IMPROVEMENTS IN CASH CARRYING APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JOSEPH WALTER FLAGG, of Worcester, in the County of Worcester, and State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, Broker, do hereby declare the nature
of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CASH CARRYING APPARATUS, 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 a cash carrying apparatus in which an inclined way or
track called an "inward way," is employed to conduct rolling cash carriers from
the several counters in a store to the cashier's desk, and an oppositely inclined way
or track called an "outward way," is employed to conduct said rolling carriers from
the cashier's desk to the several counters,
The nature of my Invention consists in improved guards to prevent the rolling
carriers from leaving the ways; in the method of delivering tho carriers on to
the "inward way;" in the construction of the buffer to receive the impact of
the carriers at the cashier's desk; in the construction and combination with the
"outward way," of devices to effect the proper distribution of the carriers at the
respective counters to which they belong; in an improved carrier; in the rail
forming the way; and in switching devices at the intersection of branch ways.
In the following description, reference is made to the several Figures in the
accompanying Drawings which illustrate a cash carrying apparatus embodying the
several features of my Invention, the same letters of reference indicating like parts
in the several Figures.
Figure 1, represents a side elevation of an "inward" and "outward way."
Figure 2, is a top view of the "inward way."
Figure 3, a top view of an "outward way."
Figure 4, is a top view of an "inward way," baving converging branch ways.
Figure 5, is a top view of an "outward way" having diverging branch ways.
Figures 6 and 7 are side views of the part shown in Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 8, is a sectional view on line S. S. Figure 5.
Figure 9, a sectional view on line S¹. S. Figure 4.
Figure 10, is a top view of one of the delivery baskets K, and intermediate
chamber J.
-
Figure 11, is a sectional view of the receiving track C, on line T. T. Figure 1.
Figure 12, shows a portion of one of the rails forming the “outward way” at one

page_text: Figures 13, 14, and 15 represent on a larger scale sectional and plan views of the
hemispheres forming the "carrier," and
Figure 16, is a sectional view of a track showing an improved form of rail.
Referring to Figure 1, A, is an "inward way" having at its outer end, the
elevated rigid receiving track C, upon which the carrier E, in the form of a bollow
sphere is delivered from an elevator D. At as many intermediate points as may
be required are placed receiving tracks C₁, having a quarter turn so as to receive
carriers from the side of the main way as seen in Figure 2. To the rails of the
receiving tracks are attached springs F, extending the track, and also bent wires G,
which serve as guards to prevent the rolling carriers from leaving the track; three
guard wires may be employed throughout the entire length of both the "inward
and outward track" if desired.
"
The springs F, yield to the weight of the passing carrier. E¹, increasing the
inclination of the track and thereby accelerating the speed of the carrier and
bringing it nearer the main track so as to reduce the fall. At the inner end of the
"way," A, is a "buffer" formed of a U shaped wire H, held in sustaining posts
and acted upon by a spiral spring H¹, so its tension will counteract the momentum
of the carriers received by the buffer wire H. The carriers are returned by the
cashier to the several counters upon the "outward way" B, which has circular
openings I, I', at the delivery stations.
The several spherical carriers are graduated in size; the larger carriers being
used for the stations more remote, and the size of each of the circular openings, I, II,
correspond exactly with the size of carriers intended for that opening. The
carrier E, when returned on the way, B, will roll over the opening I, and fall
through the opening I, and the carrier E¹ will fall through the opening I.
The mails of the "outward way" B, are chamfered at each side of the openings
over which carriers are required to roll as shown at a, in Figures 3 and 12 in
order to remove the corners at the opening and form a continuous way for the
carriers.
Beneath each of the circular openings are cages J, J', attached to the under side
of the "outward way" to receive the carrier as it falls through the opening and
having one side closed by the vertically sliding transverse bar J. A basket K₂
open on one sido is held against the under side of the "way," B, by a cord wound
around a winding drum K, attached to the rails and actuated by an inclosed coiled
spring. The projecting prongs K', extend beneath, and raise, the sliding bar J',
allowing a carrier contained in the cage J, to pass through the coincident opening
in to the delivery basket K. The bottom of the cage J, should be inclined so the
carrier will roll toward the open end. Several carriers are sometimes used at a
single station, and the cage J, serves to retain a carrier which may fall through the
opening while the delivery basket may be drawn down by the attendant. Two or
more converging tracks may unite in a single "inward track " A', Figure 4 and the
carriers be received from different sections of the store.
"
In such cases I attach a rigid bar or "frog "b, to the intersecting rails, having
an inclined surface better seen in Figure 6; the end of the "frog" being low
enough to allow the carrier to rest on both rails as it leaves the "frog" as shown
in Figure 9. When branch tracks are used diverging from the main "outward
track a switching device is employed consisting of a frog" c, pivoted to the
intersecting rails and held against one of the rails of the main tracks by a spring d.
The "frog" is connected by links e, and 7, bell crank f, and radial arm h, to the
vertical rotating post h', held in bearings attached to the track, E, extending
horizontally across the way is the arm i capable of vertical adjustment on the
post h, by means of tho set screw i, by which it is held at such a height above the
way that the smaller carriers, such as E, Figure 8, shall pass beneath the
horizontal arm i, and be diverted by the "frog" c, to the right hand branch track
while the larger carriers will move the arm i, as indicated by the broken curved
line ², Figure 5, rotating the post h, and through the connected mechanism with
61
"

page_text: drawing the "irog", to the position c², diverting such larger carriers to the left
hand branch track.
The carriers consist of two hemispheres L, and M, formed of wood, vulcanized
rubber, paper pulp, or some similar materials; the plane surface of each hemisphere
being recessed to receive the circular plates 1, and 6, having their edges turned at
right angles forming flanges to sustain and stiffen the outer shell of the carrier.
Each of the plates 1, and 6, has a central opening having a screw thread 2, and 11,
to receive the screw threaded tubes 3 and 8.
Inclosed in the tube 3, I place the interior tube 4, having a sheet of rubber or
elastic material N, stretched across its end like a drum head and retained in
position by being held firmly between the two tubes. Similarly the tube 8, has
an interior tube 9, with an elastic diaphragm P. The tubes project a short distance
beyond the plates 1 and 6; the end of the tube 3, extending into and inclosed by
the end of the tube 8, bringing the elastic diaphragms N, and P, opposite cach
other and in the centre of the sphere so the cash will be inclosed by them and held
in the centre of tho carrier.
To the plate 6, are attached the bont springs 7, 7, having beveled catches which
engage the lip 5, on the plate. 1, holding the two hemispheres together. The
openings 10, 10, in the lip 5, allow the hemispheres to be turned upon each other
and the spring catches withdrawn, and the halves of the carriers separated.
Throughout the length of the "inward" track and between the delivery stations
I make the rails in the shape shown in Figure 16, each rail formed of a section of
a tube r, r, and so placed in the track that the carrier E, will roll upon the inner
and lower edge 8, of the rail, the opposite edge t, extending upward and forming a
guard to retain the carriers upon the track.
This form of rail not only furnishes a guard but affords a great degree of
stiffness with a small weight of material.
The rails forming the several "ways" may be suspended by rods from the
ceiling as shown in Fig. 1, or supported by posts or brackets and the carriers raised
by the salesmen by means of a suitable elevator, one form being shown in the
Drawing.
As the carriers are distributed into the delivery baskets j, they are drawn down
and the carriers removed, the winding drums returning the baskets and holding
them against the "ways." I desire it to be understood that I do not claim as of
my Invention all the detailed parts herein described, and shown in the accompanying
Drawing.
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;-
First. The combination with the way of a cash carrying apparatus of a series
of bent wires attached to the ways, and arched over and across the track, forming
guards for retaining the carriers on said ways, as set forth and described.
Second. The yielding spring in combination with the elevated receiving tracks,
as set forth and described.
Third. The combination with the "inward way " of the U shaped buffer
wire H, and actuating spring H', as set forth and described.
Fourth. In a cash carrying apparatus the outward distributing way having one
or more circular openings to allow the proper distribution of the carriers, and
having the rails of said outward track chamfered at their inner and upper corners
adjacent to the circular openings so as to form a continuous track for the rolling
carriers, as set forth and described.
Fifth. The combination with the "outward way" of a cash carrying apparatus,
having one or more circular openings and delivery baskets, attached to winding
drums on said way of an intermediate chamber or cage, as set forth and described.
Sixth. The combination with the intermediate chamber or cage J, attached to
the "outward way" of a transverse vertically sliding bar closing the open end
of the cage J, and operated by the delivery basket, as set forth and described.

page_text: "
Seventh. The combination with the way of a cash carrying apparatus and
graduated carriers, adapted to roll on said way, of a switching device consisting
of a pivoted "frog," pivoted to the intersecting rails, a spring holding the "frog
at one end of its movement, a vertical rotating post held in bearings at one side of
the way, connecting mechanism to effect the simultaneous motion of the post and
frog" and a horizontal arm vertically adjustable on said rotating post, and
extending over the way, so as to be actuated by the passing carriers of sufficient.
size as set forth and described.
:
Eightb. The combination with the "inward way" of a cash carrying having
converging branch tracks of a rigid "frog," attached to the intersecting rails
and having an inclined surface so as to form a continuous track for the carriers,
as they roll from the branch way, on to the main "inward way," as set forth and
described.
Ninth. The combination with the outer shells forming the two hemispheres of a
spherical cash carrier, of the circular flanged plates, recessed in the plane surfaces
of the hemispheres; tubes held concentrically in said plates and having elastic
diaphragms, spring catches, and retaining lip, the whole arranged so as to operate
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described, and as illustrated in
the Drawings.
Tenth. In a way or track the rail formed of a section of a tube and arranged
so its lower side shall support the carrier, and form the rail proper, and its upper
side serves as a guard, as set forth and described.
1004