US1100819A - Cash-register. - Google Patents

Description

E. S. CHURCH. CASH REGISTER. APPLIUATIoN FILED JUNE 1e, 1909.

1,100,819, Patented June 23, 1914.

4 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

ga/wanton Mm" GMM/11h38 CDLUMDM PLANDGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. C.

E. S. CHURCH.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1909. 1, 1 00,81 9. Patented June 23, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. S. CHURCH.

CASH REGISTER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNI: 1e. 1909.

4 sums-SHEET s. f

Patented June 23, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASMINGTQN. D. c.

ns. CHURCH. CASH REGISTER. APPLOATION FILED JUNE 16, 1909.

1,100,819, Patented June`23, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

DOLUMIIA immuun?" co.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

NITED STATES vFATFNT OFFICE.

EDMU'ND S. CHURCH, OF DAYTON, OI-IIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH. REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F OHIO, (INCORPORATED IN 1906.)

CASH-REGISTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 23, 1914.

Application filed June 16, 1909. Serial No. 502,541.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND S. CHURCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Registers, of which I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to accounting machines and the improvements comprising the invention relate particularly to key boards and differential mechanism for the same.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a positively operated dide-rential mechanism; to provide a dierential mechanism comprising a plurality of movable members with means for moving each member an invariable extent upon each 0peration of the machine, and means for connecting any desired one of tlre movable members with an actuator for a registering device in such manner that the registering device will be differentially operated as desired upon the operation of the machine; and to provide a positively operated differential mechanism which may be employed to operate registering devices either forwardly or backwardly for the purpose of accumulating items in the registering device or subtracting items from the registering device.

lWith these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form 0f embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of this specification.

f said drawings: Figure 1 is a left side elevation of a machine embodying the present invention, the left side frame being omitted, for the sake of clearness.- Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the keyboard and differential mechanism taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 7. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the keyboard and differential mechanism taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 7. Fig. i is an enlarged perspective view of one of the keys. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the key detent and releasing mechanism. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the key locking mechanism. Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a view showing a modified form of actuating connection to the totalizer, and Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of retaining means for the keyboard sections.

Registering devices such as printing or totalizing devices usually comprise a plurality of differentially movable members which are arranged in denominational order.

The present invention relates to means for differentially operating the denominatic-nal elements of registering devices. Accordingly, in carrying out the invention, a plurality of actuators are employed, but only one such actuator is illustrated in the appended drawings, as the dierent actuators or units of the differential mechanism are duplicates. Each one of such units comprises a member which is moved an invariable distance upon each operation of the machine. To this member are pivoted nine levers, and these levers, at different points along their length, are pivoted to a register actuator, and will, on an idle operation of the invariably moving member, rock around their connection with the register actuator different distances. A bank of de` pressible keys is arranged over these nine levers in such manner that upon the depression of a key, the key will engage the forward end of its respective lever and thereby prevent the said lever from rocking around its connection with the actuator. Upon the operation of the machine, when one of the keys is depressed, the lever which is engaged by the depressed key will rock around the point where the key engages the lever and will thereby cause differential movement of the register actuator, as these levers are all pivoted at different points along their length to the said actuator. rlhe extent of movement of the register actuator depends upon which of the levers is engaged by a depressed key. Each unit of the differential mechanism contains devices which will prevent the simultaneous depression of two or more keys and each unit also contains a key detent to hold any depressed key in its depressed position, and means for actuating the detent to release a depressed key upon the completion of an operation of the machine. Each unit also contains a device which positively prevents the release of a depressed key, while the machine is being operated, but a manipulative device is provided by which a de` pressed key may be released before the machine is operated.

Referring to the drawings, power is applied to a machine by the crank handle 1, rigidly secured to the gear 2. The gear 2 meshes with a gear 3, provided with a cam groove, which groove, upon the rotation of gear 2, causes the reciprocation of the pitman 4. The pitman 4 is hung from an arm 5, rigidly secured to the shaft 6 and carries an anti-friction roller 7 which extends into the cam groove of the gear 3. The rotation of the crank handle 1, therefore, causes an oscillation of shaft 6, the gears 2 and 3 being so constructed as to require two rotations of the crank handle to cause a single rotation of gear 3.

The keyboard comprises a plurality of banks of keys 8 numbered from one at the top to nine at the bottom, and in operating the machine, for instance, to add an amount to the totalizer 9, the keys which represent such amount are first depressed and then the crank handle is operated. Each of the keys 8 is slidably mounted in a fixed frame 27 and is depressible against resistance of its spring 28, which bears between the shoulders 29 formed on the key and the lug 30 of a frame 27.

Each key 8 has (Fig. 4) two flanges 12 and 13, struck up at right angles to its length, thereby forming a slot 11. The depression of a key carries its slot 11 downwardly until it engages the upper end 21 of a lever 10, thereby locking the upper end of said lever.

A link 15 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is carried on the fixed frame 27 by two parallel arms 44 and 45, and to this link the levers 10 are all pivoted by pins 14. At its upper end the link 15 is loosely connected to an arm 16 fast to shaft 6, so that when shaft 6 is oscillated by the crank handle, the link 15 will be first raised and then lowered in approximately a straight line. Each lever 10 has a long slot therein and in these slots ride pins 17, all of which are carried by a sliding actuating member 18. A rack bar 19 slides on pins 55 and 48, which extend through the slots 58 and 59 of the rack 19, and thereby serve to guide the rack in a lineal direction upon the actuation of the member 18 to which the rack is connected. The member 18 and the rack 19 are connected by an arm 60, pivoted to the frame 27 by a pin 61,

and is connected to the rack 19 and the member 18 respectively by the links G2 and 63, thereby serving to move the rack 19 more rapidly than, but in proportion to the movement of slide 18.

If the crank handle is rotated when no key is depressed, the oscillation of shaft 6 will merely cause the link 15 to be reciprocated a certain invariable extent, the levers 10 all rocking around their connections 17 with the slide 18, and causing no movement of the slide 18 and the rack 191 but if a key is depressed as is illustrated at 20, (Fig. 3), the extensions 12 and 13 will move into engagement with the end 21 of one of the levers 10, and thereby prevent such lever from rocking around its connection at pin 17 with the slide 18 when the shaft G is oscillated. Therefore, upon the movement of the link 15, the lever 10 corresponding to the depressed key will be held at its upper end 21, and will rock around such upper end, whereby the slide 18 will be carried with the link 15, but only move such proportion of the total movement of the link as is determined by the location of the point 17 of the slide 18 appropriate to the lever 10, which is engaged by the depressed key. As the rack 19 is connected to the slide 18, the extent of movement of the slide will be recorded in the registering device 9 as the rack 19 meshes with one of the wheels 22 of the registering device during a portion of its movement.

The registering wheels are journaled upon a shaft 23 which is carried by the frame 24 hung from the shaft 25, extending between the side frames 26 of the machine. The registering device may be rocked into or out of mesh with the racks 19 by slightly oscillating shaft 25. The registering device will be caused to mesh with the racks 19 either upon their upward movement or upon their return movement according to whether it is desired to add to or subtract from the registering device. rEhe means for rocking the registering device into and out of meshwith the racks 19 and the details of construction of the registering device, are not shown in the drawings.

To prevent depression of two keys at once, each key carries a pin 31, which co-acts with the members 32 pivoted to the frame 27 by pins 33. The members 32 are free to rock a slight distance around their pivots, but such movement of the members 32 is not suflicient to permit of more than one of the pins 31 passing between any two of the members 32. It is, therefore, impossible to depress more than one key at a time. Then a key is in its depressed position, the pin 31 carried thereby will come to rest between the ends 34 of two of the members 32.

The pins 31 of the keys also co-act with a key detent 35 (Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7 The detent is provided with hook shaped projections having inclined surfaces 36, which are normally in the path of the pins 31, and recessed at 38 to retain depressed keys. The key detent 35 is normally drawn downwardly by the spring 39 (Fig. 2). Upon the depression of a key, the pin 31 carried thereby engages one of the inclined surfaces 36, camming the detent upwardly until the key reaches the recess 38, when the detent is drawn downwardly by the spring 39, thereby engaging the pin 31 in the recess 38, and retaining the key in its depressed position.

1f a key has been depressed by mistake, it cannot be released by depressing another of the keys 8, as the depression of another key is prevented by the members 32, but a release key 40 is provided which does not coact with the members 32, but does carry a pin 41, which, when the release key is depressed, engages an inclined surface 42 of the detent, forcing the detent upwardly and thereby releasing the depressed key.

The parallel arm 45 beside supporting link 15 carries a pin 46 co-acting with a bell crank arm 47, which is pivoted to the frame on pin 48 and to the key detent by a pin 49. Therefore, upon the depression of either an amount key or the release key, upon the rise of the detent 34, the arm 47 will rock around its pivot 48, bringing the end 50 thereof into the path of the pin 46, thus preventing the operation of the machine, while the key is being depressed, as the link 15 cannot then move upwardly. When a key is fully depressed, of course, the arm 47 rocks out of the path of the pin 46, upon the lowering of the detent when one of the notches 33 engages its appropriate pin 37, and, therefore, permits operation of the machine. Vhile the machine is being operated, the pin 46 travels along the edge 51 of the arm 47, and, therefore, prevents the rocking of the arm 47 and the consequent release of a depressed key.

The upper parallel arm 44 carries a pin 52 (Fig. 5), which, upon the upward movement of the link 15, idly wipes by a wiper pawl 53, carried by bell crank 54, which is pivoted to the frame 27 on pin 55 and to the key detent 35 by a pin 56. W'hen the link 15 upon returning reaches its home position, the pin 52 engages the surface 57 of the wiper pawl 53 and forces the wiper pawl out of its path, thereby rocking the bell crank 54 upwardly and causing the rise of the key detent 35, releasing the depressed these units will be described. The carrying operations from the different denominational wheels of the registering device may be accomplished by any suitable transfer mechanism. To cause the desired differential movement of the rack 19, one of the keys 8 will be depressed, for instance, if it is desired to cause the rack 19 to move upwardly one tooth space, the uppermost key 8 will be depressed. 1f it is desired to cause the rack to move two, three or more units of its movement, the second, third, or any other higher key up to nine will be depressed. rIhe depression of a key 8 causes its pin 31 to pass between two of the members 32, thereby rocking the remaining members 32 into contact with each other, thus preventing the depression of any other amount key in the bank. The pin 31 also cams the detent 35 upwardly until the pin reaches the recess 38 in the detent, when the detent springs downwardly and retains the key in its depressed position. The depression of the key also causes the end 21 of the lever 10, which is opposite the key, to enter between the shoulders 12 and 13 of the key. The crank handle 1 is then, rotated, causing the oscillation of the shaft 6, thereby drawing the link 15 first upwardly an invariable distance and then returning the same to its initial position. 1f the registering device 9 is to be added to, the same will be held in mesh with the rack 19, during the upward movement of the link 15, and as the link 15 is connected to the rack 19, through the lever 10, which is engaged by the depressed key, the connection 17 between the lever 10 and the member 18, the link 63, arm 60 and link 62, the rack 19 will be moved upwardly upon the upward movement of the link 15 and thereby rotate the denominational element of the registering device with which it meshes. The extent of upward movement of the rack 19 will depend upon which of the levers 10 is engaged at its normally free end by a depressed key as these levers engage the member 18 at different points along their length. As the levers 10 when engaged by a depressed key always rock an invariable or constant extent around their pivotal connection with the depressed key, of course, such levers as are not engaged by one of the keys will rock from their pivotal connections with the link 15 different distances according to the extent of movement of the member 18, but the rocking of the levers 10 which are not engaged by the depressed key is merely an idle movement natural to the construction, but performing no function. Upon the return of the link 15 to its initial position, the pin 52 which is secured to the link 15, engages the pawl 53 and thereby rocks the arm 54 upwardly carrying the detent away from the depressed key, permitting the key to spring upwardly to its undepressed position. After the pin passes the pawl 53, the V detent is returned to its normal position by the spring 89.

From the foregoing description it may be understood that the invention comprehends a differential ii'iechanism in which there are a plurality of differently fulcrunied levers which are actuated upon each operation of the machine, with means for causing any desired one of the levers to be operatively connected to a register actuating device, and thereby cause the movement of the actuating device upon the operation of the machine.

is shown in the drawings, the keyboard extends at an angle to the vertical and the oros upwardly and downwardly etc., l ave been employed. Clearly the movement and operability of the parts are not contingent on directions, and no parts dcpend on gravity for operation. Therefore, the keyboard might with equal success be arranged in any direction, and, for example, might be horizontal or nearly so, as in familiar adding machines. The movement, in fact, is particularly adapted for an adding machine, inasmuch as the keys have, during j their depression, no work whatever to perform, thereby permitting an easy operation.

All the movements of the differential parts are positively perfoiined in both directions, thus conducing to quickness and accuracy, as no chance of over or under throw is present. The movement of the driving rack takes nearly a constant time irrespective of its extent, due to the lever connections, and the shape of the cam groove may, therefore, be such as to bring the parts gradually to a stop, thus preventing strain and jar.

The description of the parts included con-V nections for driving a registering device, but many other types of accounting mechanisin are known in the art, and could readily be employed in substitution for or addition to the disclosed registering device, so that it will be understood that the .claims are not to be limited to any particular type of accounting` mechanism.

will be especially noted that each keyboard unit may be easily and quickly removed frein the machine, inasmuch as its connection with moving parts of the machine is only at the connecting pin lioining link 15 to arm 1G. As shown in Fig.. 1, the connection includes an open ended slot whereby a withdrawal of the keyboard unit merely causes disconnection of link 15 and arm 16. Therefore, lithe whole keyboard may quickly and readily be taken off for repair solely by taking out the screws holding the fixed frame 27 to the main frame of the machine.

Vith the modified form of actuating connections shown in Fig. v8, certain advantages are attained. Segment gears have heretofore been employed to actuate totalizer wheels, but it is somewhat diflicult When keys are in a straight line and are equidistant and parallel and when, therefore, the element having its movement determined by the keys, moves in a straight line, to so link the dete 1mining element to the actuating segment as to cause proper extents of movement of the segment. W'ith the construction just described, tlie link must be given different extents of movement in order to canso equal extents of movement of the actuating segment. By the modified new construction, this desirable object is easily and well attained. 1n Fig. 8 the keys 81 serve to arrest the upper ends of the levers 101, so that when bar 151 is operated, the proper pin 171 on the determining element 181 will cause differential movement of 181. A driving segment 191 for totalizer 91 is connected by a link G81 to the determining element 181.

1t will be c-lear that to cause proper extents of movement of the segment gear 191, it is only necessary properly to space the pins 171, the spacing of which differs slightly in the modified form from that employed in the first described form. By such spacing, though the extents of movement of determining element 181 are not precisely in proportion to the key depressed, the angles of rotation of the segment gear 191 are exactly in such proportion. y iii convenient means of fastening the keyboard sections to the machine frame is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. These sections are supported by cross bars 200 and 201, provided with annular grooves into which the sections fit. The upper tie bar 201 (Fig. 8), 105

is cut away for the purpose of permitting the insertion of the keyboard sections and then the tie bar is rotated 1800 as indicated, thus locking the key board sections in place.

By a reverse movement of the bar 201 the sections may be readily removed from the machine.

Thilo the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfil the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to coniine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein disclosed, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms all coming` within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. In a differential mechanism, the cornbination with a movable element and means for moving said element an invariable exsaid arm at still another point along its length for the purpose of fulcruming the arm at such point.

2. In a differential mechanism, the combination With a movable element and means tor moving said element an invariable extent, a plurality of arms pivoted to said element, a register actuating device, each of said arms pivoted at another point along its length to the registering actuating device, and means for engaging one of said arms at still another point along its length for the purpose of tulcruming the arm at such point.

3. In a differential mechanism, the combination With a movable element and means for moving said element an invariable eX- tent, a plurality of arms pivoted to said element, a register actuating device, said arms pivoted at different points along their length to the register actuating device, and means for engaging any one of said arms at still another point along its length for the purpose of fulcruming the arm at such point.

4. In a differential mechanism, the combination with a movable element and means for moving said element an invariable extent, a plurality of arms pivoted at their ends to said element, a register actuating device, said arms pivoted at different points along their length to the register actuating device, and means for engaging any one of said arms at its opposite end Jfor the purpose of ulcruming the arm at such point.

5. In an accounting machine, the combination With a registering device, of a differential mechanism ior actuating the registering device comprising a movable element and means tor moving said element an invariable extent, a plurality of arms pivoted at their ends to said element, a rack for actuating the registering device, said arms pivoted at different points along their length to said rack for the purpose of varying the leverage of said arm.

6. In an accounting machine, the combination With a registering device, of differential'mechanism for actuating the same comprising a movable element and means for moving said element an invariable extent, an arm pivoted to said element, a toothed member for actuating the registering device, said arm pivoted to the toothed member at a different point along its length from its pivotal connection With said movable member, means for engaging said arm at still another point along its length Jfor the purpose of tulcruming the arm at such point.

7. In an accounting machine, the combination with a registering device, of an actuator for the same, a plurality of levers pivoted to said actuator, means for rocking said levers different distances around their pivotal connections Withthe actuator, and means for fulcruming desired one' of said levers at a diiierent point from its pivotal connection With the actuator for the purpose of causing differential movement of the actuator upon the rocking of said levers.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination With a register mechanism, of a differential driving mechanism therefor, comprising a plurality oi' diliferently ulcrumed levers, means for actuating them all at each operation of the machine, a register actuating device, and means Jror causing any desired one of the levers to be operatively connected to said actuating device.

9. In a machine ot the class described, the combination With a movable element and means Jor giving the same invariable movements, of a plurality of similar levers each pivoted at one end to said movable element, a plurality of keys positioned when depressed to obstruct the other ends of said levers, and a diiierentially movable element connected at graded points to all said levers.

l0. In a machine of the class described, the combination With a driving element and means for giving said element invariable movements, of a plurality of similar levers pivoted to said driving elements at corresponding points, a plurality ot keys positioned when depressed to obstruct other corresponding points of said levers, and a dife erentially movable element connected at graded points to all said levers.

l1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving element and means for giving said element excursions of invariable extent, of a series of similar levers pivoted at corresponding points to said driving element, a diii'erentially movable element connected to said levers at points giving a graded movement to said diierential element, and keys for separately obstructing points of said levers.

l2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving element, and means for giving it excursions of invariable extent, of a series of slotted similar levers pivoted to said driving element at correvsponding points, a series of keys having projections for obstructing other corresponding points of said levers, and a differentially movable element having a series of projections thereon in graded positions and riding in the slots in said levers.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving element and means for giving it excursions of invariable extent, of a series of similar levers having slots, and all pivoted at corresponding points to said driving element., a series of keys constructed to obstruct said levers, a diierentially movable element having a series of projections carried thereby and riding in the slots of said levers,- With an accounting mechanism operated said differentially' movable element,

- 14. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving element, and means for giving it excursions ol invariable extent, of a series of similar levers having slots and all pivoted at corresponding ends to said driving element, a series of keys constructed to obstruct the other ends of said levers respectively, an angle shaped driven element having projections carried thereby in graded positions and all riding in the slots of said levers, and an actuating rack connected to said driven element, With accounting mechanism positioned to engage and be operated by said actuating rack.

15. In a machine of the class described, 4the combination With a driving bar, and an arm connected to give said bar excursions of invariable extent, of a series of similar levers having slots and pivoted to said bar at corresponding ends of said levers, a series of keys having projections for surrounding and obstructing the other ends of said levers, a differentially movable element having pins carried 4thereby in graded positions and riding' in the slots of said levers, and means for holding said keys in depressed position, with connections from said driving bar for releasing said holding means.

16. In a machine of the class described, 4the combination with a driving elemen-t having an invariable movement, of a driven element constructed to be given a variable movement, a series of levers pivoted to the driving member and differentially and operatively connected to the driven member for controlling the variable movement of the latter, and a series of -keys for controlling the operativity of said levers.

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination With a driving 'element having an invariable movement, of a driven element adapted to receive a variable movement upon an operation of the driving element, a registering element operated diieryenti-ally by the driven element, a series of controlling means intermediate the driving and driven elements and operatively connected to the driving element for controlling such variable movement of the driven lelement, and a series of 'keys for rendering yany lone of said controlling kmeans effective upon the driven element.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving element, with means for giving it movements of invariable extent, of an accounting device, a differentially movable actuating element for said accounting device, a plurality ci' manually actuated amount determining devices, and a series of elements operatively connected with the drivenv element, controlled respectively 'by said determining devices as to effect'ivity upon the differentially movable element and each constructed to connect said driving element and said differentially movable element.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving member, of a driven member constructed to have a variable movement imparted thereto by the driving member, a registering element operable diifcrentially by the driven member, a series of devices each connecting the driving and driven members, and a series of keys for selectively rendering said devices effective and for determining the extent of movement to be imparted to the driven member by the driving member.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving member, of a driven member constructed to have a variable movement imparted thereto by the driving member, a registering element differentially operable by the driven member, a. series of devices carried by the driving member for connecting said member tothe driven member, and a series of keys for selectively rendering said devices elfective for determining the extent of movement to be imparted to the driven member by the driving member.

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination oi a registering element, a driven element for actuating the same, a series of normally ineffective members, meansv operatively connected With all of said members for moving them at each operation' of the machine, and means for rendering any one of said members effective to drive the driven element.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination With a driven element, of a series of normally ineffective members, means for imparting movements of different extents to said members, and means for rendering any one of said members effective to drive said driven element.

23. In a machine of the class described, the combination With a driving element having an invariable movement, of a driven element, a series of normally ineffective pivoted Vmembers having dili'erent leverages, and means for making any one of said members operative to communicate motion between vsaid driving and driven elements.

24. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a driving element, of a -driven element, a series of normally ine'ective connections intermediate said elements device.

25. In a lmachine of the class described,

ed to an extent appropriate to the operated 10 manipulative device.

ln testimony whereof I aiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDMUND S. CHURCH.

the Combination with a variable adjustable driven element, of a series of normally ineffective members, means having a constant movement at each opera-tion of the machine and adapted to impart movements of differn ent extents to said members, and manipulative devices adapted When operated partially to arrest any desired one of said members whereby said driven member will be adjustlVitnesses F. E. HAMILTON, R. RUMMLER.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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