GB1585242A

GB1585242A - Toy cash-register

Info

Publication number: GB1585242A
Application number: GB322878A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PIZZOLI O
Current assignee: PIZZOLI O
Priority date: 1977-01-26
Filing date: 1978-01-26
Publication date: 1981-02-25
Also published as: DE2803192A1; FR2378543B3; FR2378543A1; IT1192239B

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TOY CASH-REGISTER (71) I, OSCAR PIZZOLO, of Via B. Marcello, la, Bologna, Italy, an Italian citizen, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to toy cashregisters.

Toy cash-registers are already well known in the form of a box-like frame having an external keyboard.

Each of the keys operates a corresponding slider, the slider showing a number equal to the number shown on the corresponding key. By pushing the key downwardly, a translation (or partial rotation) of the corresponding slider takes place, until the slider is held in a predetermined position by means of the blockage contact of a prominence against an appropriate blockage. In this position, the number associated with the slider is visible externally, or through an an appropriate window in the box-like frame, or by the slider partially protruding from the box-like frame.

By pushing an apposite key, the blockage is removed to release springs connected to the slider, and which were stressed by the slider during its previous movement, the slider returning to its initial position.

The manufacture of toy cash-registers as above described is very difficult and therefore the known cash-registers are expensive.

According to the invention there is provided a toy cash register comprising a housing on which are movably mounted a plurality of keys and a plurality of vertically movable sliders each corresponding to a key and provided on an upper portion thereof with a legend, each key being arranged to cooperate with the corresponding slider so that depression of the key causes movement of the corresponding slider from a lower position to an upper position, there being provided latch means for latching the plurality of sliders in their upper positions, the latch means comprising a movable bar attached to a further key and cooperating with a resilient projection provided on each slider, the resilient projection resting on the bar when the corresponding slider, is in its upper position so as to maintain the slider in its upper position and the bar being movable by depression of the further key out of engagement with the resilient projection to allow the corresponding slider to return to its lower positoin solely under the influence of gratitational force.

Preferably, the toy cash register further comprises a drawer slidable in the housing between open and shut positions, resilient means for biasing the drawer towards an open position, and means for releasably holding the drawer in a shut position.

Preferably, sonorous means are associated with the drawer and are arranged to make a sound when opening and shutting the drawer.

Preferably, the toy cash register further comprises a coin dispenser.

Preferably, the toy cash register further comprises a paper roll dispenser.

Conveniently, the coin dispenser comprises at least one vertical cylindrical container mounted on said housing and communicating at its lower end via a hole in the housing with one end of a guide surface on which a pusher is mounted, the pusher having an operating member extending through a slot in the housing and being movable to dispense a facsimile coin, fed from the cylindrical container onto the guide surface via the hole, onto a tray provided at the rear of the housing.

Conveniently, the paper roll dispenser includes a holder for a paper roll, and a plate having two parallel spaced slots therein and a saw edge generally parallel to said slots, the arrangement being such that, in use, an end of the paper roll is guided through the slots, between which it bears against the plate and is exposed, and is transversely severably by means of the saw edge.

Conveniently, the resilient projections are of blade-like construction, each projection being fixed to its corresponding slider at its upper end only and the lower end of each projection being arranged so as to rest on the bar when the corresponding slider is in its upper position.

Conveniently, the bar is part of a movable frame carried by two resilient rods supported within to the housing at their lower ends, the further key being mounted on the frame remote from the bar and being arranged to project through a hole in the housing such that by applying pressure to the further key the frame is turned from a first to a second position by resiliently flexing the two resilient rods to disengage the bar from the projections and hence to allow any sliders in an upper position to return to their lower positions.

Conveniently, the releasable holding means comprises a generally horizontally extending lever pivotably mounted between its ends in the housing and having an upstanding key at one end which projects through an opening in the housing and a projection which depends from the other end and which is engageable with the drawer to hold the drawer in a shut position, the lever being arranged to pivot when downward force is applied to the upstanding key to release the projection from engagement with the drawer so that the drawer will open.

Conveniently, the sonorous means comprises a bell having an associated striker fixed extemally of the bell to a resilient blade, the resilient blade being fixed at one end relative to the housing and the other end of the resilient blade being arranged to be intercepted by the drawer during shutting and opening thereof, whereby in use when the drawer is opened or shut the blade is resiliently flexed causing the striker to strike the bell with a consequent ring.

Conveniently, the resilient means for biasing the drawer towards an open position, comprises a transversely extending elongate spring connected at opposite ends to a rear position of the drawer and held midway or substantially midway between its ends relative to the housing.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred toy cash register; Figure 2 is an exploded, perspective view, some parts being "broken" so as to better show other parts, of the toy cash register of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a lateral view, to an enlarged scale with respect to the other Figures, of a lever operated by a respective key of the keyboard, and of the cash slider, the cash slider being in its extreme upper position; Figure 4 is a lateral view of the detail of Figure 3, the slider being shown in a position between the extreme upper and the extreme lower position; Figure 5 is a view of section A-A of Figure 1, and Figure 6 is a similar view according to that of Figure 5, during the distribution of facsimile coins.

With reference to the drawings, particularly to Figure 2, 1 denotes a box-like frame, in the front part of which is provided a window 2 for insertion of a drawer, containing facsimile paper money.

On the base of the frame at both sides with respect to the drawer, guides 5 are provided for guiding the drawer during sliding thereof. At the lateral external surface of the drawer (the left side in Figure 2), a stop 6 is provided to prevent the complete removal of the drawer from the frame and forming a catch with one end of a resilient blade 7, for holding the drawer before opening and after shutting the drawer. The blade 7 is provided with a striker 7a associated with a bell 7b, so that after each contact between the blade 7 and the stop 6, the striker hits the bell, which consequently rings.

In the lower part of the drawer, there is provided a transversely extending helical spring 8, the central part of which extends between two stops 9 upstanding from the base of frame 1. When the drawer is in a closed position the spring 8 is stressed. The function of the spring will be explained later.

Cover la of the box-like frame 1 is provided, at a central region and near its front ende, with a rectangular opening 10. Simmetrically with respect to the opening 10, the cover is provided with a rectangular plate 11 depending from the underside of the cover, the lower edge of the plate 11 being inserted into a groove 1 la formed in a projection 50, fixed to the base of the frame 1. The plate has two parallel vertically extending slits 12 in its upper part. The slits define a small resilient blade 13, on the upper part of which a rectangular lever 14 is provided. The lever 14 is disposed in the opening 10 and has on its upper surface and at one end a key 15 (on the left, in Figures 1 and 2) and, at the opposite end, on its lower surface, a projection 16. The projection 16 cooperates with a keyhole 16a in a separating wall 17 of the drawer 3, to maintain the drawer in a shut position against the spring 8.

For opening the drawer 3, key 15 is pushed downwards. This causes rotation of the lever 14 by means of the resilient flexing of the blade 13 and the lifting of the projection 16. Thus, the cooperation between the projection 16 and keyhole 16a is eliminated and the drawer 3 is moved partially out of the window 2 by the spring 8. The clickopening of the drawer is "softened" by means of the co-operation of the spring 8 with the stops 9.

Laterally of rectangular opening 10 (on the left as seen in Figures 1 and 2), the cover la of the frame 1 has a holder 18 of roughly semi-cylindrical shape. There is provided in the holder a small paper-roll 40, the end 40a of which passes through two parallel slits 19 in a plate 20, the slits being normal to the front edge of cover la and the plate 20 completely covering the holder 18. The end 40a consequently comes out externally, parallel to the plate 20, in correspondence with a saw edge 21 provided on the same plate. By lifting the paper end 40a externally of the plate 20, transverse tearing thereof is obtained by the cutting action of the saw edge. The paper end 40a, thus cut, provides a facsimile of the paper strips obtained in real cash-registers.

The plate 20 is in a larger plate 21a, formed in a housing 22 which covers the upper part of the cash-register. The plate 20 is fixed in the housing 22 by known means and a hole 23 is also provided in the housing for the key 15 to pass through.

On the cover la, of the frame 1 (the right-hand part in Figure 2), two plates 24 and 25 are fixed vertically with respect to the base, the plates being parallel to each other and to the front edge of the cover la.

On the first plate 24, nine levers 26 have their fulcrum, the levers being placed sideby-side. The fulcrum of the levers is further provided by means of two parallel projections 24a (see Figure 4) pointing downwardly on each lever and arranged on both sides of the upper edge of the plate 24. A retaining member 27 extends above the levers 26 to hold the latter in position on the plate 24.

The levers rest at their rear portions on the plate 25 and at their front portions have fixed thereto keys 28 of a keyboard 29 (one key for each lever), on which are printed numbers. The keyboard can be reached from the outside through a window 31 in the front part of the housing 22. Each of the levers 26 is hinged, at the rear portion, on the lower end of a corresponding vertical cash slider 30, on which, at its upper front part, is printed the same number as that on the respective key 28.

Each of the sliders 30 has at its front part, a small resilient blade-like projection 35, the upper end of which is fixed to the corresponding slider. Each projection is oriented downwards and moves slightly from the relative slider. The function of the projection will be further described later.

Guiding of sliders 30 during their vertical sliding (as for the reasons explained in the following) is realized by means of two horizontal plates 32 and 33, supported by two lateral walls 34, mounted on the cover la.

Each of the plates 32 and 33 is provided with nine-side-by-side holes 32a and 33a, through each of which passes a corresponding vertical slider 30.

In the front part with respect to each of said lateral walls 34, a resilient rod 36 is vertically arranged and fixed to the cover part la of frame 1.

At the upper ends of the rods 36, a small frame 37 is provided with a key 38 at its front and has a rear straight bar 39 adjacent to the front parts of the slider 30. The key 38 extends through an aperture 40b in the housing 22. By pushing downwards any of the keys 28 (arrow C in Figure 3), upward movement of the corresponding vertical slider 30 is obtained, the slider not being limited at all by the resilient projection 35 as the same flexes inwards. When the pressure on the key 28 is released, the slider partially drops a small amount, until the free end of the projection 35 comes into contact with the bar 39 of the small frame 37. Thus, the slider is held in an upper position In the upper position of the slider, the number printed thereon can be seen on the outside as a transparent cover 41 is provided on the housing 22.

By pushing the key 38 (arrow D in Figures 1 and 4), a partial rotation of a small frame 37 is obtained with respect to a horizontal exis by the deformation of the resilient rods 36, which releases the slider 30. Thus the slider 30 is allowed to fall solely under the influence of gravitational force, until it reaches its lowermost position, determined by the corresponding lever 26 resting on the vertical plate 25. In its lowermost position, the upper edge of the slider is in the same plane as the upper surface of the horizontal plate 33, so that the number printed on the front part of the slider cannot be seen from the outside through the transparent cover 41.

Four parallel pairs of guides 42, parallel to the lateral edge of cover la, are provided on cover la of the frame 1, and are disposed laterally with respect to vertical walls 34, and rearwardly with respect to cavity 18.

Each pair of guides define therebetween a channel which has at its rear end a rapid increase of width and which receives a correspondirig pusher 43 provided with a knob 44. The knob 44, when the pusher 43 slides, freely moves in a corresponding slot 45 in the upper housing 22. On the housing 22 four cylindrical containers 46, arranged vertically and having circular section, are disposed each one corresponding to one of the pushers 43. On the housing 22 forwardly of the slots 45, a rectangular strip 52 is fixed on which, corresponding to each slot, is shown the number printed on facsimile coins contained in the aligned containers 46.

Each of the containers corresponds to a hole in the housing, so that the base of each container rests in correspondence to the rear part of a corresponding pair of guides 42.

The diameter of the containers 46 increases from the left to the right as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and each container receives a pile 47 of facsimile coins. The coin at the bottom of the pile rests on the part of the cover laterally enclosed by the rear of a corresponding pair of guides 42 (Figure 5).

By moving a pusher 43, a coin is intercepted (Figure 6), and pushed from cover la so that it falls down and is collected by a tray 48, fixed to the rear wall of the frame 1.

Each vertical slider 30 is moved from its upper position to its lower position by exploiting only the weight of the slider itself with possibly some assistance from an associated lever 26. The register is provided with a facsimile coin dispenser and a paper strip dispenser which dispenses strips of desired length. The latter can be considered facsimiles of the paper strips or receipts of real cash-registers, on which the amounts are registered.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A toy cash register comprising a housing on which are movably mounted a plurality of keys and a plurality of vertically movable sliders each corresponding to a key and provided on an upper portion thereof with a legend, each key being arranged to coopereate with the corresponding slider so that depression of the key causes movement of the corresponding slider from a lower position to an upper position, there being provided latch means for latching the plurality of sliders in their upper positions, the latch means comprising a movable bar attached to a further key and cooperating with a resilient projection provided on each slider, the resilient projection resting on the bar when the corresponding slider is in its upper position so as to maintain the slider in its upper position and the bar being movable by depression of the further key out of engagement with the resilient projection to allow the corresponding slider to return to its lower position solely under the influence of gravitational force.

2. A toy cash register as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a drawer slidable in the housing between open and shut positions, resilient means for biasing the drawer towards an open position, and means for releasably holding the drawer in a shut position.

3. A toy cash register as claimed in claim 2, wherein sonorous means are associated with the drawer and are arranged to make a sound when opening and shutting the drawer.

4. A toy cash register as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, further comprising a coin dispenser.

5. A toy cash register as claimed in any one of claims 1--4, further comprising a paper roll dispenser.

6. A toy cash register as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coin dispenser comprises at least one vertical cylindrical container mounted on said housing and communicating at its lower end via a hole in the housing with one end of a guide surface on which a pusher is mounted, the pusher having an operating mamber extending through a slot in the housing and being movable to dispense a facsimile coin, fed from the cylindrical container onto the guide surface via the hole, onto a tray provided at the rear of the housing.

7. A toy cash register as claimed in claim 5, wherein the paper roll dispenser includes a holder for a paper roll, and a plate having two parallel spaced slots therein and a saw edge generally parallel to said slots, the arrangement being such that, in use, an end of the paper roll is guided through the slots, between which it bears against the plate and is exposed, and is transversely severable by means of the saw edge.

8. A toy cash register as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the resilient projections are of blade-like construction, each projection being fixed to its corresponding slider at its upper end only and the lower end of each projection being arranged so as to rest on the bar when the corresponding slider is in its upper position.

9. A toy cash register as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bar is part of a movable frame carried by two resilient rods supported within to the housing at their lower ends, the further key being mounted on the frame remote from the bar and being arranged to project through a hole in the housing such that by applying pressure to the further key the frame is turned from a first to a second position by resiliently flexing the two resilient rods to disengage the bar from the projections and hence to allow any sliders in an upper position to return to their lower positions.

10. A toy cash register as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3-9 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the releasable holding means comprises a generally horizontally extending lever pivotably mounted between its ends in the housing and having an upstanding key at one end which projects through an opening in the housing and a projection which depends from the other end and which is engageable with the drawer to hold the drawer in a shut position, the lever being arranged to pivot when downward force is applied to the upstanding key to release the projection from engagement with the drawer so that the drawer will open.

11. A toy cash register as claimed in claim 3 or any one of claims 4-10 when dependent on claim 3, wherein the sonorous means comprises a bell having an associated striker fixed externally of the ball to a resilient blade being fixed at one end relative to the housing and the other end of the resilient

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of the cover laterally enclosed by the rear of a corresponding pair of guides 42 (Figure 5). By moving a pusher 43, a coin is intercepted (Figure 6), and pushed from cover la so that it falls down and is collected by a tray 48, fixed to the rear wall of the frame 1. Each vertical slider 30 is moved from its upper position to its lower position by exploiting only the weight of the slider itself with possibly some assistance from an associated lever 26. The register is provided with a facsimile coin dispenser and a paper strip dispenser which dispenses strips of desired length. The latter can be considered facsimiles of the paper strips or receipts of real cash-registers, on which the amounts are registered. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A toy cash register comprising a housing on which are movably mounted a plurality of keys and a plurality of vertically movable sliders each corresponding to a key and provided on an upper portion thereof with a legend, each key being arranged to coopereate with the corresponding slider so that depression of the key causes movement of the corresponding slider from a lower position to an upper position, there being provided latch means for latching the plurality of sliders in their upper positions, the latch means comprising a movable bar attached to a further key and cooperating with a resilient projection provided on each slider, the resilient projection resting on the bar when the corresponding slider is in its upper position so as to maintain the slider in its upper position and the bar being movable by depression of the further key out of engagement with the resilient projection to allow the corresponding slider to return to its lower position solely under the influence of gravitational force.

blade being arranged to be intercepted by the drawer during shutting and opening thereof, whereby in use when the drawer is opened or shut the blade is resiliently flexed causing the striker to strike the bell with a consequent ring.

12. A toy cash register as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3-11 when dependent on claim 2, wherein the resilient means for biasing the drawer towards an open position, comprises a transversely extending elongate spring connected at opposite ends to a rear portion of the drawer and held midway or substantially widway between its ends relative to the housing.

13. A toy cash register substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.