US2884857A - First ave - Google Patents

Description

May 5, 1959 R. c. SGHWINN ETAL 2,884,857

RECORD MATERIAL FEEDING AND PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR CASH REGISTERS Filed May 21, 957 s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

, INVENTORS RICHARD C. SCHWINN WALTER G. STERZER FRANK R- WERNER May 5, 1959 R. c. SCHWINN ET AL 7 RECORD MATERIAL FEEDING AND PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR CASH REGISTERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1957 lNVEN TORS RICHARD c. SCHWINN WALTER s. sTERzER FRANK R. WERNER BY a THEIR ATTORNEYS y 1959 R. c. SCHWINN ET AL 2,884,857

RECORD MATERIAL FEEDING AND PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR CASH REGISTERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 21, 1957 w 96 $5 $5 26 R N E R R 5 W2 w E m n m m T W R E M P T M M M NHEN W. 335 W H HE NSSW Z mm 0504 IG m T W 0 0. m. W. R

W. W 9 7 O. 0. 0 O. m m K 5 a m m M 4 4 4 4 w M M R A 3 3 3 3 R F MWDQ 2 W FIG.9

THEIR ATTORNEYS RECORD MATERIAL FEEDING AND PRINTING EQUIPMENT FOR CASH REGISTERS Richard C. Schwinn, Walter G. Sterzer, and Frank R. Werner, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Application May 21, 1957, Serial No. 660,636 5 Claims. (Cl. 101-460) This invention relates in general to cash registers and accounting machines and is directed particularly to the printing mechanism and the record-material-feeding mechanism of such machines.

Speaking in general terms, it is an object of this invention to provide improved means for manually advancing or feeding record material, to provide clear space thereon for imprinting data from a changeable printing element.

Another object is the provision of means for moving a changeable printing element to printing position and for simultaneously advancing or feeding the record material to provide space thereon to receive an imprint from said printing element.

Another object is the provision of means, including a shiftable member for receiving a changeable printing element, for moving said printing element to printing position, and for simultaneously advancing or feeding the record material to provide clear space thereon for imprinting data from said printing element.

Still another object is to provide a machine, having means to print the usual data in connection with various business transactions on record material, and means to line-space said record material, with means operable independently of the usual printing and feeding means for receiving and moving a changeable printing element from convenient loading position to printing position, and for simultaneously advancing or feeding the record material to provide space thereon to receive an imprint from said changeable printing element. A further object is to provide a machine, having a regular means to print data on record material, and regular means to advance or feed said record material in relation to said printing means, with means comprising a manually shiftable member to receive a changeable printing element, to move said changeable printing element from a convenient loading position to printing position, and for simultaneously advancing or feeding the record material to provide more space thereon for imprinting data from said changeable printing element.

A still further object is to provide a machine, constructed and arranged to print records on record material which is unwound from a supply roll and rewound onto a receiving roll, with means to receive and move a changeable printing element from a convenient loading position into printing relationship with the record material, and to simultaneously revolve the receiving roll to move a previously printed portion of said record material beyond said printing element, to provide space on said record material to receive an imprint from said changeable printing element.

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 whichv accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

United States Pa n 2,884,857 Fatented May 5, 1959 "ice Fig. l is a front elevation of the manually operable auxiliary printing mechanism for printing data contained on a changeable printing element, upon the regular detail strip supply of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing the auxiliary printing and feeding mechanisms.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the record material receiving roll, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the auxiliary printing mechanism, showing said mechanism in intermediate or normal position.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view showing a portion of the mechanism of Fig. 5, after having been moved to printing position.

Fig. 7 is a disassembled perspective view, showing particularly the construction of the shiftable slide mechanism for moving the changeable printing element from loading position to printing position, and for simultaneously feeding the record material.

Fig. 8 is a left side elevation, showing in detail the mechanism for advancing the detail strip to provide space for imprinting data from the changeable printing element.

' Fig. 9 is a detail view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8, showing in particular the detail strip receiving roll ratchet and the usual means for rotating said ratch and the receiving roll to line-space the record material, and for retaining said ratchet and said receiving roll against retrograde movement.

Fig. 10 is a facsimile of a fragmentary portion of a detail strip prepared by a machine embodying the present invention, showing in particular the imprinting on said strip of data from the changeable printing element.

General description The machine chosen to illustrate the present invention is a well-known type of cash register or accounting machine of compact and economical design and construction, but, nevertheless, incorporating many of the features and refinements of larger and more costly machines.

The machine in its present arrangement is what is termed an electromechanical machine, being electrically connected to a media reader, which takes information from a punched price tag, for example, and enters it in the machine electrically, and at the same time this information may be entered in a tape recorder mechanism along with other desired information entered in and computed by the mechanical portion of the machine.

The electrical portion of the machine forms the subject matter for a separate patent application, which is being filed independently of the present application.

The machine chosen to illustrate the present invention is similar in appearance to, and has many of the general characteristics of, the machines disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,443,652, issued June 22, 1948, to Edward I. Carey and John B, Geers; United States Patent No. 2,450,165, issued September 28, 1948, to Harold O. Randall and John B. Geers; and United States Patents Nos. 2,710,576 and 2,722,887, issued, respectively, June 14, 1955, and November 8, 1955, to Frank R. Werner et al., and reference may be had to these patents for a full disclosure of mechanism which is not pertinent to the present invention and which for that reason will be described only in a general way herein.

The machine embodying the present invention is similar in outward appearance to the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 of United States Patent No. 2,710,576, and said machine comprises a framework structure for supporting the mechanism of the machine, said structure including a main left frame 20 (Figs. 1 and 7) and a similar main right frame (not shown), said main frames being secured in the proper spaced-apart relationship to each other on a machine base plate, which in turn is secured to the top surface of a drawer cabinet, containing one or more drawers for the reception and temporary storage of cash taken in by the clerks using the machine in connection with the sale of various items or commodities handled in a particular department of a large department store, for example. The mechanism of the machine is enclosed in a suitable case or cabinet, which is in turn secured to the machine base plate.

The base plate, the drawer cabinet, and the machine case are not disclosed herein but are similar to those disclosed in the patents referred to above.

The main frames of the machine are further secured in proper spaced-apart relationship to each other by various cross frames, rods, and bars, as is the usual practice in machines of this type.

Under normal conditions, the machine is operated through the medium of a small electric motor (not shown), located at the back of the machine. However, a hand crank is provided for manual operation of the machine when such is made necessary by unusual circumstances, such as failure or absence of electric current, or when the machine is being repaired or adjusted and slow or intermittent operation thereof is required.

While not illustrated herein, the keyboard of the machine comprises four rows of amount keys, three rows of classification or printing keys, and two rows of control keys for controlling the various functions and operations of the machine. The keyboard also includes a key release lever for releasing any inadvertently-depressed keys, a Motor Bar for initiating operation of the machine, and the usual Total control slide or lever, which is movable to various positions to control the different functions in the totalizers with which the machine is equipped.

The present machine is equipped with two totalizers, one an add-subtract item totalizer and the other a group totalizer, which latter accumulates a grand total of the amounts cleared from the item totalizer.

Each amount bank has associated therewith the usual amount differential mechanisms (not shown), which are positioned under control of the corresponding depressed amount keys in adding and subtracting operations to enter the amount set up, either additively or subtractively, into the wheels of the item totalizer.

In sub-total and total operations, often referred to as reading and resetting operations, the wheels of the selected totalizer control the positioning of the corresponding amount diiferential mechanism, while said wheels are being zeroized by said amount differential mechanisms. In total, or resetting, operations, the wheels of the selected totalizer remain in a zeroized condition, and in sub-total, or reading, operations the wheels of the selected totalizer are restored to their original positions; that is, the amount read therefrom is reentered therein.

The amount diifer'ential mechanisms for the different denominational rows of amount keys are connected through a transmission mechanism to corresponding indicators (not shown) and to corresponding printing wheels, for indicating and recording the amounts set up on said keys in adding and subtracting operations, and for indicating and recording the amounts taken from the selected totalizer wheels in reading and resetting operations.

The three rows of classification keys and the two rows of control keys have corresponding differential and transmission mechanisms, which function exactly like the similar mechanisms for the amount keys, to position corresponding indicators and type wheels to indicate and record data corresponding to the effective control and classification keys. In a similar manner, the Total control lever is connected to, and positions, corresponding type Wheels for recording data relating to the position and the function of said Total control lever.

The present machine may be provided with three types of record material for the recording of data relating to various types of machine operations, said record material including a detail strip, an issuing receipt, and an insertable slip.

In addition to the regular printing mechanism, the machine embodying the present invention is equipped with an auxiliary printing mechanism, attached to the machine proper and operable for the printing of customer identification data, such as name, address, and number, upon the detail strip and upon the orginal and duplicate sheets of an insertable slip. The identification data for each customer is contained on a changeable printing plate, of a known type, which is normally in possession of the customer. The auxiliary printing mechanism includes a manually-shiftable device for receiving and moving the printing plate from a convenient plate-loading position to printing position, where said plate is properly located in relation to the detail strip and the insertable slip. Movement of the shiftable device, in addition to moving the printing plate to printing position, simultaneously advances, or feeds, the detail strip to provide clear space thereon for an imprint of the data on said plate.

The auxiliary printing mechanism likewise includes a conveniently-located manually-operable printing lever, operation of which causes a printing roller to roll horizontally across the insertable slip, the detail strip, and the printing plate. Preferably, the printing roller is made of suitable porous material, such as a special kind of porous rubber, and is impregnated with a supply of ink suflicient for many impressions without reinking. The printing roller is guided in its horizontal printing movement by horizontal slots, which are so located in relation to the insertable printing plate as to cause said roller to roll across the slip, the detail strip, and the printing plate with sufiicient pressure to create a clear imprint of the data contained on said plate. Printing movement of the roller, due to its self-contained ink supply, makes an impression upon the original or top portion of the slip, which contains a special duplicating medium for duplicating the impression upon the special coated upper surface of the duplicate or bottom portion of the slip. Likewise, the duplicate sheet of the slip contains the special duplicating medium for duplicating the printing of the customer identification data in the space provided therefor on the special coated upper surface of the detail strip.

As at present arranged, the printing of the customer identification data occurs after all other entries have been made in connection with a transaction, and thus terminates said transaction.

After the data upon the identification plate has been recorded, the auxiliary printing roller and its operating lever are restored to normal position, after which the shiftable device may be moved outwardly from printing position to loading, or identification-plate-receiving, position, where the plate may be readily removed and returned to the customer.

In the ensuing pages, mechanism pertinent to the present invention will be described in detail in connection with the different figures of the drawings. If a detailed description is desired of mechanism not pertinent to the present invention, reference may be had to the patents referred to above for a complete disclosure of such mechanism.

Detailed description Records corresponding to various transactions are printed upon the web of a detail strip 18 (Figs. 1, 2 and 10), which is unwound from a supply roll 23 and is rewound onto a receiving roll 24. The supply roll 23 has a core 25, formed of substantially soft material, such as wood or fiber, and having a central bore, which freely has, on its periphery,

engages the periphery of a sleeve rotatably'supportedxon a stud 26 secured in the left frame 20. The core 25 is forced over diametrically or posed teeth, formed on the periphery of the sleeve, to insure that said sleeve and the supply roll rotate in unison. A spring (not shown), coiled about the stud 26, frictionally engages the periphery of said stud and also fricitionally engages the interior of the sleeve, and, as the detail strip is unwound, it revolves the supply roll 23 clockwise (Fig. 2) to wind thespring, which in turn urges said supply roll counterclockwise to maintain the web of the record material taut between said supply roll and the receiving roll at all times. I

The detail strip 18 is guided from the supply roll 23 onto the receiving roll 24 by sleeves supported by a series of studs 27 extending between a printer back plate 21 and a printer front plate 22, said back plate 21 being secured in fixed and properly-spaced relationship to the left frame 20 by various studs (not shown). The front plate 22 is supported in properly-spaced and fixed relationship to the back plate 21 by the studs 27, and by various other studs, rods, and shafts (not shown) in the manner disclosed in the patents referred to at the beginning of this specification. The web of the detail strip .18 is rewound onto a receiving roll core 28 (Figs. 2 and 3) having a central bore, which rotatably engages a stud 29 secured in the left frame 28. The central bore of .the core 28 is counterbored near its inner end to fit freely over a sleeve 30, free on the stud 29 and having integral therewith an auxiliary receiving roll ratchet 31 and a main ratchet 35, for rotating said core 28 to advance or feed the detail strip 18.

The auxiliary ratchet 31 carries diametrically opposed driving pins 32, which freely engage corresponding holes in the inner end of the core 28, and an inner flange 34 integral therewith, said flange serving to guide the web of the detail strip 18 around said core 28. The core 28 is retained on the stud 29 and in engagement with the driving pins 32 by a screw 33, the head of which fits freely in a counterbore in the outer end of the central bore of said core, and the threaded tenon of which screws into a threaded hole in the outer end of said stud 29. Opposite sides of the core 28 are flattened, as shown in Fig. 2, and each fiat surface has therein a lengthwise groove, which is arranged to be engaged by the forked prongs of a winding key 36, provided for attaching the web of the detail strip 18 to said core 28 and for manually revolving said core to wind said detail strip thereon.

I To start the web of the detail strip 18 around the core 28, the key 36 is removed, after which one or more turns of said detail strip are Wound around said core, and the key 36 is again engaged with the grooves to secure the web of the detail strip 18 on said core. Subsequent revolution of the core 28, either manually, by means of the key 36, or automatically, upon operation of the machine, will wind the detail strip 18 thereon.

The main feeding ratchet 35 for the receiving roll 24 ratchet teeth engaged by teeth in two retaining pawls 138 (Figs. 3, 8, and 9), rotatably supported on studs secured in the left frame 20. The retaining pawls 138 are spring-urged inwardly to normally maintain the teeth therein in yielding engagement with the teeth in the ratchet 35 to obstruct retrograde movement counter-clockwise of said ratchet and the receiving roll core 28. The teeth of the ratchet 35 likewise coact with the teeth in two feeding pawls 37, rotatably mounted on a feeding plate 140 free on the sleeve 30, said feeding pawls being spring-urged inwardly into yielding engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 35. The plate 140 (Figs. 8 and 9) is rocked first counter-clockwise and then back to normal position each machine operation, the first movement of said plate causing the feed pawls 37 to ratchet .idly over the teeth of the ratchet 35, which is held against retrograde, or counter-clockwise, movewent by the retaining pawls 138,

after which return 7 insertable printing plate 38 are free to movement clockwise of-said plate and-the feeding pawls 37 causes said pawls to carry the ratchet 35, the sleeve 29, the ratchet 31, and the core 28 of the detail strip receiving roll clockwise in unison therewith to line-space the record material 18, in the manner explained fully in the patents referred to earlier herein.

The upper studs 27 (Fig. 2) guide the upper portion of the detail strip 18 in a substantially horizontal plane beneath a line of type wheels 19, including type wheels for the amount, classification, and control keys, and operation of the impression mechanism, near the end of machine operation, carries the detail strip 18 and an inking ribbon (not shown), interposed between said detail strip and the type wheels 19, into contact with said type wheels to record the data set up thereon upon said detail strip 18.

As :brought out in the General Description, the present machine is provided with an auxiliary printing mechanism for printing data of a customer identification nature upon the detail strip 18, and to this end each customer is provided with a changeable printing plate 38 (Fig. 1), similar in every respect to the well-known Charg-a-Plate, bearing his name, address, and number. The printing plate 38 has, formed in its lower surface, a rectangular recess, which fits over a locating plate 39 (Figs. 4 and 7) secured to the top surface of an operating plate 40 in turn secured to the top surface of an inverted T-shaped slide 41 by screws 52, which pass through corresponding holes in said plates 39 and 4d, and threadedly engage holes in said slide41, as shown in Fig. 7. The T-shaped slide 41 engages and slides freely into a T-shaped slot 42 formed in a slide supporting bracket 44 secured to the outer surface of the plate 21 and having a downward extension 53 secured to the plate 22. Also operating in the T slot 42 with the slide 41 is an auxiliary T-shapcd slide 43 (Figs. 4 and 7). Extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the auxiliary slide 43 is a stud 45, which freely extends through a guide slot 46 (Fig. 5) in the bracket 44 and through an operating slot 47 in a detail feed arm 48 pivoted on a screw stud 49 threaded in the bottom surface of the. bracket 44. A spring 58 is tensioned between the lower. end of the stud 45 and a similar stud 51 secured in the bottom surface of the operating plate 40 to normally maintain the outer end of the auxiliary slide 43 in yielding contact with the inner end of the main slide 41, as shown in Figs. 4 and 7.

To insure proper placement of the changeable printing plate 38 upon the locating plate 39, the inner edge of said printing plate is providedwith notches which engage locating studs 54 and 55 in the operating plate 40.

The slide 49 (Figs. 4 and .5) is retained in its inner printing position or in its intermediate or normal position by means of a spring finger 57, a bent-over portion of which is secured to the outer edge of the bracket 44, said spring finger having an inverted V-shaped hump formed on its inner end, which hump coacts with the beveled inner end of the plate 40, and with a V notch 58 cut in the bottom surface of said plate 40. When the plate 4.0 and associated parts are in their intermediate or normal position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, which is determined by the stud 45 in the auxiliary slide 43 contacting the outer end of the slot 46 in the bracket 44, the hump of the spring finger 57 coacts with the beveled inner end of said slide to yieldingly retain it in the position shown here.

A downwardly-formed right-angled extension 59 of the slide 40 provides a convenient fingerpiece for moving said slide to its various positions. The slide 40 and connected parts may be moved outwardly from intermediate position to a more convenient position for installing the changeable printing plate 38, and in this case the auxiliary slide 43 remains stationary in intermediate position, as determined by the stud 45 and the slot 46 (Fig. 7), while the main slide 41, the plates 40 and 39, and the m r p d'td y assess? independently thereof, stretching the spring 50. The extent of outward movement of the plate 40 and connected parts to loading position is determined by a stop screw 60 threaded into the bracket 44 and extending through the inner branch of the T-shaped slot in said bracket, in cooperation with a shoulder 61, formed by a cut in the lower surface of the main slide 41. After the printing plate has been properly atfixed to the slide 40, said slide is freed to the action of the spring 50, which restores it from its extreme outer position to its normal intermediate position, as shown in Fig. 4, as determined by the inner end of the main slide 41 coming into contact with the auxiliary slide 43, and by the beveled inner end of said plate 40 coming into contact with the hump on the spring finger 57. Continued inward pressure on the plate 40 causes the inner end of said plate to ride over the hump of the finger 57, and, when said plate 40 and connected parts arrive in printing position, the V-shaped slot 58 engages the hump of the finger 57 to yieldingly locate the changeable printing plate 38 in proper printing relationship with the detail strip 18, as shown in Fig. l.

'Inward movement of the plate 40 and connected parts, .to printing position, as explained above, causes a roller 62, carried by the stud 45, and extending through the slots 46 and 47 (Figs. 1, 4, and in cooperation with said slot 47, to rock the arm 48 inwardly, or counter-clockwise, to the position shown in Fig. 6, to rotate the detail receiving roll 24 in a manner to be described presently, to advance or feed the record material 18, and thus to provide clear space thereon to receive an imprint of the data .on the changeable printing plate 38. A downward extension of the arm 48 (Figs. 4 and 5) carries two studs 63, which support two rollers 64, which in turn coact with a horizontal slot 65 (Fig. 8) in the inner plate 21 to guide and strengthen said arm 48 and thus to prevent deflection or distortion thereof when it is operated by the inner movement of the auxiliary slide 43, under control of the plate 40 and connected parts.

The downward extension of the arm 48 (Figs. 4 and 7) has a substantially vertical slot 66 engaged by the -oval head of a stud 67, which extends through a curved clearance slot in the plate 21 and is secured in a gear sector 68 pivotally supported on a screw stud 69 threaded in the left frame 20. The teeth of the gear sector 68 (Figs. 2, 3, and 8) mesh with a pinion 70 free on the sleeve 30 and having integral therewith an auxiliary feed pawl drive plate 71, having mounted thereon an auxiliary feed pawl 72 urged clockwise by a spring 73 to normally maintain teeth formed in said pawl in yielding engagement with teeth formed on the periphery of the auxiliary feed ratchet 31. Inner or counter-clockwise movement of the arm 48 (Figs. 4 and 5) when the plate 40 and the auxiliary slide 43 are moved inwardly from normal position to printing position, as explained above, causes the slot 66 in the downward extension of said arm, in cooperation with the oval head of the stud 67, to rock the gear sector 68 counter-clockwise (Figs. 7 and 8). Counter-clockwise movement of the gear sector 68 rotates the pinion 70, the plate 71, and the pawl 72 clockwise, causing said pawl, in cooperation with the teeth of the ratchet 31, to rotate said ratchet clockwise in unison therewith. The auxiliary ratchet 31, in turn, rotates the core 28 of the receiving roll 24 for the detail strip 18 clockwise in unison therewith (Fig. 2) to advance or feed said detail strip to provide sufiicient clear space thereon to receive an imprint of the data on the changeable printing plate 38. After printing has been effected, as will be explained presently, return movement outwardly of the plate 40 and the main slide 41, through the spring 50, carries the auxiliary slide 43 in unison therewith, to restore the arm 48 forwardly, or clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 5. The arm 48 restores the sector 68 also clockwise (Fig. 2), whereupon said sector, through the pinion 70, restores the plate 71 and the feed pawl 72 counter-clockwise (Figs. 8 and 9). During its restoring movement, the feed pawl 72 rides idly over the teeth in the ratchet 31, said ratchet and the main ratchet 35 being retained against retrograde movement by the retaining pawls 138.

With the changeable printing plate 38 in its inward printing position, as explained above, depression of a conveniently-placed hand lever 76 (Fig. 1) causes a porous roller 77, impregnated with ink, to roll across the detail strip 18 and to impress said detail strip against the printing plate 38 to print the customer identification data contained on said plate (Fig. 10) on the outer surface of said detail strip.

The lever 76 and the roller 77 are mounted between the parallel side plates 78 and 79 (Figs. 1, 2, and 4) of a rockable framework, said plates being pivoted on a stud 80 supported in the side members of a bracket 81 in turn secured to the left frame 20 by screws 82. The side plates 78 and 79 are similar in outline and are maintained in proper parallel spaced-apart relationship to each other by the stud 88 and various other studs extending therebetween. The lever 76 is pivotally supported on a stud 83, extending between the plates 78 and 79, and an inward extension of said lever 76 fits in a clearance slot formed in a block-like link 85 and is pivotally engaged by a stud 84, supported by said link. The link ,85 carries a stud 86, which pivotally connects said link to similar parallel arms 87 and 88, the upper ends of which are rotatably supported on a stud 99, extending between the plates 78 and 79, said link 85 maintaining said arms 87 and 88 in proper spaced relationship to each other. The downard ends of the arms 87 and 88 have identical slots, which engage opposite ends of a short shaft 89, forming an axle for the roller 77. The axle 89 carries two similar rollers 90, which engage corresponding identical horizontal slots 91, formed in the plates 78 and 79 (Figs. 1 and 4), to support the roller 77 for horizontal printing movement across the changeable printing plate 38. A spring 92, tensioned between the stud 86 and a hook formed on the bracket 81, urges the arms 87 and 88 counter-clockwise, as viewed here, to normally maintain the roller 77 in its extreme right-hand position, and to maintain the lever 76 in its extreme upward or clockwise position, which is determined by a raised inner surface on said lever contacting a stop stud 93, extending between the plates 78 and 79.

The comparatively strong spring 92 also urges the entire framework, comprising the plates 78 and 79 and the parts supported thereby, clockwise to the position shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 1, which position is determined by pads 94, formed on the inner edges of the plates 78 and 79, contacting the outer surface of the left frame 20. This clockwise position of the plates 78 and 79 provides ample clearance for installation and removal of the changeable printing plates 38.

With the changeable printing plate 38 in printing position, as shown in Fig. 1, initial depression of the lever 76 rocks the entire framework, comprising the plates 78 and 79 and the parts supported thereby, counter-clockwise against the action of the spring 92, until blocks 95, carried by each of said plates 78 and 79, come into contact with a finished surface 96, formed on the upper edge of the plate 22, which locates said framework in printing position, in which the slots 91 are in accurate horizontal alinement with the printing surface of the plate 38. Continued depression counter-clockwise of the lever 76, through the link 85 and the arms 87 and 88, in cooperation with the rollers 90, shifts the axle 89 and the printing roller 77 outwardly, or toward the left (Fig. 1), causing said roller, guided by the slots 91, to roll over the detail strip 18 and force said detail strip into printing contact with the changeable printing plate 38 to print the customer identification data contained on said plate on the upper surface of said detail strip 18.

It will be recalled that the printing roller 77 is made of suitable porous material, such as synthetic rubber,

''which absorbs and stores a supply of printing ink s'uflicient for making many imprints upon the detail strip 18. After the roller 77 has completed its left-hand printing stroke, releasing pressure on the lever 76 permits the spring 92 to restore said lever, said roller 77, and the :to the left, to their extreme position, as shown in dotand-dash lines in Fig. 1, where the changeable printing plate 38 may be readily removed and another plate installed, after which the spring 50 will restore said plate 40 to its normal, intermediate, position, as shown in Fig. 4, which is determined by the inner or right-hand end of said plate coming into contact with the hump on the spring finger 57, and by the slides 41 and 43 coming into contact.

Operation- 4 It is believed that a full understanding of the opertlon of the customer identification printing mechanism will have been obtained from a perusal of the preceding description. However, a further brief description of operation will be given, using the fragmentary portion of the detail strip 18, shown in Fig. 10, as illustrative of a typical example of the use of the machine.

The particular transaction illustrated in Fig. is what is termed a multiple-item charge transaction, in which several charge items are entered in asmany item-entering operations, and a final item total operation is performed to clear the item totalizer and transfer the amount therein to the group totalizer, and at the same time record the item total upon the detail strip 18.

In this particular transaction, first the Charge control key in row 1 is depressed, after which the amount of the first item, $24.45, is set up on the amount keys and the Merchandise key in' row 2 is depressed, after which the machine is released for an item-entering operation by depression of the Motor Bar. In this first item-entering operation, the amount of the item, $24.45, is printed upon the detail strip 18 and entered in the item totalizer, and at the end of the operation all depressed keys are released, except the Charge key, which remains depressed until the end of the final item total operation.

Next, the amount of the second item, $10.65, is set up on ,t-he amount keys, the Merchandise control key is depressed, and the machine is released for the second itementering operation by depression of the Motor Bar. During this operation, the amount of the second item, $10.65, is printed upon the detail strip 18 and simultaneously accumulated in the item totalizer.

In the third item-entering operation, the amount of the third item, $5.73, is set up on the amount keys and the Merchandise control key is depressed, after which machine operation is initiated by depression of the Motor Bar, during which operation the amount of the third item, $5.73, is printed upon the detail strip and simultaneously accumulated in the item totalizer.

Inasmuch as there are no more items to be entered, the operator conditions the machine for the final item total operation by depressing the Total key in row 2 and initiates machine operation by depressing the Motor Bar. During this final item total operation, the item totalizer is cleared, and the total amount therein, $40.83, is printed upon the detail strip 18 and simultaneously transferred into the group totalizer, which accumulates a grand total of all items for a predetermined business period.

After the final item total operation of the multiple item charge transaction has been performed, the operator moves the plate 40 outwardly, or toward the left (Fig. l), to its loading position, as shown here in dot-and-dash lines, and places the proper changeable printing plate 38 upon said plate 40, after which said plate is moved inwardly to its printing position, as shown here in full lines.

During this inward movementof-the plate ,40 and associated parts, the detail-strip-advancing mechanism isoperated, in the manner explained before, to advance or feed the detail strip 18 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 10, to provide proper space on said detail strip for the printing of the customer identification information. After this, the lever 76 (Fig. l) is depressed, in the manner explained previously, causing the ink-impregnated roller 77 to move across the detail strip 18 and impress said detail strip against the changeable printing plate 38 to print the customer identification data contained on said plate upon the outer face of said detail strip, as indicated by the number in Fig. l0.

In the above example, where the imprint from the changeable plate is made only on the detail strip 18, said strip may be made of ordinary paper of desirable quality.

However, there are many business systems which require recording of the item total and the customer identification data on a duplicate slip as well as on the detail strip. In this latter case, the duplicate slip (not shown) is inserted into the machine above the detail strip 18, just prior to the item total operation, and therefore the amount of the item total and the customer identification data are printed on the original and duplicate sheets of the slip and on the detail strip 18. In this instance, the ink-impregnated roller prints the customer identification data on the top or original sheet of the slip, and, as the slip is made of a special type of duplicating material, the customer identification data is simultaneously printed upon the special coated upper surfaces of the duplicate sheetof the slip and the detail strip 18.

While the form of mechanism shown and described herein 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 within the scope and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, constructed and arranged to print the usual data in connection with various business transactions on a strip of record material, which strip is unwound fr-om, a supply roll and rewound onto a receiving roll, the combination, with a changeable printing element for printing special data on the record material, of a manually-shiftable device movable from a position convenient for applying or loading the changeable printing element to a printing position where said element is in proper printing relationship with the record material; an arm rockable in a horizontal plane by the device; a gear sector rockable in a vertical plane by the arm; and means including a ratchet mechanism connected to the receiving roll and operated by the gear sector to rotate said receiving roll, which in turn advances the record material to provide clear space thereon for an imprint from the changeable printing element.

2. In a machine of the character described, constructed and arranged to print data on a strip of record material that is unwound from a supply roll and rewound onto a receiving roll, the combination, with a changeable printing element for printing special data on the record material, of a manually-operable main slide and an associated auxiliary slide mounted on the machine to shift in a horizontal plane; yieldable means connecting the slides for non-positive movement in one direction; means on the main slide to removably receive the changeable printing element, said main slide movable independently of the auxiliary slide to a convenient printing element receiving or loading position, said main slide and the auxiliary slide movable in unison in the opposite direction to move the printing element into correct printing relationship with the record material; and means, including an arm operated by the auxiliary slide and a gear sector operated by the arm, to rotate the receiving roll to advance the record material to provide clear space thereon to receive an imprint from the changeable printing element.

3. In a machine of the class described, constructed and arranged to print data on a strip of record material, which is unwound from a supply roll and rewound onto a receiving roll, the combination, with a changeable printing element for printing special data on the record material, of a main slide constructed and arranged to removably receive the changeable printing element, said slide manually shiftable in a horizontal plane outwardly from a normal intermediate position to a convenient position for receiving the printing element, and then shiftable inwardly through the normal intermediate position to move the printing element into printing relationship with the record material; an auxiliary slide shiftable in the same plane as the main slide; spring means to connect the auxiliary slide to the main slide, whereby said main slide is movable independently of said auxiliary slide from intermediate position outwardly to printingelement-receiving position, and whereby said main slide moves said auxiliary slide in unison therewith from intermediate position to printing position; and means including an arm operated by the auxiliary slide, and a gear sector operated by the arm, to rotate the receiving roll to advance the record material, to provide clear space thereon to receive an imprint from the changeable printing element.

4. In a machine of the character described, constructed and arranged to print data on a strip of record material, which is unwound from a supply roll and rewound onto a receiving roll, the combination, with a changeable printing element for printing special data on the record material, of a main slide having means to removably accept or receive the changeable printing element, said slide mounted on the machine for manual shifting movement in a horizontal plane firom a normal intermediate position outwardly to a convenient position to receive the printing element, and then shiftable inwardly past intermediate position to printing position to move said printing element into proper printing relationship with the record material; an auxiliary slide mounted to shift in the same plane as the main slide; spring means to connect the slides whereby the main slide is movable independently of the auxiliary slide from intermediate position outwardly to printing-element-receiving position,

andwhereby both slides are movable inwardly in unison from intermediate position to printing position; an arm rockable in a horizontal plane by the auxiliary slide; a gear sector rockable in a vertical plane by the arm; and means including a ratchet mechanism connected to the record-material-receiving roll and operated by the gear sector to rotate said roll to advance the record material to provide clear space thereon to receive an imprint from the changeable printing element.

5. In a machine of the character described, constructed and arranged to print the usual data in connection with various business transactions on a strip of record material which is unwound from a supply roll and rewound onto a receiving roll, the combination, with a changeable printing element for printing special data on the record material, of a main slide having means to removably accept the changeable printing element; horizontal ways mounted on the machine and arranged to support the main slide for manual shifting movement in a horizontal plane from a normal intermediate position outwardly to a printing-elemcut-receiving position, and then inwardly past intermediate position to a printing position, in which the printing element is located in printing relationship with the record material; an auxiliary slide shiftably supported in the ways adjacent the main slide and movable by said main slide from intermediate position to printing position; spring means to connect the slides, whereby the main slide is movable independently of the auxiliary slide from intermediate position to printing-elernent-receiving position; an arm operated by the auxiliary slide; a gear sector operated by the arm; and connections between the gear sector and the recordmaterial-receiving roll to rotate said roll to advance the record material to provide clear space thereon for an imprint from the changeable printing element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,842,086 Hartley Jan. 19, 1932 1,965,578 Colquhoun July 10, 1934 2,601,283 Helsel June 24, 1952 2,606,494 Vogt Aug. 12, 1952 2,633,075 Gruver Mar. 31, 1953 2,782,714 Davidson Feb. 26, 1957 2,787,215 Metzner Apr. 2, 1957

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