Year: 1888

page_text: I, LEO EHRLICH, of 417 Olive Street in the City of St. Louis and State of Missouri,
United States of America, gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in cash registers and indicators used for
registering and indicating the various cash amounts received in saloons, stores, and
other places for any given period of time, and is particularly applicable to that class
of apparatus wherein are found a series of pivoted key levers each of which represents
a certain number or cash value and is combined with registering gear and with a tablet
bearing the same number or value to that of the key so that on depressing any key
lover the cash receipt represented thereby is immediately registered and the tablet of
the key exposed to view until another key is operated when the first tablet disappears
from sight and the second tablet is exposed, and so on.
The object of my invention is to effect by one set or series of wheels a consecutive
and collective registration of the several cash receipts for the entire series of key levers
thereby enabling the total amount received to be ascertained at a glance without the
necessity of adding the separate collective registrations for each key lever to arrive at
the total as in ordinary machinos-and to ensure a quicker action of the indicating
tablets in dropping from view.
On the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved cash
register and indicator with the registering mechanism broken away; Figure 2 a
sectional plan of the same on line 1, 1 in figure 1; Figure 3 a transverse section on
line 2, 2 in figure 1; figures 4 and 5 plan and side elevation respectively of modified
parts of figures 1, 2 and 3; Figures 6 and 7 detached front and rear elevations of the
registering devices; Figure 8 a plan of the same and Figure 9 a sectional plan of
part thereof, like letters of reference denoting like parts in the respective figures.
a a represent a series of key levers of the second kind arranged parallel to one
another and fulcrumed loosely at their rear ends on the spindle 6 which extends
borizontally between and is carried at its ends by the sides c of the machine. Each
key lever a projects forward from its fulcrum through a slotted plate d at the front
Pin S1

page_text: :
of the machine and terminates at a suitable distance therefrom in a button e bearing
a certain number or cash value. The buttons é in the present case are arranged by
curving downwards the front portion of every alternate key lever a, in an upper and
lower bank in the usual way and are numbered from say one to ten shillings as shown
in figure 2. ff are spiral springs connecting the key levers a with a fixed overhead
cross-bar g for normally retaining the key levers a in line transversely with each
other. At the back of the machine, corresponding in number with the key levers a
and contiguous thereto respectively are arranged vertifical rods which work through
horizontal guide-bars i fixed across the machine. Each rod carries at its upper end
a tablet which bears the same number or cash value on its face as that on the front
end of its corresponding key lever a, the rods with their tablets j being normally in
such position that the latter remain hidden from view within the casing (not shown)
of the machine.
On a spindle which extends horizontally between the sides c´of the machine in
front of the vertical rods are mounted loosely a series of double sheaves or pulleys l m
corresponding in number to the key levers a and each composed of a small sheave l
located immediately over a key lever a and a large sheave m facing the corresponding
vertical rod the two sheaves I m being in one piece or attached together side by side.
Around the sheave is wound a cord or chain which connects with the key lever a
and around the sheave m is a cord or chain m¹ which connects with the lower part of
the vertical rod h.
Above the sheaves lm in front of, and bearing against, the vertical rods h is the
upper edge of a wing a which inclines downward and forward to its lower edge where
it is hinged at the ends to the sides c of the machine. The wing n may be retained
normally in this position by any suitable spring such as o and is formed with a
bottom web or flange p which projects backwards from the hinges of the wing n
towards the vertical rods h so as to overhang or be in the vertical path of pins or
studs projecting from the front sides of the vertical rods h.
Below the entire series of key levers a in front of the slotted plate d is arranged
a transverse har 2 which is attached at its ends to vertical hanging links s combined
with arms t and spindle u on one end of which is a tappet levor for operating a
gong or bell w, but these parts being of ordinary well known construction need no
further description.
The mode of operating the above described parts which relate to the indicating
features of my machine is thus described: On depressing any one of the key
lovers a by its button e bearing the number corresponding with the cash amount paid,
the vibration of the key lever a on its fulcrum & pulls upon the cord so as to partially
rotate the small sheave and with it the large sheave m which hauling on its cord m¹
raises the vertical rod carrying the tablet which bears the same number as that on
the key lever a and the said tablet j thereby appears to view, either above the back of
the machine or through a glazed opening therein as desired. During the ascent of the
vertical rod its projecting pin or stud in passing the upper edge of the inclined
wing n pushes the latter forwards until clear of its upper edge when the wing n falls
or springs back to its normal position, its upper edge being now below the pin or
stud. Simultaneously the key lever a strikes and depresses the transverse barr in
front of the machine and the bell or gong wis thereby sounded.
On releasing the key lever a the elevated vertical rod h is prevented from falling
to its original position by the pin or stud q which is caught by, and rests upon, the
upper edge of the wing n and the indicating tablet ; thereby remains exposed to view
until on depressing another key lever a the wing n is again pushed forwards and so
allows the first raised rod with its tablet j to drop out of sight. This release of
the first raised tablet rod is rendered instantaneous on commencing to depress the
second key lever a in consequence of the pin or stud 7 of the second vertical rod h
as the latter is rising striking and passing the bottom web or flange p of the wing n,
the latter being thereby pushed away from the rods h and allows the exposed tablet
to drop out of sight before the second tablet appears in view, which is an advantage
for avoiding any inistake in reading the last raised tablet j.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe that part of my invention which relates to the
registering mechanism.
Beneath and normally in contact with the under edge of each key lever a at points
intermediate to the fulcrumb and slotted front plate d is arranged transversely a bar
which is specially shaped or curved horizontally and secured at its ends to the inner
ends respectively of two levers yy which are fulcrumed to the sides c of the
machine at or near the slotted front plate d and constrained by a spring z connecting
the lever y with any convenient part of the mechanism so that the bar a is retained in
its normal position against the entire series of key levers a as before named.
To the bar midway between its ends or thereabouts is hooked or otherwise
jointed the lower end of a rod a¹ which is jointed at its upper end to one end of a
bar which is formed on one side with a toothed rack e gearing into a toothed wheel d¹
having a flange e' on one side, and mounted loosely on a spindle f¹ which passes through
a plate g¹ secured to the front of the machine as seen in figures 1 and 3 for carrying
the various registering wheels. On the spindle f between the flange el of the
toothed wheel and the plate g' is fixed a ratchet wheel with which engages a
pawl pivoted to the flange el and kept in gear with the ratchet wheel by a
spring which is secured at one end to the flange el and passing partially round
the ratchet wheel ¹ beurs at its free end against the pawl as seen in dotted
lines figures 6 and 7. The spindle f' on the front side of the plate gl is made square
and passes through a clearance hole in the centre of the primal registering disc k¹
which is rigidly attached to the front side of the plate g at a suitable distance there-
from by screws n' which also serve to secure to the plate g the back or cover plate o¹
between which and the plate y the toothed wheel d' with its pawl, ratchet wheel /¹
and toothed rack bar are located and operate.
The square end of the spindle fin front of the primal disc ' carries a star-shaped
sping index hand p' which is pressed with more or less frictional contact against the
face of the disc by the head of a set screw which is screwed into the end of
the spindle and secures the index hand p thereon.
On the spindle between the fixed primal disc ' and the plate g¹ is fixed a detent
or catch sin such a position relatively with the pointer of the index hand p' that on
a complete rovolution of the latter by the spindle f₁ from and to the zero mark on the
primal dial the detent or catch s engages with one of the teeth of the second
registering wheel and rotates the latter through a space equal to one tooth or
division on its face. In like manner on a complete revolution of the second wheel t¹ a
detent or catch u³ thereon engages with a tooth of the third wheel and rotates this
wheel to the extent of one tootli or division on its face and so on throughout any
number of registering wheels.
The primal disc in the present instance has twenty equal radial divisions on its
face which are numbered by increments of one from say one to twenty shillings; the
second wheel has twenty equal divisions numbered by increments of twenty from
twenty to four hundred shillings, and the third wheel el twenty divisions numbered by
increments of four hundred from four hundred to eight thousand shillings; but the
numbering and ratios of increments may be varied; for instance, the primal disc may
have twelve divisions numbered from one to twelve pence, the second disc from one
to twenty shillings and the third disc from one to twenty pounds, or otherwise at
pleasure.
Connected with the upper end of the toothed rack bar is a chain or cord w
which passes over an overhead pulley and is secured at its other end by an inter-
mediate spring' to the side c or any other convenient fixed part of the machine.
The operation of the registering mechanism described is as follows:
On depressing any key lever a, say that numbered five representing five shillings,
the vibration thereof on its fulcrum depresses the bar a beneath the key levers
which causes the rod a to pull down the toothed rack bar 6' thereby partially
rotating the toothed wheel and this in turn by its pawl rotates the
ratchet wheel, spindle f¹ and index hand to a corresponding extent
extent which must be such that the pointer of the index hand p' traverses five of the "

page_text: numbered divisions on the primal disc or from the zero mark to the figure five,
thus registering five shillings. On releasing the key lever a the bar a is returned to
its normal position by the spring z and in so doing the rod a' raises the toothed rack
bar which partially rotates the toothed wheel in the opposite direction, its pawl
meanwhile riding over, without affecting the ratchet wheel and spindle f¹, ready
for a fresh operation, this movement of the parts being assisted and rendered more
positive by the chain w'. In rotating the spindle f' when registering as described its
momentum is checked and the index hand p¹ thereby prevented from travelling too
far by the friction induced between the index hand and the face of the disc A¹,
this friction being regulated at pleasure by tightening or loosening the set screw r¹.
In operating my machine the depression of each key lever a at its front end or
button e is constant, whence it is evident that the vibrations of the key levers a at their
respective points of contact with the bar a must be variable in the ratio of from one
to ten for enabling the bar to pull down the rod a¹ and toothed rack ' so as to
rotate the pointer of the index hand p' through variable arcs corresponding in length
to from one to ten numbered divisions on the primal dise ; in other words for
registering one shilling the bar a must be in contact with the key lever a marked one,
at such a distance from the fulcrum that the depression of this key lover will vibrate
the bar a through a space equal to the arc of a rotation given to the toothed wheel d
necessary to rotate the pointer of the index hand p' through one division of the dial
and again for registering ten shillings the bar x must be in contact with the key lever
marked ten at such a further distance from the fuleruin that the depression or
vibration of the bar will ensure an amount of rotation to the toothed wheel d¹
equal to that needed for causing the pointer of the index hand p² to traverse ten
divisions on the dial and so on for the intermediate key levers a. Hence it follows
that the bar a must be set to the particular shape or curvature to fulfil these require-
ments throughout the entire series of key levers.
If preferred I may substitute for this bar e a broad flat bar a² as seen in figures 4 and 5
and provide each key lever a with a roller 2 which by means of horizontal slots c²
along the lever can be moved nearer to or further from the fulcrum so that the
point of contact between the bar and the lever a² can in this way be adjusted
without altering the shape of the bar, which will be of great advantage in cases where
it is desired to alter the numbering of the keys and divisions on the dials or to vary
the relative positions on the key levers. In this case the levers y and y are provided
with springs (not shown) similar to the springs fand z as in figures 1, 2, 3.
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 combination with a series of pivoted key lovers a having springs f of a
bar a carried by pivoted levers y y having spring z connecting rod a', toothed rack b¹,
engaging with toothed wheel d' having pawl engaging with ratchet wheel h² fixed
to spindle, index hand p¹ and primal disc k¹ marked with divisions on its face,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The combination with toothed rack of chain or cord w passing over pulley x¹
and connected by spring with framing, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a series of pivoted key levers a² having springs and
adjustable rollers 62 of a bar a² carried by levers y y' having spring, connecting rod a³,
toothed rack engaging with toothed wheel having pawl i engaging with ratchet
wheel fixed to spindle 1, index band pl and primal disc marked with divisions
on its face, substantially as and for the purpose described.
carrying
4. The combination with a pivoted key lever a and vertical rod
indicating tablet of compound sheaves or pulleys l m mounted on spindle k and
having cords or chains l'm', substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The combination with two or more pivoted key levers a and vertical rods h
carrying indicating tablets and having projecting pins or studs Y of compound
sheaves or pulleys lm, spindle k, cords or chains m², and hinged wing n,
substantially as described.

page_text: 6. The combination with two or more vertical rods h carrying indicating tablets j and
having projecting pins or studs q of hinged wing n formed with a bottom web or
flange p, substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of a series of pivoted key levers
and connecting mechanism and a graduating bar extending beneath the key levers
so that the respective points of contact of the said key levers with said bar will be
variable, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
8. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of a series of pivoted key levers
having adjustable rollers, with connecting mechanism, and a bar, substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.