Improvements in Cash Registering Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept.. 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE BOSTON CASH REGISTER COMPANY,
of 252, Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America.]
Improvements in Cash Registering Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex 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:-
Our invention relates to cash registers and other machines such as are operated
by the depression of keys or pivoted levers and consists in the meaus hereinafter
described and claimed for preventing the simultaneous depression of more than
one key at a time.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1, is a vertical, central section from front to back of so much of a cash
register with our improvement applied thereto, as is necessary for the understanding
of said improvement;
Fig. 2, is a horizontal cross-section of the stop case or case which contains
the stops, in the plane of the axis of said stops, and a plan of the stops and
springs;
Fig. 3, is a section of the stop-case like that shown in Figure 2, omitting the
springs and showing the stops and also one of the keys partly depressed and in
section in the same plane as the section of the stop case and showing a stop
separator or the part of a key which passes between the stops, in plan;
Fig. 4, is a vertical section of a part of the stop case, through the centers of the
stops, and a front elevation of some stops and of a stop separator in a raised position
between two of said stops;
Fig. 5, is a horizontal section of the stop case through the centers of the
stops and a plan of some stops and of a stop separator in the position shown in
Fig. 5;
Fig. 6, is a side elevation of one of the stops and of part of a stop separator
in its normal position (not raised) and a vertical section of the stop case on the
line of Figure 5, the stops in Figures 4 and 6 being represented as balls or
spheres ;
Figure 7 is a horizontal section of a part of the stop-case and a plan of some
stops and of a stop separator, in a raised position; the stops shown in Figure 7
being represented as disks.
The case A, drawer B, and drawer-opening spring C are or may be of any usual
construction. The signals D, supported upon vertical signal rods d and bearing
numbers corresponding to numbers on the front ends or buttons k of the keys K
and the keys K having their fulcrums upon a horizontal rod klare or may be sub-
stantially as shown in United States Patent No. 370,363, granted September 20, 1887,
to Jerome J. Webster, for Improvements in Cash Registers, except that the key is
provided with a stop separator I, hereinafter described. It will be understood
that the parts above mentioned are intended to be used with registering-wheels
and mechanism for operating said registering wheels by the depression of said keys,
but such registering devices form no part of the present invention and are therefore
not shown in the drawing and need no description. It is sufficient for the present
purpose to say that any well-known registering devices adapted to be operated by
the depression of the keys may be used in connection with the parts shown in
said Patent to Webster.

page_text: In carrying out our invention, we prefer to provide each key K with a stop-
separator I, the same being substantially an arc-shaped piece having its center of
curvature in the axis of the fulcrum-rod kon which the key. turns. and having
a uniform thickness laterally except that the upper edge i of said stop separator is
wedge-shaped, as shown in Figures 3 to 7. The stop-separator is connected to the
key K by a web or upward extension with reaches from the rear part of the
upper edge of said separator to said key, the separator, web and key being preferably
cast in one piece. The stop case J consists substantially of a tube provided with
feet by means of which it is secured to the table or horizontal portion a of the
case A by means of screws passing through screw holes in said feet. The stop
case J is arranged at right angles to the keys and parallel with the fulcrum-rod kt.
The stop-case J is provided with as many vertical slots as there are keys
arranged at equal intervals with said keys, these slots being on the back of the
case and extending through the horizontal opening 3 or bore of said case. The
case is so arranged that the slots allow the stop separators to pass upward through
them when the keys are depressed, so that, were it not for the stops L described
below, all the keys might be depressed simultaneously, each stop-separator passing
up through one of the slots *.
The stops L shown in Figures 2-3 consist of short cylinders having a sufficient
diameter to fit the horizontal bore of the case j³ with a sliding fit and each having
pointed or rounded ends 1, the aggregate length of all the cylinders being shorter
than the inside length of said stop-case, that is, the length between the outer
sides of the slot nearest the ends of the case by just the lateral thickness of a
single stop-separator, so that the depression of any key will, by pushing the stops
aside, close all the intervals between the stops except the one occupied by the
stop-separator first raised and thereby prevent any other stop separator from
being raised or in other words prevent the depression of any other key.
Balls L may be used in place of the stop-cylinders L if the central opening or
bore of the stop-case be made of sufficient diameter, as shown in Fig. 4, the balls
rolling instead of sliding.
Obviously, disks, as shown in Fig. 6, may be used to effect the same purpose
as the cylinders and balls above referred to, the disks being arranged to roll in a
suitable case and in the same plane with each other. In any form of the stops,
it is necessary that the combined length of the stops taken on a horizontal line
through the centers of the stops should be less than the inside length of the case
by an amount equal to the lateral thickness of the stop-separator. It is also
apparent that the stops may be arranged above the rear arms of the keys or
under the front arms of the keys and operate upon, and be operated upon
by said arms directly, said arms in that case being properly shaped to separate
the stops.
The stops above described may be used with any series of keys, where for any
reason it is desired to prevent the simultaneous operation by accident or intention
of two keys of the same group, but will be found to be especially useful in machines
where the simultaneous depression of two keys will operate the machine to an
extent not greater than is due to the depression of one of said keys. The number
of stops required is equal to the number of spaces between the keys of.the
group, the parts marked in Figure 2, although resembling in form, the stops L,
not serving as stops but merely as followers impelled by springs to hold the stops
proper in contact with each other when no key is depressed and to bring the
points of contact of the adjacent stops in the center of the slots . The parts
in Fig. 3 likewise do not serve as stops but merely fill the ends of the opening in
the case and prevent the stops from reaching entirely across the slots it being
more convenient in forming the stop-case of cast metal to drill it entirely through
from end to end to receive the stops.
"
What is claimed as the invention, is
#
...

page_text: arrester consisting of a rolling piece or body, of a diameter greater than the
space in the parts between the keys and a channel or holder for receiving and
guiding such rolling arrester body, substantially as described.
2. The combination of a series of keys, a tube or stop case arranged at right
angles with said keys and provided with a number of slots equal to the number
of said keys, and a series of stops capable of rolling in said stop case and arranged
side by side within the same the length of the combined diameters of said stops
being less than the interior length of said case by the transverse thickness of said
key, when the same in being depressed strikes said stops, substantially as
described.
3. The combination of a series of keys, each provided with a stop-separator
having a uniform thickness laterally, a tube or stop case arranged at right
angles with said keys and provided with a number of slots equal to the number
of said keys, each of said slots being adapted to admit one of said keys, and a
series of stops capable of rolling in said stop case and arranged side by side within
the same, the length of the combined diameters of said stops being less than the
interior length of said case by an amount as great as the transverse thickness of
a stop separator, substantially as described.
4. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of the operating keys and
the stops made in the form of balls and arranged to operate, substantially as
described.
5. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of the operating keys
provided with extensions, and the stops made in the form of balls, substantially
as described.
Dated this 16th day of Avonst 1809
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.