Improvements in Apparatus for Recording Cash Payments.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Recording Cash Payments.
I GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The
General Patent Office, No. 4 South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to
me by Henri Pottin, of 43, Rue Saint Georges, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer,) 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 a simple and easily operated apparatus for recording
cash payments and is designed to provide a reliable check upon the cash trans-
actions of cashiers.
The apparatus comprises a desk intended to be placed at the side of the cashiers;
studs corresponding to centimes, decimes, francs, tens of francs, etc., arranged to
slide along the inclined plane of the desk and to indicate simultaneously to the
cashier the sum to be received and to the buyer the same sum to be paid; a lever
adapted when moved in one direction to entirely lock the visible indications of the
operation, and when moved in the other direction to put in operation by suitable
connections and devices, the mechanism for giving the total, and if desired, a device
for printing the operation at the same time as the total is given, the indicator
mechanism being brought back to zero and everything prepared for the next
operation.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus as seen from the buyer's side, the case
being removed to show the mechanism.
Figure 2 is a plan with the case removed.
Figures 3 and 4 are elevations of the two ends of the apparatus.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of part of the apparatus, and
Figure 6 is a plan of the outside of the apparatus.
Figures 7 to 16 are sectional elevations illustrating details.
The case a is inclined so as to form a kind of desk in the top of which move the
studs b, 1, 62, 63, fixed to racks c, c', c³, c³ arranged within and under the desk where
they work in slides d, d', d², d³, fixed to the case a.
The racks work respectively in teeth e, e¹, e2, e³ of discs f, f', f, 3 independent of
one another all of them being loosely mounted on a common shaft g. To the discs f, f¹,
ff are fixed sectors h, h², h², the peripheries of which are divided into ten
equal parts numbered from 0 to 9 and so that these divisions can appear successively
under glazed openings i, i, 2, 3 made in the desk a between the spaces occupied
by the racks c, c¹, c², c³.
The figures of the sectors h, h¹, h2, h3 are intended to indicate to the cashier each
of the sums to be received each time the till comes into play; the stud when slid
downwards brings the figures 0 to 9 for marking the the centimes successively under
the opening and the studs 61, 62, 63, will when similarly operated bring the
figures representing the decimes, trancs, tens of francs, etc., under the openings ¹³, 12, 13
respectively.
which
The drawings represent a mechanism for recording a given maximum sum,
for example is here fixed at 999 francs 99 centimes but I reserve to myself the right
to increase the number of studs to record a lesser or greater maximum sum.
The discs f, ff, f³ respectively control sectors k, k³, k², k³, loosely mounted
upon the shaft g but at the other end of the same, so as to move under an arched
and concentric part a' of the casing a, which is provided with a glazed opening j in

page_text: which the figures 0 to 9, carried by each of the sectors k, k¹, k³, k³, are caused to
appear, the said figures being intended to shew to the customer the sums he has
to pay.
The disc fis by this means directly connected by a sleeve fo with the segment k
which corresponds to it, and which is the nearest to it.
The segments k¹, k², k³ are connected with the discs f¹, f, f³ by bars 11, 12, 13
passing through the discs f, f', in which openings m are provided for that purpose,
or by any other suitable means so that any rotation given to the discs f, f, f, fƒ³ is
immediately and integrally transmitted to the segments k, k², k², k³.
When the apparatus is not in motion, that is to say, before each operation begins,
the studs b, 6, 62, 63 are in their uppermost position on the desk a, and the
noughts appear in the openings i, ¹, ², ³. Furthermore, the opening which is in
front of the customer is closed by a shutter the support v of which is mounted
on the spindle g' in such a way that the working of a lever, which is hereinafter
mentioned, brings the shutter in front of the opening when the indicating
mechanism is brought to O; the shutter v is removed from this opening when an
operation is about to begin.
Besides the teeth e, e, e, e³ the discs f, f¹, 12, f³ have other teeth n, n', n², n³
intended to operate a device for giving the total of the sums placed in the till, and
which I will now describe.
The device for giving the total consists of pinions 0, 01, 02, 03 having ten teeth
corresponding with the teeth n, n¹, n², n³ of the discs f, 11, 12, 3 of the pinions and
of a supplementary pinion of formed integral with a barrel cylinder T₁ which does
not contain a spring. These pinions 0, 0, 02, 03 are integral with cams s, s¹, s², s
and with barrel cylinders T2, T3, T4, T5, provided with spiral springs and ratchet
wheels u, u¹, u², u³ held by springs y, y', y², y³, forming pawls, all resting on a
bracket P fixed to supports p₁, pf screwed or keyed to a shaft på and being able to
oscillate when the latter turns to a certain extent.
To the springs of the barrels T', T3, T4, T' are attached discs z, 21, 22, 23, a pro-
jection on each of which carries two small spurs 13, which is fixed to a shaft of and
w, w¹ which are respectively able
to come in contact with a nose o° on a bent
brought constantly against the cams s, s¹, s², s3 by a spiral spring wound round the
shaft o', and one end of which is attached to the lever o.
The toothed wheels o, o', 02, 0³ cau gear, according to the position they occupy,
with the discs f,, 2, 3, or with the pin wheels held in position during a part
of the operation by means of the springs attached to a shaft fo, capable of
oscillating through the medium of a lever which is mounted on the said shaft and
provided, at its free end with a roller running on a cam F, fixed to the driving
shaft A. On each of the wheels f4 is fixed a toothed wheel f, gearing with one of
the toothed sectors 0 connected with the discs z, 21, 22, 3. The discs 2, 21, 23, 23
carry striking pieces, 26, 27, 28 bearing on levers 20, 10, 11, 12 fixed on the same
shaft 213, on which is also fixed a lever 21 connected to the supports p², p by an
opposing spring ", which tends to constantly hold the levers 2, 10, 11, 12 in
contact with the striking pieces 25, 26, 27, 28. On the shaft 213 is fixed a sixth
lever, the free end of which is provided with a roller " running on a cam Z
fixed to the driving shaft A.
15
On the shaft p² is fixed a lever p³ provided with a roller p, which runs on the
cam P, and constantly held in contact with it by a spring p attached at one end
to the free extremity of the lever p³, and at the other to a fixed point of the
frame of the apparatus.
A fourth cam Q, Figure 1, is keyed on the shaft A to cause the lever g
to oscillate around its fixed shaft q'. The lever q is kept pressed against the
cam by a spring 92 attached to this lever and to the frame of the apparatus.
The cam has an abrupt swell which, when it arrives under the bent end of the
lever 9, causes the latter to be quickly pressed back by the spring 92. A rod q
attached to the lever 7, carries a hammer q' adapted to strike an alarm bell q
as hereinafter described.

page_text: The cam R also keyed on the driving shaft A operates, by running on
a roller r, a lever r fixed on an intermediate shaft B. On this shaft B are
rigidly fixed other levers R¹ provided at their free ends with a spur r² designed
to come in contact, through the cam R, with a lever r³ loose upon the shaft B,
and carrying at its free end a roller which engages between teeth n', no, no, n²
on the discs, a spiral spring wound on the shaft B and attached to the lever ³
constantly tending to hold the roller in engagement with the said teeth.
The cam S is in contact with a roller s fixed to the free end of a lever s fixed on
a shaft s; to this shaft s are also fixed four similar cams s7, 58, 59, $10 against which
bear the lower arms of the sectors k, k², k², k³ as clearly shewn in Figure 5.
A seventh cam T is fixed on the driving shaft A and can, through the medium
of a roller t', which can come and bear against the said cam, cause the levert to
oscillate, the said lever being fixed on an intermediate shaft C to which is also
fixed a toothed sector t² gearing with a sector 3, Figures 15 and 16, the said
sector 3 is loose on the shaft g, but it is constantly connected with a striking
piece provided with four adjustable screw keys to, to, t, to corresponding to
the arms of the sectors k, k¹, 2, 3 with which they can come in contact.
An eighth cam Y is fixed on the driving shaft A (Figure 4) and is adapted
to act on a roller y mounted loosely at the end of one of the arms v² of a
lever which oscillates on a fixed shaft g¹. The arm ¹ carries a shutter v
designed to come at the proper time beneath the glazed opening ; to cover or
conceal the figures of the sectors k, k¹, k², k³ which may be opposite the glazed
opening j.
On a
spindle X is loosely mounted a fork with branches 1, x2, Figure 12,
provided with adjustable screw strikers.
This fork is integral with a hand lever a which also carries a stud³ around
which can oscillate two pawls or catches, always tending to move towards
each other through the effect of a spring ; a third pawl or catch loose
upon a fixed shaft has a constant tendency through a flat spring to come
into engagement with the pins H¹ of a wheel H fixed to the shaft K. The said
shaft K carries a toothed wheel H2 integral with the cylinder H³ of a barrel
enclosing a spiral spring, and capable of turning loosely on the shaft K to which
is attached one end of the spiral spring, Figures 9, 10 and 11.
The wheel H' gears with an idle wheel I loose upon a shaft I', and gearing
with a third toothed wheel J₁ fixed to the driving shaft A, Figures 13 and 14.
To the said shaft A is also fixed a disc J¹, carrying two striking pieces J², J³
at unequal distances from the centre designed to alternately come and strike the
bent end of a two-armed-lever L L'. The said lever oscillates around a shaft L³,
and is integral with a piece L³ having two notches in one or other of which
is adapted to enter a spur on a piece L' carried by a flexible metal strip L'
constantly acted upon by a spring L®.
A fly V is fixed to an arbor V₁ turning on centres to diminish friction; on
the said arbor V₁ is a worm V2, Figures 2 and 4, gearing with a pinion V³ fixed
to the driving shaft A.
The operation is as follows:-
In order to simplify the description of the operation, I will divide the same
into three parts.
First part. To bring to view in the openings i, 1, 2, the sum to be received,
the cashier pulls successively each of the studs b, 61, 62, 63 so that the number
representing the said sum can be read through the openings.
Suppose the amount to be received is 35 francs, 90 centimes, and the number
representing the said amount can be read through the openings i, 1, 2, 3, it can
also be read at the same time, by the purchaser through the opening ; as soon
as the shutter is withdrawn because the racks c, c', c², 3 have actuated the
dises f f f f³ and the latter have, in their turn, actuated the sectors h, h³, h², 13
fixed on them, as well as the sectors k, k³, k³, ³, rigidly connected with them
by the bars 7, 11, P.

page_text: This first operation being effected, the cashier presses the lever x until it is
brought down in contact with a stop limiting its downward movement and integral
with the frame a; the pawl or catch, in engagement with one of the pins H¹
causes the wheel H to turn and also the shaft K on which the wheel is mounted;
this movement of the shaft K has the effect of putting the spring of the barrel H³
in tension. On the other hand, the lower striker 2 of the two pronged fork rigidly
connected to the lever x comes and raises the horizontal arm L of the lever L, L¹
while the vertical arm L¹ leaves the striker J³ of the disc J¹; the lever L, L' is
held in this position by the piece L' which introduces its spur in one of the stop
notches made for that purpose in the piece L³ integral with the lever; at this point,
the spring contained in the barrel H³ has now only to overcome the friction of the
machine and, as it is sufficiently strong, it carries with it, through the medium of the
wheels H, I, J, the driving shaft A, until the striker J2 comes in contact with
the spur of the vertical arm L' of the lever. The movement of the apparatus is
rendered regular by the fly V put in motion by the pinion V3 fixed on the shaft A.
The cam F moves the rollers away from the shaft A and causes the lever f
to oscillate around the shaft fe so that the springs f³ come and press on the pins
of the wheels f* and hold the latter in position.
The cam Z turns without producing any effect.
The cam P begins to operate on the lever p³, the latter, in its rotation, operates
the shaft p², the bracket p is also moved, and the wheels o, o¹, o², o³ begin to
take into the teeth n, n', n², n³ of the discs f, f', f³, ƒ³ and, on the other hand,
they leave the pin wheels f.
The cams Q, T, S do not yet operate during this first part of the movement.
The cam R causes the lever r fixed on the shaft B to oscillate and forces the
latter to turn to the extent of a certain part of a revolution; the shaft B
carries with it the levers R' which are caused to press, by means of their spurs ²,
against the levers 78 so as to hold the rollers between the teeth where they were
placed by operating the studs b, 61, 62, 63. The sum is thus fixed and the studs
can no longer be operated to change the said sum. The cam Y turns and acts on
the roller which is thereby caused to rise; the lever v¹, v² consequently oscillates
on the shaft g¹ and the shutter uncovers the figures of the sectors k, k¹, k², k³ situated
opposite the glazed opening j.
Second part. The lever a is raised, and this time it is the pawl or catch
which catches one of the pins H' to cause the wheel H to turn, and thus further
places the spring of the barrel in tension. During this movement the upper
striker of the two-pronged fork acts on the lever L, L' and places it in the
position where it was when the apparatus was put in motion; the striker J2 is
then disengaged and the spring of the barrel H³ puts the controlling device in
motion.
The cam F, by turning with the shaft A, acts again on the lever f', so that
the springs fixed to the shaft fe press against the pius of the wheels and hold
them in position.
The cam Z does not yet act.
The cam Pacts on the lever p³ to cause the bracket p of the wheels o, o', 02, 03
to swing, so that the latter come and gear completely with the teeth n, n', n², n³, of
the discs f,f,f², ƒ³.
The cam Qbegins to operate on the lever g, which oscillates around the fixed
axis q', and raises the rod q3 of the hammer g of the bell; the spring 9 attached
to the lever is stretched whereby the said lever is held constantly in contact with
the cam P.
The cam T acts on the roller t' to cause the lever t and the shaft C, on which
it is mounted, to oscillate. The sector t, also fixed on the shaft C, turns with it
and transmits its movement to the second sector 3 which, being integral with the
lever carrying the strikers to, to, t, t carries them with it, and, the first of the
spokes carrying the segments k, k¹, k², k³ met by the said strikers is carried along
with them in their movement with one of the corresponding discs ƒ, ƒ'¹, ƒ³, ƒ³ of

page_text: which the teeth n cause the wheels o,
engagement, to turn.
with the teeth of which they are in
This rotation is allowed by the cam R, which had the effect of fixing the roller r
between two particular teeth of the teeth n', no, no, n²; the movement of the said
cam R lowers the lever R' and then the lever ³ is only under the influence of the
spring wound around the shaft B.
For the sum of 35 francs 90 centimes, which I have taken as an example, the
segment of the decimes turns the farthest; its rotation corresponds to 9 teeth
passed over the roller ; the striker t then causes the disc f2 to turn the distance
of 9 teeth, and the said disc f2 will carry with it the distance of 9 teeth, the pinion o*
having 10 teeth with which it gears.
The spoke met in the second place will be that of the segment k¹ for the francs;
the disc which corresponds to it will, in order to be brought back to its original
position, turn the distance of 5 teeth, and will carry with it the pinion o¹, which
also will turn the distance of 5 teeth. In the same way, the pinion for the
tens of francs will turn the distance of 3 teeth, as well as the corresponding pinion o
the disc f3 for the centimes having remained at O will not turn at all during this
movement.
All the four discs will thus have come back to their original positions in
which they were before the operation began; the pinions o, o¹, o² alone occupy
other angular positions.
During this time, the cam S has acted on the lever fixed on the shaft s";
the four cams s', 88, 89, 10 have moved to a certain extent in acting on the
lower spokes of the sectors k, k, k², k³, in order simply to correct the errors
which might be produced by the play of the teeth of the gearing, that is to say,
to bring back exactly on the same line the zeros of the sectors which on
account of the play of the gear-teeth may have got slightly out of line. The
cam T has escaped the lever t, which controls the sectors t² and t³, which no longer
turn; they are put back to their original positions.
During the rotation of the pinions o, o¹, 02, 03, 04, the spiral springs contained in
the small barrels T², T³, T, Ts have become in tension, and the plates Z, Z¹, Z³, Z³,
on which they are fixed and which are loose on their shaft, have not turned or
only a little, because in the first place they have met with one of their two
strikers w and w', the strikers o³ carried by the levers o, on which act the
cams s, s¹, s2, 3. If these cams turn sufficiently, the strikers o', release the strikers w
and then it is the strikers w¹, which come in contact with them; if the number of
teeth which pass over the toothed sector is sufficient, the second strikers w¹
abandon in their turn the striker of, and the plates z, 1, 22, 23 come and strike
with their tappets 20, 26, 7, 8 against the levers 29, 10, 11, 12, which
hold them.
3rd part. The movement continues, and the cam P leaves the roller p* suddenly;
the lever på acted upon by the spring oscillates around its axis p², and the spindle p,
which supports the gearing o, o¹, 02, 03, of the device for giving the total, oscillates
also. The pinions o, o', 0, 0, leave the teeth n, n', n², n³ of the discs f, ƒ³‚ ƒ³‚ ƒ³
and become engaged with the wheels f having 5 pins.
The cam F no longer acts on the roller 8, and the springs f³ slightly move
away from the pins f, which are again free to turn. The cam Z acts on the
lever through the medium of the roller 17 and the levers, 10, 11, 12
oscillate in leaving successively the tappets 2, 6, 7, 8, which hold the
plates, 2, 23; the latter, through the effect of the springs of the
barrels T2, T3, T4, T5, turn suddenly, provided that the strikers w, w have left
the strikers o of the lever o: the small three-toothed sectors are carried
along with the plates,,, if that is necessary and, gearing with the wheels
cause the latter to turn one-fifth of a revolution, as well as the pins f* fixed on the .
same axes as the said wheels.
4
The pins gear also with the pinions o, o', 02, 0³, so that if one of them
turns one-fifth of a revolution, the corresponding pinion turns the distance of

page_text: one tooth and as the small barrels T1, T2, T³, T', T³, are engraved with the
figures ( to 9, a unit is added to each of the figures previously seen at the upper
part of the barrels, which have been carried along by the pins.
The object of this last mechanism is as follows:-
Suppose the sum which had been visible on the barrels T1, T2, T3, T4, T³, before
the operation began was 83 francs 25 centimes.
The barrel T for the centimes has not turned, seeing that the corresponding
sector was not moved by pressing the corresponding stud to 63.
The barrel T for the tens of centimes (decimes) indicated 2; I cause it to
turn the distance of 9 teeth, so that it will indicate 1, a ten must therefore be
transferred to the barrel T3 for the francs; the latter indicated 3; it turns the
distance of 5 teeth and indicates 8; but when the levers 9, 10, 11, 212 leave the
tappets,, 27, 28 of the plates, 21, 22, 23, the plate 2, corresponding to
the barrel T', begins to turn and carries with it the corresponding toothed
sector 10, which causes the wheel to turn and, consequently the wheel f
one-fifth of a revolution, whereby the barrel T3 is turned the distance of one tooth
and indicates 8 + 1 = 9. The barrel T2 indicated 8; 3 is added to it and it will
indicate 1, and a centimes unit will be transferred to the supplementary barrel T',
as hereinbefore described.
The sum marked and visible on the barrels T1, T2, T3, T',-T will be 119 francs
15 centimes, which will represent the total of the sums put into the till up to the
time mentioned.
As the shaft A continues its motion, the cam Q will suddenly leave the lever q
which will be rapidly carried back by the spring 92, and the hammer q will strike
the bell g, to announce that the operation is over, and that the apparatus is ready
for the next operation. Just at this moment, the striker J comes into contact with
the spur of the lever L', and the motion ceases. Through the medium of the cam Y
and the levers v and v² which turn round the axis g' the shutter is brought back
over the opening j.
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. An apparatus for recording cash payments comprising a desk designed to be
placed by the side of a cashier, and having studs adapted to be moved along
over the desk the said studs being integral with racks placed under the desk and
geared with toothed discs provided with sectors bearing figures from 0 to 9
exhibited through openings in the desk and through which the cashier can read
the sum to be received, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for recording cash payments the combination of discs such as f
designed to be operated by a cashier through the medium of sliding studs, figured
sectors, bars arranged as described and serving to connect the said discs and sectors,
an opening through which the sectors exhibit to the buyer the exact sum set up
by the cashier; a striker having several keys serving to return the discs and
sectors to their original position through the medium of two controlling toothed
sectors, and a cam and lever for operating one of such sectors, substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus for recording cash payments the arrangement of mechanism for
giving the total comprising pinions gearing with teeth on the discs which indicate
the individual sums put into the till, barrels (provided with springs and ratchet
wheels) on which the said pinions are mounted the cylinders of the barrels being
engraved with the figures to 9, plates to which the barrel springs are attached at
their free ends, strikers and tappets carried by the said plates, a
cam and
levers, strikers carried by the said levers and serving to retain or liberate the
plates, sectors having three teeth which when the plates are not retained by their
-strikers, are carried round with them, toothed wheels adapted to turn one-fifth of a

page_text: revolution, when acted on by the said sectors, pin wheels operated by the toothed
wheels and gearing with the main pinions turning them the distance of one tooth at
each operation, if necessary, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
4. In apparatus for recording cash payments the herein described mechanism
operated as set forth for ringing a bell, uncovering the opening for exhibiting the
sums to the public, locking the devices indicating the sum, as well as the gearing of
the mechanism for giving the total with the discs of the racks of the studs of the
desk, and after the payment or the putting into the till of the sum of money
returning successively to O, the studs of the desk operating the device for giving
the total, and finally closing the opening for exhibiting the sums to the public,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. The improved apparatus for recording cash payments hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 19th day of October 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.