Year: 1887

page_text: I, JEROME JOSIAH WEBSTER, of 1 Maple Avenue, in the City of Somerville, in the
County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the United States
of America, Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to cash indicators and registers and consists in the devices and
combinations hereinafter described and claimed."
In the accompanying drawings on three sheets, figure 1 is a front elevation of a
cash indicator and register constructed in accordance with my invention, a part of the
case being in vertical section on the line xx in figure 2; figure 2, a plan of the same,
the case being in horizontal section on the line y y in figure 1; figure, 3 a vertical
section on the line z z in figure 2, of the case (except the upper part which is broken
off) till, stop and guide-plates, and fulcrum-rod and a side elevation of the till-opening
spring, the till-locking spring, the link which connects said locking spring to the arm
projecting from the fulcrum-rod, said arm, the fulcrum-rod stand and the lower part
of a signal-rod figure 4, a rear elevation of the middle or dimne ratchet and gear,
the stands which support the same, part of the registering lever and the impelling,
retaining and locking pawls; figure 5, a front elevation of the left hand or dollar
ratchet and gear; figure 6, a side elevation of the signal-keys, one of which is
depressed, the signals, the signal-rods, the locking rod lever, the link which connects
said lever to an arm of the fulcrum-rod, said arm and the registering lever guide and
a section on the line w w in figure 2, of the stop and guide plates, the fulcrum-rod,
the registering lever, the signal-rod guides and the locking rod; figure 7, a plan of
the middle group of signal-keys and their signals, a part of the stop and guide-plates,
a part of the fulcrum-rod, a part of a registering lever and its guide, a part of a
ratchet and its impelling pawl, the link which connects the arm of the fulcrum-rod
and the locking rod lever, said arm, the spring which restores the fulcrum-rod to
position, a fulcrum-rod stand, a part of the upper signal rod guide, a part of the locking
rod (indicated by a dotted line), locking pins and the spring cam on the locking rod
ever; figure 8, a front elevation of the parts shown in figure 7 and of the locking
.

page_text: pawl figure 9, a plan of the lower signal-rod guide, the locking rod and its pins and
the signal-rods and their collars, the signals being omitted, the position of the
locking rod pins shown by the dotted lines being their normal position; figure 10, a
plan of a part of the locking rod and the locking rod lever, a part of the locking rod
being broken away on each side of the locking rod cam, to show said cam, said lever
being represented as beginning to press the locking rod cam aside to unlock the
signals; figure 11, a plan of the parts shown in figure 10, representing the locking
rod lever returning to its normal position; figure 12, a front elevation of the same
parts in the position shown in figure 11. The case C is of any usual construction
which will conceal the operating mechanism and the signals, except when the signals
are raised as bereinafter described, and preferably has a glass window c on each side
to allow the signals to be read by a cashier or other person seated behind the case as
well as by customers standing in front thereof, said signals being numbered on both
sides in the usual manner.
2
In the lower part of the case slides the till T pressed outward by a spring t secured
to the inside of the back of the case and pressing against the back of the till in the
usual manner. The till is locked in its closed position (see figure 3) by a locking
spring t¹, secured at its front end to the under side of the table c', which supports the
indicating and registering mechanism, and springing down in front of the back of
the till, or preferably in front of a bar t³ which extends across the top of said till near
the back of the same. The free end of the locking spring is raised, to allow the till to
be opened (by the pressure of the spring t) by the rocking of the rock-shaft or
fulcrum-rod F which is supported in a horizontal position by and turns in vertical
stands fff secured on the table c', said fulcrum-rod being provided with a
backwardly-projecting arm f, rigidly secured thereto, which is connected by a link t
to said locking spring near its free end. The fulcrum-rod is rocked to open the till
by depressing any one or more of the signal-keys, as hereinafter described, all of
which keys have their fulcrums upon said rod. The fulcrum-rod F is provided
with a spline or projection, except at its bearings in the stands f¹ff, and the
openings (see figure 6) in the keys K K K K³, which receive the fulcrum-rod are
of the shape shown, each of said openings being partly circular to fit the cylindrical
portion of the said rod and having a slot 2 leading out of said circular opening to
receive said spline and to allow the same to turn therein without turning any of said
keys. All of the slots are in line with each other and their front sides are in
contact with the front side of the spline ƒ, so that depressing any one of the keys
will rock the fulcrum-rod and said slots are of such a width that depressing any key
to its utmost will not carry the back side of said spline against the back side of the
slots of the other keys. The keys are guided vertically and limited in their motion
by stop and guide plates kk, respectively placed in front of and behind said fulcrum-
rod and provided with vertical slots k within which said keys move and against the
bottom of which they are stopped. When the zero signal-key K is depressed, the zero
signal S is thrown up into sight, its vertical stem or signal-rod s resting upon said key K,
near the outer end of the same, indicating merely that the till is opened, this key being
used when the till is to be opened for other purposes than the making of change. The
signal-rods is guided vertically by horizontal guide-plates, through holes in which
said signal-rod is passed, and is provided with an annular collar s which norinally rests
upon the lower guides. There is a horizontal locking rod I running from end to
end of the upper guides and provided with horizontal backwardly-projecting pins
said locking rod I being supported from said upper guide 57, by means of screws
which pass down through longitudinal slots sin said upper guide, which slots allow
said locking rod with its pins to be moved longitudinally, the ends of said slots serving
as stops to limit the longitudinal motion of said locking rod. The pins are so
arranged that a vertical line will pass through one of said pins and through the collar s
on the zero signal-rod when the locking rod is in its normal position, that is, when
drawn to the left by the spring, shown in figure 1, and connecting the frame A
and said locking rod, so that, if the locking rod be first pushed to the right and the
zero signal be then raised until its collar is above the pins and the locking rod be

page_text: allowed to resume its normal position, one of the locking pins will be under said collar
and prevent the signal from falling until the locking rod is again moved to the right.
The locking rod is provided on its under surface with a cam i, of a double wedge-
shape (see figures 6, 10, 11 and 12) and a nearly vertical locking rod lever is
pivoted at to a bracket j¹, secured to the lower guide s (see figures 6 and 8) which
lever Jis provided near its upper end with a spring cam nj³, the lower end of which is
secured to the sido of said lever J and the upper end of which is formed into a double
wedge-shaped cam, the spring of said cam tending to press said cam, against the
right side of said lever and (the parts being suitably arranged therefor) to bring
the upper end of said cam (which projects above the upper end of said lever. J.) to the
left of the locking rod cam. The upper end of the lever J is normally. back of, the
locking rod, so that when the upper end of said lever is thrown forward (to the right,
in figures 6 and 7), the right side of the spring cam will press against the left side of
the locking rod cam and throw the locking rod to the right until the spring cam
passes by the locking rod cam and allows the locking rod to be restored to its normal
position by the spring 3, as above described.
The lower end of the locking rod lever J is connected by, a link to an arm ƒ³
depending from and rigidly secured to the fulcrum-rod F, so that rocking, the
fulcrum-rod, in such a manner as to throw the lower end of the arm backward,
will cause the upper end of the lever J to move forward and the locking rod to move
to the right, as above described. Hence, depressing the zero key will not only. raise
the zero signal but will cause the same to be locked in its raised position. Besides
the zero key there are three groups of signal-keys K K K³, each of which is
precisely like the zero key and each of which has a corresponding signal S¹ S³.S³,
precisely like the zero signal, except in the marks or numbers of said signals and keys,
each key and the corresponding signal bearing the same number. Each key of cach
group will raise its signal and will move the locking rod and allow, the signals. then in
a raised position to fall and at the same time lock its own signal in a, raised position
and will perform all the functions above ascribed to the zero key, including the
unlocking of the till, and differs from the zero key only in indicating the amount, of
money placed in the till, and in operating the, registering mechanism, as described
below.
A bracket b is secured to the upper guide s, as shown in figures 1 and 2, and
supports a small, bell or gong B and a spring hammer 61 is secured to, an, ear it
projecting from the front of the locking rod I, in proximity to said bell, so that
the return motion of the locking rod causes said hammer to strike, said bell, every
time the till is opened and to call attention thereto.
The right hand group of signals S¹ are numbered to indicato: cents, the middle
group S³ to indicate dimes and the left hand group S³ to indicate dollars..
The registering devices used with each group of signals being the samo in principle,
and differing only in matter of arrangement, as in the direction in which the
registering lever, extends from its fulcrum, in the direction in which. the gears, and
ratchets rotate, and, therefore, in the position of those parts and their pawls, relatively
to each other, it will be convenient to look at the corresponding parts of the dime-
registering and dollar, registering devices shown on a larger scale, in figures 4 and 5,
the corresponding parts being marked with the same letter of reference but with a
different exponent, the exponents being increased by 1 in going from right to, left
from each group to the next.
For convenience, the dime-registering devices, partly represented in rear, elevation
in figure 4,,will first.be described.
Upon the stand N is, pivoted the registering lever L², concentrically, with, the
ratchet R², and, to, said registering, lever is. pivoted the pawl P which engages the
teeth of said ratchet. The lever I reaches, to the right (as one. faces, the. machine)
over, the keys of the group,K' back of their fulcrum and, is drawn down, into or nearly
into contact with one of, the keys of said group by, a spring connected, to, said, lever
and-to the table,cl, so that the complete depression of said key will raise said lever L'

page_text: sufficiently to cause the pawl P² to slide over a number of teeth of said ratchet
corresponding to one-tenth of the number on said key, so that when said key is let go
and the lever L² is restored to its normal position by the spring 1, the ratchet R² will
be moved by the pawl P³ an angular distance represented by the number of its teeth
over which the pawl slides in the upward movement of the registering lever.
The keys all have the same length of movement and the under side of the registering
lever is so shaped or curved, as shown in figures 1 and S, that depressing and letting
go the key next to the right of said first named key will turn the ratchet R² a tooth
less than depressing and letting go said first named key, and depressing and letting go
the key next to the left of said first named key will slide the pawl and turn the
ratchet R² one tooth more than depressing and letting go said first named key, and so
that depressing any one of the keys of the group K³ will slide the pawl P³ over a
number of the teeth of said ratchet corresponding to one-tenth of the number borne
by said key and by its corresponding signal S², that is, depressing and letting go the
key marked "10" will cause the ratchet to turn one tooth and depressing and letting
go the key marked "20" will cause the ratchet to turn two teeth and so on. The
ratchet R2 is prevented from being turned by the friction of the pawl P² by the spring
retaining pawl O2 secured to the table c¹ and engaging with the teeth of said ratchet,
and is prevented from jumping past the pawl P by the locking pawl Q2, the latter
being a bent lever, pivoted on said stand N2 and having a tooth q which is forced, by
the registering lever striking the upper end of said locking pawl, up into engagement
with said ratchet, from which engagement it is released by its own weight when said
registering lever is raised.
The shaft or pivot of the ratchet R' is provided with a single radial tooth g³, making
it, in effect, a single-toothed pinion, which tooth g² engages with a gear G² once in
every revolution of said ratchet and, as the ratchet and gear have each a hundred
teeth, one revolution of the ratchet indicates the receipt of one hundred dimes, one
thousand cents or ten dollars, and one revolution of the gear G2 indicates one hundred
revolutions of the ratchet or the receipt of ten hundred dollars. The stand M'
supports the gear G². A spring retaining pawl H³, secured to the table c¹ and
engaging with the teeth of said gear G³ prevents the teeth of said gear from jumping
past said pawl H².
The sides of the ratchet R2 and gear G2 are graduated and the graduations are
numbered, the numbers on the ratchet running from 0 to 950, the 0 indicating the
starting point and also 1000 (cents) and the numbers on the gear running from 0
to 950, the indicating the starting point and also 1000 (dollars). The stands N' M*
are each provided with an index finger n² m² to denote the place of the 0 at the
beginning of business and to point to the figures indicating the amount of money
taken up to the time of observation.
The registering ratchet R¹, gear G¹, their supporting stands N' M', impelling
pawl P1, locking pawl Q¹, retaining pawls O' H³, single-toothed pinion g', registering
lever L', its spring and index-fingers n' m', are substantially like the parts of the
same name above described, except as above indicated, and except also that the
ratchet and gear last named have their graduations differently numbered, a single
tooth of the last named ratchet indicating one cent instead of one dime, and a single
tooth of the gear G₁ indicating one dollar instead of ten dollars, and except also,
that the registering lever L extends to the left over the cent registering keys,
instead of to the right, and that the ratchet B' is therefore at the left of the center
of the gear G¹.
So, too, the left hand ratchet R³, gear G³, single toothed pinion g³, ratchet-stand N³,
gear-stand M³, impelling pawl P³, locking pawl Q³, retaining pawls O' H³, registering
lever L³, its spring and index-fingers n³ m³, are like the parts of the same names in
figure 4, and similarly arranged, the ratchet registering dollars up to one hundred and
the gear registering ten thousand dollars in a complete revolution, said last named
ratchet and gear being numbered accordingly. In reckoning up the receipts, it will
only be necessary to add the six amounts indicated by the ratchets and gears to
ascertain the total amount received since the last previous reckoning. It will be seen

page_text: that the zero lever does not operate any registering lever, being placed between the
registering levers L' and L².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The combination of the frame, the locking rod provided with a cam and adapted
to slide on said frame, a spring adapted to draw said locking rod in one direction, a
locking rod lever adapted when turned on its fulcrum to press against said cam and to
push aside said locking rod against the resistance of said spring and to pass by and
release said cam and locking rod, a spring bell-hammer secured to said locking rod,
one or more signal keys supported upon a fulcrum-rod, said fulcrum-rod, any one of
said keys being adapted when depressed to rock said fulcrum-rod, an arm rigidly
secured to said fulcrum-rod, and a link connecting said arm and said locking rod lever,
and a bell supported on said frame, as and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination of the locking-rod provided with pins, and with a double
wedge-shaped cam and adapted to slide horizontally on the frame, said frame,
signals provided with stems or signal-rods guided vertically in said frame and
provided with collars, a locking-rod lever provided with a spring cam, normally
pressed against said lever and adapted, when said lever is turned, to press against
the side of said first, named cam and to slide said locking rod, and a spring con-
necting said locking rod and said frame, signal-keys, upon which the lower ends of
said signal-rods rest, a fulcrum-rod supporting said key and adapted to be rocked by
depressing any one or more of said keys and provided with an arm rigidly secured
thereto, and a link connecting said arm and said locking rod lever, as and for the
purpose specified.
3. The combination of the case, a till sliding in said case, a locking spring secured to
said case and adapted to spring down in front of the back of said till or in front of a
bar extending across the top of said till, near the back of the same the fulcrum-rod,
signal-keys supported thereon and adapted, when depressed, to rock the saine, an arm
rigidly secured to said fulcrum-rod and a link connecting the free end of said arm to
said locking spring, to unlock said till by depressing any of said keys, as and for the
purpose specified.
4. The combination of the case, a till sliding in said case, a locking spring secured
to said case and adapted to spring down in front of the back of said till or in front of
a bar extending across the top of said till, the fulcrum-rod provided with a spline, keys
provided with openings to receive said fulcrum-rod and spline, said openings being
shaped as herein described to allow said fulcrum-rod to be turned without turning any
of said keys and to cause said rod to be turned by the depression of any of said keys,
an arm rigidly secured to said fulcrum-rod and a link connecting the free end of said
arm to said locking spring, as and for the purpose specified.
5. The combination of a series of keys or signal-levers differently numbered, a
suitable stand, a registering lever pivoted on said stand and extending over said keys,
and arranged to be struck by said keys when the same are depressed, a ratchet
concentric with the pivot of said registering lever, a pawl pivoted on said registering
lever and engaging the teeth of said ratchet, the underside of said registering lever
being curved substantially as described, and stops to limit the motion of said keys,
whereby the depression of any one of said keys will cause said pawl to travel over a
number of the teeth of said ratchet corresponding to the number of said key, as and
for the purpose specified.
6. The combination of a series of keys differently numbered, a suitable stand,
a registering lever pivoted on said stand and extending over said keys and arranged
to be struck by said keys when the same are depressed, a ratchet concentric with the
pivot of said lever, a registering pawl pivoted on said lever and engaging the teeth of
said ratchet, the under side of said registering lever being curved substantially as
described, stops to limit the motion of said keys and a spring to restore said lever to
position when a depressed key is released, whereby the depression of any one of said
keys will cause said pawl to travel over a number of the teeth of said ratchet corre-

page_text: sponding to the number of said key and the release of said key will cause said ratchet
to be rotated an angular distance corresponding to the same number of said teeth, as
and for the purpose specified.
7. The combination of a series of keys, differently numbered, a fulcrum common to
said keys, a suitable stand, a lever pivoted on said stand and extending over said keys
and arranged to be struck by said keys when the same are depressed, a ratchet
concentric with the pivot of said registering lever, a registering pawl pivoted on
said registering lever and engaging the teeth of said ratchet, the under side of said
registering lever being curved, substantially as described, stops to limit the motion
of said keys, a spring to restore said registering lever to position when a depressed
key is released, a single-toothed pinion concentric with and turning with said ratchet
and engaging with said gear, the sides of said ratchet and gear being marked with
figures to indicate the number of their respective teeth, and stationary index-fingers
to point out said figures, as and for the purpose specified.
1007
JEROME JOSIAH WEBSTER.
Herbert & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Charing Cross, W.O.,
Agents.