Improvements in and relating to Cash Registers and Indicators.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1832-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cash Registers and Indicators.
1 JOHN RAVEN WARD of 22 High Street Harlesden Confectioner do hereby
leclare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This my invention relates to improvements in and relating to cash registers and
indicators and it has for its object to combine with certain cash registers suitable
contact devices by means of which an electric current will be caused to operate an
indicator in another department or room in the establishment thereby enabling any
person or persons therein to ascertain the amount of money being taken and passed
through the register in any one or more of the shops or departments.
This invention will be found of great value not only in shops but also in hotels
bars stores and all other like places where salesmen and others are employed as by
its use the manager or person in charge of the establishment is capable of
ascertaining at a glance (by means of suitable indicating tablets the figures on
which correspond to those of the cash register) the amount received for cach
purchase. The present invention may also be utilized as a novel window attraction,
as the indicating tablets may be made to represent grotesque figures in addition to
The indicators
the numerals representing the amount of the purchase money.
inay also be arranged to shew the amount on both sides thereof for the centre of
rooms shops and other places so that when goods are delivered in one department
and paid for in another the man in charge of the first department can readily see
whether they have been paid for in the other department. This would be useful to
a cook in his business to prevent fraud on the part of the waiters.
This invention as hereinafter described applies more particularly to an improved
cash register and indicator set forth and explained in the Specification No. 17,134
dated the 24th day of November 1888, wherein is described a series of pivotted key
levers the depression of which by the hand operates suitable registering mechanisin
upon which is recorded the amount of money received for each purchase.
In the said Specification is described a bar which is secured to the forward ends
of two levers the said bar resting upon the outer ends of the key levers and
rotating a drum &c. the said levers being fulcrummed upon suitable bars extending
between the two standards or side frames of the apparatus.
The improved indicator which forms the subject of the present invention is
attached or connected to a cash register such as that referred to in the following
manner :-Across the front of the machine and to the side frames thereof is secured
by screws or other means a brass or other metallic bar the said bar being insulated
from the side frames by washers or strips of any suitable material.
the side of the metallic bar facing the machine are a number of flat springs the
said spring being insulated from the bar in any manner and corresponding in
number to the key levers of the machine.
Attached to
The said bar is secured to the side frames in such a position that upon a key
lever being depressed a button or stud upon the outer end of the said lever will
cause the free end of the corresponding spring to make contact with the said bar
thereby closing an electric circuit as hereinafter described. Wires are attached
to the before mentioned bar and to each of the flat springs the said wires being
separately connected to a series of electro-magnets in the casing of the indicator
corresponding in number to the key levers of the registering mechanism.
Each of the said electro-magnets has an armature pivotted opposite thereto and
to each of the said armatures is attached a ticket or tablet bearing a number
corresponding to that upon the key lever by which it is operated.

page_text: The said electro-magnets and armatures are contained in a suitable casing having
a glazed uperture through which the said tablets may be seen.
Upon a circuit being closed in the manner before described the armature of
the said electro-magnet is attracted and the indicating tablet attached thereto is
thrown into view through the transparent portion of the casing the armatures
being weighted in such a manner that the tablets will remain in sight until thrown
back by the means hereinafter described.
Upon the depression of a key lever the before mentioned bar and the lovers con-
nected thereto are lifted and by means of suitable arms operate a switch attached
to the side frames of the machine. The said switch closes an electric circuit which
is adapted to operate an electro-magnet within the casing of the indicator.
The said electro-magnet has an armature suspended opposite to the poles thereof
having secured thereto an arrangement of levers which are connected to a longi-
tudinal bar in such a manner that upon the attraction of the armature the said bar
is partially rotated and by means of arms connected to said bar, any indicator
which is at the time shewing is caused to fall out of sight behind the opaque
portion of the casing.
Batteries for the generation of the current required for the working of the
indicator may be placed in any suitable position so as to be included in the
circuits.
Dated this 14th dor of Anvil 1801
HORN & SON,
Applicant's Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cash Registers and Indicators.
I, JOHN RAVEN WARD, of 22 High Street, Harlesden, Confectioner, 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 my invention relates to improvements in and relating to cash registers and
indicators, and it has for its object to combine with certain cash-registers suitable
contact devices by means of which an electric current will be caused to operate an
indicator in another department or room in the establishment, thereby enabling any
person or persons therein to ascertain the amount of money being taken and passed
through the register in any one or more of the shops or departinents.
This invention will be found of great value not only in shops but also in hotels,
bars, stores, and all other like places where salesmen and others are employed, as
by its use the manager or person in charge of the establishment is capable of
ascertaining at a glance, by means of suitable indicating tablets (the figures on
which correspond to those of the cash-register) the amount received for each
purchase.
The present invention may also be utilized as a novel window attraction, as the
indicating tablets may be made to represent grotesque figures in addition to the
numerals representing the amount of the purchase money. The indicators may
also be arranged to shew the amount on both sides thereof for the centre of rooms,
shops, and other places, so that when goods are delivered in one department and
paid for in another the man in charge of the first department can readily see
whether they have been paid for in the other department. This would be useful
to a cook in his business to prevent fraud on the part of the waiters.
I will now proceed to describe my said invention, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings and to the figures of reference marked thereon, like figures
referring to like parts throughout.
Fig. is a side elevation showing a part of one side-frame and levers of a

page_text: part of my present invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the mechanism shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of a part of this my present invention.
Fig. 4 is a part sectional front elevation of my improved electrical indicator.
Fig. 5 is a plan of Fig. 4, taken on the line xx.
Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the electro-magnets and certain levers appertaining
thereto.
Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the electro-magnets and tablet-attaching
devices.
This invention, as hereinafter described, applies more particularly to an improved
cash register and indicator set forth and explained in the Specification No. 17134
dated November 24th, 1888, wherein is described a series of pivoted key-levers,
the depression of which by the hand operates suitable registering mechanism upon
which is recorded the amount of money received for each purchase.
In the said Specification is described a series of depressible key-levers 1, which
are mounted upon a bar 2, secure at its ends in two opposite side-frames 3, (only
one of which is shewn); two opposite arms or levers 4 which are mounted upon a
shaft (secured in the side-frames) and united by a cross-bar 6. This said bar
rests upon the outer ends of the depressible key-levers (as shewn in Fig. 1) the
purpose of which levers is to raise the arms 4 together with certain indicator rods
and tablets, and also rotate a drum, etc. The depressible levers are each provided
with finger tablets having numbers imprinted thereon representing the value of
various coins of the realm.
The improved indicator which forms the subject of this my present invention is
attached or connected to a cash register such as that above referred to in the
following manner :-
Across the front of the machine and to the side frames 3 thereof is secured by
screws 7 or other means a brass or other inetallic bar 8, (shewn in detail in Fig. 3)
the said bar being insulated from the side frames by washers or strips 9 of any
suitable material. Attached to the side of the metallic-bar facing the machine
are a number of flat springs 10, the said springs being insulated from the bar in any
manner, such as by a strip of vulcanite or the like 11, and corresponding in number
to the key levers 1 of the machine. The said bar is secured to the side frames in
such a position that upon a key lever being depressed a small roller or the like 12
upon the outer end of the said lever will cause the free end of the corresponding
spring 10 to make contact with the said bar 8, thereby closing an electric circuit,
as hereinafter described. Wires 13 are attached to the before mentioned bar and
wires 14 are attached to each of the flat springs, the said wires 14 being separately
connected to a series of electro-magnets 13 in the casing 16 of the indicator, and
corresponding in number to the key-lever, of the registering mechanism.
Each of the said electro-magnets 13 has an armature 16 pivoted thereto at 17,
each armature consisting of a piece of flat metal having its ends bent over to form
depending side flanges 18 which lie adjacent to the poles of the magnets.
Each armature 16 has attached to it an arm 19 which projects forwardly to the
front of the casing, and has an ordinary spring-clip 20 secured to its outer end.
These said spring-clips are adapted to hold suitable tablets 21 having numerals
imprinted thereon corresponding to the numerals upon the key-levers 1. When the
armatures are attracted by the magnets the tablets are caused to stand vertically
in front of the glazed aperture 22 of the casing 16, but when not attached the
tablets are caused to fall back behind the opaque portion of the casing, the
arinature 16 swinging open upon its hinges or pivots 17. Small balance weights 54
depend from the armatures 16 and serve to retain the tablets 21 vertical when in
that position. The swing of the armatures upon their hiuges is limited by upwardly-
projecting wires or the like 23. The wires 13 connected to the bar 8 are attached
to a wire 24 which runs along the casing, and is secured to the bottom thereof

page_text: by staples or the like 25.
Wires 26 are connected to the wire 24 and which
wires after being coiled around the magnets are connected to terminals 27, to
which are also connected the wires 14 having their other ends secured by
screws 28 to depending flat pieces of metal 29, secured by screws 30 to the
lower ends of the springs 10. The screws 30 (which enter the bar 8) are insulated
by non-conducting washers 31.
A
between them.
A switch 32 (Figs. 1 and 2) is secured to one of the side frames, and consists
of a piece of vulcanite or the like 33, having secured to its upper and lower
portions respectively spring-projections 34, 35. These two spring-projections when
in their normal position are separated, and the upper one 34 is somewhat shorter
than the lower one. A pawl or the like 36 is pivoted upon and secured by a screw
to one of the arms 4, and serves (when the bar is lifted) to engage the ends of
the springs 34, 35, pressing them together, and making inomentary electrical
contact, as it passes. When the arms 4 descend the pawl turns upon its pivot-
screw and slides over the edge of the lower and longer spring-projection 35
without making electrical contact
wire 37 connects the
spring 34 with an electro-magnet 38, and whose opposite end is secured to a
terminal 39, from whence a wire 40 is carried back to the lower spring 35 of the
switch. The electro-magnets 38 (shewn in detail in Fig. 6) are made in the same
manner as the magnets 15, that is to say, they consist of a core suitably mounte
between metal supports 41 secured by screws or other means to a suitable base.
The magnets 38 have armatures 42 hinged by a thin piece of metal 43, or by other
means to one of the supports 41. A stud 44 is secured to and projects from the
armature 42, and is pivotally secured to one end of a lever 45 whose other end is
pivotally secured to a lever 46 pivoted to a support 47 and carrying a stud 48 at
its end. The stud 48 engages a lever-arm 49 secured to one end of a bar 50
mounted in bearing-supports 1 and carrying arms 52 corresponding in number
the electro-magnets, and having their ends 53 bent to pass beneath the
to
armatures 16.
The operation of the mechanism is as follows:-When any one of the key-levers
is depressed, its forward end is elevated, carrying with it the arms 4 and the
pawl 36. This pawl makes momentary contact between the spring projections 34
and 35 of the switch 32. The circuit being thus made the armature 42 is drawn
down, the lever 45 depresses one end of lever 46 and raises its opposite end
together with the stud 48 which raises the lever-arm 49, and causes a partial
rotation of the rod 50. The lever-arms 52 slightly raises the armatures 16 and
cause any tablets which may be shewing to fall back behind the opaque portion
of the casing 16.
The roller 12 (made of insulated material) next depresses the curved portion of
the spring 10 and causes the upper end of the said spring to make contact with
the bar 8, and thus complete the circuit through the wires 13 and 14 with one
of the magnets 15, whose armature 16 is drawn down and the tablet bearing a
When the key-
corresponding numeral to the key-lever depressed, to be elevated.
lever is released, and its forward end together with the orm 4 falls, the pawl 36
passes the switch 32 without making contact, and thus the tablet or tablets are
left standing in front of the glazed aperture until another key lever or levers is
depressed, and the operation repeated
The dotted lines in Fig. 1 and 2 indicate the several parts in their extreme
positions, as will be readily understood.
Batteries for the generation of the current required for working the indicator
may be placed in any suitable position so as to be included in the circuits.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The combination, with a cash register and indicator, of a switch adapted to

page_text: be operated by depressible key-levers to complete an electrical circuit between the
said cash register and indicator, and an electrical indicator substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
2. The combination, with a cash register and indicator, of a bar secured to the
side frames thereof, the said bar being insulated by non-conducting washers, or the
like, a series of springs secured to the inner face of the bar and insulated there-
from and adapted to be operated by rollers or other projections secured to key-
levers of a cash register to make electrical contact between the said bar and
springs, substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
3. The combination, with a cash register and indicator, of a switch adapted to
be operated by certain parts of the said cash register and indicator, electrical
connections between the said switch and mechanism contained within the casing of
an electrical indicator for insuring the simultaneous fall of the indicating tablets
contained therein, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4. The combination, with a cash register and indicator, a switch, consisting of a
piece of non-conducting material, having two spring projections secured thereto.
one of said spring projections being longer than the other one, and said spring-
projections adapted to be pressed together to make electrical contact by means of
a pawl or the like carried by levers of the cash register, substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
5. An electrical indicator, comprising a wooden or other casing having a glazed
front opening, a series of electro-magnets contained within the said casing, said
electro magnets having balanced armatures hinged thereto, arms secured to and
projecting from said armatures, spring-clip attachments secured to the extremities
of said arms, and indicating tablets held by said spring clips, an electro-magnet
situated at one end of the casing, having an armature hinged thereto, a projecting
stud secured to said armature, a series of levers adapted to be operated by said
stud, a bar extending the length of the casing and carrying arms adapted to pass
beneath and raise the armature of the electro-magnets aforesaid, vertical projec-
tions to limit the movement of the armatures, and wire connections between the
terminals of the electro magnets and the switches upon the cash register, all
substantially as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
Doted this with day of February 180°
W. H. MUNNS,
Applicant's Agent.