IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS OF MONIES IN SHOPS AND OTHER SIMILAR PLACES, AND FOR THE DETECTION OF NEGLIGENCE, ERRORS, AND THEFTS IN SUCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ezra Lofts, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING
THE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS OF MONIES IN SHOPS AND OTHER SIMILAR
PLACES, AND FOR THE DETECTION OF NEGLIGENCE, ERRORS, AND THEFTS IN
SUCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS."
Sealed the 16th June 1876, and dated the 21st April 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ezra Lofts at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 21st April 1870.
EZRA LOFTS, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge, Engineer.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS OF MONIES IN
SHOPS AND OTHER SIMILAR PLACES, AND FOR THE DETECTION OF NEGLIGENCE,
ERRORS, AND THEFTS IN SUCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS."
This Invention has for its object to make certain improvements and alterations
in an Invention described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me, bearing.
date the 12th day of June 1875, and numbered 2153, which improvements and
alterations I now proceed to explain.
In the same vertical plane as the rim c of the said Specification and in front
thereof I similarly mount a reel constructed to carry a strip of paper of any
desired length, or a series of strips united together by gum or otherwise, which
paper is wound upon the said reel by turning the latter with a moveable winch.
When this operation is performed the free end of the paper is secured by gum or
This
otherwise on the periphery of the said rim c when it is ready for use.
improvement enables me to reduce the diameter of the said rim c and the toothed
wheel attached therto; to dispense with the slots and holdfasts now used for
holding the strips of paper on the said rim; and also to reduce the depth of the
case containing the apparatus. The addition of the said reel renders it desirable to
remove the partition at in the said case, instead of which partition I place a
longitudinal vertical partition to enclose the machinery, which partition slides up
and down in grooves formed in the case. The bell apparatus and the small spring
for opening the door are removed to the back part of the case.
I further propose to substitute for the present fixed money till and door in front
of the case a drawer till, which may be fitted with any number of compartments
or other arrangements for holding coin as desired. The front of the till is carried

page_text: across the front of the division containing the machinery, and is opened and
secured in the same way as the present door. The lid of the case is secured by a
lock in front or in one of the sides of the case, independently of the till, so as to
prevent the machinery being improperly interfered with.
This improved apparatus is operated as described in my said previous Specification.
The strip of brass at the opening in the lid acts as a spring to hold the paper
smoothly upon the said rim c. The reel may be provided with any suitable check,
if desired, to keep the paper strip tight and smooth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Ezra Lofts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th October 1876.
EZRA LOFTS, of Cambridge, in the County of Cambridge, Engineer. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS OF MONIES IN
SHOPS AND OTHER SIMILAR PLACES, AND FOR THE DETECTION OF NEGLIGENCE,
ERRORS, AND THEFTS IN SUCH RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS."
The object of this Invention is to make certain improvements and alterations in
the details of an Invention described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me
on the 12th day of June 1875, and numbered 2153, and to shew that my said
previous Invention is susceptible of being practically applied in very variously
modified ways without departing from the leading characteristics thereof, which
characteristics consist, firstly, in moving the records made on the paper strip beyond
the control of the persons using the till; also in regularly moving a certain distance
the hoop, rim, wheel, drum, or roller carrying such paper strip; also in striking a
bell; all by the same operations that are used to release and secure the till or the
door thereof, or by one of these operations. Secondly, in the arrangement of a
suitable opening immediately over the said paper through which to record the
amounts of monies dealt with or other matters; which said improvements and
alterations or variations I now proceed to explain with the aid of the accompanying
Drawing, which forms part of this Specification, reference being made thereto by the
numerals and letters marked thereon, and which reference applies to each Figure of
the said Drawing where the same index numerals and letters appear.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the machinery as fixed or fitted inside the case.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the bell removed, and shewing the till and
outer case.
Figure 3 is an isometrical perspective view of the case and so much of my
apparatus as is seen outside such case, drawn to a larger scale.
In the same vertical plane as the hoop c I place a reel o constructed to carry a
strip of paper of any desired length and width, or a series of such strips united
together by gum or otherwise, which paper is placed or wound on the said reel by
any suitable and convenient means. When this operation is performed the free
end of the paper strip is secured by gum or otherwise on the periphery of the said
rim c when it is ready for use. The introduction of the reel o or its equivalent
to carry the paper strip enables me to reduce the diameter of the hoop c and
that of the toothed wheel e attached thereto, and consequently to. reduce the depth
of the case containing the apparatus; also to dispense with the whole or a portion
of the slots and holdfasts now used for holding the strips of paper on the said hoop.
The introduction of the said reel o or its equivalent renders it desirable to remove
the partition in the said previous case, instead of which partition I place a
longitudinal vertical partition ? to enclose the machinery, which partition slides
up and down in grooves formed in or fixed to the case a; or this partition may be
dispensed with by forming a stop on the till so that the latter cannot be drawn out
of the case, which equally prevents the machinery being interfered with.
?"
The bell apparatus and the small spring for opening the door or till are removed to
the back part of the case, as shewn in Figure 2. In this example an ordinary drawer

page_text: till is substituted for the description of money till and door illustrated in my said pre-
vious Specification, but either or both may be used as desired. This drawer till 7 may
also be made or fitted with any number of compartments for holding coin as desired,
and may be released and secured in the same way as the present one. The lid of
the case is secured by a lock fixed in the front end or in one of the sides of the said
case independently of the till, so as to prevent the machinery being improperly
interfered with from above. The apparatus thus altered or varied is operated as
described in my said previous Specification. The strip of brass 8 at the opening b in
the lid of the case is so arranged and fixed as to act as a spring to hold the paper
strip smoothly upon the rim c. The reel o may be provided with any suitable
check, if desired, to keep the paper strip tight and smooth when being unwound.
Having thus fully described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and
the method of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
the reel per se as new, nor do I restrict myself to the use of the reel for holding the
paper strip, as there are various ways of stowing such strip which will enable me to
reduce the size and weight of the hoop and toothed wheel and also of the outer case;
but I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, the improvements and alterations or variations in carrying
my said previously patented Invention into practice, substantially as herein described
and shewn in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Ezra Lofts, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.