US3027077A - Operation control mechanism for cash registers - Google Patents

Description

March 27, 1962 E. ZURBUCHEN ETAL 3,027,077

OPERATION CGNTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed April 3, 1958 FIG.2

INVENTORS LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN FRANK R. WERNER THEIR ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,027,077 OPERATION CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Louis E. Zurhuchen and Frank R. Werner, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The National Cash Register Company,

Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Filed Apr. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 726,266 6 Claims. (Cl. 235-130) This invention relates in general to cash registers and accounting machines, and is directed particularly to means for locking the releasing or starting mechanism of such machines against operation.

Speaking in general terms, an object of the present invention is the provision of improved means for locking against operation the releasing or starting mechanisms of machines of the type referred to above.

Another object is the provision of means controlled jointly by the release restoring mechanism and the total control mechanism for locking the machine releasing or starting mechanism against operation.

A further object is the provision of means controlled jointly by the release restoring lever and the total control lever for locking the machine releasing or starting mechanism against operation.

Still another object is to provide means controlled jointly by the operation of the release restoring lever and the operation of the lock on the total control lever, to lock said total control lever in a certain position, to in turn lock the machine releasing or starting mechanism against operation.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, as observed from the right of the machine, showing the release restoring lever and the total control lever, often referred to as the Unit Lock Lever, and associated mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the keyboard, showing the total control lever.

FIG. 3 is a right side elevation showing the mechanism for locking the machine releasing mechanism against operation under control of the release restoring mechanism and the total control lever.

FIG. 4 is a detail view showing a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 3 in locking condition.

FIG. 5 is a detail plan View, as observed from beneath, showing the cam operated by the lock for the total control lever for controlling the operation of the locking mechanism for the machine starting or releasing mechanism.

Description The machine chosen to illustrate the present invention is of a well-known type and is fully disclosed in co-pending applications for Letters Patent of the United States ISerial Nos. 341,633; 412,464; and 570,442, filed, respectively, March 11, 1953; February 25, 1954; and March 9, 1956, and now Patent Nos. 2,880,930; 2,962,209; and 2,974,860, respectively, by Frank R. Werner et aL, inventors. -Machines of the above type are of eflicient, compact, and economical design and construction, having many of the appointments and features of larger and more costly machines.

Reference may be had to the above applications for a full disclosure of mechanism not pertinent to the present invention, which for that reason will be described only in a general way herein. Mechanism pertinent to the present invention will be described in detail in the ensuing pages.

The mechanism of the present machine is supported by and between main right and left frames, only the left frame 25 (FIG. 1) shown herein, said frames in turn attached at their lower edges to a machine base plate (not shown), which is in turn secured to the top of a suitable drawer cabinet (not shown). In addition to being attached to the base plate, the main frames are also supported in proper spaced relationship to each other by various cross frames, rods, and bars. The mechanism of the machine is enclosed in a suitable case or cabinet 26, which is likewise attached at its lower edge to the base plate.

Under normal conditions, the machine is operated by a small electric motor of conventional type (not shown), and, in addition to the electric motor, manual means, including a hand crank (not shown), is provided for operating the machine in case of failure of electric current or other unusual conditions, and in case it is desired to.

operate the machine slowly for inspection or repair purposes.

The present machine is provided with a full comp le ment of amount keys (not shown) arranged in denominational rows or banks, each bank being provided with a corresponding differential mechanism for transmitting the values of operated amount keys of that denomination to corresponding printing wheels and indicators (not shown) and for transmitting such values to the corresponding wheels of the selected totalizer or totalizers. The upper ends of the amount keys extend through suitable openings in a keyboard plate 27, which is in turn mounted in a large opening in the front portion of the cabinet 26.

The keyboard of the machine likewise includes a Row 1 of control keys (not shown) for selecting corresponding totalizers (not shown) on a No. 1 totalizer line, and for controlling operation of the machine, and a Row 2 of control keys (not shown) for selecting correspondingtotalizers (not shown) on a No. 2 totalizer line, and for use in conjunction with the Row 1 keys for controlling operation of the machine. Any of the control keys may lease shaft 28, supported in the machine framework.

(FIGS. 1, 3, and 4) for clockwise releasing movement to operate a switch (not shown) for starting the operating motor and for simultaneously operating a clutch mechanism (not shown) for clutching said motor to the machine operating mechanism. Near the end of machine operation, the key lock shaft 28 is restored counter-clockwise to open the motor switch and to simultaneously disengage the clutch mechanism to terminate operation of the machine.

The amount keys and the control keys are automatically released near the end of machine operation by restoring movement of the key lock and release shaft 28. However, these keys may be manually released by the operation of a key lock and release shaft restoring lever 29 (FIGS. 1 and 2), the upper end of which forms a fingerpiece which extends through a suitable opening in the keyboard plate 27, where it is readily accessible for manipulation.

The keyboard likewise includes a total control lever 30,

Patented Mar. 27, 1962.

six positions of said total control lever; namely, from top to bottom, Reset Row 1, Read Row 1, Register,

Read Row 2, Reset Row 2 and Reset Row 2 the total control lever 30 is in Register position, and the key 34 is properly turned to lock said lever in said position. Turning the key 34 (FIG. 1) 'to locking position turns a lug 100 on the lock 33 into engagement with a locking notch 101 formed in the upper edge or periphery of a segment 102, secured to the machine framework, to

lock the total control lever 30 in Register position. If

desired, the key may be removed, so that the lever will remain locked in Register position for ordinary operation of the machine.

' The key 34 (FIG. 1) is known as a Proprietors Key and, when turned ninety degrees from its locked position, as shown here, to its unlocked position, permits movement of the total control lever 30 to all of itssix positions,

including the reset positions for the No. 1 and No. 2

- totalizers, A second key (not shown), known as an Operators Key, may be provided for the look 33 and permits movement of the total control lever from Register position to Read Row 1 or Read Row 2 positions, but does not permit movement of said. lever to any of its reset positions. This latter is to prevent resetting of any of the totalizers by persons other than those authorized to possess one of the keys 34. The Operators' Key and the Proprietors key 34 may be turned to Locked position, as shown in FIG. 1, only when the total control lever 30 is in Register position, thus locking said lever in said position and permitting removalof the keys from the lock 33.

The total control'lever 30 (FIG. 1) has an opening with six equally-spaced notches 36' therein corresponding to the six positions of said lever, which coact with a detent stud 37 in adetent arm 38 free on a stud in the machine framework and urged counter-clockwise by a spring (not shown) to cause said stud to yieldingly engage said notches 36, to yieldingly retain the total control lever in any of its six positions.

When the total control lever 30 is in Register position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the Row 1 and Row 2 control keys control the selection and functions in the corresponding totalizers. When the total control lever is in Read Row'l or Reset Row 1 position, the keys of control Row 1 are used in conjunction therewith to select the corresponding' totalizers on the. No. 1 line for reading or resetting operations. When the total control lever is in Read Row 2 position, the Row 2 control keys are used in conjunction therewith to read the totalizers corresponding to said operated control keys. When the total control lever 30 isin Reset Row 2 position, the proper Row 2 control *key is used in conjunction therewith to select for a resetting operation the corresponding totalizer on the No. 2 line used for the accumulation of negative totals such as Refunds and other Paid-Out items.

'When the total control lever 30 is in Reset Row 2 position, the No. 2 control keys for selecting the corresponding 'totali'zers onthe No. 2 line, in which positive totals are accumulated, may be used in conjunction therewith to reset these plus or positive totalizers.

Heretofore, one of the six positions of the, total control lever 30 was a Locked Register Position, in which position the key.34 could be turned to Locked position and removed from the lock 33 to lock the total control lever in suchposition and thus to lock the machine against operation. As explained above, the total control lever 30 is limited to six positions, and under ordinary conditions group totalizer is on the No. 2 line, and, with the machine arranged in this manner, an additional position of the to tal control lever 30 is required in order to reset the negative group totalizer on the No. 2 line. In other words, instead of the usual arrangement of one reset position for the total control lever for all the totalizers on the No. 2 line, two such positions are required; that is, Reset Row 2 and Reset Row 2 Inasmuch as movement of the total contr ol lever is limited to six positions, it was necessary to eliminate the Locked Register position in order to provide room for the Reset Row 2 position.

When the Locked Register position and its functions were removed from the total control lever 30, other means had to be provided forlocking the machine against'operation, as itis essential that this be possible. To accomplish this result, mechanism was devised wherebymoving the total control lever 36 to Register position and operating the release lever 29 (FIGS. 1 and '2) its full extent in a counter-clockwise or releasing direction, holding said lever in said position, and turning the'ke'y 34 to the" position shown in FIG. 1' to lock the total control lever 30* in Register position, simultaneously locks the machine against operation through the medium of the key lock and release shaft 28.

The mechanism operated jointly by the total control lever 30 and the release lever 29 to lock the machine will now be described.

The release lever '29 (FIG. 1) is pivotally mounted on a stud 4-0 secured in. the left frame 25, and a forward extension of said lever carries a stud 41 pivotall'y support:

on a stud 45 secured in the left frame 25". The lever 44 has a cam surface 46 arranged to coact with a roller 47 mounted on a stud in the upper end of an arm 48- so cured on the key lock and release shaft 23. A spring 49 urges the lever 29' clockwise to normally maintain a depending surface of said lever in yielding engagement with a bumper 50 of resilient material bonded to a bracket, in turn secured to thetotal control lever 30. As previously explained, the arcuate upward extension of the release lever 29 extends through a suitable opening in the keyboard plate 27 in a convenient location for manipulation. The'key release shaft 28 and the arm 48 are normally maintained by yieldable means (not shown) in their central or home position, as'shown in FIG. 1.

Depression of any one ofthe motorized control keys in Row 1 or Row 2 frees the arm 48"and the shaft 28 to the usual yieldable means, which immediately rocks said shaft and said arm clockwise from their central position to the position indicated in dot-and-dash lines, to initiate operation of the machine, inthe usual and wellknown manner, as fully disclosed in the co-pending application Serial No. 341,633. Clockwise movement of the arm 48 moves the roller 47 beneath an arcuate extension of the cam surface 46 on the lever 44 to secure said lever and the release lever 29 against operation while the machine is cycling. Near the end of machine opdisengage the clutch which connects said operating motor to the machine mechanism, and thus terminate operation of the machine. Immediately thereafter, the arm 48 and the shaft 28 are returned clockwise, by their yieldable means, from their extreme restored position to central or home position, as shown in FIG. 1, and as fully explained in the application Serial No. 341,633.

In addition to the automatic release of the depressed amount and control keys near the end of machine operation, as explained above, said keys may be released prior to machine operation by grasping the hook-shaped fingerpiece on the upper end of the release lever 2-9 and rocking said lever counter-clockwise, against the action of the spring 49. Counter-clockwise movement of the lever 29, through the link 42, rocks the cam lever 44 clockwise, causing the cam surface 46 thereon, in cooperation with the roller 47, to rock the arm 48 and the key lock and release shaft 28 counter-clockwise from central or home position to the position indicated by dot-and dash lines, to release any depressed amount or control keys. The extent of counter-clockwise releasing movement of the lever 29 and clockwise movement of the cam lever 44 is determined by an extending finger -1 on the link 42 coming into contact with a stop stud 52 secured in the downward extension of said lever 29.

Secured near the left-hand end of the shaft 28 is an arm 53 (FIGS. 3 and 4) carrying a stud 54, having connected thereto one end of a spring 55, the other end of which is connected to a stud 56 in a cam plate 57 free on the shaft 28, said spring 55 being tensioned to urge said arm and said plate toward each other to normally maintain a downward surface on said plate 57 in yielding con tact with the stud 54. The plate 57 has a cam slot 58, which coacts with a stud 59 in the forward end of a switch-operating lever 60 free on a stud 61 secured in the machine frame 25.

Clockwise releasing movement of the shaft 28 and the arm 53, upon operation of one of the motorized control keys, carries the plate 57 in unison therewith, causing the slot 53, coacting with the stud 59, to rock the lever 60 counter-clockwise (FIG. 3) to close the switch for the operating motor and thus to initiate operation of the machine, as fully disclosed in the co pending application Serial No. 341,633. Restoring movement counterclockwise of the shaft 28, the arm 53, and the plate 57, near the end of machine operation, restores the lever 60 clockwise to open the switch for the operating motor.

The release lever 29 (FIGS. 1 and 3) is fixedly connected to a crank 64 by a sleeve 63, which extends between said lever and said crank and forms a bearing for these parts on the stud 40. The upper end of the crank 64 carries a stud 65, which extends through arcuate slots 66 and 67 in the upper ends of companion links 63 and 69, the lower ends of which links have slots 79 and 71, through which extends a stud 72 secured in a forward extension of a lock arm 73 free on a stud 74 secured in the machine framework. Each of the links 68 and 69 has an inwardly-extending hook (FIG. 3) engaged by opposite ends of a spring 75, which urges said links in opposite directions, to cause opposite ends of the arcuate slots 66 and 67, in their upper ends, to yieldingly engage the stud 65 in pincer fashion. Likewise, the urging of the links 68 and 69 in opposite directions, by the spring 75, causes opposite ends of the slots 70 and 71, in the downward ends of said links, to yieldingly engage the stud 72 in the arm 73 in pincer fashion to for-m a flexible operating connection between the crank 64 and said arm 73. When the release lever 29 and the crank 64 are in normal position, the links 68 and 69 yieldingly hold the arm 73 in its clockwise nonrblocking position, as shown in FIG. 3.

An inward extension of the arm 73 has a bent-over ear 76, which coacts with a projection 77 extending inwardly from an arcuate surface 78, formed on a downward extension of a latch lever 79 free on a stud 80 secured in the machine framework. The ear 76 overlies the arcuate surface 78, and a spring 81 urges the lever 79 counter-clockwise to maintain said surface in yielding engagement with said ear. An upward extension of the lever 79 forms an angular camming node 82, which coacts with a camming extension 83 formed on the downward end of the barrel of the lock 33', which barrel is revolved by turning the key 34.

To operate the improved machine-locking mechanism, the release lever 29 (FIG. 1) is first operated full distance in a counterclockwise direction, which, through the mechanism shown here, rocks the arm 48 and the key lock and rel-ease shaft 28 counter-clockwise from central or home position to fully-restored position, as shown in dot-and-dash lines. This in turn rocks the arm 53 also counter-clockwise to the dot-and-dash position of FIG. 3 and the fullline position of FIG. 4, where a stud 84 in an upward extension thereof is moved beyond a protruding blocking surface 85 formed on the arm 73. Counterclockwise movement of the release lever 29 moves the crank 64 in unison therewith, which, through the stud 65, shifts the link 68 downwardly or counter-clockwise, applying increased tension to the spring 75 and providing clearance in the slot 70 in the lower end of said link, for movement of the stud 72. Counter-clockwise movement of the crank 64 moves the stud 65 away from the upper end of the slot 67 in the link 69, and thus said link is unged downwardly or counter-clockwise by the increased tension of the spring 75, but is restrained from such movement by the bent-over ear 76 on the arm 73, in cooperation with the projection 77 on the lever 79.

With the release lever 29 held in its full counter-clockwise operated position, in which the stud 84 (FIG. 3) is held beyond the surface '85, and with the total control lever 30 in Register position, as shown here, turning the key 34 from unlocked position to locked position (FIG.

1) causes the camming extension 83, in cooperation with the node 82, to rock the lever 79 clockwise, against the action of the spring 81. This moves the projection 77 out of the path of the ear 76 to free the arm 73 to the action of the tensioned spring 75, which immediately shifts the link 69 downwardly, which in turn rocks said arm 73 counter-clockwise from normal position to the position shown in FIG. 4 to move said ear 76 beyond said projection 77. Full operation of the key 3-4 moves the camming extension 83 beyond the node 82 to free the lever '79 to the action of the spring 81, which immediately restores said lever counter-clockwise to bring the projection 77 again into the path of the car 76, as shown in FIG. 4, to retain the arm 73 in counter-clockwise operated condition. Counter-clockwise movement of the arm 73 by the link 69, as explained above, moves the surface 85 into the path of the stud 84 FIG. 4) to retain the arm 53 and the key lock and release shaft 28 in their extreme counter-clockwise or fully-restored position, as shown here, to lock the machine against operation.

The arm 73 has a bent-over arcuate portion with an outer indicator surface 86, which is opposite and visible through an opening 87 in the front panel of the cabinet 26. When the arm 73 is in normal non-blocking position (FIG. 3), a green-colored portion of the surface 86 is opposite and visible through the opening 87, and, when said arm 73 is in counter-clockwise blocking position, a red-colored portion of the surface 86 is opposite and visible through the opening 87. Thus the unlocked or locked condition of the machine may be readily determined by observing the indicator surface 86.

After the machine has been locked against operation, as explained above, the release lever 29 and the crank 64 are permitted to be restored clockwise to unoperated position, as shown in FIG. 1, by the spring 49, which restoration, through the link 42, simultaneously restores the cam lever 44' counter-clockwise out of engagement with the roller 47, the locking mechanism functioning as explained above, and as shown in FIG. 4, to retain the key lock shaft 28 in its fully-restored condition, without the assistance of said cam lever 44. During clockwise restoring movement of the crank 64 (FIGS. 3' and 4 the stud 65 moves idly in the slot 66 in the upper end of the link 68, and said stud, in cooperation with the slot 67 in the upper end of the link 69, returns said link upwardly to impart added tension to the spring 75, to urge the link 68 also upwardly. However, the link (this held against such upward movement by the arm 73 whichisiretained in its counter-clockwise position (FIG. 4) by the car 76 in cooperation with the projection 77 on the latch lever 79.

Under the above circumstances, all that is required to unlock the machine for operation is to turn the key 34 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to unlatched position to operate the camming extension 83, as explained before, causing said camming extension to vn'pe over the node 8-2 of the lever 79, to rock said lever clockwise against the action of the spring 81 to move the projection 77 beneath and out of the path of the car 76. This frees the arm 73 to the action of th-elink 63 and the tensi'o'ne'd spring 75, which immediately shifts said link 68 upwardly to rock said arm 73 clockwise to move the surface 85 off of and away from the stud 84 to free the arm 53, the shaft Y28, and the arm 48 (FIGS. 1 and 4),

whereupon said parts are spring-restored to central or home position, as shown in FIG. 1, to unlock the machine for operation.

The improved machine-locking mechanism disclosed in the present application is not to be confused with the locking mechanism disclosed in the co-pending application Serial No. 570,442, as the present mechanism is of more efficientdesign and construction and operates in a more facile manner to lock the machine mechanism against opera-tion:

In the locking mechanism disclosed in application Serial No. $70,442, it was necessary to move the total control lever from Register position to either Read or Reset Row 1 position, after which the Release key wasdepressed, and, while retaining said key depressed, it was then" necessary to move the total control lever back to Register position to render the locking mechanism effective. To unlock this mechanism, it was again necessary to move the total control lever to either Read Row 1 or Reset Row 1 position, whereupon said locking mechanism was restored to unlocked condition. In the locking mechanism disclosed in the present application, no such manipulation of the total control lever is required, the only requisite in connection with the total control lever bein the operation of the lock 33, which is desirable and necessary in any event, to lock the total control lever 30 in- Register position.

While the form of mechanism herein shown. and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment disclosed herein, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms, all coming withinv the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means including a shaft operable in one direction to release the machine for operation and restorable in the opposite-direction to terminate machine operation; manually operable means to move and retain the shaft in fully restored position against releasing movement; a function control device movable to several positions to control the various functions of the machine; a lock on the function control device to look said device in a certain position; means rendered effective by the manually operable means to retain the shaft in fully restored positions; and means operable by the lock when operated to 2. In a machine of the class described, the combina tion of means including a shaft operable'in one direction to initiate machine operation and restorable in the opposite direction to terminate machine operation; manually operable means to move and retain the shaft in :fully restored position against releasing movement; a function control device movable to several positions to: control the functions of the machine; blocking means to block the shaft in fully restored position; a pair of 'spsringbiased links connecting the manually operable means to the blocking means whereby operation of said manually opreleasing movement to in turn lock the machine against operation. 7

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means including a shaft yieldably operated in one direction to initiate machine operation and restorable in the opposite direction to terminate machine operations; an arm secured on thesaft; manually operable means coacting with the arm to move and retain the shaft in fully restored position against releasing movement; a function control device movable to several positions to control the functions of the machine; a second arm secured on the shaft; blocking means coacting with the second arm-t0 block the shaft in fully'restored position against releasing movement; a pair of spring-biased links connecting the manually operable means to the blocking means, whereby operation of said manually operable means to restore the shaft urges the blocking means to blocking position; normally eifective means to retain the blocking means against movement into blocking position; and

means to lock the function control device ina certain position and to simultaneously operate the retaining means to first free the blocking means for movement to blocking position, when the shaft is retained in fully restored position by the manually operable means, to secure said shaft against releasing movement, after which the retaining means again becomes effective to retain the'blocking means in blocking position.

4; In a machine of the class described, the combination of means including a shaft rockable in one direction to initiate machine operation, and restorable inthe opposite direction to terminate machine operation; manipulative means operable to restore the shaft to and retain it in said opposite direction; a function control device movable to several positions to control the functions of the machine; a look to lock the function control 'device in a certain position; a blocking member for blocking movementof the shaft in releasing direction; yielda'ble connections between the manually operable means and the blocking member whereby movement of said manually operable means to restore the shaft urges the blocking member to blocking position; a latch lever normally effective to retain the blocking member in ineflective position; and means on the lock coacting with the latch lever When said lock is operated to freethe blocking member to the yielda-ble connections, when the shaft is held in fully restored position by the manipulative means, to cause said blocking member to block said shaft against releasing movement upon release of the manipulative means to lock the machine against operation.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means including a shaft rockable in one direction to initiate machine operation and restorable in the opposite direction to terminate machine operation; manipnlative means operable to move the shaft to and retain it in fully restored position; a function control device movable to various positions to control the functions of the machine; a lock operable to lock the function control device in a certain position; an arm mounted on the shaft; a blocking member constructed and arranged to coact with the arm to block the shaft against releasing movement; yieldable connections between the manipulative means and the blocking member whereby operation of said manipulative means to restore the shaft urges the said blocking member in blocking direction; a latch lever normally effective to hold the blocking member in ineflective position against the action of the yieldable connections; and coacting camportions on the latch lever and the lock, and effective when saidlock is operated while the manipulative means is held in operated condition to free the blocking member to the yieldable connections to cause said blocking member to block the shaft in fully restored position against releasing movement and thus to lock the machine against operation.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means including a shaft rockable in one direction to initiate machine operation and rockable in the opposite direction to terminate machine operation; an arm mounted on the shaft; manipulative means coacting with the arm to rock and hold the shaft in said opposite direction to prevent releasing movement of said shaft; a second arm mounted on the shaft; a blocking member constructed and arranged to coact with the second arm to hold the shaft in restored position to prevent operation of the machine; means including a pair of spring-biased links yieldingly connecting the blocking member to the manipulative means whereby operation of said manipulative means yieldingly urges the blocking member from non-blocking position to blocking position; a springbiased latch lever normally effective to hold the blocking member in non-blocking position against the action of the spring-biased links; a function control device movable to various positions to control the functions of the machine; a look on the function control device to lock it in a certain position; and means including a carnming node on the latch lever and a by-pass cam on the lock, coacting with said node when the lock is operated to first rock said latch lever out of latching position to free the blocking member for movement into blocking relationship With the second arm to hold said second arm and the shaft in restored position to lock the machine against operation, after which said latch lever is spring-returned to latching position, to latch the locking member in looking position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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