Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators.
I, WILLIAM GEORGE LATIMER, of Detroit in the County of Wayne and State of
Michigan, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 new and useful improvements in Combined Cash Registers
and Indicators; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement
and combination of different parts, whereby a very positive operation of the whole
device is obtained in a very simple manner and which precludes any irregular operation,
or tampering with fraudulent intent, which, in the present constructions, is the main
cause of the parts getting out of order.
In the drawings which accompany this specification, and form a part thereof :
Fig 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device with the front casing removed and the
key-levers in section.
Figs. 3 and 4 show a part of Fig. 1, with the parts as in operation.
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the cash drawer.
A is the supporting frame of the device and forms the sides of the casing. B is
a cover removably secured and forming the remaining sides and top of the casing.
Care a series of horizontal levers, fulcrumed upon a cross-bar D near the bottom
of the casing and provided with keys E E upon their free ends which project out
in front.
The keys are preferably arranged in two banks, and formed into three groups of
nine keys each, numbered from 1 to 9 consecutively. The first group on the right
hand has the keys from 1 to 5 placed on the lower bank, and the rest in upper bank.
The central group has four keys in the lower bank and the remaining five keys in
the upper bank, while the left hand group has the first five keys in the lower bank, and
the remaining four keys in the upper bank.
By thus distributing the keys of each group in the proportion of four to five
alternately between the two banks of keys, a symmetrical arrangement of the three
groups of levers in two banks of keys is obtained, and no difficulty will be experienced
by the operator to become familiar with the operation of the device, as will be more
fully hereinafter described.
I and G are horizontal cross-bars each provided with a series of vertical slots
through which the levers pass to keep them in parallel relation to each other, and to
guide them in their vertical movement, the rear bars F serving also as a means for
supporting the levers in their normal position as shown in Fig. 1.
Hare a series of vertical indicating supporting rods one for each lever, and with
their lower ends loosely supported upon the rear ends of the levers; theso rods are
supported in vertical position by the slotted cross-bars L, L, which form suitable guide-
bearings through which the supporting rods may freely rise and fall. To the upper
end of each of these supporting rods is secured on a flexible extension m secured to
the supporting rods and having a horizontal arm n, a tablet J, which tablets are
numbered correspondingly to the key belonging to their supporting rod, and arranged
in three groups corresponding to the three groups of keys; but with the tablets of
each group in front of each other; the three groups of tablets are also preferably
approached towards each other in the centre of the device.
Above each group of tablets is fixed an incline o and a zero tablet K.
Each of the supporting rods H is provided upon its rear side with a projection L.
M is an engaging cross-bar on the rear side of the supporting rods, it is supported
in position free to move rearwardly in any suitable manner, such as by means of the

page_text: hangers N formed at the ends of the bar and pivotally secured at a ; and O is a spring
which tends to hold the engaging cross-bar in contact or proximity with the rear
supporting rods.
P is a vertical series of registering supporting rods-one for each lever. These
rods are supported upon the levers C, in front of the supporting rods H, and are
connected by hinges or stirrups O' to the levers. They pass through suitable slots in
the guide bearing II, and the upper end of each of these supporting-rods carries a
rack-pawl Q, hinged thereto by means of the parallel links R, and resting with
its lower end upon a fixed stop S which supports the pawl with the links extended at
right angles to the supporting bar. The number of cogs or teeth on each rack-pawl
corresponds to the numerical value of each lever, by which it is actuated, and thus
they form three groups, in conformity with the three groups of levers.
TT and T are three like geared or serrated rollers, journalled transversely in
suitable bearings, in axial line with each other, and independently rotatable of each
other. These rollers are journalled in the path of the rack-pawls Q', so that when
the latter are elevated by the action of the levers C they will actuate the rollers by
the engagement of their respective cogs or teeth. The roller T is adapted to be
operated by any one of the rack pawls belonging to the first group of levers on the
right hand side. The roller T is adapted to be operated by any one of the rack-
pawls belonging to the central group of levers, and the roller T is adapted to be
operated by any one of the rack-pawls belonging to the left hand group of levers.
The rack-pawls Q are only adapted to engage and operate the rollers T T and T
in their upward movement, as in the downward movement they withdraw out of
engagement therewith, owing to the manner of securing them, as shown in Fig. 3,
the spring p being merely strong enough to draw them into normal position again
when free to do so. To prevent any accidental turning of the rollers each is provided
with a suitable back-stop U. The amount of movement imparted to the rollers T T
and Trespectively, depends upon the number of cogs belonging to the rack-pawl by
which it happens to be actuated, and to adjust said movement correctly, the rack-
pawls strike at the end of their upward movement against a series of adjustable stops
or set screws V, one for each rack-pawl, adjustably secured in a cross bar above the
rack-pawls.
W is a swinging arm or knocker, extending with its free end in proximity to the
engaging har 1. The inner end of the arm of the knocker is secured to a cross-
bar W, the ends of which are secured to hangers W8, by means of which the knocker
is suspended between the sides of the frame, free to swing. W₁ is its actuating
striker arm, which is pivotally secured parallel to the vertical supporting bar W2, by
the links W3, which are held normally in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 by a
shoulder W on the supporting bar. The lower end of the supporting bar Wis
secured to the cross bar W, which extends on top of all the levers, and is supported
thereon, free to rise and fall by the crank arms W upon its ends.
YY Y and Z Z Z are two corresponding series of registering drums loosely
journalled upon the transverse shafts and c respectively each registering drum has
at one end a circumferential scale indicating the amounts it will register, and at the
other end a gear wheel.
The gear wheels Y of the upper series of drums engage into the geared rollers TT¹ T2
respectively, and the gear wheels Z of the lower series engage with the dogs s, one
for each wheel. The dogs are secured to vibrating pawls e which are adapted to he
actuated by a stud d on the upper series of drums all so arranged that at each
revolution of one of the series of upper drums, the corresponding drum of the lower
series will he turned one tooth of the gears.
A suitable detent g on each registering wheel Z prevents any accidental displace-
ment, and a spring returns the pawle into its normal position, in which it re-ts
against a set screw which is adjustably secured in a cross-bar, which is provided
with suitable slots in which the pawls e are guided in their movement.
Suitable windows XX are placed in the cover B for the display of the tablets, and
the reading of the registering wheels, by a person standing in front of the device, and

page_text: If necessary for accurate reading, a suitable index may be placed upon the windows
of the registering wheels.
The parts so far described from the essential elements of my device; but as it is
one of the essential features of a device of this kind to admit or no irregular operation
by means of which it might be possible to commit fraud, I preferably embody in the
construction of the device the following controlling mechanism intended to prevent
such irregular operation.
Each supporting bar P has two ratchet bars P P" on its front and rear end
respectively. The ratchet bars P¹ operate in connection with an engaging bar P³ to
control the falling of the supporting rods P and the ratchet bars P" operate in
connection with an engaging bar P to control the rising of the supporting bars P.
The engaging bar P³ is supported free to swing in and out of engagement with the
ratchet bar under the control of a spring Pand an arm P, which is secured to
the engaging bar M. It is also provided its whole length with a recess P7 into
which the projecting pins or lugs P on the bars P are adapted to engage.
The engaging bar P is supported free to swing in or out of engagement with
the ratchet bar under the control of an arm P, secured in the engaging bar M, and
engaging with its free end the engaging bar P
Having now described my construction, I will proceed to describe the operation of
the device.
By depressing any of the keys E and E the lever actuated thereby will cause its
pair of supporting bars Hand P to rise, at the same time the striker arm W₁ is lifted
up and strikes the cross-bar W which in turn causes the knocker W to push the
engaging bar M sufficiently backward to allow the lug L of the indicating supporting
rod to pass by. As soon as this lug L has cleared the bar M, the latter falls back
again on account of the effect of the spring O on the lower end of the bar M, thus
retaining the indicating rod in its closed position after its actuating lever is released
by the operator.
The tablet carried by the indicating rod is thus displayed in front of the zero tablet
of the group to which it belongs, the object of the incline o being to press the rear
tablets forward so as to display them in the same place as the front tablets. If the
tablet thus displayed belongs to the right hand group of levers it is displayed in front
of the right hand zero tablet and indicates cents. If it belongs to the central
of levers it rises in front of the central zero tablet and indicates dimes, and if it
belongs to the left hand group of levers it rises in front of the left hand tablet and
indicates dollars. Its value in every instance corresponds with the number of the key
of its actuating lever.
group
Any indicating supporting rod or rods elevated by a previous operation will drop
down as soon as the engaging bar M is pushed back by a new operation, and thus the
zero tablets appear in sight in every group in which no key is struck, and whatever
key is struck, a numerical tablet corresponding to the number of the key struck will
rise in front of the zero tablet, and by its relative position, in relation to the stationary
zero tablet, will indicate the monetary value of the number. At the same time, with
the indicating supporting bar the registering supporting bar P of the lever struck, is
also raised, and by the engagement of its rack-pawl with one of the rollers T T'
and T will impart to the latter a rotary movement of the proper degree and cause
its respective registering drum to revolve and display in the window a number corre-
sponding to the number of the key struck, its monetary value being indicated by its
position in relation to the indicating tablets, as the indicating wheels are corre-
spondingly grouped with the indicating tablets. If two of the keys of different
groups are struck, an amount represented by two numerals will be indicated, and if
three keys of different groups are struck an amount indicated by three numerals will
be indicated and simultaneously with each indication, the respective registering wheel
will register a like amount which will be added to its previous registration.
Whenever one of the registering drums Y Y Y completes one revolution; that
is, when it has registered to 99, it will turn its companion registering drum one notch.
Thus, while the registering drum Y' counts the cents, the registering drum Y'

page_text: In
represents for each division or notch of its actuating wheel Z one hundred cents.
like manner, the registering drum Y2 counts dimes, while the registering drum Z
represents one hundred dimes, that is, ten dollars, for each division or notch of its
actuating wheel. The amount registered by the machine can thus be readily read
off and computed from the registering wheels, and at the same time, a very large
amount may be registered before any necessity arises for setting the registering wheels
back to zero, an operation which is easily performed by turning the registering wheels
backward by hand.
The operation of the controlling device is as follows: Normally the engaging
bar P3 is kept by the arm Po out of the path of the ratchet bar 1, and the engaging
bar P is kept normally by the arm P in the path of the ratchet bar P, but whenever
a lever is struck the engaging bar P³ is pushed by its spring 1 into the path of the
ratchet bars P, while the engaging bar P is drawn out of the path of the ratchet
bars P this is the result of the engaging bar M. being pushed back by the knocker W;
but it will be observed by examining Fig. 1 that the striker arm W' has a little distance
to rise before it can actuate the knocker, while the supporting rods P are immediately
uplifted by their levers. The result of this arrangement is that all of the supporting
rods not actuated will be locked in position by the pins P8 engaging into the
recess P of the engaging bar P³, while the particular supporting rods actuated upon
escape being locked.
Now, suppose a supporting rod F is only partially raised as in Fig. 3, it will be
se n that if the operator should fail to complete the operation, the supporting rod
remains suspended and its actuating lever cannot drop back into normal position
unless the operator first completes the operation. Should the operator, after depressing
one of the levers to the full extent, only allow it to return partially to its normal
position, and thus try to reduce its registering function for a succeeding operation, he
will not succeed, as the engaging bar 14 would engage into the rack-bar 13 and thereby
prevent any lever which has only partially returned to its normal position from bein;;
operated again before returning it to normal position.
I preferably construct underneath the machine a till controlled by the levers C, and
this till I preferably construct as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, wherein m³ is a
swinging drawer secured to a vertical shaft and held in its closed position by means
of a catch e formed on the arm, which latter is secured to the cross-bar W* and
extending rearwardly has its free end connected by the link y to an arm on the rock-
shaft the latter is secured in suitable bearings and carries at its front end the
bevel pinions which engages with a similar but smaller pinion s¹ on the shaft n'. A
small coil-spring t is sleeved upon the shaft n' with one end attached to the shaft and
the other to the drawer. In practice, the drawer is automatically swung open by the
winding of the spring whenever the cross-bar W4 is forced up by the depression of
one or more keys. In closing it again, it is held in position by the engagement with
the catch v.
In the specific construction of every part throughout the whole device, I have
striven to obtain simplicity and avoid friction, and as a result my machine requires but
little power to operate it, its operation is very simple and absolutely positive, and with
any ordinary care is not liable to get out of order.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is
What I claim as my invention is:
1. The combination, with a series of levers, of a series of indicating supporting
rods, one upon each lever and carrying a series of indicating tablets arranged in three
groups, a series of registering supporting rods, one for each lever parallel with the
indicating supporting rods and resting upon the levers, and a series of registering
wheels actuated by these registering supporting rods and divided into three groups,
one pair for each group, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the actuating levers, of a series of indicating supporting

page_text: rods, each provided with a rearwardly projecting stud, a horizontal swinging cross-
bar, upon which said studs are adapted to engage, the swinging knocker actuating
said swinging cross-bar, and a rising and falling cross-bar supported on top of the
levers, and carrying a striker arm.
3. The combination with a series of levers provided with a series of keys in two
banks, representing three like groups of nine keys each, substantially as described,
the series of supporting rods, one for each lever, and vertically supported upon the
extremity of the levers and carrying indicating tablets arranged in three groups
corresponding to the groups of levers, with the tablets of each group in front of each
other, and of three stationary zero tablets correspondingly grouped above the
indicating tablets of the supporting rods, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a series of levers, of three groups of registering drums,
connected in pairs, substantially as described, of three serrated rollers journalled in
axial line with each other, one for each pair of registering wheels, and of a series of
supporting rods divided into three groups, one group for each roller, and of rack-
pawls pivotally secured to the supporting rods and adapted to operate the rollers, by
the actuation of the levers.
5. The combination, with a series of levers, of a series of indicating supporting rods
supported near the extremities of such levers and provided upon their upper ends with
hinged rack-pawls, a series of three transverse serrated rollers adapted to be operated
by these rack-pawls, three groups of serrated registering wheels in pairs, one pair for
each group engaging with one of the serrated rollers, respectively, and the other end
of each group being provided with an oscillating feed-pawi operated by a stud on its
actuating registering wheel, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a series of levers, of two series of supporting rods
supported in vertical guides upon the extremities of these levers, one series of rods
being provided with indicating tablets and the other series of rods carrying rack-pawls
to actuate the registering device, substantially as described.
7. As an improvement in actuating devices for cash-registers and indicators, the
combination, with the levers and supporting rods carrying the indicating tablets, of
the swinging cross-bar M, the lugs L on the supporting bars adapted to engage
thereon, the cross-bar W7 of the swinging knocker, the striker W having an inclined
head and the shoulder W6, the supporting rods W2 provided with links W³ to which
the striker is hinged, the cross-bar W, carrying the supporting rod W2, and being
vertically-movably supported on top of the levers by the arms W, substantially as
described.
8. As an improvement in actuating devices in cash-registers and indicators, the
combination of the levers and registering drums and wheels, the registering rods P,
the rack-pawls Q, hinged thereto in parallel relation to the links It, substantially as
described.
9. As an improvement in actuating devices in cash-registers and indicators, the
combination with the levers and registering device, the registering supporting rods P,
the rack-pawls Q, pivotally hinged thereto in parallel relation by the links R, and the
adjusting set-screws V, substantially as described.
10. The combination with a series of levers, of the series of registering supporting
rods, of a controlling device consisting of a series of pins Ps on the registering
supporting rods and the engaging bar P³ provided with the longitudinal recess P7,
adapted to engage with the series of pins P³, said engaging bar being controlled by
the movement of the levers to lock the registering supporting rods in their normal
position, substantially as described.
11. In combination with the series of levers, and the series of registering supporting
rods, of a controlling device consisting of a series of pins P on the registering
supporting rods, the engaging bar P³ provided with a longitudinal recess P7, the
spring P adapted to swing said engaging bar into engagevent with the series of
pins P, and the arm P adapted to throw said engaging bar out of engagement with
the series of pins under the control of the levers, substantially as described.
12. The combination with the series of levers and the series of registering supporting

page_text: rods, of a controlling device consisting of the series of ratchet bars P¹ on said
registering supporting rods, the engaging bar P3 adapted to engage into said ratchet
bars under the control of the levers, and the stirrups O', or their equivalents, con-
necting the registering supporting rods and levers, substantially as described.
13. The combination, with the series of levers and the series of registering supporting
rods, of a controlling device consisting of the series of ratchet bars 12 on said
registering supporting rods, the engaging bar P4 adapted to engage with said ratchet
bars under the control of the levers, and the stirrups O', or their equivalents, con-
necting the registering supporting rods and the lovers, substantially as described.
14. The combination with the series of levers and the series of registering supporting
rods, of a controlling device consisting of two series of ratchet bars P1, P2 on the front
and rear of the registering supporting rods, the engaging bars P3, P4 adapted to
engage with said ratchets under the control of the levers, substantially as described,
and the stirrups O¹ or their equivalents connecting the levers and registering supporting
rods.
15. The combination with the series of levers and the series of indicating supporting
rods, of indicating tablets supported on flexible extensions of said supporting rods and
grouped in front of each other, and the incline o above said groups, of tablets, substan-
tially as described.
16. The combination with the series of levers C, of a mechanically operated drawer
consisting of the cross-bar W supported on top of the levers, and having the rear-
wardly projecting arm p', the rock shaft 7 operated by said arm, the vertical shaft n',
the intermeshing bevel pinions as secured on the rock shaft q' and shaft n' respectively,
the swinging drawer m³ pivotally supported on the shaft n', the coil spring & adapted
to transmit motion from the shaft to the swinging drawer, and the catch on the
arm padapted to lock the drawer, all arranged to operate, substantially as
described.
17. In a cash register, the combination with a series of keys, of a rotary cash
drawer pivoted upon the shaft, of a spring designed to be put under tension to rotate
said shalt by the depression of one or more of said keys, a catch or stop for said
drawer adapted to be withdrawn by the operation of said keys, all arranged so that
the drawer is rotated on the shaft by the tension of the spring at each depression of
the key or keys, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of June 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.