Improvements in Check Tills.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Check Tills.
I, PHILIP CHARLES PRESTON, of 22, Railway Approach, London Bridge, in the
County of London, Restaurant Keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to check tills of the type in which the amount of each
purchase is entered on a cash strip and the objects thereof are:-
First to prevent tampering with the cash strip. Secondly to cause the cash
drawer to be automatically opened each time an entry is made on the cash strip
and thirdly to expose to the view of the customer the coin received from him instead
of letting it fall directly into the cash drawer.
Now according to this invention I provide a suitable box or case to receive the
cash drawer, coin exposer, cash strip and the actuating mechanism.
The lid of the box or case to which the mechanism for actuating the cash strip
is attached is furnished with a lock to prevent the said mechanism from being
tampered with. I form two slots in the lid of the box or case one slot being to
enable the coin last paid into the till to be seen, and the other slot to allow the
last entry made on the cash strip to be seen.
The slot over the coin exposer is covered partially with glass sufficient space
being left at one end to allow of the insertion of the coins.
The other slot is covered partially with a fixed glass plate and partially with a
sliding metal plate actuated by the depression of an inclined metal plate which is
depressed by the weight of the hand of the person making an entry on the cash
strip the depression of the said plate causing the sliding plate to uncover a sufficient
portion of the cash strip to allow an entry to be made thereon. As the inclined
plate rises the cash strip is drawn under the glass plate and prevents the entry
from being erased.
The mechanism for actuating the cash strip is preferably that described and
shewn in my previous Specification Number 4236 of 1897 but I may use any other
suitable mechanism for this purpose capable of being actuated by the inclined
plate.
The cash drawer is normally pulled or pushed outwards by a spring and when
closed is held locked by a suitable catch which catch is lifted when the inclined
plate is depressed allowing the spring to open the drawer.
The coin exposer consists of an endless band of stout tape cloth or other suitable
material having metal strips attached thereto at intervals the space between any
two adjacent strips being wide enough to receive the largest current coin.
This band passes over two carrying rollers the axles of which rotate in bearings.
To the axis of one of the rollers is secured a ratchet wheel engaging with a pawl
to compel the band to travel in one direction only.
An upright attached to the cash drawer has hinged thereto a piece of metal or
other suitable material which is normally pressed upwards by means of a spring.
The sides of the frame carrying the coin exposer are deeper at the front of the

page_text: box or case than at the back so that when the cash drawer is opened the piece
hinged to the upright is depressed but when the said drawer is closed as soon as
the said piece reaches the shallow portion of the frame it assumes a vertical position
engaging with one of the metal strips on the band and as the drawer is pushed
futher in it causes the band to bring the coin just received under the glass plate
covering the slot.
As the band travels along its drops the coins one by one into the cash drawer.
021
3
1007
I, PHILIP CHARLES PRESTON, of 22, Railway Approach, London Bridge, in the
County of London, Restaurant Keeper, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 check tills of the type in which the amount of each
purchase is entered on a cash strip and the objects thereof are
First to prevent tampering with the cash strip.
Secondly to cause the cash drawer to be automatically opened each time an entry
is made on the cash strip and
Thirdly to expose to the view of the customer the coin received from him instead
of letting it fall directly into the cash drawer.
Now according to this invention I provide a suitable box or case to receive the
cash drawer, coin exposer, cash strip and the actuating mechanism.
The lid of the box or case to which the mechanism for actuating the cash strip
is attached is furnished with a lock to prevent the said mechanism from being
tampered with.
I form two orifices in the lid of the box or case one orifice being to enable the
coin last paid into the till to be seen and the other orifice to allow the last entry
made on the cash strip to be seen.
The orifice over the coin exposer is covered partially with glass a slot being
left at one end to allow of the insertion of the coins.
The other orifice is covered with a sliding metal plate actuated by the depression
of an inclined metal plate which is depressed by the weight of the hand of the person
making an entry on the cash strip the depression of the said plate causing the
sliding plate to uncover a slot and a sufficient portion of the cash strip to allow an
entry to be made thereon. As the inclined plate rises the cash strip is drawn
under the glass plate and prevents the entry from being erased.
The mechanism for actuating the cash strip is preferably that described and
shewn in my previous Specification No. 4236 of 1897 but I may use any other
suitable mechanism for this purpose capable of being actuated by the inclined plate.
The cash drawer is nominally pulled or pushed outwards. by a spring and when
closed is held locked by a suitable catch which catch is lifted when the inclined
plate is depressed allowing the spring to open the drawer.
The coin exposer consists of an endless band of stout tape cloth or other suitable
material having metal strips attached thereto at intervals the space between any
two adjacent strips being wide enough to receive the largest current coin.
This band passes over two carrying rollers the axles of which rotate in bearings.

page_text: 10 the axis or one or the rollers is secured a ratchet wheel engaging with a pawl
to compel the band to travel in one direction only.
An upright attached to the cash drawer has hinged thereto a piece of metal or
other suitable material which is normally pressed upwards by means of a spring.
The sides of the frame carrying the coin exposer are deeper at the front of the
box or case than at the back so that when the cash drawer is opened the piece
hinged to the upright is depressed but when the said door is closed as soon as the
said piece reaches the shallow portion of the frame it assumes a vertical position
engages with one of the metal strips on the band and as the drawer is pushed
further in it causes the band to bring the coin just received under the glass plate
covering the slot.
As the band travels along it drops the coins one by one into the cash drawer.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to
explain the same with reference to the accompanying sheets of drawings in which
Fig. 1 represents front elevation of a check till constructed according to this
invention.
Fig. 2 is side elevation of same.
Fig. 3 is plan of same.
Fig. 4 is side elevation partly in section of coin exposing mechanism.
Fig. 5 is plan of same.
Fig. 6 is side view of mechanism for moving cash strip.
Fig. 7 is section of same.
Fig. 8 shews mechanism for moving sliding plate.
Fig. 9 shews apparatus for locking and unlocking cash drawer."
Fig. 10 shews mechanism for actuating coin exposer.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the figs.
1 is a box or receptacle of wood or other suitable material to contain the cash
strip mechanism for actuating same, and cash drawer, this box is fitted. with a
lid 2 furnished with a lock to prevent the mechanism from being tampered with.
3 is the cash drawer which is normally pulled open by a spring 4 attached at
one end to the back of the drawer 3 and at the other end to the bottom of the
box 1.
The lid 2 of the box 1 is provided with a slot 6 which is covered with a sliding
metal plate. 8-9 is an inclined metal plate normally held in the position shewn
by the spring 10. The cash strip passes underneath a glass plate 7 to enable the
last entry to be seen.
Underneath the glass 7 is the cash strip 11 which is unwound from the roll 12
by the operation of the mechanism shewn by Figs. 6 and 7-13 and 14 being two
rollers made of wood coated with rubber and secured to their respective axes in
such a manner as to rotate therewith. The axis of the wheel 13 has secured thereto
the ratchet wheel 15 which is caused to rotate as the plate 9 rises by means of the
pawl 16 attached thereto. The axes of the roller 14 rotates in sliding bear-
ings 17, 18 which are constantly pressed towards the roller 13 by springs 19-20
so that the paper strip 11 is gripped between the said rollers and as they rotate
is drawn off the roll 12. To prevent the paper strip from unwinding too rapidly
the paper is taken from the roll 12 under the pin 21 under the roll 12 and over
the plate 22 to the rollers 13, 14 as shewn by Fig. 7. It will be seen from Fig. 6
that each time the plate 9 is depressed the pawl 16 engages with a fresh tooth of
the ratchet 15 and as the said plate is raised by the spring 10 the ratchet is rotated
drawing the cash strip forward. As will be seen by inspection of Fig. 9 the cash
drawer 3 is locked when closed by means of a detent 23 pivotted at 24. 25 is a rod
or wire the bottom of which engages with a hole or slot in the tail of the detent 23.
The top of the said rod is bent outwards at right angles and when the plate 9 is
depressed the portion 26 thereof engages with the upper portion of the rod 25 and
depresses it lifting the catch of the detent and unlocking the drawer 3 which is
immediately opened by the spring 4.
The plate 9 has attached thereto a slotted piece 27 which engages with a pin 28

page_text: in the metal bar 29 of which the slide 8 is a portion. As the plate 9 is depressed the
slide 8 moves to the right uncovering a sufficient portion of the cash strip 11 to
allow the amount of the customers purchase to be entered thereon.
At the same time the pawl 30 engages with the detent 31 attached to the
hammer 32 and sounds the gong 33. The coin exposer consists of an endless
band 34 of stout tape cloth or other suitable material having metal strips 35
attached thereto at intervals the space between any two adjacent strips being wide
enough to receive the largest current coin. The band 34 passes over two carrying
rollers 36 and 37 the axes of which rotate in bearings in the frame 38 to the axis of
one of the rollers is secured a ratchet 39 engaging with a pawl 40 normally depressed
by a spring 41 to compel the band 34 to travel in the direction of the arrow. 49
is an upright attached to the drawer 3 hinged to which is a piece of metal or other
suitable material 42 normally pressed upwards by the spring 43. The sides of the
frame 38 are deeper at the front of the box 1 than at the back as shewn at Figs. 4
and 10 so that when the drawer 3 is opened the piece 42 takes the position shewn
at Fig. 10 clear of the strips 35, but when the said drawer is closed as soon as
the piece 42 reaches the shallow portion of the sides of the frame 38 it assumes a
vertical position engages with one of the strips 35 and as the drawer is pushed
further in it causes the band 34 with the coin just received to travel in the direction
of the arrow and expose the said coin under the glass 43. 44 is a slot through which
the coins received are inserted. As the band 34 travels along it drops the coin into
the till 3. 45 is the usual coin tester.
The frame 46 is furnished with lugs 47 and the said frame is secured to the
lid 2 by bolts 48 passing through the said lugs.
The metal plate 8 may also act as a gripper by turning the inner edge of the same
downwards and turning the outer edge of the plate 22 upwards by which means the
cash strip is held securely while an entry is being made thereon.
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. In a check till covering the slot through which the entries are made on the
cash strip with a sliding metal plate which latter is moved by the weight of the
arm of the operator acting on an inclined plate and uncovers the cash strip
sufficiently to enable the amount of the purchase to be entered thereon for the
purpose stated.
2. In a check till the combination with a fixed glass cover and a sliding metal
plate covering the cash strip of a means whereby as the metal plate closes the
orifice through which an entry has been made on the cash, strip the cash strip is
moved so that the entry last made is drawn under the fixed glass plate for the
purpose stated.
3. In a check till the combination of a cash drawer and coin exposer with an
inclined metal plate 9 normally raised by a spring 10 and having a pawl 16
pivotted thereto and gripping rollers 13 and 14 the axis of the roller 13 having a
ratchet 15 attached thereto and adapted to be rotated by the pawl 16 when the
plate 9 rises all substantially as hereinbefore specified and for the purpose stated.
4. In a check till the combination with an inclined metal plate 9 normally
raised by a spring 10 and having a slotted piece 27 attached thereto with a slide 8
forming part of or attached to a metal bar 29 and a pin 28 secured in the bar 29
and engaging with the slot in the piece 27 whereby the slide 8 exposes a space on
the cash strip 11 sufficient to allow an entry to be made thereon each time the
plate 9 is depressed substantially as hereinbefore specified.
5. In a check till the combination of an inclined metal plate 9 with a rod 25
actuating a detent 23 substantially as hereinbefore specified and for the purpose
stated.
6. The combination with a check till as herein before described and claimed of

page_text: a coin exposing apparatus constructed and operated as herein before described and
shewn by the accompanying drawings.
7. The specific combination of parts forming my improved check till constructed
arranged and operating in the manner specified and shewn by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 92nd day of ohm 1808
T. E. HALFORD, F.S.P.A.,
11, Furnival Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.