IMPROVEMENTS IN MONEY TILLS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Gaze, of Great College Street, Camden Town,
in the County of Middlesex, Licensed Victualler, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MONEY TILLS."
Sealed the 23rd August 1864, and dated the 2nd March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Gaze at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd March 1864.
I, GEORGE GAZE, of Great College Street, Camden Town, in the County
of Middlesex, Licensed Victualler, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MONEY TILLS," to be as follows :—
According to my improvements I make tills with bowl-like receptacles some-
what as in ordinary, but in addition thereto I provide a locked receptacle or
receptacles for the takings over the counter or otherwise, into which the takings
are to be at once inserted, and cannot again be touched by the attendant receiving
them. For publicans and many others it will be convenient to have seven or
eight open receptacles, all arranged in close proximity, into which, for instance,
I place in one change, for crown pieces, in another change for halferowns,
in another chango for florins, in a fourth shillings, while the fifth may be a
large bowl for pence and halfpence, and the others for farthings. Situate
between these receptacles are slits like ordinary money box slits, through
which the takings are to be inserted, and which drop into a locked receptacle
below.
The mode of operation is this:-A certain quantity of money is put into
each of these receptacles at the beginning of the day, say, one pound's worth,

page_text: which same amount is to be continually maintained. Thus, for instance, a
customer buys six pennyworth and puts down a halfcrown; this piece of
money it is the duty of the attendent to put into the proper receptacle con-
taining the change for halfcrowns, taking out at same time two shillings and
sixpenco, two shillings of which he gives as change and the sixpence he drops
into the receptacle for takings as beforo described, and so on for any other
change. When the money in the changing receptacles becomes reduced to
large pieces and no longer fit for the change intended, it is replaced by a like
amount (a pound's worth) of suitable coins. Thus if a servant desires to
abstract any of the money while serving, he will find it difficult to do so and
at same time keep up the exact amount in each receptacle at all times, and in
order to ensure that he always drops the takings into the proper receptacle, I
dispose a small hammer on a spring or counterbalanced arm, that the coin
will strike and cause such hammer to ring a bell every time and so give an
audible signal. There may bo one, two, or more of these slits for sixpences,
shillings, balfcrowns, and other coins, cach of course being furnished with
the signal apparatus.
In order to ascertain the takings at different periods of the day, I divide
the receptacle for the same into different compartments, so that if the drawer
or other receptaclo constituting that depository be slid or move an inch more
or less, say, every hour or every two hours, the takings will be received in a
different compartment and so separate the takings of one period of the day
from another. This receptacle, although capable of being moved as described,
is restricted from such motion as will open it except by a key or other secure
fastening.
If an employer has occasion to suspect his assistant it is simply necessary to
notice when the signal bell rings as each customer is supplied, and to count
the pound's worth or other given amount of change in each of the open
receptacles from time to time.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Gaze in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
GAZE, of Great College Street, Camden Town, in the County of Middlesex,
Licensed Victualler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said George Gaze, Her special licence that I, the said
Georgo Gaze, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Gaze, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MONEY TILLS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said George Gaze, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that the said George Gaze, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
According to my improvements I make tills with open bowl like receptacles,
somewhat as in ordinary, but in addition thereto I provide a receptacle or
receptacles for the takings over the counter or otherwise, into which tho
takings (the amount of money received for goods sold) are at once to be
inserted, and cannot again be touched by the attendant receiving those takings.
For publicans and many others it will be convenient to have soven or eight
open receptacles, all arranged in close proximity, into which, for instance,
I place in one change for crown picces, in another change for halfcrowns, in
another change for florins, in a fourth shillings, while the fifth may be a large
bowl for pence and halfpence, and the others for farthings or other coin, as may
be desired. Situate between these receptacles are slits like ordinary money-
box slits, through which the takings are to be inserted, and which drop into a
locked receptacle below.
The mode of operation is this:-A certain quantity of money is put
into each of these receptacles at the beginning of the day, say one pound's
worth, which same amount is to be continually maintained. Thus, for
instance, a customer buys six pennyworth and puts down a half-crown;
this pieco of money it is the duty of the attendant to put into the

page_text: proper receptacle containing the change for halferowns, taking out at same
time two shillings and sixpence, two shillings of which he gives as change,
and the sixpence he drops into the closed and locked receptacle for takings as
before described. In this manner any other change may be given and the
amount of the takings dropped into the proper receptacle. When the coin in
tho changing receptacles becomes reduced to large pieces, and no longer fit for
the change intended, it is replaced by a like amount (a pound's worth) of suitable
coins. In this manner of operating the exact amount of the takings may be
readily and at once put into the proper and closed receptacle, while if a servant
desires to abstract any of the money while serving he will find it difficult to
do so and at same time to keep up the exact amount of money in each of the
open receptacles. In order to ensure that the servant always drops the
takings into the proper receptacle, I dispose a small hammer on a spring or
counter-balanced arm. so that the coin will strike it and cause the hammer to
ring a bell, thereby producing an audible signal every time the takings are
dropped into the closed receptacle. Instead of a hammer acting on the bell
the coin may itself strike the bell in falling into the receptacle, and so produce
the signal. There may be one, two, or more of these slits for sixpences,
shillings, halfcrowns, and other coins, cach of course being furnished with tho
signal bell, or all the coins representing the takings may be dropped through
the same slit.
In order to ascertain the takings at different periods of the day, I
divide the receptacle for the same into different compartments, so that if
the same or other receptacle constituting that depository be slid or moved
an inch more or less say overy hour or every two hours, the takings will be
received in a different compartment, and so separate the takings of one period
of the day from another. This receptacle, although capable of being moved
by the assistant from time to time, is restricted from such motion as will open
it, except by a key or other secure fastening.
If an employer has occasion to suspect his assistant, it is simply necessary:
to notice that the signal bell rings as each customer is supplied, and to count
the pound's worth or other given amount of change in each of the open
receptacles from time to time if there is any irregularity.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent a till constructed according to and for the
purposes of my Invention; it is to be fitted in the manner of a drawer below
counter anchion's doel or othermics and no neual

page_text: parts removed; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section; Fig. 4, a front view;
while Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical section of the same. The plan,
Fig. 1, shows the open receptacles for change, in which suppose a to be the
receptacle for change for crowns, it would contain a fixed amount of florins
and shillings, say a pound's worth; b, the receptacle for change for halfcrowns,
and containing a like amount of shillings and sixpences; c, receptacle for
change for florins, and consisting of shillings and sixpences; while d contains.
the change for shillings, consisting of sixpences and threepenny picces; e-
contains a fixed amount of pence and halfpence; and f, receptacle for four-
penny pieces; and g that for farthings; h, h, are the slits for the reception of
the amounts taken for goods sold; the one may be large to keep the large
coins separate from the small ones, if desired. Change for sovereigns and
half-sovereigns may be kept counted behind the bar or counter, as usual; i, i
are the coin testers. The mode of operation is as follows:-Supposing a
customer buys sixpennyworth and tenders a crown, the attendant places the
crown piece in a, and takes out five shillings, say two florins and a shilling (or
it may be five shilling pieces); he also changes the shilling in d for two
sixpenny pieces; one of these he drops into slit h, while the change he gives to
the customer, consisting of two florins and a sixpenny piece. The sixpence
dropped into slith fails into the locked receptacle. In like manner if the
purchase is only to the extent of threepence the sixpence is further changed:
for pence in e, threepence being dropped into slit h and the further three-
pence chango given to the customer.
In like manner change for other coins may be readily given from the
receptacle best adapted for them, as 6 for the halfcrowns, c for the florins, and
so on, the amount of the purchase in all cases being dropped into the slits h
and locked receptacle as explained. In this manner the receptacles a, b, c, d, e, f,
and 9, will always contain a fixed amount of coin, which is to be maintained
at all times, and which, if not the case when counted from time to time, will
be an indication to the employer that something is wrong.
The open change receptacles are cut in blocks of wood or any other
material K, K, as usual, and below these is fitted a drawer 1, 1, to receive the
takings; this may be simply a receptacle for the takings, but I prefer to
make it in several compartments of about half the length of the till, in order
that its position may be changed at intervals to receive and keep apart the
takings at different periods of the day, say at every hour or every two hours.
This
may either be changed by the employer only and under lock and key, or
it may be arranged to be performed by the attendant at stated intervals.
For this purpose I place a spring catch m on the front of drawer 2, which

page_text: catches in stops n, n', n³, at fixed intervals; this I make in a dovetailed
sliding piece p, which can be drawn out, and with it the drawer, to the front
of the till, for the purpose of changing the position of the catch through a
small opening q. Thus, if the drawer is latched in its most forward position
in stop n³, the backward compartment of the drawer will be directly under the
slits h, and the takings will fall therein; if latched in stop they will fall in
the middle compartment, and so on; or any other mechanical means may be
adopted for effecting the same object. t, t, is the locked door to the till,
hinged at bottom or otherwise, through which door the proprietor or other
person in authority has access to the drawer 1, 1, to the takings contained, or
for the purpose of shifting the position of the drawer.
In order that the proprictor may be assured that the takings are properly
deposited at each time of sale, I dispose a bell u under the bridge piece V, on
which the coin must fall when inserted through h, causing the bell to ring, aud
so producing an audible signal each time a customer is served. To ensure
the sounding of the bell, I furnish each of the slits with an inclined spout or
channel w, which conducts the coin so as to strike the bell as desired. In
order to empty the drawer compartments separately and readily, I form
openings at one end of each, and fit such openings with sliding doors a, a, a,
which can each be raised separately and the coin poured out, when the drawer
is withdrawn from the till. To arrange and apply my Invention to old tills
I fit the blocks K, K, so as to lift out from the top, but to keep them in placo
they are fitted down on ledges, and secured by rods y, y, inserted from the
front. When door t, t, is open the rods y are recessed one-half into the sides
of the till, and the other half in the blocks K.
When it is desired to remove the interior fittings, the rods y, y, are with-
drawn in front at the door by the thumb pieces on ends of y. The rods y also
fix the bridge pieco V in position at the top of bridge picce (is fixed a brass
plate, in which the slits h are formed. Further openings are made at 2, 2, to
emit the sound of the bell readily. The bell is fixed suspended from the
bridge piece by a screw, stem, and nuts j, as seen dotted in the cross section
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6 represents a plan, Fig. 7 plan with some parts' removed, Fig. 8
longitudinal section, Fig. 9 front view, and Fig. 10 cross section of a till
according to my Invention, the fittings being somewhat differently applied
from the foregoing arrangement, and as I prefer for new counters and tills,
and where there is sufficient depth for such arrangement. The difference
consists in fitting the blocks K, K, and bridge so that they may be drawn out
in front when the door is open, or the bridge may be lifted up after drawing

page_text: out, the front block being fitted between fixed top and bottom ledges o, o, as
seen in the cross section Fig. 10; the takings drawer 1, 1, is also furnished with
six compartments in lieu of three, while a small wicket door t¹ with latch is
fitted to the opening 9 for operating the drawer 1, 1, and changing its position
as beforo described. The same letters of reference indicate all the parts, a
description of which neod not be recapitulated.
Having described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the arrangement and con-
struction of money tills as herein-before described, and represented in tho
Drawings hereunto annexed, as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, tho' said George Gaze, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
15
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
58, Chancery Lane,
London.
GEORGE GAZE. (L.S.)