IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR TILLS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray of No 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery
"
Lane in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COUNTING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR TILLS communicated to him
from Abroad by Henry Pottin of Paris, France
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1883.
JOHN IMRAY of N° 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR
TILLS [communicated to him from Abroad by Henry Pottin of Paris, France]
"
'
Counting and registering apparatus for tills, in order to satisfy all requirements,
should fulfil the following conditions:-First; when a cashier has to shew the
customer the amount to be paid, that amount should first be indicated to the
cashier bimself in order that he may be sure that it is right. Secondly; should
the indication be wrong, it should be capable of disappearing before the customer
sees it, without leaving any trace. Thirdly when the amount is correct, the
apparatus should indicate it to the customer. Fourthly; The cashier should print
the same amount on the customer's bill, and at the same time on a paper band
moving step-by-step, which constitutes a receipt cash book. Fifthly; The different
sums recorded should be added up at the end of the day. Lastly, after each opera-
tion the amount indicated should disappear, and the indicating figures should
be brought back to zero, the cashier being apprised by an alarum that this
operation is performed. The apparatus according to the present invention is
intended to fulfil these conditions. The cashier, acting on finger keys or knobs,
exhibits first to himself the amount required, and prepares for its indication on the
opposite side to the customer. If it is not correct, he moves a lever and brings the
figures back to zero; if it is correct, he acts on another lever which causes the
figures to appear to the customer, and at the same time prints them on the bill and
on the paper band, and also prepares for their transfer to the totaliser.
He then,
acting on the first lever brings the figures back to zero, and at the same time causes
their addition on the totaliser.

page_text: The apparatus may be arranged to operate for money of different denominations.
As an example, let it be assumed that the apparatus is arranged for Sterling money,
shewing a halfpenny, pence up to 11, shillings up to 9 in one line, with 1 in another
line so as to indicate up to 19, and pounds up to 9 in a series of lines indicating
respectively, units, tens, hundreds, and higher denominations of pounds if required.
Taking the most simple case, when no indication is required above £9, there are
arranged. side by side five segments each presenting towards the cashier a vertical
row of spring keys in the form of radiating slides having knobs at their ends on
which he can press with the finger. The first row on the right has one key for a
halfpenny. The next has 11 keys for pence; the next has 9 keys for shillings up
to 9; the next has 1 key for 10 shillings; and the last has 9 keys for pounds. On
pressing a key in any row a catch is withdrawn which permits a segment rack to
be moved by a spring, till it stops against a shoulder on the depressed key, catcliing
and holding the key depressed. This rack gearing with a pinion turns a drum on
which are arranged three sets of numbers. One of these numbers first presents
itself to the cashier, and, if it is not right, he moves a lever which throws the
segment and drum worked by it back to zero. If the number is right, he moves
another lever which depresses the paper on another set of corresponding figures
imprinting them thereon, and at the same time removes a screen froin the third set
of figures shewing them to the customer. On releasing this lever and moving the
other, all the parts are thrown back to zero.. This latter lever has connections so
arranged that they bring into action a set of counter gear which, registering all the
successive amounts indicated, serves to totalise the whole of the transactions.

page_text: :
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Imray in the Patent Office on the 2nd January 1884.
JOHN IMRAY of N° 28. Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in the County:
of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN COUNTING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS FOR
TILLS" A cominunication to me from Abroad by Henry Pottin of Paris France
Counting and registering apparatus for tills, in order to satisfy all requirements,
should fulfil the following conditions:-First, when a Cashier has to shew the
customer the amount to be paid, that amount should first be indicated to the
cashier himself in order that he may be sure that it is right. Secondly, should;
the indication be wrong, it should be capable of disappearing before the customer
sees it, without leaving any trace. Thirdly; when the amount is correct, the
apparatus should indicate it to the customer. Fourthly; The cashier should print
the same amount on the customer's bill, and at the same time on a paper band moving
step-by-step, which constitutes a receipt cash book. Fifthly; The different sums
recorded should be added up at the end of the day. Lastly, after each operation,
the amount indicated should disappear, and the indicating figures should be
brought back to zero, the cashier being apprised by an alarum that this operation is.
performed. The apparatus, according to the present invention; is intended to fulfil
these conditions. The cashier, acting on finger keys or knobs, exhibits first to
himself the amount required, and prepares for its indication on the opposite side to
the customer. If it is not correct, he moves a lever and brings the figures back.
to zero; if it is correct, he acts on another lever which causes the figures to appear
to the customer, and at the same time prints them on the bill and on the paper
band, and also prepares for their transfer to the totaliser. He then, acting on the
first lever, brings the figures back to zero, and at the same time causes their.
addition on the totaliser.
The apparatus may be arranged to operate for money of different denominations.
As an example, let it be assumed that the apparatus is arranged for sterling money,
shewing a half penny, pence up to 11, shillings up to 9 in one line, with 1 in
another line, so as to indicate up to 19, and pounds up to 9, in a series of lines,
indicating respectively, units, tens, hundreds, and higher denominations of pounds
if required. Taking the most simple case, when no indication is required above £9,
there are arranged side by side five segments each presenting towards the cashier a
vertical row of spring keys in the form of radiating slides having knobs at their,
ends, on which he can press with the finger. The first row on the right has one
key for a half penny. The next has 11 keys for pence; the next has 9 keys for
shillings up to 9; the next has one key for 10 shillings; and the last has 9 keys,
for pounds. On pressing a key in any row a catch is withdrawn which permits a
segment rack to be moved by a spring, till it stops against a shoulder on the
depressed key, catching and holding the key depressed. This rack, gearing with a
pinion, turns a drum, on which are arranged three sets of numbers. One of these
numbers first presents itself to the cashier, and, if it is not right, he moves a lever,
which throws the segment and drum worked by it back to zero. If the number is
right, he moves another lever which depresses the paper on another set of
corresponding figures imprinting them thereon, and at the same time removes a
screen from the third set of figures, shewing them to the customer. On releasing.
this lever and moving the other, all the parts are thrown back to zero. This latter
lever has connections so arranged that they bring into action a set of counter gear
which, registering all the successive amounts indicated, serves to totalise the whole.
of the transactions.

page_text: Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a transverse section of counting and
registering apparatus according to this invention, shewing the gear for one of the
numbered drums and the connections for the totaliser. It is to be understood that
the apparatus shewn in Fig. 1 is repeated for each numbered drum from units of
the lowest denomination to tens, hundreds, thousands or multiples of thousands of
the highest denomination. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the printing lever, and,
Fig. 3 is another end view shewing the effacing lever, Fig. 4 being a section'
shewing the gearing worked by this lever. Fig. 5 is an end view of the printing
apparatus. Fig. 6 is a front view of the numbered totalising barrels, the first on
the right for balf pence, the second for pence, the third and fourth for shillings,
and the others for units, tens, hundreds, & of pounds. Fig. 7 is a side view of the
set of cams which work the totaliser, shewing the fingers which lift the sectors
back to zero.
a are the finger keys, of which there are as many sets as there are
drums A. Each set for pounds and tens and multiples of tens of pounds consists of
9 keys. For- shillings there are two sets, one set of 9 keys for the units and a
single one for the ten, so as to count up to 19. On pressing in one of the keys a,
the book bat its end, as shewn in Fig 8, becomes engaged in the notch c of the
are d which by the action of the slopes of b and c, is made by the forward
movement of a to rock laterally on its pivots e e in opposition to the spring j.
This lateral movement of d releases the toothed sector B which had been
previously held in position by the detent f, and thereupon the sector B is caused
by the strain of a spring t. on its axis, to descend until it is stopped by the
ping projecting from the key that had been pressed io. The sector B, by its
descent, causes the wheel C to revolve, and with it the drum A to an extent
determined by the position of the pushed in key a For example, if the
9th key a has been pushed in, the drum A will turn 9/10th of a revolution. On
each drum A is fixed a bevil pinion 7 (see Fig. 6) gearing with a pinion i, each
having 10 teeth, except in the gear for pence, in which it has 12 teeth. The
pinion is brought into gear with h, when a wiper k on the shaft E, by a partial
revolution acting on the arm of the sector B, causes this sector to rise to its zero
position. Thus, when the operator pushes, for instance, the 9th of a set of keys, the
sector B falls causing the totaliser to make 9/10 th of a revolution; thereupon the
cam on E causes the pinion i to come out of gear with h. As the number resulting
from the movement of one sector should not be added to that of the next, except
when the totalising spindle D of the one has made a complete revolution, each of
the spindles D has fitted free on it a pinion m pressed by a spring n within a
numbered barrel o and held by a stop p. On the upper end of the barrel o, which
is fixed on the spindle D, is a snail cain 7, which acts on a spring lever q carrying
the stop p so as to make the latter escape a detents attached to the pinion m,
whereupon the pinion turns carrying the movement to the barrel of the next
denomination. At the end of the spindle D is fixed a toothed wheel F baving
10 times as many teeth as the pinion m of the preceding spindle, or 12 times in
the case of the pence carrying to shillings. One part of the pinion m is cut
away so that, while it is in one position, the wheel F is free to turn, this 'taking
place at the time when the pinions and i are engaged by the movement of the
lever u acted on by the cam on the shaft E.
When the operator pushes in the keys a of the several sets to indicate a certain
sum, the several sectors B descend, turning the drums A so as to shew the figures
on them through openings G to the operator, and also those of a duplicate set
(márked on A in inverse order) towards openings f¹ to a customer. If the operator
sees that the figures are right, he moves a lever H at the left of the apparatus, and
a roller on it acting on a sloped end y of a lever 1 (of which a side view is
shewn in Fig. 9), makes this lever rock on its fulcrum z. By this movement, the
end of the cam shaft E is drawn forward so as to bring the cams into position
for acting on the totalisers and returning the sectors B to zero. These sectors in
ascending move back the arcs & disengaging the keys a which are pressed forward
by their springs x. By the same movement of the lever H, the operator, having

page_text: slid the customer's bill through the opening a¹, the axis K of the lever H is partly
turned and two studs b¹ b₁ on it catch hooks c' of the printing apparatus (Fig 5)
causing the printing roller to descend on a number d' consisting of needles
projecting from the drum A, and thus printing the number on the bill and on the
paper roll at the same time. By the same movement of the lever H, screens
carried by rods h¹ are removed from before the openings f', permitting the
customer to read the numbers on the drums A. Should the operator, before
moving the lever-H, see that the sum is not correct, he moves a lever L on the
right, and thus strains a spring in a barrel M which acts on the cam shaft E
whereby all the sectors A are caused to reascend to zero. When, by working the
lever H, the operator has printed the amount, the cam shaft E being displaced, the
levers u, previously inert, are moved, so as to engage the gearing hi for working
the totalising spindles D. The barrel M acts. on the shaft E by means of a wheel O
gearing with another wheel P on the axis of which is loosely fitted a drum Q
having coiled on it a chain R fixed to the barrel M. The lever L strains the
spring in M and, by the action of the catches m' u¹p, the wheel P is turned by
the recoil of the spring, thus causing the shaft E to turn one revolution for each
stroke of the lever L. On the shaft E is a snail S, having its edge inclined to the
axis, on which edge bears the roller of a lever T that is strained by a spring V,
this lever until it escapes the snail presses the shaft E backwards. The lever T
has a hammer X which, as T escapes the snail, strikes a bell Y indicating that the
operation of the apparatus is completed. In order to prevent both levers H and L
from being worked at the same time, the lever H has an arm H¹ which moves an
arm P¹ on one end of a spindle Q. At the other end of Q is another arm R'
having a stud ¹ engaging in a notch of the drum Q and so holding it and the
lever L which moves it, when H is moved. When, on the other hand, L is moved,
the stud is then out of the notch y¹ and bears against the edge of Q so that
R', Q' and P¹ being thus rendered immoveable, H¹ butting against P¹ prevents H
from being moved until Q again presents its notch y¹ for reception of x¹. In order
to regulate the movements of the apparatus the cam shaft E is connected by
gearing L, Z X and worm to a fly g¹.
Having thus described the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I
claim, in counting and registering apparatus for tills,-
First. The combination of the spring keys, the toothed sectors and the numbered
drums, arranged to shew sums to the operator and customer.
Second. In combination with the numbered drums, the mechanism for removing
the screens, so as to display to the customer the amount to be paid.
Third. In combination with the mechanism for withdrawing the screens, the
mechanism by which the amount is simultaneously imprinted by punches on the
bill and on a travelling strip of paper.
Fourth. The mechanism by which a sum is made to disappear and the sectors
and drums are brought back to zero.
Fifth. The totalising mechanism, whereby the sum indicated is added automatically
added to the total of previous sums by the movement which returns the parts
to zero.
Sixth. The mechanism for making an incorrect amount disappear and bringing
the parts back to zero, before displaying or printing it, and without totalising it.
Seventh. The carrying mechanism, by which, after passing the number 9, the
counters of higher decimal denominations are advanced.
Eighth. The special carrying mechanism for sterling money, whereby after
passing 11 for pence, and 19 for shillings, the counters of the higher denominations
are advanced.
Ninth. In combination with tlie totalising mechanism, the bell signal to indicate
completion of an operation.
Tenth. In combination with the cam shaft, a regulator to control the motion of the
apparatus.

page_text: Eleventh. The mechanism for preventing simultaneous movement of the printing
lever and of the lever which brings the parts back to zero.
All substantially as herein described
In witness whereof I the said John Imray have hereunto set my hand and seal
this Second day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty-four.