Improvements in or relating to Check Tills for use in Shops and other places.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 10th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Check Tills for use in Shops and
other places.
I, THOMAS GLASSEY of 65 Church Road, Higher Tranmere in the County of
Chester, Grocer and Provision Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to check tills for checking monetary transactions in shops
and other places, ant is designed to ensure accuracy in payment and receipt of
money at the counter or other place and to prevent fraud or embezzlement.
In carrying out my invention, I form a box of any suitable material and fix this
on the counter or in other convenient position. This box contains a sliding cash
drawer which may, if desired, be divided into as many or more compartments as
there are coins of the realm, whereby each description of coin can be collected in a
separate receptacle. In this box also are three rolls of paper, one being composed
of plain paper, another printed for receipts and gummed, if desired, at the back, and
another of carbon paper or tape so placed that the writing on one roll will reproduce
a duplicate of the writing upon the other. A suitable gumming or damping device
may be attached to the apparatus, so as to be convenient for damping or gumming
the receipts as they are detached, and a cutting edge or cutter may also be adapted
to the apparatus so that the receipted portion to be given away may be conveniently
detached. The first paper roll is preferably located near the front or any other
suitable part, say the centre, of the box, and the paper therefrom is arranged to
pass over a smooth slab or desk near the top of the box, and from thence is wound
upon a receiving roller. The second paper roll is printed for receipts (hereafter
called receipt forms) which pass through measuring or feeding rollers and then on
to the surface of the desk where it lies Hat over the plain paper of the other roll.
The roll of printed forms should preferably be a ribbon or strip so printed, marked
or arranged in a continuous manner that, wherever a piece may be detached, it still
presents a recognisable part of the printing or marking, and a stamp may be
arranged on the lid, to be used to indicate that the sum has been paid, and also to
indicate the date of payment or other information. The third roll is composed of
carbon paper, tape or the like, which passes transversely between the plain paper
and the printed receipt forms on the slab or table aforesaid. On the top of the box
is a plate having slots or openings of suitable shape, and these slots are so arranged
above the desk that, while a part of the face of the receipt forms are successively
displayed, the said forms cannot be tampered with, nor can they be dishonestly
withdrawn, as a special device is provided for that purpose. A slot, however, in
the lid may be provided through which a receipt form is fed out when the machine
is operated, or it may be so arranged that, when the plate is raised on pivots or
equivalent mechanism, a receipt form is delivered, and, after the depression of the
plate, the receipt form may be cut or torn off. A lever or handle is provided,
preferably worked in front of the apparatus, by means of which the receiving roller
for the plain paper, the feeding or measuring rollers, the carbon paper or tape, and
the cash drawer are simultaneously operated. The object of the feeding or
measuring rolls is to thrust or feed forward the receipt forms and deliver one at
each operation.
The mode of action is as follows:-
Let it be supposed that a customer pays £1 5s. for goods: the assistant who
receives the money writes down on the receipt form (part of the face of which is
displayed through the slots or apertures aforesaid; the value received together
with the customer's name or any other requisite data. The slab or desk having a

page_text: smooth and firm surface on which to write facilitates this being done. The act of
writing on the receipt form reproduces a duplicate on the paper underneath, and
this counterpart is retained in the hands of the proprietor or his responsible agent
as a check on his assistants. The counterpart, however, is only visible through a
window at the top but cannot be removed except by opening.theboxtand therefore
cannot be dishonestly tampered with. The lever or handle is now operated,
whereby the catch, which held the drawer closed, is released. The drawer opens
by means of a spring, and, simultaneously with the opening of the drawer, the
paper rolls are revolved, whereby the receipt, which is being made out by the
assistant, is thrust out from under the plate and is cut or torn off, receipted and
handed to the customer or gummed on to the invoice. The money received is then
placed in the drawer, which is then closed and cannot again be opened until the
next transaction.
When the transactions of the day have been completed, the figures on the
counterpart receipts are added up and the total compared with the cash in the
drawer, whereby absolute proof of accuracy of all cash transactions over the counter
can be made in a few minutes.
Two lids may be provided for the apparatus, one forming a cover for a compart-
ment over the cash drawer, and the other for the mechanism and paper rolls, whereby
it could be arranged that a person in authority could have access to one compartment
but not to the other.
A bell of any suitable construction will be attached to the till, so as to indicate
when the drawer is opened.
Dated this 30th day of June 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Check Tills for use in Shops and
other places.
1, THOMAS GLASSEY of 65, Church Road, Higher Tranmere in the County of
Chester, Grocer and Provision Merchant 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 relates to check tills for checking monetary transactions in shops
and other places, and is designed to ensure accuracy in payment and receipt of a
money at the counter or other place and to prevent fraud or embezzlement.
The manner in which I prefer to carry out my invention may be understood from
the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in
which :-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus ;
Figure 2, a longitudinal section on the line x-y of Figure 3;
Figure 3, a plan view with lids removed;
Figure 4, a cross section on the line -y of Figure 2;
Figure 5, a longitudinal section on line of Figure 3.
Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are enlarged views of various details of the apparatus 4
detached from the residue.
I form a box A of any suitable material, and fix this on the counter or in other
convenient position. This box is provided with two hinged lids or covers and
contains a sliding cash drawer B, which may, if desired, be divided into as many
or more compartments as there are coins of the realm, whereby each description 5
of coin can be collected in a separate receptacle; also a tray B' with sliding
bottom, this tray being adapted for holding spare cash or change, bills or other
articles at the proprietor's private disposal only. Access can be had to this tray

page_text: only by the proprietor unlocking the lid J' which covers the tray, and raising the
same. The sliding bottom of the tray B₁ can be slid out by lifting the tray out
of the box, whereby access is privately obtained by the proprietor to the cash in
drawer B for payments or for other purposes, and this without operating the
mechanism of the till. In the box A also are three rolls of paper, C D E';.
one, C, being composed of plain or ruled paper; another, D, of printed paper for
receipts (gummed if desired at the back); and another, E, of carbon paper or
tape, so placed that the writing on the paper of roll D will reproduce a
fac-simile of the writing upon the paper of roll C. A suitable gumming or
damping device may be attached to the apparatus if desired, so as to be
convenient for damping or gumming the receipts as they are detached, and a
cutting edge or cutter F may also be adapted to the apparatus, so that the
receipted portion to be given away may be conveniently detached. The paper
from roll C is carried over guide rollers c c c to a smooth slab or desk G (Figures 2,
5 and 6) near the top of the box, over which it passes, and is then carried over
guide roller to the receiving roller C. The paper roll D is printed for
receipts, hereafter called the receipt ribbon, which passes over guide roller d
and between feeding rollers H and friction roller H', and then on to the
surface of the desk G, where it lies flat over the plain paper of the roll C with
the carbon paper between (Figure 6). The roll D should preferably be a ribbon
or strip so printed, marked or arranged in a continuous manner that, wherever a
piece may be detached, it still presents a recognisable part of the printing or
marking. A convenient way is to arrange a continuous printing thus-
pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds
pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds
pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds.
pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds
pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds pounds
adding one or more additional rows for shillings, pence, etcetera, etcetera, all
printed continuously, and preferably in rather faint lettering. A stamp E may be
arranged on the lid, to be used to stamp on the ribbon that the sum has been paid,
date of payment or other information. The third roll E' is composed of carbon
paper, tape or the like, which passes transversely between the plain paper C and
the printed receipt ribbon D on the slab or table Ġ aforesaid.
The stamp E is composed of an inking pad W, a pivotted arm W₁ with type,
which, in position shown, is pressed against the inking pad. The handle X is
secured to a horizontal spindle, provided with bevel wheel X, which gears with
the pinion won the arm W. By depressing the handle X, the type is removed
from the pad W, reversed, and brought down upon the surface of the paper by
the action of the bevel wheels. When the handle is released, the type flies back
to the face of the pad, by the action of a spring.
In the lid J of the box is a plate I having slots or openings iiii(Figure 1) of
suitable shape, and these slots are so arranged above the desk G that while a part
of the face of the receipt ribbons are successively displayed through the same, the
said forms cannot be tampered with, nor can they be dishonestly withdrawn. The
plate I is preferably hinged at i so that it can be slightly raised to enable a receipt
form to be delivered, and then depressed, whereby the form can be cut or torn off
on the cutting edge or cutter F, and no more forms can be drawn out until the
plate I be raised again. K (Figure 7) is an arm attached to the hinged plate I
and provided with a spring pressing on underside of lid J adapted to keep the
said plate normally closed. L is a hand lever, pivotted at 7 and provided with a
spring which keeps the opposite end of the lever normally raised, as shown.
M is a ratchet wheel, mounted and secured on the spindle of the feeding roller H;
Ma ratchet pivotted to lever L and provided with a spring m which keeps the
ratchet against the ratchet wheel M. N is a sinall roller (Figures 3 & 5) pivotted to
the end of the hand lever L which projects in front of the drawer and prevents it
:

page_text: being opened when in the position shown in the said figures. It will now be
observed that, when the lever L is depressed, it will operate the feed roller H
through the ratchet and pawl, imparting to it a portion of a revolution at each
depression of said lever. This movement feeds forward the receipt ribbon from
roll D, and delivers same through the aperture formed by raising the plate I
The feed roller H and paper roll Care coupled together by chain gearing O,
whereby the feed roll H not only feeds forward the receipt paper from the roll D,
but simultaneously feeds forward the paper from roll C.
The plate I is also simultaneously raised to permit the paper from roll D to be
delivered. This raising is performed by the pivotted arm P, which is provided
with a finger p (Figure 7) resting in the ratchet wheel M. Revolving the
wheel M (the distance of one ratchet tooth) by depressing the lever L will,
simultaneously with the feeding forward of the paper, lift the plate I through the
medium of the finger p and arms P and K.
The reverse movement of the
lever L will cause the plate I to drop down again.
In the example shown on the drawings, the carbon paper is also fed forward at
each depression of the lever L. E is the carbon paper roll (Figure 8): Q, a
ratchet wheel mounted on the spindler: g, a pivotted rocking lever: q', link
connecting said rocking lever with lever L and q², a pawl for operating the
ratchet wheel Q. R is a receiving roll for the carbon paper. It will be noticed
that, at each depression of the lever L, the receiving roll is rotated a portion of
a revolution and a fresh portion of carbon paper is thus fed on to the table G.
:
The arrangement for taking off the papers from the receiving reels is indicated
in Figure 6, where it is shown in connection with the carbon paper. On the
spindle is a stud projecting in front of the ratchet wheel Q, which, when
pressed, disengages the square neck on the spindle from engagement with the
ratchet wheel Q and enables the paper to be unwound.
The mode of action is as follows:-
Let it be supposed that a customer pays £1. 5s. for goods: the shopman or
assistant who receives the money writes down on the receipt, ribbon (part of the
face of which is exposed through the slots or apertures aforesaid) the amount
received together with the customer's name or any other requisite data. The slab or
desk G having a smooth and firm surface on which to write facilitates this being done.
The act of writing on the receipt form reproduces (by means of the carbon paper)
a fac-simile on the inaccessible paper underneath from the roll C, and this fac-simile
is retained in the hands of the proprietor or his responsible agent as a check on
his assistants. The counterpart, however, is only visible through a window S in
the lid J, and cannot be removed except by opening the lid J and therefore cannot
be dishonestly tampered with. The lever or handle L is now pressed down,
whereby the paper roll mechanism of the till lifts the plate I and moves forward
the ribbons from the reels CD and E¹, the ribbon from reel D being thrust out
from under the plate I. The drawer B is then released automatically and opens
by means of the spring T, and simultaneously the plate I drops, enabling the
thrust out portion of the ribbon to be receipted by the stamp E and cut or torn
off on the cutting edge F. The cut off portion is handed to the customer or
gummed on to the invoice. The money received is placed in the drawer, which is
closed and cannot be again opened until the next transaction.
When the transactions of the day have been completed, the figures on the
fac-simile receipts of reel C are added up and the total compared with the cash in
the drawer, whereby absolute proof of accuracy of all cash transactions over the
counter can be made in a few minutes.
Two lids J J are provided for the apparatus, one forming a cover for a.
compartment over the cash drawer, and the other for the mechanism and paper
rolls, whereby it could be arranged that the person in authority could give access
to one compartment, but not to the other.
A bell U is provided, which is struck by the hammer each time the drawer is
opened. The means for holding the feed roller H and pressure roller H in touch

page_text: with each other, so as to prevent absolutely any slipping of the paper, is shown in
Figure 9, and consists of a bent spring V, arranged as indicated.
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. A check till comprising a main box, adapted to be fixed to a counter or other
convenient place, and having a sliding cash drawer in which the cash receipts are
deposited, said drawer being so arranged that it cannot be opened until the
shopman performs a special act, namely actuates a paper roll mechanism whereby
accuracy in payment is ensured and a record is kept of the amount of money
placed in the till.
2. In check tills, the special arrangement of paper roll mechanism substantially
as and for the purpose herein described, whereby the shopman can write on
the exposed ribbon the amount, and tear off the same leaving a fac-simile of the
writing on the inaccessible ribbon which together with the exposed ribbon is moved
forward each time the money is placed in the till.
3. A check till of the kind described in which the pushing down of the lever L
or other lever communicating with the paper roll mechanism automatically raises
the hinged plate 1 and feeds forward the duplicate ribbons simultaneously, then
liberates the sliding cash drawer and drops the plate, whereby the exposed part of
one of the duplicate ribbons can be stamped and torn off by the shopman, substan-
tially as set forth.
4. In a check till, the use, in combination with the paper roll mechanism, of
means whereby the exposed paper ribbon is fed forward, marked or stamped and a
piece torn off, each time the lever L or its equivalent is depressed, substantially as
described.
5. In check tills, the special arrangement of duplicate paper ribbons or tapes
(either plain or printed continuously as described) with the strip of carbon paper
passing transversely between, under an aperture in the lid, whereby the act of
writing on the exposed ribbon will leave a fac-simile of the writing on the
inaccessible ribbon and form a check on the shopman, substantially as set forth.
6. In a check till, a receipt or dating stamp E, arranged substantially as herein
shown and described.
7. In a check till, the arrangement of cash tray B₁ with sliding bottom located
immediately above the cash drawer B whereby access may be had by the
proprietor to the cash in drawer B substantially as described.
8. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved check till and its appurtenances substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of April 1893
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.