Improvements in Cash Registers and Recorders.
Year: 1892

page_text: ate of Application, 15th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cash Registers and Recorders.
I, PERCY WILLIS, of Victoria Chambers, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(a communication to me from abroad by William O'Connor, Thomas Mortimer
Kenna, Edward O'Connor, and Charles Woodruff, all of Binghamton, Broome
County, New York, U.S.A. Inventors,) and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to a new improvement in cash indicators and recorders and
the object of the invention is to produce at a low cost a simple, durable, and more
accurate machine of this class.
I now proceed to describe said invention, reference being had to the figures and
letters of reference marked thereon, like letters referring to like parts throughout
all the views.
Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a cash recorder constructed in accordance
with our invention ;
Fig. 2 is a broken view thereof in vertical section on the line ab of the preceding
figure;
Fig. 3 is a detailed view, partly in section and partly in front elevation, showing
the wheel, the spring stop therefor, and the inking-roller;
Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation of the mechanism for feeding the tape and
lifting the same into contact with the type on the wheel;
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same parts with the wheel removed;
Fig. 6 is a broken perspective view of the inner end of the operating-lever.
The invention consists in a cash indicator and recorder having certain details of
construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed
out in the claims.
The upright portion A of the case of the device is provided in its front and rear
walls with a semi-circular opening B. A pointer B³, fixed to the front and rear
walls of the said portion of the case, or painted upon the glass in the openings B
thereof, rises in the centre of the semi-circular openings B and assists the eye in
setting the wheel D, which is mounted on a horizontal shaft E, journalled in the
said portion A of the case and exposed through the said openings and adapted
to be manually rotated by means of a handle F, forming a continuation of the
forward end of the said shaft E. The said wheel is preferably made of metal
cast in one piece, in the form of arms, and a rim, its arms having lugs G cast
thereon which are drilled and tapped to receive screws H, (see Figure 1) by means
of which numbered dials I are secured to the opposite faces of the wheel, the
periphery of which is provided with type J, preferably formed of rubber and
corresponding to the numbers on the dials. We do not, however, limit ourselves
to the use of a cast metal wheel, or to the use of dials made of any one particular
material or metal, or to the use of rubber type; but however constructed the
wheel will have type upon its periphery and numbers corresponding thereto upon
its opposite faces. The shaft E also carries a tooth-wheel E¹ which engages a
lever E2 pivoted at. E³, and having a knob E. It will be understood that when
the shaft E is rotated that the tooth-wheel E' will cause the lever E² to vibrate
and cause the bell E to be sounded. This provision is made to prevent the wheel
being turned again after a certain amount has been registered, and without the
knowledge of the other shop assistants and the customers.
An inking-roller or pad K is journalled in the outer end of the spring K¹,

page_text: fastened to the inner face of a lid A', which may be secured by thinges L to the
extreme upper end of the upright portion A of the case, the said lid forming the
top of the said portion of the case and affording access to the inking-roller for
renewing the ink upon the same. The roller may however be situated in any other
suitable position. A spring stop M, secured to the case, is arranged to enter stop
notches M', formed in the wheel between the type, whereby the type are centered
over the vertically-movable presser-block N, located directly below the centre of
the wheel and mounted in a casting N', located in the bottom of the upright
portion A of the case and attached to the top of the horizontal portion O of the
case. The said presser-block is designed to lift into engagement with the type a
paper tape P, the ends whereof are wound upon the rollers Q and Q', journalled
on horizontal axes in opposite ends of the casing N'. The axis of the roller Q' is
provided with a ratchet wheel R, which is actuated in turning the said roller, and
therefore feeding the tape under the wheel by means of an upright pawl S, having
its upper end toothed to engage with the teeth of the said wheel, while its lower
end is pivotally connected with the extreme inner end of the operating-lever T,
which is constructed with two perforated lugs T' T', located opposite each other,
for pivoting it to corresponding lugs U U, projecting outwardly from the outer
face of the casting N. Said pawl is constructed with two arms S¹ S', extending
on opposite sides of the wheel to prevent the pawl from lateral displacement. A
small spring V, also engaging with the teeth on the opposite side thereof from the
pawl, prevents its retrograde movement. A spring W, against the outer face of
the pawl, holds the same in engagement with the teeth of the wheel. The presser-
block N, before mentioned, rests upon the inner end of the operating lever at a
point between its fulcra and the operating-pawl S, whereby when the outer end of
the lever is depressed its inner end will be elevated and lift the presser-block and
the pawl. The said operating-lever is held in its normal-elevated position, in
which it is shown by full lines in Figure 2 of the drawings by means of a button X,
having a long stem X, which is encircled by a spiral spring Y interposed between
the inner face of the button and the top of the horizontal portion of the case,
and exerting a constant tendency to lift the operating-lever into its elevated
position. The lower end of the said stem X: passes through the said top of the
lower portion of the case in position to engage with a spring catch Z, attached
to the inner end of the drawer Z, and constructed at its inner end with a small
opening to receive a locking pin a', with which the spring is engaged when the
drawer is closed so as to prevent the same from being opened. The screws
located in front of the button X forms an adjustable stop for regulating the play
of the operating-lever. A spring e, located within the horizontal portion of the
box, is arranged to engage with the inner end of the drawer, so as to auto-
matically push the same out into its open position, when it is unlocked by the
clearance of the spring-catch Z from the pin a¹. A bell located within the case,
but not shown herein, is arranged in any approved manner to be rung when the
drawer is opened.
The operation of the device is as follows:-
A sale having been made, the wheel is turned by its handle until the number on
its outer dial corresponding to the amount of the purchase is brought into line
with the line of the pointer B'. At the same time the corresponding number on
the rear dial has been brought into line with the pointer on the other side, so that
if the recorder is placed between the salesman and the purchaser the latter may
know that the recorder is being truly operated. In case the recorder is placed on
a stand back of the salesman the front of the dial will be exposed to both the
salesman and the purchaser. Our device is therefore adapted to be used equally
well in either of the two positions suggested. The number corresponding to the
amount of the purchase having been brought into line with the pointer B', the
operating-lever is depressed, whereby the presser-block will be lifted to press
the tape against the type above it, whereby the tape is printed with a number
corresponding to the amount of the purchase, for the type and numbers are

page_text: arranged so that when a number is brought into line with the pointer, type corre-
sponding to that number will stand over the presser-block. Now when the
operating-lever is relieved of pressure the spring Y will immediately restore it to
its normal position, and in doing so cause the ratchet-wheel R to be rotated by the
pawl S, whereby the tape is fed along over the presser-block, so as to present a
new surface to the next type which it is elevated against. When the operating-
lever is depressed the stem X' of the button X clears the spring-catch Z from
the pin and permits the spring e to throw the drawer open. Change having
been made or the amount of the purchase having been placed in the drawer,
the same is closed and automatically relocked by the re-engagement of the spring-
catch with the pin a'. The drawer cannot now be opened again until the
operating-lever is depressed and without again ringing the bell.
..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a cash indicator and recorder, the combination, with the case thereof, of a
wheel mounted therein on a horizontal axis and provided upon its periphery with
type and upon its faces with numbers corresponding thereto, an inking-roller or
pad mounted within the case in position to engage with the type on the wheel,
means for manually rotating the wheel, a toothed wheel mounted upon the axis,
adapted to engage a spring-lever having a knob at its end adapted to strike a bell
when the wheel is rotated, two tape rollers, a vertical-movable presser-block.
located between the same for lifting the tape carried by them against the type, a
ratchet-wheel carried by one of the said rollers, a pawl engaging with the said
wheel, and an operating-lever for operating the said block and pawl, substantially
as described.
2. In a cash indicator and recorder, the combination with a case having its
upright portion constructed with front and rear openings and with a lid which
forms its top, of a wheel mounted on a horizontal axis in the said portion of the
frame and provided upon its periphery with type and upon its front and rear faces
with numbers corresponding thereto, an inking roller or pad carried by a spring
attached to the inner face of the said lid, means for manually rotating the said
wheel, a tooth-wheel mounted upon the axis, adapted to engage a spring-lever
having a knob at its end adapted to strike a bell when the wheel is rotated, two
tape rollers located beneath the wheel, vertical movable presser-block located
between the rollers, a pawl for engagement with the said wheel, and an operating-
lever for operating the pawl and presser-block, substantially as described.
3. In a cash indicator and recorder, the combination with a case having its
upright portion constructed in its front and rear, large semi-circular openings, of a
wheel mounted on a horizontal axis in the said portion of the frame and provided
upon its periphery with type and upon its opposite faces with numbers corresponding
thereto, means for manually rotating the wheel, a tooth-wheel mounted upon the
axis adapted to engage a spring-lever having a knob at its end adapted to strike a
bell when the wheel is rotated, two tape rollers located beneath the wheel, a
vertical-movable presser-block located between the said rollers, a ratchet-wheel
carried by one of the rollers, a pawl engaging with the said ratchet-wheel, and
an operating-lever for operating the presser-block and pawl, substantially as
described.
4. In a cash indicator and recorder the combination with the case thereof of a
wheel mounted therein on a horizontal shaft, and provided upon its periphery with
type and upon its faces with numbers corresponding thereto, means for manually
rotating the wheel, a tooth-wheel mounted upon the axis adapted to engage a
spring lever having a knob at its end adapted to strike a bell when the wheel is
rotated, two tape-rollers located beneath the wheel, a ratchet-wheel carried by one
of the rollers, an upright pawl having its upper end hooked to engage with the
teeth of the wheel, an operating-lever having the lower end of the pawl pivoted to

page_text: its extreme inner end, a vertical-movable presser-block having its lower end engaged
with the inner end of the said operating-lever, springs for preventing a retrograde
movement of the wheel and for holding the pawl against the teeth thereof, and a
spring for holding the outer end of the operating-lever in a normally-elevated
position, substantially as described.
5. In a cash indicator and recorder, the combination with a case having its
upper portion constructed with an opening in its front and in its rear face, of a
wheel mounted in the said portion of the case, on a horizontal shaft and made of
cast metal, type fixed to its periphery, dials numbered in accordance with the said
type fixed to the opposite faces of the wheel by screws driven into lugs cast upon
the front and rear faces of the wheel, means for rotating the wheel manually, a
tape, and means for lifting the same against the type and for feeding it, substan-
tially as described.
Dated this 15th day of August. 1892
PERCY WILLIS,
Applicant.