US1012682A - Cash-register. - Google Patents

Description

J. H. MGCORMICK..

CASE REGISTER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED DBO. 6, 1897.

Patented Dec. 26', 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V WIT/1155555 c l Znuff I.

UNITED STATES PATENT onirica.

JOHN H. MOCOBMICK, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, 'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER' COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO,

(INCORPORATED 1N i906.)

. casu-'anciana f i Specicati'ono! Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1911.

applicati@ mea December 6.1897. serial No. 660,918.

To all whom 'it may concm: ,l A

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MGCORMIC'K, citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, lhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Registers; and I do hereby declar the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention. y

This invention relates more particularly to that type of cash registering and indicating machinesin which the pressing in of keys sets up stops to limit the movements of swn ing stepped segments having-compounde with them yokes wherewith cooperate concentrically pivoted pawl-carrying arms, the latters pawls engaging the teeth of registering wheels which are also mounted concentrically with the segments and okes. Such a general type of machine is il ustrated and described in Patent No. 570,141 issued Oct. 27, 1896 on the invention of John H. McCormick. The particular form of mechanism' to which the improvement ofthe present invention is here shown as applied diiers somewhat in general construction from that disclosed by this McCormick patent. In the latter the regis- `tering wheels are turned by the downward swinging of the pawl-carrying arms permitted'by the dropping of the yokes whereas in a later construction this downward swinging of the pawl-carrying arms simply carries the pawls back over the numbers of teeth of the registering wheels corresponding with the numerals` of the keys` pressed in, and the -said wheels are not turned to make the registration until the yokes and arms are restored to their normal positions. This restoration of parts to 'normal is ef-A fected in said later construction as well as in the said pushing in'o latter normally supports the 4okes in elevatedadjustment and the re ease of this Vdrawer to be started outward by a spring,

permits the falling of the yokes distances determined b the pressed in keys. It will be understoo that 1n machines of this character the mathematical results of a series of operations as for example those pertaining f to a' days transactions are periodically taken from the machine to go into book accounts, and it is essential that the register wheels patented construction by thel a sliding cash drawer. The

be capable of rotation to zero for the be 'nning of a new set of transactions. It is rther to beunderstood that in order to properly totalize transactions it is essential that the wheels of lower denomination transfer to wheels of higher denomination, and in the particular type of machine above-mentioned the transfer actuation must take place during a different part of a cycle of operation from that in whichV direct or straight registering actuation occurs. Now in order to get the correct'reading from the register wheels of a total of all transactions it is of course necessary that all transfers shall have beencompleted.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means whereby the reading of a proper total is insured and no turning of the register wheels to zero can take place until all transfers have been effected.

The invention also aims to provide imfproved facilities for turning the register -wheels to zero. j l

While a certaintype of machine has been "chosen for purposes of illustration of the utility of the present invention it is nevertheless to be'understood that the invention is not limited to employment in connection .with this particular type of machine as the essential elementsffor accomplishing the objects above-tstated may be combined with other formsl `ofaifegistering mechanism.

With' the abovel-stated'and incidental objects inyiew, .thejinventipniconsists of cerhinations4 of"l part`s tle 'essentiial elements of which areset forth ini appended claims and a preferred forni, rolf1 embodiment of which is ,hereinafter specifically .described with reference to the Adrawings which accompany and form par't of thisv specification.

Of saiddrawngs: Figure l represents in moved,'a Amachine of the type above 'indicatedgthe same having the improvements of yfront elevation witlr'caslng or *cabinet recan.

ceftain Astop pla.te'-"'and Fig'. 6 is section:

alized' side 'elevation of the `machi`ne viewed from the opposite side'to that seenin 'Fig general .type of While as before stated the machine here illustrated is disclosed in said prior patentyet the 'departures fromv the construction shown .therein are suchias. to

` 'makev it necessary to give a more detailed de scription of the machine which the present or auxiliary yokes tobe separately 'upheldf invention seeks. to improve, than would. otherwise be required.

Referencennmeral 1 deslgnates av metal supporting framework' composed of side'V pieces and cross 'rods and erected upon a suitable'--base with-in which `slides a cash drawer 7 the-same being under the stress `of c the spiral spring 'Tdinsertedbetween and the rear of-said base.v l The numeralf designates a central crossrod of the supporting frame which rod constitutes anbearing forvarious parts of the mechanism. 'A series of register .wheels 3 are mounted side by side to rotate independently upon this shaft, thesewheels having ratcheted peripheries and `continuous side flanges numbered seetionally from 0 to f 9 as clearly .shown-in Fig. 4'.- Upon this central shafty 5' tical series or banks withtheir stems pass.

ing radially through suitable guide plates supported by the `frame 'ofthe machine at the front thereof, these keys having'suitable heads or buttons with numerals. inscribed thereon. v`The banks'of keys coact respectively with the said stepped segments to determine the extent of movement thereof.

A series of arms 9c journaled upon `the shaft 5 have depending legs 9F which rest upon the yokes 9a. respectively and said arms.

9 carry spring-pressed pawls9d which en gage the rateheted peripheries of the register wheels'respectively` All arm 9 jal'so journaled upon the'central shaft 5 extends under all the yokes 9 andis joined to the .cross bar 16a of an outside or main' yoke 16. In machines of this type 'it is customary for the main Ayoke to be normally 1supported by' the closed, 4cash drawer and for the inner wby certainy vkey-controlled detents one o'f which is shown at 9g in Fig. 6. The pushing in of amount keys operates-to displace the detents pertainin to the banks in which keys are so mampulated (see dotted lines Fi .6) Vand the inner lends ofthe stems of main yoke, the bar being-formed with a suc keys projected into the paths of cer# tain'steps of the hereinbefofe mentioned segments 9". :The drawer l's held closed by a` ylatch 7**fand4 a release ke'l 7 b is;;provided to bellcrank 7". Uponthe operation of-thisre-` by the main yoke, and those bf thev auxiliary yokes .drop which have been 'released from their detents the extent of movement of the yokes being limited. by the engagement v'lof the pressed in keys with the steps ofthe segments. The pawl-carrying, arms 9c follow the yokes 9a, the pawls" S11-clicking oyer Wheels. Upon the' closingjOf-the drawer the main turned by the pawls 'theefxtent already determined 'by the pressed in. keys.

geared to rack bars-:llwhich are coupled to 5 and having aone-wayengagement with the downward swinging of the latter the in l ldicators .will be set. .-As the present invennism, it will' not befnecessaytoshow orde- I scribe the means for holding'the 'drums at indicatin position and releasing' and restoringe vment of fa subsequent operation. I 'n.brief description will next be given'of movement from the cash drawer tothe main yoke; also of a formof means for compelling full strokes of thel main yoke actuating mechanismn These devieesare' notelaimed herein but merely described l'for the ypur'- pose of making clear the construction; and operation. of everything shown *in the `ac-' 'Compahyng drawings Levers designated by the'ireferene nu,-

-the supporting shaft 'and they rest. upon rollers 8 supported in brackets fastened to theback of said drawer. The

these levers are preferably beveled as shown at 4&1 in. Fi

g. 2 andfilat' springs are fas-l to cushion the inward thrust of,y the drawer. Each .of the levers 4 lhas' a rearward enlargement 10 with a longitudinalslot 11 end there isl pivotally mounted framework at each side of the machine va bell crank cam piece the lower arm 13 'of which carrles'a lroller 12 occup in a. slot- 11. The cam' 'portion Hof the heart-shapedandupcn its curved upper ed ebears the under edge of side bar J of te `displace the'latch through the medium ofav; y

levers ,62 Vjournaled uponthe: central shaft' the auxiliary yokesv respectively -so. that in a novel form ofmeans employed to ,transmit tened to the levers to project over these bevels Y lease key 'the drawer springs open4 followedf the ratcheted. peripheries-of the register se Indicator drums-@Glare mounted-,in the upper part ofthe frame of the machine and tionhas no relation to theindicator mecha- .same to zero at-the-commencefme'ral 4 are journaled oneupon each endof these levers extend down behind the cash drawerwhere upon a lug 15 of .the

iso

so yoke is. of course swung baekland up and willpick up-"til'eauxiliaryfyokes and. carry them home, the',regi sterf'` wheelsz being.

front edges 'of the lower end portions of bulging portion 17. The principal purpose of interposing the cams between the drawer operating levers and the main yoke is to prevent injury to the machine by the rapid manipulation of the drawer. With each lever 4 there are made integral af'diverging pair of arms 24, 25 constituting tappets for a full stroke pawl 21. This pawl is threearmed and the two lower arms are arranged to alternately engage a segmental saw-tooth rack 20 on an arm 19 which is compounded with the main yoke. A short arm 26 is compounded with said pawl and arranged'to be struck alternately by the arms 24 and 25 for the purpose of yreversing the full stroke pawl. To prevent accidental displacement of the pawl a iatspring 22 is fastened to the framework andvbears upon the pointed third arm of the pawl saidspring having a teat 23 which stands on one side or the other of this pointed arm according to the adjustment of the pawl. y

Reverting to the register wheels it will Aabe understood that when one wheel has been turned the extent of one of thesubdivisions of its numbered flange, a transfer should be made to the wheel of the neXt higher denomination. Referrin to Fig. 4 the reference numeral 3a designates transfer projections located between the sub-divisions of the iange. The nose of, a lever 36t j ournaled upon a cross-rod' of the main frame normallyl rests against theregister wheel flange,

' the tail of this lever overlying a pin 36e project-ing from a latch lever 36d which is pivoted to the hori'ziontal portion of an arm 36" which is journaled upon the central shaft 5. This latch lever.'engages a shoulder 36c of a transfer awl 38a to hold the latter normally out oengagement with the ratchet of the register wheel of next higher denomination. Thistransfer pawl is alsoA pivoted to the arm 36L and the same spring 36g which draws the latch lever 36d downwardlyfor its engagement with the transfer pawl also ytent-ls to throw the latter into engagement with its ratchet. It will be seen that under this construction whenever one of the projections 3a displaces the nose of the lever 36t the latter tilts the latch lever 36d and the transfer pawl 38a is then thrown into en` gagement with the ratchet of the register` Awheel of next higher denomination. This sets the transfer and the transfer is then effected by a vibration of the arm 36a. This is produced during the opening of the cash drawer and consequent downward swinging of the main yoke, through the medium of an arm 40.2 compounded with the latter and carrying on vone side another arm 40b pivotally mounted andsuitably spring-pressed away from its supporting arm 40c and against an appropriate stop thereon. A series of rock-shafts 36b are journaled in -the supporting framework of the machine and eachhas secured to it a radial slotted arm 36h embracing a pin on one ofthe transfer arms 36. 4The shafts 36b also have projectling noses 40a to be acted upon by the arm 40h during the outward movement of the cash drawer. The purpose of mounting the arm 40h pivotally upon the arm 40 is to provide 'for its displacement through suitable bevels (see prior Patent #570,141) during the closing movement of the drawer when it is not to actuate the rock shafts 36". The transfer arms 36a are drawn rearwardly by suitable springs 361. It will kbe seen then that ineach downward swing of the main yoke consequent upon outward movement' of the drawer the arm 40b traverses the line of noses 40a and one after another rocks the shafts'36b in a direction to cause the advance of the arms 36a. Consequently if at this time any of `the-transfer pawls 38a have been tripped and are engaging their ratchets these particular register wheels will be advanced each one step. The transfer pawls. 38a are-provided with lifting fingers 37*L by y which they can be held up xivhilejthe register wheels are being turned to zero,- it being obvious that the transfer tripping mechanism shouldv be disabled at this vtime for otherwise at the end of this operation of turning to zero the transfer awls would remain trip ed and in the st subsequent opening o the cash drawerthe higher denomination wheels would be turned before any transactions were registered. In Fig. 4 wherev this transfer mechanism is illustrated the register wheel of highest denomination is shown and adjacent thereto a wheel 3b with a flange Anumbered from 0 to 99 there being a continuous series of numbers extending entirely around the periphery of the ange. j This wheel` is such as Aconufnonly employed to increase registering capacity and is actuated only by -the transfer mechanism. (See said Patent #570,141.)

Comin nowtoA the particular improvevention, the reference numeral 46 designates a curved cover plate in front of the register wheels, said cover plate constituting a guard 1 or s hield to prevent -aceess to said wheels.- or4 a viewof the latter. This plate is pivotally mounted at its upper end on one of the crossrods of the'framework; and at its lower end has on the inner side a latch-lug 47.'V A lever 49 is pivoted to the framework of the machine and .on its upper end is formed as a -ment whlch is the subject of the present in- .ward movement: of the drawer! ",'It istherel f the register 'wheels-is done the outfore desirable that no.'accessfbe had to the vregister wheels, Seither. forthe purpose of turning them to zero or vfor taking a read ing therefrom, until the transfers have gone in, -or in other words, until thedrawer hasv 'moved far 'enough outward to providefor completion of transfer actuation.` .Itl will be `seen that this is accomplished by the above-described'construction for the cover lline@theieil's provided a plunger27 for each registerowheel# These plungers stand vertically and are. arranged to reciprocate .through 'suitable guide-ways in one of the cross-rods 28 of the main frame and each plunger is upheld `by a coiled spring 30sur` 'rounding itsfstem'between said cross-rod and the head or but-ton 2.9, of the plunger. `Each plunger-also hasv a spring-pressed pawl 31 'i'enga'g'ingA the ratchet of the' registering ,Y wheel to which the plunger pertains. f It will be obvious thatby linger pressure applied to thev plungers .the register wheels ,can be turned the desired extent through the en- -of said wheels.

gagement ofthe pawls 3l with the ratchets In order toprovide a positive stop to limit Ithe. movement of the registering wheels; to that necessary to' bring zeros to the reading lm e a resilient plate 31a is employed,.the said .plate being fastened tothe cross-rodA 28 and having fingers 30a one for each register wheel'and adapted when the plate.A is 4pressed inwardly to stand in the :path .of the transfer vprojections .3a. The

said resilient plate is slotted as shown at 31b 'to accommodatethe plungers 27 and their surrounding springs 30. Backward moveu ment of the register wheels is prevented by the `engagement 0f a series of pawls 45' with the ratchets respectively, said pawls being loosely mounted on a cross rod 44a of the main frame and being pressed linto engagement with' the ratchets'by flat springs 45l bearing against another cross rod 44b ,of the main frame. Neither the said resilient stopv plate nor thepawl construction 'fovr'prevent ing retrograde movement are claimedaslIl novel features of the lpresent invention but there is' combined with these devices a novel structure whereby control of said devices is facilitated so that by the manipulation'of a single fin er'l piece the sto plate is brought into action, the restrainlng pawls are displacedand the transfer pawls are withheld from engagement with ratchets of the registering wheels. The construction for accomar 85 which extends through a guiding stir- Iupr39 loosely mounted on the cross-rod l28 andhas .a finger piece-,4l mounted upon its lower end which projects outwardly into convenient position for manipulation. This bar-'carries a pin 34 which operates upon theinclined' ed e of a nger' projecting from ani-ear 32 0% theresilient plate 31a.- The bar .85 is further provided with a similar pin 42 arranged. to act against the rear edge of a plate 43 mounted' loosely upon the cross-rod Inlishing these several functionscomprises ay 'l 44a to one side'of ftheseries of restraining pawls 45'and carrying a pin 44 which eX tends behind. A'all of said pawls. .The upper end of the bar 35jis pivotally connected with a short crank arm 36 of a rock shaft 37 which carries a blade 38 -projecting beneath 'all of the fingers Tfl of the transfer pawls.. A suitable spring will be employed to nor-v mally retract the blade 38 so as to leave the transfer pawls Afree t-o drop when released by the latch levers 36d. This spring-retract-- ed transfer-disabling blade is notl claimed as a novel feature and the spring/which would ordinarily be employed to retract it -will be' found suflicient to hold the bar 35 normally elevated. It will be seen that by downward pressure on the linger piece 41 the said bar will be slid downward through the stirrup 39, the latter rocking to allow for the slight swinging of the bar by reason of its pivotal connections with'the crank arm 36. This downward movement of the4 bar'results in its pi 34 drawing the resilient plate 312" soy into operative position and at the same time f the pin 42 displacing the restraining pawls 45. Simultaneously the blade 38 is thrown up to position for preventing the dropping of the transfer pawls 38a. Thus by a single .manipulation the stops are set for insuring the presentation of t-he zeros on the register 'wheels at the reading linejw the register wheels are freed from the restraining pawls and the transfer mechanism is disabled. Of course this cannot be done while any trans- .fers are yet to go in because access tothe finger-piece 4l cannot be had until the cash` drawer is moved outward far'enough to insure complete transfer actuation. Having depressed the finger-piece 41 under these conditions the register wheels can all be turned tozero'with great facility by manipulation of the plungers 27.

It will now be seen that the construction. herein described is admirably suited to thoroughly accomplish the objects primarily stated. It is however to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular. form of-means `described and hence in the claims which follow essential elements are recited without limitation to details.

The subject matter claimed is. as follows l. ,In a cash register, the combination with iso a register operating mechanism; of a register; movable means for normally concealing and guarding the register; and devices controlled by the register operating mechanism for preventing the movement of the concealing and uarding means during the regular registering movement ofthe machine and until after such regular movement has been completed.

2. In a cash register, the combination with an operating mechanism; of

movable guard for the latter; a latch for said guard; and means for controlling the latch'by the movements of the register'op- @rating mechanism whereby said guard cannot be opened until a predetermined period in the operation of the register has been reached and a'full registration effected.

3. In a cash-register, the combination with an operating mechanism, of a register; a

ivoted guard for concealing andv guarding the latter; and devices actuated by the operating mechanism for locking the guard against movement to expose the register when the partsare in a normal position and during the registering movement.

4. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination with a totalizing counter turnable to zero, means for actuating the same to degreesA according with amountcontrolling manipulation, carrying or transferring devices between elements of the counter, and means for effectin transferactuation of the counter in a di erent part of the cycle of operation of the machine from that in which straight actuation of the counter takes place; of means for preventing turning-to-zero of the counter after straight actuation thereof until transfer actuation has been completed.

In a cash register, the combination with an operating mechanism; of a register; devices for turning the register to zero; transfer devicesiopeigated upon the initial movenient of the operating mechanism; and means preventing the operation of the turnto-zero devices until after this initial movement ofthe operating mechanism-to eiect the transfer.'

6. In a cashtregister, the combination with a seriescpf registering wheels;1of a cash drawer "fo'g'operi'iting said wheels; turn-to- Yzero devices* orsa'i registering wheels; a normally locked. movable cover inclosing said turn-toaero.detviees;v4 and fan arm or projection u "nzsaiidffash drawer .arranged to unlock t e movableucover as the cash drawer opens to ...operate the registering wheels. v -.l

7. In a cash registigthe combination with a register; of an automaticallyv opening cash drawer; transfer devices-dependent for operation upon the openingbof the drawer; a shield for the register ;l and means compel- 66 ling the opening of a cash drawer be orc a register; a.

thtee shield can be opened to expze the regis r.

- 8. In a cash register, the combinationI with a plurality of keys; of a registering mechanism controlled by the same and comprising registering wheels; supporting means carrying pivoted pawls which engage the registering wheels; transfer devices between the registering wheels constructed to be opera-ted by the drawer; and mechanism for preventing the pawl-carrying means being operated to reset the registering wheels to zero until after the cash drawer is operated to effect the transfer.

9. In a cash register, the combination with 'a series of registering wheels; of a cash drawer; pawl-supporting means carrying pawls which engage the registering wheels to'turn .them to zero; a normally locked movable cover inclosing said turn-to-zero devices; transfer devices between the registering wheels operated by the cash drawer;

and means whereby as the cash drawer opens it will unlock the movable cover.

10. In a cash register, the combination with a series of keys; of a cash drawer; a register comprising a plurality of registerteeth formed upon their ing wheels having peripheries; pawls arranged to engage said teeth to lock the wheels against movement; means for freein said pawls and mechanisin for reventing the operation.- of said means until the cash drawer is fullyopened.

11. In a cash register, with a plurality of keys of registering mechanism governed thereby and comprising a register wheel, a reciprocating turn to zero plunger, a pawl carried by said lunger and engaging said registering w eel,` a spring for retracting said plunger after its operation, and movable vmeans for limiting the movement `of the registeringl wheel by the plunger, and devices for moving said limiting means into and out of eifective position.

12. In al cash register, the combination with a plurality of keys, of a registering wheel governed thereby and having peripheral teeth, a plunger for moving said wheel, a pawl mounted on said plunger and engaging said wheel teeth, whereby said wheel may be reset to its normal zero position, a stop plate for engaging parts of said wheel and thereby positively stopping it in zero position, and means for moving s aid stop plate into and out of eiiective stopping position.

the combination V 13. In a cash register, theV combination iso .engage and 'turn the register wheel when drawer and having afcam periphfy which 10 the plunger is reeiprocated; a, spring for is arranged to engage sind operate said yoke,

holding the plunger in normal operative In testimony whereof I aix my signaposition; and means for moving the stop ture, in presence' of two Witnesses.'V 5 plate into operatlve position. r

'l 14. In a cash register, Atfoe v1combination f 'H' MCCORMIQIX'W v with. a registering mechanism, .of a; cash VVitnesses': 4

drawer, an operating yoke, ay plvvotedcam IRA BERKSTRESSER,

'lever arranged to be operated from the ALVANMACAULEY.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, iy addressing the Gommi'ssrioner of'latents,"

' Washington, I).v 0..

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