An Improved Registering and Indicating Apparatus, Especially Applicable as a Check-till.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th July, 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Registering and Indicating Apparatus, Especially
Applicable as a Check-till.
I JOHN HENRY TUCKER, of 230 Albert Road, Aston Manor, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to devices, generally known as check-tills, for registering and
checking the amount of money received in a shop or other place of business, which
amount is printed upon paper, contained in the apparatus, and so placed as to be
inaccessable to the attendant. It also provides for giving a printed statement of the
amount received, upon a ticket, for delivery to the customer.
My invention consists, in the employment, in this apparatus of one or more type-
wheels, having upon them numeral figures, for the purpose of printing (either direct
or through the medium of carbon transfer paper) the amount of the purchase, upon a
ticket; and also for registering the same, amount upon the paper inside of the
apparatus.
I also arrange devices for holding the ticket whilst printing, and also to release,
the money drawer for the purpose of giving change. The money may be either
placed in the drawer when open, or passed through slots in the case.
In order to set the aforesaid type wheel or wheels in position, before printing the
amount upon the ticket, I arrange a number of keys, in some position where they
may be conveniently manipulated by the operator. These keys correspond to various
amounts, and are in connection with levers, or similar devices, which when moved
from their normal position, engage with projections fixed to, or forming a portion
of the axles of the type wheels; or these projections may for greater convenience, be
fixed to, or form a portion of other axles gearing with those upon which the type
wheels are mounted. Upon each of the type wheel axles, or upon other axles gearing
with them, is placed a circular or segmental rack or toothed wheel, but not rigidly
secured to it, fitting only spring tight.
The check-till may be constructed with a magazine to contain the tickets, and to
deliver one, with the amount printed upon it, when required; or it may be arranged
for the operator to insert a ticket, when the act of releasing the money drawer will
print the amount upon the ticket; and I also prefer to arrange that it cannot be taken
out for delivery until the drawer has been properly closed again.
The act of printing the amount upon the ticket, and releasing the drawer may be
performed in several ways. When it is intended for the check till to contain its own
tickets, I arrange a portion of the apparatus, (preferably a sliding device), on the
top, or in some other convenient position; the moving of which by the operator
rotates or partially rotates the type wheel or wheels, by means of one or more of the
before mentioned circular or segmental racks or toothed wheels, fitting spring tight
upon its axle or their axles. My object in making this circular or seginental rack
or toothed wheel movable upon its axle, is that when the rotation or partial rotation
of one or more of the type wheels is stopped by a lever or levers connected with one
or more of the keys, the slide may be free to travel its full distance, and release the
money drawer. The slide at the same time places a ticket in such a position relatively
to the type wheel or wheels that the required amount is printed upon it. Until the
drawer is properly closed, the slide cannot return, nor can the printed ticket be
withdrawn. The check-till may be arranged for the operator to insert a ticket, by
means of a specially constructed ticket holder, the movement of which shall actuate
the type wheel or wheels and print the ticket, in a similar manner to that hereinbefore
described.

page_text: In order to keep a record of the money received, I arrange a paper (preferably a
narrow strip of paper) inside of the case, and inaccessable to the operator, upon which
each amount may be printed simultaneously with the printing of the same amount
upon the ticket. The paper is moved on a short distance with each operation by
means of suitable mechanism.
I may arrange an inking device for the type, or the printing may be done by
means of carbon transfer paper, or instead of printing, the figures may be embossed
or perforated.
A signal bell may also be fitted, to ring upon each occasion that the check-till is
used.
It is obvious that this apparatus may be arranged to register and indicate numbers,
amounts, or matter, other than for the purpose hereinbefore described.
I do not confine myself to the system of securing the tickets until the drawer is
closed, but prefer it, as being tlie most convenient.
Dated this 27th day of September 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Registering and Indicating Apparatus, Especially
Applicable as a Check-till.
I, JOHN HENRY TUCKER, of 2 Somerford Terrace, Park Lane, Tottenham, in the
County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates to check-tills, that is to say, to apparatus intended for regis-
tering and checking the amount of money received in a shop or other place of
business.
An important feature of my said invention consists in the provision of improved
means for checking or registering upon a strip or web of paper, so placed as to be
inaccessible to an unauthorized person, the amount of money placed or to be placed in
the said till, and for delivering by the same operation a ticket having the said amount
printed or recorded thereon.
My said invention moreover comprises means for automatically unlocking the
money drawer or receptacle by the act of printing or registering upon the said
strip, and upon the said ticket, the amount placed or to be placed in the said drawer.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide a series of wheels having
upon their peripheries suitable type of numerals for the purpose of printing or
recording upon a ticket either directly or through the medium of carbon transfer
paper, the amount placed or intended to be placed in the apparatus and for registering
or recording the same amount upon a continuous strip or web of paper arranged
inside the apparatus. I provide moreover for moving the ticket into position
relatively to the type wheels and for holding the said ticket in position whilst the
amount is being printed or recorded thereon and also for releasing the money drawer
for the purpose of giving change, after the said amount has been printed or recorded.
The money may either be placed in the drawer when open, or passed thereinto
through slits in the case.
My said invention, moreover, comprises various other improvements hereinafter
set forth.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown how my said invention
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
may be
Figure 1 is a plan, a portion of the cover or upper part of the casing being removed,
of one form of my improved check-till,
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line a Figure 1 showing also in chain lines
some of the working parts in another position,
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line y y Figure 1 the lower part of the case
being shown in elevation,

page_text: Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line Figures 1, 2 and 3 some of the parts
being removed,
Figure 5 is a plan showing the operating slide hereinafter described, and
Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal section showing a modification of my improved
check-till.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the box or case of the apparatus; B is the drawer or receptacle for the money;
C is a box intended to contain cards or tickets upon which in succession the amount
intended to be placed in the said money drawer or receptacle is recorded at each
operation; D is a strip or web of paper upon which the said amount is also recorded ;
Care the said cards or tickets; and E is a frame supporting the mechanism.
a a are two wheels, having suitable type or numerals formed or fixed on their
peripheries for printing pence and shillings respectively, the shillings type wheel
having a blank space and consecutive numbers 1 to 19 and the pence type-wheel
having a blank space and consecutive numbers 1 to 11. The said type wheels are
firmly fixed upon the inner extremities of shafts or spindles b, b supported in suitable
bearings in the frame E or in suitable brackets attached thereto. The strip
or web D is wound upon a drum or roller D¹ supported so as to be capable of
rotating freely in suitable bearings D³ provided on the frame E. The said strip or
web passes from the roll over the said type wheels a, a¹ and over suitable guide
wheels or rollers and between india-rubber or other feed-rollers d, d' which grip the
said strip or web. The roller d is fitted to turn freely upon a shaft or spindle d²
supported in suitable hearings in the frame E, and the roller d' is mounted on a
spindle supported in bearings provided upon one extremity of a flat or ribbon
spring the other extremity of which is attached to the frame E. Suitable means
hereinafter described are provided for intermittently rotating the roller d at each
operation of the apparatus and thus feeding or drawing the strip or web of paper
over the type wheels a a' after each impression and presenting a fresh surface thereto
for receiving the next impression. e is a hollow slide piece or block provided with a
handle e and adapted to move in V or other suitable ways or grooves f¹ provided in
strips or guides secured in a slot A in the cover or upper part of the case A. e² is
an inclined arm or extension formed on or firmly attached to the said hollow slide
piece or block egg are toothed quadrants firmly secured upon the shaft or spindle d².
The said toothed quadrants engage with corresponding toothed wheels or pinions /
which are arranged spring tight upon the shafts or spindles b. By this construction
the pinions are free to be rotated even when the spindles b on which they are
mounted are stationary, while the friction between the pinions and the axles or
spindles is sufficient to drive the said spindles when the latter are not arrested or
prevented from rotating.
A slot g is formed in each quadrant g, or in a boss or cheek formed or fixed on
the side of the said quadrant, and a pine carried by the arm e projects into the said
slot and serves to oscillate the quadrant about its pivot.d when the arm e² is moved
hackwards and forwards by the slide e. Moreover the parts are so constructed that
the pinions are rotated just one revolution by the movement of the slide e through
a distance equal to its utmost extent of traverse in the guide-ways f¹. And, as above
stated, the spindles and the type wheels a a', will also be rotated one revolution.
along with the pinions unless the said spindles or either of them are arrested, as
hereinafter described, when the remaining portion of the rotation of the corresponding
pinion will be completed by slipping on the spindle. i is a bolt or catch arranged
to move freely in suitable bearings provided upon the frame E. The said bolt or
catch is adapted to engage in a socket provided in the drawer B when the latter
is closed, and serves to lock the same. is a short cross piece formed on the said
bolt or catch the said cross piece being suitably slotted at to engage with a
pin fixed in the boss of one of the quadrants g. When the said quadrant is
rotated, the pin g' works in the slot and acts to raise the bolt out of the socket i³
thus unlocking the drawer B and permitting it to be opened. It is thus seen that

page_text: if the slide piece or block e be moved forward, the type wheels are rotated through
a complete revolution, provided they are not otherwise arrested as hereinafter
described, and the money drawer is unlocked, and that the reverse movement of the
slide relocks the drawer and rotates the type-wheels back to their initial position.
Moreover I provide a bolt is, supported in bearings in the frame E, for the purpose
of locking the slide e when and so long as the money drawer B is
open. The said
bolt rests in a socket in a plate fixed to the drawer B when the said drawer
is closed, and when in that position its upper end is clear of the slide e and the
latter is free to be moved backwards and forwards as desired. The lower end of
the said bolt is inclined, and when the drawer B is opened the said inclined surface
is acted upon by the edge of the socket and the bolt thereby raised and caused
to enter a recess formed in the lower face of the slide e, the latter being thereby
locked and prevented from moving until the drawer is again closed when the bolt i³
is depressed by a spring and forced again into the socket .
I provide for arresting the type wheels a a¹, or either of them, when the desired
figure or numeral is in the proper position for printing, as follows. 2 is a long
drum formed or fixed on each of the shafts or spindles by having pins or projections 6³
arranged spirally or helically thereon. kkare rods of circular or other suitable form
in transverse section and supported in holes or bearings in plates or angle irons k¹
which are attached to the frame E so as to be capable of moving freely therein.
k² k² are pieces one of which is secured to each of the rods by means of a set
screw or in any other convenient manner. The said pieces are arranged to
move freely upon guide pieces secured to the plates or angle irons . is a stop
against which the said rods & abut. are other pieces also firmly secured in any
convenient manner to the rods k. The pieces k² are provided with inclined surfaces
which are adapted to engage with corresponding inclined surfaces upon the stems (2
of stops or keys 1. The said stems work in sleeves m secured to the box or case A
and are formed of square or other suitable cross section to prevent their turning or
rotating when operated; or the said stems may be circular and provided with
grooves engaging with pins fixed in the sleeves m for the same purpose. Each
of the said keys or stops is provided with a spiral spring 3 one extremity of
which bears against the lower extremity of the sleeve m which is recessed out to
receive it and the other extremity of which bears against a collar upon the stem 12.
These spiral springs serve to return the said keys or stops to their highest position,
after each depression, and to retain them in that position.
I will be seen that by depressing any of the said stops or keys the inclined
surfaces, on the stem and piece respectively are brought into contact and
slide over each other, and the corresponding rod k will thus be moved longitudinally
in its bearings into such a position as to cause its attached piece to project or
extend into the path of the corresponding pin or projection on the drum 62
and arrest the motion of the shaft or spindle band consequently of the type wheel a
or a in accordance with the side of the apparatus upon which the said operated
key or stop is situated. Each of the said stops or keys is marked with a numeral
representing a sum corresponding to that marked upon that part of the type wheel
which is placed in the proper position for printing, upon the motion of the shaft or
spindle b being arrested by the rod k in connection with the said stop.
The mechanism for operating the type wheel a' for printing or registering shillings
is similar to that for operating the type wheel a for printing or registering pence.
Both the toothed wheels are moved through a complete revolution at each operation.
The said toothed wheels being fitted spring tight upon the shafts or spindles bit
is seen that when a stop or key representing a sum in pence and a stop or key
representing a sum in shillings are both operated at the same time, the toothed
wheels h will drive their respective spindles until the movement thereof is arrested
by the piece 2, when the rotation of the driving wheels will be completed by slipping
on the spindles. Should it be desired to print or register a sum in pence only, and
consequently one of the keys or stops having an amount marked in pence thereon only

page_text: be depressed. The movement of the corresponding shaft or spindle 6 and the type
wheel a will be arrested and the other shaft or spindle 6 and the type wheel a¹
corresponding to the shillings not being arrested will be rotated through a complete
revolution and the blank space upon the said type wheel will be brought into the
printing position. A similar operation will take place if it be desired to print or
register a sum in shillings only, and consequently one of the stops or keys marked in
shillings he depressed.
In addition to registering or recording shillings and pence I may adapt my
improved till for recording pounds and farthings. For this purpose
provide two
additional type wheels or preferably segmental discs a³ ³ on the outside of the
wheels a a¹ and mounted freely on the bosses of the respective pinions h. The said
segment discs are loaded by segmental weights aª at and are provided with radial
projecting arms a to each of which is attached a side projecting rod a³ working in a
circular slot a formed in the frame E. On each pinion I fix a stop and on the
discs a a³ a corresponding stop as engaging therewith. The said stops a³ are situated
behind and rest against the stops on the pinions and thereby prevent rotation of the
discs as a so long as the pinions are stationary. But immediately the said pinions
are rotated, the balance weights at a cause the discs a² a³ to rotate until arrested by
the arrival of the rods a' at the ends of the slots a' in which position a blank space
on the face of each segment disc is in the printing position and consequently nothing
is recorded on the strip or ticket by these discs. On the pence side of the till I provide
three rods to represent one two or three farthings respectively and on the shillings
side of the till I provide one two or more rods to represent respectively one, two
or more sovereigns. On the said rods are mounted stops which, when the
corresponding rods are actuated, are moved into the path of the corresponding rod a
and so limit the movement of the said rod in its segment slot a'. The segment dises
are provided with type to represent one, two or three farthings and one, two or more:
sovereigns respectively in addition to the blank spaces aforesaid, and the arrangement
is such that when the rotation of the disc is arrested by one or other of the stops k' the
type on the disc thus maintained in the printing position corresponds to that on the
key that has been depressed to bring the said stop k in the position for arresting the
said type disc.
n is a strip of carbon or other transfer paper arranged to pass over the web or strip
of paper D preferably across or at right angles to the said strip s. The said transfer
paper passes between the ticket c and the web D when the said ticket is in the printing.
position so as to print on both ticket and web simultaneously. It is carried by any
conveniently arranged rollers and may be advanced slightly after each impression is
taken, so as to present a fresh surface for printing for the next impression, by a ratchet
and pawl feed arrangement actuated by the slide e in any well known manner, or by
hand. It will be seen inasmuch as the carbon paper is above the web D and the type
below it the numerals will appear on the said web reversed; I therefore prefer that the
web D be a semi-transparent paper to enable the printing to be read through it and
appear in the right direction. o is an arm or lever pivoted at o' to the said hollow
slide piece or block e and provided with a hook or catch 2 adapted to engage with the
uppermost card or ticket C' and slide it off the bundle of cards into the printing
position over the type wheels when the apparatus is operated for printing or registering
any desired sum. o is a spring for ensuring the engagement.of the said lever with
the cord or ticket. p is a weighted cord attached to the false bottom c² of the card
box C and passing over guide pulleys p' p' for raising or feeding upwards the said
cards or tickets. Or 1 may provide for raising the false bottom c² by a spring or other-
wise. A projecting ledge is provided, on each side the aperture in the printing table
through which the cards (ascend at a height above the level of the said table equal
to the thickness of one card, the said ledges serving as stops to prevent the further
upward movement of the cards. And I prefer to construct the hooked end o² of the
lever o so as to bridge over the said ledges and to provide a central downward tongue
to engage with the uppermost card for the purpose of moving it into the printing.

page_text: position, or I may merely provide that the end o* of the lever o shall slide on the second
card when moving the top card to the printing position. is another arm or lever also
pivoted at o' at or about its centre to the hollow slide piece or block e. The said armi
or lever is provided at one extremity with a plate or platen and the other extremity
or tail is acted upon by a spring q² so as to retain the said plate or platen in its highest
or in operative position until the hollow slide piece or block e is moved into the
printing position. is a projection upon the upper part of the case A on which the tail
of the lever grests when the said lever is moved into the printing position so as to raise
and support the said extremity and consequently depress and maintain depressed the plate
or platen and cause it to press the ticket or card C and strip or web D against the
type wheels a al and through the carbon or other transfer paper n print or register the
numerals upon the operative portions of the said type wheels.
9
For rotating the roller d intermittently to take up or feed forward the web D I mount
on the spindle a ratchet wheel do and I fix a disc or collar d' on the said roller d.
The said disc d' is provided with a spring pawl d that engages with the ratchet
wheel and the said ratchet wheel d drives the disc d' when the said spindle d² is
rotated in the forward direction. A second ratchet wheel and fixed pawl may be
provided if required at the other end of the roller d to prevent the said roller being
moved backwards. Moreover, for taking up the free end of the web D after it has
passed the feed rollers d d' I provide a rollers having a flanges that engages with the
disc d and is rotated by frictional contact therewith. The said roller s is mounted on a
spindle carried by arms 3 centred at 4 in bearings in the frame E. A handle s is
provided for swinging the take up roller about its supporting shaft and thus
moving the flanges of the said take up roller into or out of contact with the
driving disc d'. I provide also a springs attached to the arm and to the frame E
or to the case of the machine for holding the arm sin either its operative or
inoperative positions.
For moving the rods & back to their initial position after they have been displaced
by depressing the keys I provide the following mechanism, that is to say, I pivot
at t to the outer bearing bar on cach side of the machine a plate t which
extends across the ends of the whole of the rods on the two sides of the machine
respectively. The two plates are united by a connecting plate *. To the plate t*
I attach by nuts t** or otherwise a rod t the inner end of which is supported by
a bearing that allows of upward movement of the rod. A hook t¹ is formed on
the inner end of said rod, and a corresponding notch et in the arm e². When the
arm eis advanced for printing, the said notch et engages with the hook t, and
the rod is then drawn inwards by the arm e² when the slide is moved back to
its initial position. The plate t is thus partially rotated on its pivot and forces
back any rods that may be projecting through the bearing plate. The hook t
is disengaged from the notch e by a fixed inclined catch to that encounters a
projecting pin fixed in the rod t and the said pin by sliding up the said
incline raises the catch and allows the plate t to be drawn back again by a
spring or equivalent means. 7 is a spring for pressing on the pin t.
In the modification of my improved check-till shown in Figure 61 have rearranged
the position of some of the working parts. In this case the slide e works through
the side of the box or till and passes under instead of over the type-wheels. Moreover
the tickets or cards are not fed automatically but are placed by the operator on a
table u mounted in a recess in the slide e. The said table u is pivoted at u³¹ to the said
slide, and at its inner end is provided a downwardly projecting piece u² having an
inclined face u³ which when the slide e is pushed inwards encounters and slides up the
inclined face u³ of a fixed stud thus slightly lifting the table and pressing it against
the type wheels for the purpose of printing. When not supported by the stud u, the
table u rests on the bottom of the recess in the slide. The remainder of the mechanism
in this modification is the same as that previously described with reference to Figures 1
to 5. I prefer however in this case to mount the take-up roller s in slides s' instead
of in.pivoted bearings as shown in Figure 2 to facilitate the withdrawal of the roll

page_text: clear of the mechanism to enable the web to be drawn off. The said rollers is with-
drawn from contact with the driving disc d by a rod 8 connected thereto and provided
with a bandle s. $10 is a spring catch fixed on the rod and which when the roller s
is passed up to the driving disc d may be turned by the handle to engage with a
bearing pieces and thus act to maintain the roll against the driving disc. More-
over I provide a cross bar s¹² fixed to the rod s and situated between the flanges of
the rolls s. By turning the handle the said bar s is wedged between the said
roller flanges and prevents the same being rotated and the web D unwound when the
roll. is withdrawn from the driving disc along the slides s7. The strip or web of
paper D passes over guide rollers & underneath the type wheels, over another guide
roller c and down between the feed rollers d d¹ to the take up roller s.
It is obvious that I may arrange for embossing or perforating the tickets and
internal strip instead of printing the figures thereon through the medium of transfer
paper.
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 :-
First. A money-till provided with mechanism for printing or recording on a loose
ticket or card by suitable type printing, or perforating, or embossing wheels the
amount of money received, and simultaneously printing or recording the said amount
upon a continuous web or strip of paper so placed as to be inaccessible to an
unauthorized person, the mechanism being actuated by means of a suitable slide
moved by hand and the amounts to be printed or recorded being determined by the
depression of corresponding keys, substantially as specified.
Second. In a check-till of the kind or class above specified the means for rotating
the type printing or recording wheels and for arresting the said wheels when the
desired numbers are in the printing position, substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Third. In a check-till of the kind or class above specified the segmental discs or
wheels for printing or recording farthings and pounds and means for actuating the
said discs or wheels and for arresting them when the desired numbers thereon are
in the printing or recording position, substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
Fourth. The combination with the printing or recording mechanism and with the
actuating slide, of feed rollers for intermittently advancing or feeding the continuous
web on which the amounts are recorded, as, and for the purpose, specified.
Fifth. The combination with the printing or recording mechanism, and with the
actuating slide, of a ticket box having a false bottom supported by weighted cords or
springs or the like, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Sixth. The combination, with the actuating slide and with the ticket box, of a
hooked lever for automatically sliding the uppermost ticket into the printing position,
as, and for the purpose, specified.
Seventh. The combination with the printing or recording and web feed mechanisms,
of take up rollers, as, and for the purpose, specified.
Eighth. The combination, with the printing or recording mechanism and with the
actuating slide, of a bolt for locking and unlocking the money drawer, substantially
as described.
Ninth. The combination, with the slide, the printing or recording mechanism, and
the money drawer, of a bolt for automatically locking the said slide in its advanced
position substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Tenth. In a check-till of the kind or class above specified, the printing or recording
mechanism provided with means for replacing the sliding stop rods after each
printing or recording operation, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Eleventh. The modification of my invention wherein the tickets are fed into the
machine by hand, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

page_text: Twelfth. The improved check-till constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figures 1 to 5 or with reference to Figure 6, and operating as, and for the purpose,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 28th day of July 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.