Improvements in Money Tills.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Money Tills.
I, BRUCE JOHNSTON, of King's Arms Hotel, Croydon, in the County of Surrey,
Licensed Victualler, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in money tills; and relates
especially to tills such as are described in the Specification of a former Patent
granted to me No. 8047 in the year 1888.
In these tills there is a drawer which is fastened by a bolt and the bolt can only
be withdrawn by turning handles which are provided at the front of the till. In
connection with the handles there are dials and indicators and before the drawer is
opened the handles should be so turned as to show the amount which it is intended
to pay into the till.
It is thus necessary that the handles should be free to be turned when the
drawer is closed but should not be able to turn in the other direction until the
drawer has been opened and again closed and that they should then be able to
pass back to the zero or starting points by the aid of springs with which they
are provided.
This I now provide for in a more simple manner than heretofore. On the axis
of each of the handles is a ratchet wheel and a retaining pawl drops into the teeth
of the wheel as the handle is turned away from the zero and the drawer is unlocked.
The opening of the drawer does not affect these parts, but the act of shutting the
drawer causes them to be lifted out, held out until the handles have returned and
then to be liberated ready to again operate.
This is effected by the aid of a bar which by means of an incline upon the drawer
is moved endwise as the drawer closes and is immediately brought back by a spring.
The incline upon the drawer in giving motion to the sliding bar acts against a flap
which is hinged to the bar-in consequence of the yielding of this flap the bar is
not moved in the opening of the drawer. When the bar is moved inclines upon it
act on pins on the pawls and draw the pawls out of the teeth. To retain the pawls
when the bar goes back spring catches are provided upon them and also flanges
upon the sides of the ratchet wheels. The spring catches pass over these flanges
as the pawls are drawn out and then cannot return. The handles being now free
are brought back to the zero points of the dials by the springs connected with them
and the drawer is then locked by the action of the automatic bolt. The flanges do
not extend completely around the ratchet wheels but each is notched through at
the point facing the pawl catch when the handle reaches the zero position. The
catch when this notch comes round passes through it and the nose of the pawl then
again comes against the ratchet wheel ready to drop in between the teeth when the
handle is turned.
Another improvement which I have made facilitates the setting of the handles
before the drawer is opened. I provide a series of buttons suitably numbered
around each handle and these buttons when pressed in serve as stops to arrest the
movement of the handle when it has been turned sufficiently far. Thus if it be
desired to turn the handle from zero say to the figure seven the button marked with
this figure is pressed in before the handle is moved and then when it is turned it
cannot go too far.
Dated this 21st day of May 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Money Tills
I, BRUCE JOHNSTON, of King's Arms Hotel, Croydon, in the County of Surrey
Licensed Victualler, 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 has for its object improvements in money tills; and relates
especially to tills such as are described in the Specification of a former Patent
granted to me No. 8047 in the year 1888.
In these tills there is a drawer which is fastened by a bolt and the bolt can only
be withdrawn by turning handles which are provided at the front of the till.
In connection with the handles there are dials and indicators and before the drawer
is opened the handles should be so turned as to show the amount which it is
intended to pay into the till.
It is thus necessary that the handles should be free to be turned when the
drawer is closed but should not be able to turn in the other direction until the
drawer has been opened and again closed and that they should then be able to pass
back to the zero or starting points by the aid of springs with which they are
provided.
This I now provide for in a more simple manner than heretofore. On the axis of
each of the handles is a ratchet wheel and a retaining pawl drops into the teeth of
the wheel as the handle is turned away from the zero and the drawer is unlocked.
The opening of the drawer does not affect these pawls, but the act of shutting the
drawer causes them to be lifted out, held out until the handles have returned and
then to be liberated ready to again operate.
This is effected by the aid of a bar which by means of an incline upon the drawer
is moved end wise as the drawer closes and is immediately brought back by a spring.
The incline upon the drawer in giving motion to the sliding bar acts against a flap
which is hinged to the bar-in consequence of the yielding of this flap the bar is not
moved in the opening of the drawer. When the bar is moved inclines upon it act
on pins on the pawls and draw the pawls out of the teeth. To retain the pawls
when the bar goes back spring catches are provided upon them and also flanges
upon the sides of the ratchet wheels. The spring catches pass over these flanges
as the pawls are drawn out and then cannot return. The handles being now free
are brought back to the zero points of the dials by the springs connected with them
and the drawer is then locked by the action of the automatic bolt. The flanges do
not extend completely around the ratchet wheels but each is notched through at
the point facing the pawl catch when the handle reaches the zero position. The
catch when this notch comes round passes through it and the nose of the pawl then
again comes against the ratchet wheel ready to drop in between the teeth when the
handle is turned.
Another improvement which I have made facilitates the setting of the handles
before the drawer is opened. I provide a series of buttons suitably numbered
around each handle and these buttons when pressed in serve as stops to arrest the
movement of the handle when it has been turned sufficiently far. Thus if it be
desired to turn the handle from zero say to the figure seven the button marked with
this figure is pressed in before the handle is moved and then when it is turned it
cannot go too far.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

page_text: Figure 2 is a sectional plan of a portion of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan and Figure 4 is an elevation of the parts which serve to lock
and unlock the till drawer.
Figure 5 is a plan and Figure 6 is an elevation of the counter.
Figure 7 is a plan and Figure 8 is an elevation of the mechanism which when
the handles are turned retains them whilst the drawer is opened and until it is again
being closed this mechanism is one of the features of my present invention.
Figure 9 is a section of an air buffer which prevents the handles when released
turning too rapidly.
Figure 10 is a plan and Figure 11 is an elevation of the parts which retain the
indicating discs when the handles move as the drawer closes.
and cents.
a is the case, b is the money drawer, c¹ c² c³ are three handles and d d d are axes
to which these handles are fixed. For convenience of construction each axis is
made in two lengths jointed together. On each handle there is a dial. These dials
are graduated to suit the coinage of the country in which the till is to be used. In
my former Specification I showed the machine graduated for pounds shillings and
pence, in the example I now give in these drawings the graduation is for dollars
The figures around the handle c indicate cents; those around the
handle indicate quarters and those around the handle e indicate dollars.
Corresponding to each figure on the dial, there is a press button c*. e e e are
stop points provided on the case, one for each dial. In setting the handles, the
press button corresponding to the selected figure is pushed in and the handle is
turned until it comes against the stop point e and the handle is then in place. On
each axis d is fixed a ratchet wheel, it is formed as a spring box, and contains
within it a coiled spring g attached at one end to the wheel and at the other to the
bearing in which the axis turns. When the handles are set the springs 9 are thus
wound up and they tend to bring back the handles as soon as they are free, this
however does not take place immediately because the weighted pawls engage
with the teeth of the wheels ff. On each axis d there is an indicating disc i,
figures corresponding to those on the handle dials are marked on these dials both
at front and back, and the figures at the top of the disc are visible through
windows a in the case. The discs are loose on the axes and they are turned by
the wheels f. There is a tooth projecting from each wheel which comes into
contact with a corresponding tooth fast with a spring box. The spring box is
attached to the disc and it has a ring of ratchet teeth upon it. Each of these
spring boxes contains a coiled spring (arranged in the same way as the spring g)
and this tends to keep the teeth in contact, but there are pawls k k engaging
with the teeth 2 which have to be disengaged before the discs can return.
There
are also discs fast upon the axes d and counting wheels m which are loose thereon.
Upon the counting wheels there are ratchet teeth m' and upon the discs there are
pawls which engage with the teeth. Hence when the axes d are turned they
carry the corresponding counting wheels m round with them but the counting
wheels never return or rotate in the reverse direction. When the counting wheel
on the axis of the handle c¹ completes a rotation, a pin m' upon it gives motion to a
lever n carrying a pawl engaged with the teeth m¹ of the counting wheel next in
series, and so this wheel is moved a step forward.
The
A spring causes the return of the lever as soon as the pin m² has passed.
dial on the handle scores by quarters up to five dollars, and when the corresponding
counting wheel completes its rotation, it, by means of a lever n and pin m² turns the
next counting wheel. Each axis d also has upon it a pinion gearing with a rack
piston rod on a piston working loosely in a cylinder p. The piston allows air to
pass through small hole at end nevertheless it prevents the movement of the axes
with undue rapidity, more especially it prevents shock, when the spring operates to
bring the axis back to the zero position.
The drawer has a stem & projecting from it, and a finger on a bolt 9 engages
within a shoulder on this stem. On the bolt there are also pins 72 which are
received into notches in the discs l. When either of the handles d is turned away

page_text: .
from its zero position, the bolt is displaced (against the resistance of a spring) and
the drawer is unlocked. The drawer has also another stem upon it, and in this
stem there is an inclined slot, the slot has projecting into it a pin & upon the sliding
bar and when the drawer is opened the bar is moved endwise, and as the
pawls are fixed upon it, these pawls are thus removed from the teeth. The
discs then set themselves to accord with the positions of the handles, the
springs bringing the teeth back to the teeth if it happens they are not
already in contact.
1
At the time of closing the drawer the inclined head 6× on the stem ¹ passes
through a hole in the sliding bar r, and the incline acting against a piece carried
by the bar, drives the bar a distance endwise. The shoulders 22 on the bar then
act against pins on the pawl levers and the pawls are raised out of the teeth.
This sets the axes d free and under the influence of the springs g they return to the
zero point. A spring brings back the bar r as soon as the head 1x has passed
beyond the piece. Each wheel has a flange or rib f upon its face, and in this
rib or flange there is a notch or opening which when the wheel is at the zero point
faces the pawl as seen in Figure 3. is a spring catch provided upon the pawl,
this does not interfere with the ordinary working of the pawl, but when the pawl
has been taken out of the teeth by the action of the bar r the head of the catch
passes over the flange and prevents the pawl falling in again until the wheel has
returned to the zero point, although the bar will have been withdrawn before the
return movement is complete. At the zero point the pawl rests on a long tooth in
the wheel as is shewn and the catch h² has passed again within the flange f2.
The till drawer being shut and locked cannot be opened again until the handles
are set to fresh figures. In opening the drawer the bar does not receive any
movement for the gate piece which is hinged to it opens and allows the head 6× to
pass out.
A spring immediately closes the gate piece ready to be acted upon by
the head as the drawer is closed. In connection with each pawl there is a
spring hammer * which strikes on a bell as the pawl drops into the teeth of the
wheel. The bells & have different sounds and they will indicate to an observer at
a distance to what amount the till is set for each opening of the money drawer.
In the use of the till the sequence of operations is as follows:-At starting the
drawer is closed and locked and the indicator is at zero; then-
1. The cashier turns one or more of the handles setting them to the sum he
intends to put in the till. The movement of the handle unlocks the drawer ; sets
the wheels and moves on the counter.
2. The cashier opens the drawer; this releases the pawls & instantaneously; the
indicator discs will then be in or move into positions corresponding to those to which
the wheels have been previously set.
3. The cashier puts into the till and takes out what he pleases.
4. The cashier closes the drawer; this releases the wheels fand the handles return
to zero; the locking bolt also returns and locks the drawer. The indicator still
records the sum to which it has been set. This completes the cycle.
The check upon fraud is obtained in this way; the cashier cannot open the
money drawer without setting the indicator to shew how much money he intends to
put in.
The person paying the money sees this indicator and of course knows if the
amount is properly indicated.
The counting wheels sum up the amounts shown by the indicator in the course of
the day. The proprietor when he pleases comes to the till, reads the counter and
counts the money, if the amounts correspond the probability is that all is right.
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. The means substantially as described for retaining the
axes d whilst the drawer is opened and until the drawer is
then allowing them to return to the zero positions viz.
handles c'e² c³ and the
again being closed and
retaining ratchets and

page_text: pawls and apparatus operated by the drawer and serving to lift the pawls out of the
teeth of the ratchets as the drawer closes and the fingers h' on the pawls which
when the pawls are lifted by co-operating with notched flanges from the ratchets f
prevents them dropping again into the teeth of the ratchets until the axes and
handles come to rest in their zero positions.
T
2. The combination of parts consisting of the ratchet teeth f on the axes; the
pawls h engaging with these teeth; the sliding barr which is moved as the drawer
is closed; the stem b' on the drawer which imparts this movement; the projections +³
on the bar which serve to displace the pawls h; the springs 9 which then bring
back the axes; the fingers on the pawls and the notched flanges f³ on the
ratchets which serve to prevent the return of the pawls until the axes are home to
the zero positions; and the gate piece ¹ on the bar r which by yielding when the
drawer is opened releases the stem without any movement of the bar r and
pawls h.
3. In a money till, the combination of parts consisting of the axes d d, the
handles cc, the dials around the handles; the corresponding series of press
buttons cxcx and the stops e e.
Dated this 11th day of February 1891.
BRUCE JOHNSTON.