Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 16th July, 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
I, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL of Culver Park Saltash in the County of Cornwall
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to cash registers and has for its object to give increased
usefulness and reliability, and refers more particularly to that type in which an
entry is made upon a roll of paper through a slot in the case, the roll sub-
sequently receiving a feeding motion by reason of its mechanical connection
with the money drawer or till.
Now I am aware that machines of such class have been in operation for
many years and have many 'conveniences to recommend them, as for instance,
the writing or entry is made on 'a perfectly or comparatively horizontal plane
and a very large number of entries can be 'made without changing the paper
which is in the form of rclls arranged to work 'on horizontal axes, and the
mechanism for imparting the step by step movement to the paper may be very
simple from the convenient juxtaposition and general 'relation of the required
movement to the money drawer and its movement.
In all such cash registers however there is but little check upon the entry
made, as the 'figures are inverted to the 'customer, and whilst other methods of
leading the paper ribbon might be arranged to clear this 'difficulty away, or the
whole apparatus might be turned 'towards the customer as a book might be,
1, in my invention form the 'machine 'so that all the 'old advantages as stated
above are retained and the further advantages mentioned 'as desirable are
obtained whilst the fixed nature of the apparatus is maintained.
This I effect by mounting the paper ribbon carrying framework (instead of
rigidly to the 'case, or to some part thereof, as is 'tisual) in such a manner that
it is capable of turning upon a vertical pivot, the centre of which 'coincides as
nearly as may be with the centre of the slot or aperture through which the
entries are made.
:
I find it 'convenient to effect the rotative action by a pawl and ratchet
movement which comes into action when the drawer is moved, and this rotative
movement (as it carries the feed wheel with it) 'can be made to impart the
necessary movement to the said wheel by allowing it or its accessories at any
prearranged position in its travel to engage with pawls or similar appurtenances
and receive the necessary movement to effect 'the feed required, which may at
each twelth step or other prearranged interval make one extra large step
thereby producing an extra large space on the roll admitting of entering totals
when adding up.
As a desirable general arrangement of the case I prefer to put the record
ribbon apparatus at the back of the drawer (though it may be at the side if
wished) and to provide a rubber mat for the money and a clamp for holding
invoice or memorandum forms.
The usual accessories such as 'an alarm bell would be provided, and such
adjuncts as a rack for rubber stamps, inkpot or other convenient appliances
may be added.
148
Amounts paid out of the till may be entered after the drawer has been

page_text: opened, thereby appearing in the record roll the reverse way to the ordinary¨
entry and so being readily distinguished.
The whole arrangement may form part of a counter or pay desk.
Dated this 18th day of October 1894,
I, CHARLES SCOTT SNELL of Culver Park Saltash in the County of Cornwall
Engineer 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 invention refers to cash registers and has for its object to give increased
usefulness and reliability and refers more particularly to that type in which an
entry is made upon a roll of paper through a slot in the case, the roll sub-
sequently receiving a feeding notion by reason of its mechanical connection
with the money drawer or till. Now I am aware that machines of such class
have been in operation for many years and have many conveniences to recom-
mend them as for instance the writing or entry is made on a perfectly or
comparatively horizontal plane and a very large number of entries can be made
without changing the paper which is in the form of rolls arranged to work on
horizontal axles and the mechanism for imparting the step by step movement
to the paper may be very simple from the convenient juxta position and general
relation of the required movement to the money drawer and its movement.
In all such cash registers however there is but little check upon the entry
made, as the figures are inverted to the customer and whilst other methods of
reading the paper ribbon might be arranged to clear this difficulty away or the
whole apparatus might be turned toward the customer as a book might be,
I in my invention form the machine so that all the old advantages as stated
above are retained and the further advantages mentioned as desirable are
obtained whilst the fixed nature of the apparatus is maintained.
This effect by mounting the paper ribbon carrying framework (instead
of rigidly to the case or to some part thereof as is usual) in such manner that
it is capable of turning upon a vertical pivot, the centre of which coincides as
nearly as may be with the centre of the slot or aperture through which the
entries are made.
I find it convenient to effect the rotative action by a pawl and ratchet
movement which comes into action when the drawer is moved, and this rotative
movement (as it carries the feed wheel with it) can be made to impart the
.necessary movement to the said wheel by allowing it or its accessories at any
prearranged position in its travel to engage with pawls or similar appurtenances
and receive the necessary movement to effect the feed required, which may at
each twelfth step or other prearranged interval make one extra large step
thereby producing an extra large space on the roll, admitting of entering totals
when adding up.
As a desirable general arrangement of the case, I prefer to put the record
ribbon apparatus at the back of the drawer (though it may be at the side if
wished) and to provide a rubber mat for the money and a clamp for holding
invoice or memorandum forms.
The usual accessories such as an alarm bell would be provided, and such
adjuncts as a rack for rubber stamps, inkpot or other convenient appliances
may be added.
Amounts paid out of the till may be entered after the drawer has been

page_text: opened thereby appearing in the record roll the reverse way to the ordinary
entry and so being readily distinguished. The whole apparatus may form part
of a counter or pay desk.
The better to explain my meaning reference is made to the accompanying
drawings in which-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and
Fig. 2 is a plan of the completed machine, the drawer being partly open,
Fig. 3 is a plan of the writing aperture with entries as they appear to the
operator when the drawer is closed.
Fig. 4 shows the relative position of the same entry when the drawer is open.
Fig. 5 is a part elevation part vertical section.
Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the mechanism.
Fig. 7 is a part horizontal section.
Fig. 8 shows the action of the pawl and ratchet rotating mechanism which is
operated by the drawer movement.
Fig. 9 is plan showing the attachment of the glass plate to the metal top.
Figs. 10. 11 & 12 show the arrangements in connection with the feed wheel
which are used when it is desired to cause an extra step in the paper feed at every
twelth or other prearranged entry so that a space is left in the record roll for
inserting totals.
By reference to the drawings it will be seen that an outer case containing a
drawer or till is provided and certain spindles or axles carry the used and unused
portions respectively of the paper roll, which in passing from one axle to the other
is led across an opening in the case admitting of figures or other entries being made
upon the said roll.
The mechanism in this case however is not rigidly attached to the case or any
part thereof but is practically complete in itself and so mounted that the act of
rotation alone suffices to perform all the functions needed and this is all effected
within the outer or protecting case so that no projecting and rotating parts are
needed and the case is complete in itself without any necessity for making one part
rotate relatively to the other each time the machine is used. The drawer is of
course not referred to in this connection.
The drawer may be divided up in the usual way for receiving coins and be
provided with a lock and bell and the like accompaniments to all tills, and these for
the sake of clearness are omitted in the drawings.
At the back of the drawer however Figs. 1 & 2 show the position of the paper
roll mechanism, and this is arranged in such mechanical communication with the
drawer that it is caused to rotate on its axis when the drawer is moved, thus pro-
ducing the effect illustrated in Figs. 3 and +; that is, when the drawer is closed
the entries when written are in a position to be read by the operator but when the
The action of
drawer is opened they are in a position readable to the customer.
thus placing the record or entry in a position convenient for examination by the
customer is effected by an act beyond the control of the operator and requiring no
special attention or manipulation on his part.
The mechanism as illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9 consists of a frame A having a
circular base B and flange C above which stand the parallel arms D on the wing
pieces E.
Above this is the upper bearing piece F from which spring two brackets G, G
and above all the writing piece H. The spindle I which is firmly attached to a
base plate screwed to the case passes through the base B and flange C and finds an
upper bearing at F beyond which is attached the eccentric J.
As the spindle is stationary and in this instance the eccentric also, the frame and
appurtenances in revolving around carry with them the pawls K, K, which are
part of a plate having two flanges turned up so as to be acted upon by the
eccentric. The reciprocating action thus produced causes the pawls to engage
the pins in the side of the feed wheel L and this in its rotation feeds the paper
forward.

page_text: The paper is drawn off the "unused" roller over the writing piece H and under
the glass plate M which presses it upon the feed wheel, the glass being held down
by the upper plate N to which it is fastened as shown in detail in Fig. 9.
An apron O slotted for the wheel L supports the paper under the glass and
passing over the curved end of this it is led to a roller P which is held up in the
notches in the parallel arms by the elastic driving bands running on pulleys on the
extremities of the feed wheel axle see Fig. 6.
The glass M in Fig. 9 is held by the two arms of the upper plate N by small
clips N¹ of thin copper soldered to the under side of the plate N and bent around
the edge of the glass plate, see N' Fig. 9.
The roller P is flat at one portion of its circumference marked Q in Figs. 5A
& 5B and at its centre is a spring clip R which when the paper end is inserted
between the clip and the "flat" a slight rotary movement of the former causes the
paper to be gripped. Compare Fig. 54 with 5B.
6.
When it is desired to obtain at any prearranged distance, say after 12 entries, an
extra or blank slip on the record roll for facility in adding up, the fixed eccentric
(illustrated in Figs. 5 & 7) is replaced by a moveable one, Figs. 10, 11 & 12,
marked J and this is provided with a pawl V which catches in a pin projecting
from the axle see Fig. 12 so that it cannot be moved unless the pawl is
tripped" which is effected by the pin W on the dise above the pawl, this disc
however makes one turn for 12 turns in the main frame as the half turn of the
frame A causes the pawl Y, see Figs. 10 & 11 to turn the ratchet wheel 2 one
tooth forward, the dise 3 squared on the rigid axle preventing a greater movement
being effected by keeping the pawl out of action until the end of the movement.
A detaining pawl shown dotted in Fig. 11 prevents any recoil of this ratchet wheel
and it is connected by a spring 4 with the eccentric, a strong tendency to rotate is
imparted to it but only after the prearranged number of semi rotations does the
pawl become tripped. Directly this is effected however the eccentric makes one
turn under the impulse of the spring and the pawl then gets again caught in the
pin on the spindle and everything stands once more at its starting point. In the
eccentric thus making a complete revolution the pawls K K will of course have
worked the feed wheel one step onward irrespective of such movements as will have
taken place in the paper in the regular way, that is by the rotation of the frame A
whilst the eccentric was stationary.
Referring to Fig. 8 which is a horizontal section showing the flange C it will be
seen that the base or drum piece B is provided with a chain and spring constantly
tending to turn it in one direction as far as the stop S will allow. When the
drawer is open therefore the chain and spring acting on the drum will have caused
it to take up a certain position depending upon the notch in the flange C. What
ever had prior to this been written on the paper would therefore he now readable
to the customer, but in closing the drawer the pawl T on the arm U (which arm is
attached to the drawer the end of which is shown by the batched line in Fig. 8)
is caused to drop into the flange notch thus forming. a ratchet wheel and therefore
to rotate the frame until the pawl T stands at right angles to the arm (as indicated
by dotted lines) and by this arrangement it will be seen that a slight variation in
the final position of the drawer does not materially affect the position of the
mechanism generally.
It is plain, that if desired the centre of the writing piece need not exactly
coincide with the centre of rotation, and the aperture in the outer case may be a
slot of merely the same size as the amount of the paper exposed for writing on.
Under such conditions a half turn of the mechanism about its centre would bring
the paper having the writing or
+6 entry as much on one side of the centre of
rotation as it was originally on the other side and if the outer case be glazed at
this point the entry would be visible but could not be touched.
"
By affixing the eccentric the reverse way to that showing in the drawings Fig. 5
the feed wheel will be operated by the pawls when the drawer is opening instead
of when it is closing. The outer case may obviously be made higher and shorter

page_text: if the mechanism be mounted above the drawer or shorter in length but broader by
placing the mechanism at the side or the upper surface of the case may be flush
with or form part of a counter or pay desk.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In autographic cash registers the construction or combination of the parts.
whereby the figures or other entries are made in the usual manner through an
opening in the outer case upon paper or other suitable material, the frame carrying
which is so mechanically mounted or supported as to permit of horizontal rotation
within the said case substantially as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. The construction or combination of the parts forming the mechanism of a
cash register in which a fixed spindle is used, having a frame rotating thereon
which has wings carrying parallel arms between which the paper rolls rotate; a
fixed eccentric working pawls which actuate a feed wheel and a pawl & ratchet
rotating arrangement whereby the pawl finishes its stroke at right angles to its.
original direction of movement substantially as herein described & illustrated in
the
accompanying drawings.
3. The combination as above but with the extra feed automatically effected after
a prearranged number of entries substantially as described in reference to and
illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 & 12 in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of July 1895.
C. SCOTT SNELL.