roller or bobbin H upon which the paper is wound as it is used is
fixed a ratchet wheel which is moved forward one or more teeth at a time by a
lever or pawl. The lever or pawl h¹ is caused to oscillate or move backwards
and forwards by a lever I similar to the levers E hereinbefore described. The
lever I carries at its other end a bowl or runner which runs on a second cam
surface c' on one of the cam plates C at one side of the drawer. As the drawer is
drawn out the end of the lever is raised and the pawl moved to move forward
the ratchet wheel the required distance. A spring catch K carried on a plate K'
fits between the teeth of the ratchet wheel and to the plate is fixed the bell
hammer which at each movement of the plate as the catch springs back from one
tooth to the next strikes the bell L. A lever k is pivoted to the side of the case to
move the catch K out of contact with the wheel when it is desired to turn it
backwards. The pin k¹ on the lever k at the same time lifts the pawl h¹ clear of the
teeth of the ratchet wheel /. The paper G is attached to the roller or bobbin H
by a wedge or other similar device.
Instead of the bobbin H it is obvious that the paper may be drawn between
rollers one of which will be actuated by the mechanism described. And instead of
the second lever I the lever or pawl h¹ may be connected to or actuated from one
of the levers E but I at present prefer the arrangement shown.
The paper G passes from the roller or bobbing over a tightening or friction
wire gl and a board or plate G¹ where it is brought under a slit m in the lid M.
Behind the slit m is placed a glass plate M¹ through which the entries upon the
paper can be read. From the board G¹ the paper passes to the roller or bobbin H
upon which it is rolled up by the mechanism described. On the sides of the case

page_text: between which the drawer travels, is fixed two castings or slides P which extend
out over the top edge of the drawer and hold it in position, and to prevent the
drawer being pulled out of the case stops p are affixed to the back of it. A small
tray is placed above the drawer resting on top of the slides P but is not shown in
the drawings. p' is a stop to prevent the drawer knocking against the back of the
case when the drawer is closed.
In operation the bowls D carried by the levers E press against the cam surfaces c
of the plates C being pulled or drawn inwards by the springs F. When the
bowls D are against the inclined surfaces they tend to hold the drawer closed or to
push it in but when the drawer is drawn out the bowls D come in contact with the
horizontal surfaces of the cam plates C and exercise no effect upon the drawer
other than to assist in supporting its weight. When the drawer is pushed in until
the bowls D leave the horizontal surfaces and engage with the inclined surfaces of
the cam plate C the action of the springs F then come into play and force the
drawer in the remainder of the distance so that if released at that point it would be
self closing and the necessity for the operator fully closing the drawer before
releasing it is obviated, while at the same time he is prevented leaving it partly
open which would interfere with the working of the other part of the mechanism.
The opening of the drawer causes the bowl or runner i on the lever I to mount
up onto the top of the surface c¹ of the plate C and thus moves the lever. This
movement of the lever I moves forward the pawl h¹ and the ratchet wheel h and the
roller H which receives the paper G. At each opening movement of the drawer
the paper G upon which the amounts are recorded is thus moved forward the
required distance to provide a fresh space for the next entry to be made upon it.
The entries upon the paper are made through the slit m in the lid in front of the
glass plate M¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A money till having a cam surface attached to the drawer acted upon by a
lever and spring which when at a certain position cause the drawer to close
substantially as described.
2. In a money till the combination with the drawer of a cam plate (such as C)
with two surfaces one inclined to the other, a lever with bowl or runner which
engages with the cam and a spiral or other suitable spring which acting through
the lever closes the drawer substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. A money till or drawer having a cam surface attached to the drawer which
acts upon a lever as the drawer is pulled out to move forward the bobbin or
rollers which receive the paper by means of a pawl and ratchet wheel substantially
as described.
4. A money till or drawer having the several parts constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 26th day of June 1801
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.