Improvements relating to Cash Registers or Indicators and Check Tills.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 15th Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Cash Registers or Indicators and Check
Tills.
We, THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, LIMITED, of 356, Strand, London,
W.C., Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a com-
munication to us from abroad by Alvan Macauley, of Dayton, State of Ohio, United
States of America, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention is adapted for attachment to cash registers. It consists of a rack
carrying a series of type which is arranged to be unlocked and moved forward into
position to be grasped by the person operating the machine, by means of the
registering keys.
In the drawings Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an ordinary type of cash
register with my invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 shows a view in elevation of a portion of the interior mechanism of a cash
register such as shown in Fig. 1, my invention being applied thereto and shown in
cross section, the type being in normal position.
Fig. 3 shows a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but with one of the keys
depressed, the type being consequently thrown forward in position to be grasped
by the operator.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ink pad.
In the drawings numeral 5 designates the usual cabinet enclosing the mechanism
of the register; 6 an exposed indicator of the usual type; 7 one of the series of
keys. By reference to Figures 2 & 3 of the drawing it will be seen that the keys
are hung upon the key shaft 8º, which is supported at its ends in the side frames 9
of the register. The operating pawls 3, which are pivoted to the keys respectively
are arranged to actuate the adding wheels 4 in the usual manner. The universal
bar 10, which extends horizontally above and rests on all the keys, is hung upon
pivots 11, turning in the side frames.
The key-coupler, key arrester and co-operating devices are all well known in
the art and form no part of this invention, which consists of the type rack 15
which is provided with a series of horizontal recesses as shown. In each recess is
fitted a type block 17, secured upon the inner end of which is a type face of rubber
or other material. Each type block may be provided with a shoulder 19 for a
purpose to be presently described. When in normal position the faces of the type
are against the ink pad 20, which is secured to a plate 21, and thus the type are
inked. The plates carrying the ink pads are removable through apertures in the
top of the type rack. The caps 21 1/2 to which the plates are respectively secured
serve to protect the ink pads from the atmosphere and also as a means for removing
the said pads whenever it is desirable to do so.
The number of type employed correspond to the number of keys and each type
is appropriated to the key which is located immediately beneath it. Thus the key,
which when operated registers 90 cents on the recording apparatus of the register,
co-operates with the type located immediately above it and which is arranged to
print the symbol "90" on any object upon which it may be depressed, etc.

page_text: Each key carries an upwardly extending pin 22, which is curved to conform to
an arc struck from the center of the key shaft. The pins respectively extend
upwardly through slots 23 which extend from the type recesses, through the bottom
of the type-rack, and the upper ends of the curved pins are concealed within cor-
respondingly-shaped recesses 24 in the type blocks respectively. Extending
transversely beneath the keys in a direction parallel to the type rack is a small
shaft 25 supported at its ends in brackets 26 secured to the side frames, and pivoted
upon said shaft is a series of spring actuated vertical levers 27 which extend through
the slots 23 of the type rack and are normally held in check against the action of
the pull spring 28 by the shoulders 19 of the type block, against which the upper
ends of said lever arms abut normally, as shown in Fig. 2. Each key is provided
with a stud 29 which is arranged, when a key is depressed to its full extent, to
engage the detent 30 with which each vertical arm is provided.
It results from the construction above described that normally the type are all
locked in position within the type rack by means of the pins 22, and each type is
locked independently by its co-operating key, but when any key is depressed far
enough to draw the pin entirely out of its recess in the type block, the said block
is released, whereupon the spring-actuated levers 27 being also released will throw
the type forward and partially out of its recess so that it may be taken out and used
by the person operating the machine. When the operated key has descended far
enough to release the type block the upper end of the spring pressed arm is thrown
forward until stopped by the stud 29 carried by the key. Just as the key reaches
the limit of its downward stroke the said stud is engaged by the detent 30 and the
key is thus held in its depressed position until it is released, which can only be
accomplished by returning the lever 27 to its normal position, and the last
mentioned operation can only be effected by returning the type block, which has
been displaced, to normal position. When the type block is replaced, the shoulder 19
engages the upper end of the arm 27 and forces it back until the key is released,
whereupon the latter returns to normal position, the pin 22 entering its type block
and locking the same in normal position.
The key coupler and the key arrester devices so operate that whenever any key
is displaced from normal position it cannot be returned thereto until it has been
operated to its full extent, and until it is so returned to normal position all the
other keys remain locked, so that when my invention is applied to the construction
shown in Figures 2 & 3 of the drawings, if any key be operated and its type block
thrown forward for use, all the other keys and type blocks remain absolutely locked
until the first operated key is released and returned to normal position by replacing
its type block.
My invention finds its greatest utility in restaurants and large establishments
where it is not sufficient to record simply the total of the sales made, but where
it is at least highly desirable, to retain on separate slips detail statements of each
transaction.
When this invention is used in connection with a cash register the proprietor of
the establishment using it has but to refer to the register to ascertain the total of
his sales at any time, and by reference to the waiter's cards he can ascertain all the
details in regard to any particular transaction. Moreover it is impossible for the
cashier, or other operator, to print any amount upon the tickets without previously
recording that amount on the adding wheels of the register for the reason that he
can only release the type by pressing the keys.
It is believed that it is new in the art to combine a series of manually operated
printing devices with a series of keys, and as such this invention is not to be
limited to the details of construction herein described. The invention is cap-
able of application in other forms and in connection with other devices than that
shown. For example, the registering mechanism is not necessary to its operation
for it may be as well employed in connection with a simple series of key fevers as
with the more elaborate devices shown.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. The combination with a series of keys, of a series of co-operating type blocks
normally locked in position by the keys but so arranged that when one of the keys
is operated it will unlock its co-operating type block.
2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series of keys, of a
series of type-blocks each co-operating with one of the keys of the series, and means
controlled by the keys for locking the type in normal position.
3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series of keys, of a
series of type-blocks co-operating with the keys respectively, and means for lock-
ing the type-blocks in normal position when the keys are in normal position and
for unlocking any one of the series of type-blocks when its co-operating key is
actuated.
4. The combination with the series of manually operated type-blocks of a
registering mechanism, and keys controlled by the type-blocks for registering the
value of the type-blocks which co-operate with the keys operated, upon the register-
ing mechanism.
5. In a device of the class described, the combination with the series of keys, of
the type-blocks, means controlled by the keys for normally locking the type-blocks,
and for releasing one of the type-blocks when a key is operated, devices for lock-
ing the operated key in operated position, and means controlled by the type-block
for releasing the operated key.
6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series of keys, of
the type-blocks normally within the type-rack, and means controlled by the keys
for ejecting, or partially ejecting, the type-blocks when the keys are operated.
7. In a device of the class described, the combination with the series of keys, of
the series of type-blocks, means controlled by any key of the series that may be
operated for releasing its co-operating type-block, and devices for locking the
operated key out of normal position until its type-block is returned to substantially
normal position.
8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a series of keys, of
the type-rack carrying the series of type-blocks normally locked in position, means
released by the operation of a key for ejecting the co-operating type-block, and
devices for automatically re-locking the type-block when it is returned to normal
position.
9. In a device of the class described, the combination of the series of keys, of
the series of type-blocks, pins carried by the keys and arranged to lock the type-
blocks when the keys are in normal position, and a series of arms arranged to eject,
or partially eject a type-block when its co-operating key is actuated.
10. In a device of the class described, the combination with the series of keys,
of the series of type-blocks, a series of pins carried by the keys and arranged to
lock the type-blocks in normal position, a series of spring actuated arms bearing
detents and arranged to eject the type-block from normal position when released
by the operation of a key, and a series of studs also carried by the keys and arranged
to co-operate with the detents in the manner described.
Dated this 7th day of September 1897
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to the Applicants, 17, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.