US1132529A - Check-registering device. - Google Patents

Description

D. W. THORNTON.

' CHECK REGISTERING DEVICE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 30, 1914.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

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D. W. THORNTON. CHECK REGISTERING DEVICE. APPLIGATION FILED MAR.30,1914.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

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D. W. THORNTON. CHECK REGISTERING DEVICE. I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1914. 1,1 32,529 Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

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Dav i (Z PITT/porn ion UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID W. THORNTON, OF CONRAD,.MONT ANA.

CHECK-REGISTERING- DEVICE.

Application filed llarch 30, .1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID IV. THORNTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conrad, in the county of Teton and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Registering Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in check registering devices and more particularly to an improvement on my former Patent No. 7 93, 173, issued June 27, 1905, and my object is to provide a device of this character in which checks registering various amounts may be registered, the. arrangement of the device being such that the device will indicate individual amounts, as well as total amounts of checks introduced therein.

Still another object of the invention resides in providing a device which is simple and durable in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, andone which will be very eflicient and useful in operation.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and. arrangement of. parts, as, will be hereinafter referred to and more. particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of one of the checks used in connection with the machine; Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device set up for operation; Fig. 4 is a front elevation partly in section of one of the single or individual adding mechanisms; Fig. 5 IS a side elevation thereof; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the total adding mechanism; Fig. 7' is a plan view thereof; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 9 is a detail. side elevation, partly in section of the mechanism for releasing the cash drawer; Fig. 10' is a detail elevation of the manual actuating means for releasing the cash drawer; and Fig. 11- is an elevation of a clevis used in connection with the mechanism shown in Fig. 10.

In describing the invention, I shallrefer to the drawingsv in which Similar reference Specification of Letters Patent.

Paten-ted M'ar. 16,1915.

SeriaLN-o. 828,321.

characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which- 1 indicates a casing or the like, such as is usually provided for registering and adding devices, the same being designed to receive the various registering mechanisms and drawers, as will be hereinafter set forth. Mounted in the casing above the bottom thereof, is a supporting flooring or the like 2 and it must here be stated that the casing is so designed as to be substantially open at its top. In order to provide a cover or closure for this opening, a removable plate, 3 is provided, the same being locked or otherwise removably secured in position to be removed only by those authorized to do so. This removable plate 3 covers but a portion of the top of the casing. A hinged cover 1 is provided in addition thereto, the forward edge of the same being provided with a depending flange 4 to cover a portion of the front of the casing, for a purpose to be hereinafter and more particularly set forth. This hinged closure or cover plate 4 is offset intermediately of its ends to provide a downwardly inclined portion and this member 4: is provided with a plurality of slots 5 through which the checks or other devices used in connection with this machine may be introduced. This casing is so designed as to receive a plurality of drawers, the upper of which are indicated as 6 and are, in fact, individual check receiving receptacles. In the drawings, I have shown but a pair of such drawers which are designed to receive checks introduced through apair of slots 5. formed. in the hinged top member 4, but it will be understood that as many drawers and a corresponding number ofslots may be provided, as are found desirable. As above stated, a depending flange 4 is formed on the forward edge of the hinged top-member 4 and, as clearly disclosed in Figs; 1 to 3 of the drawings, this depending flange projects over the front wallsof the drawers 6 of the device when set up in its operative position. Thus, the flange. retains said drawers in their closed and operative positions. The lower drawer disposed at the bottom of the casing 1 and indicated in the drawings as 7, forms a cash drawer for the device, the same being of the usual construction for containing coins and bills, of various denominations.

As. above, stated, an interior flooring 2; is

mounted in the casing 1 some distance above the base or floor of said casing proper, the same dividing the casing into a pair of compartments, the lower of which contains the above described check and cash drawers This upper compartment is designed to contain the registering apparatus and it might be here stated that this registering apparatus consists of a single or individual adding and registering mechanism 8 and a total adding device 9. Mounted on the flooring 2, adjacent the forward portion thereof, are pairs of vertical bearing plates 10 which form supporting Walls or frames for the rotatable shafts 11 mounted therebetween. Mounted on each of the shafts 11, to rotate therewith, is an indicating wheel 12, which may be termed a primary or cents indicating member. Also mounted to rotate with each shaft 11 is a pin gear 13 which carries therewith a crown ratchet wheel 14. Loosely mounted on each shaft 11 for cooperation with the crown ratchet wheel 1 1 is a complementary crown ratchet member 15. Carried on the complementary ratchet member 15 is a pinion 16 and encircling the shaft between the pinion 16 and the adjacent bearing plate 10, is a coil spring 17, the normal tendency of which is to force said pinion and the parts carried thereby in a direction toward the ratchet member 1%, thus normally engaging said ratchet members 14 and 15.

Slidably mounted on bearing rollers carried by supporting brackets 18 which are mounted on the flooring 2 is a rack bar 19, the same moving longitudinally of the de vice and having the teeth thereof in mesh with the pinion 16; The forward end of this rack bar, is bent upwardly as indicated at 20 and is designed for cooperation with an adjacent slot 5 in the top member 1, as will be hereinafter more particularly set forth. An expansion spring 21 held between lugs 22 and 23 carried respectively on the member 18 and the member 20, normally retains said rack bar in a position as indicated in Fig. 3. It will be seen from this construction that said member 19 will be forced rearwardly against the tension of said spring 21, but when released, will be returned to its initial position under the action of said spring. Also mounted for rotation between each pair of bearing plates 10, is an additional shaft 241, the same being provided with a registering wheel 25, similar to the wheel 12 heretofore referred to. This shaft 24 also carries a pin gear 26. Bent leaf springs 27 are secured to the flooring 2, the free ends of which are designed for engagement with the teeth of the gears 13 and 26 to prevent the rotation of the same and of the shafts supporting said gears when the machine is not in action. As stated, the Wheel 12 represents a primary or cents indicating wheel or register, the same being printed or otherwise having inscribed on the periphery thereof numbers representing amounts, and these amounts are preferably advanced by five, so that when the wheel is revolved, it will indicate the amount, or add amounts, represented by the checks deposited in the machine. The wheel 25 is the dollar registering wheel and is designed for actuation when the amounts on the wheel 12 have been registered to the highest degree. In order to actuate this member 25, a laterally extending pin or stud 28is carried on the wheel 12, which is disposed in such a position as to engage a tooth of the gear 26 at a predetermined point in the rotation of said member 12. Thus, said gear 26 with the shaft 24 and all other parts connected therewith, will be actuated once in the complete rotation of the wheel 12. The registering structure so far described in connection with the registering means, represents the individual adding and registering mechanism.

Mounted upon the flooring 2 rearwardly of the mechanism indicated as .8, is the total adding mechanism indicated as 9. A frame 29. is mounted on the member 2 to form a supporting structure for this part of the registering mechanism, the same having upstanding side arms which support in the forward portion thereof, a rotatable shaft 30. Loosely mounted on this shaft 30 is a sleeve 31, one end of which terminates slightly in advance of one side portion of the frame 29 and has a crown ratchet 32, carried thereon. Loosely mounted on the shaft 30, is a complementary crown ratchet member 33 which is designed for engagement with the member 32, said ratchet 33 also carrying therewith a pinion 34. Encircling the shaft 30 between this pinion and the adjacent side wall of the frame 29 is a coil spring 35, the

normal tendency of which is to force the pinion 31 and the ratchet 33 in the direction toward the ratchet 32, thus normally engaging said ratchets 32 and 33 one with the other. Mounted on the sleeve 31 to rotate with the latter is a registering wheel 36' signed for cooperation with the member 38 is a complementary crown ratchet wheel 39 which carries therewith an additional pinion 40. A collar 41 is securely mounted on the sleeve 31 and a coil spring 11 encircles the sleeve between said collar and the pinion 40, whereby to normally force the latter in Also carried on the sleeve 31 to a direction towardthe ratchet '38 and correspondingly engage theratchet 39 with said ratchet 38. fI-t might here be stated that the rack bars 19 which extend longitudinally of the casing l are also designed for cooperat'ion with the pinions 40 and 34:, as well as the pinion 16 above mentioned. Thus'it will be seen that as the rack bars are actuated, the mechanism in the total registering apparatus will be actuated simultaneously with the actuation of the individual registering mechanism. The operation of this structure, however, will be hereinafter and more particularly set forth. Also rotatable between the side walls of the frame 29 and in a plane above the plane of the axis of the shaft 30, is an additional shaft 42. This shaft carries thereon a pin gear 43 and a register wheel -14, the pin gear being designed for engagement with a laterally ex tending pin or stud 45 carried by the registering wheel 36 hereinbefore mentioned.

-'This wheel 14 contains numerals thereon corresponding to the numerals and amounts on the Wheel 25 of the single or individual registering mechanism. An additionalshaft a6 is "rotatably mounted between the walls .of the frame rearward-1y of the shaft 42, the same also carrying thereon a wheel 47 and a pinion gear 18 similar to the members a4 and 43 just described. The numerals: however, on the wheel 47 obviously are not the same, inasmuch as they are to represent enlarged amounts received in the machine. A further shaft 49 is rotatable in the frame 29 rearwardly of the shaft 146, this last Inentioned shaft being also provided with a registering wheel 50, and pin gear 51. The wheels 4-1 and 47 are respectively provided with laterally extending studs or projections 52 ,and 53 which are adapted to engage resaectively the teeth of the gears 48 and 51.

hese studs .or pins engage these gears once in the rotation of the wheels carrying the same, so that the successive wheels are turned one notch in one complete rotation of the preceding registering wheel. Attached to the base of the frame "29 are the leaf springs 54 which are designed for engagement with the teeth of the pin gears 37, 4.3, #18 and 51 to prevent the rotation thereof and the adjunc'tive parts in a retrograde direction.

Arranged between the rear wall of the casing 1 and the rear wall of the cash drawer 7 is a coil spring 55 which has a tendency to normally force the drawer in its extended position. I have, however, provided a mechanism for retaining said drawer in its closed or retracted position, and to this end, I provide a latch member '56 which is pivotally carried on a bracket or bearing 57 on the rear wall of said casing 1. This bracket is designed for engagement with a keeper 58 carried on the rear wallof'the cash drawer.

end of a fu'lcrumed lever 60, the latter being fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on a bearing 61 which is supported on the flooring 2. The opposite end of the lever 60 is free and designed for engagement with a cam 62 which is carried on the shaft 30. It is apparent from this construction that upon the rotation of the shaft 30, the cam will be so actuated as to actuate the lever 60 and correspondingly disengage the latch member 56 from the keeper 58. Under these conditions, the drawer 7 will be forced to its extended position under the action of the spring 55. The member 56, however, is so weighted as to overcome the weight of the lever 60, as soon as the cam has rotated a certain distance, so that upon the return of the drawer to its initial position, the same will be automatically engaged with said latch member 56.

While I have not shown an alarm such as is usually provided in cash registers or in devices of this character, it is understood that the same maybe provided.

In the construction above described, it will be seen that the drawer will only be opened upon the actuation of the shaft 30. It is desirable, however, to provide a means for releasing the latch 56, so that the drawer may be opened at other times, and upon the actuation of the complete machine, and to this end, an additional lever 63 is provided, the same being fulcrumed intermediate of its ends and between the arms of a clevis 6%. carried on the flooring 2. The lever 68 is so disposed as to permit a portion thereof to be arranged just below a projecting portion of the lever 60 and adjacent the connection of the latter with the shaft or rod The opposite end portion of said lever 63 has a pivotal connection with a push lever which projects through the top wall of the casing 1. Thus, when it is desired to cause said drawer to be disposed to an .extended position without acuating the device, it is only necessary to push downwardly upon said push lever 65, which operation will cause the lever 63 to be oscillated on its fulcrum point. Such actuation of the lever 63 will cause the lever 60 to be actuated and obviously release the latch 56 from its engagement with the keeper 58. Such action will permit the drawer to be immediately disposed to its extended position under the action of the spring 55.

' As previously stated, this device is a check registering machine, especially adapted for use in barber shops and other places employing clerks or help who receive payments which are turned into a common receptacle, but which have separate and independent recording means for the payments received by each employee.

In carrying out my invention, checks 66 are provided, the same being somewhat wedge-shaped, as clearly disclosed in Fig. 2 of the drawings. These checks vary in proportion to the amounts which they represent, and each check has printed, stamped, or otherwise inscribed thereon, a letter or number-representing the clerk or helper who carries out the work for which the check is deposited in the machine. This check further has stamped thereon the amount of money which the same represents and it may be here stated, that in carrying out the ol jects of my invention, each clerk or helper is provided with checks varying in width and amount from five cents to one dollar. The amounts represented by the checks preferably increase at the rate of five cents, each check which represents an increased amount being slightly larger than the check representing the neXt lower denomination, and the purpose of this will be apparent from the description of the operation of the device.

In the use of this device, it is my intention to provide each clerk or helper with checks of different widths, which, as stated above, represent various amounts of money, one check being deposited with each amount of money received by him and the said check stamped with the amount of money cleposited in the register. As stated previously, this device as shown in the drawings, contains but a pair of drawers which correspond with a pair of slots 5 in the top of the device, so that this machine is only capable of being used efiectively by two persons or clerks. Each clerks checks are numbered or lettered to correspond with a similarly numbered or lettered slot and compartment of the device. As each payment is made to the clerk, a check corresponding to the amount of the payment is introduced in a particular slot in the device. As the check is introduced in the slot, the same will engage the forward end of the rack bar 19, and inasmuch as the check is wedge-shaped, the same will force the rack bar rearwardly, causing the various shafts to be rotated, as is obvious from the construction of the device as above described. As stated, the checks vary in size according to the amounts which they represent and said rack bar, therefore, will be forced rearwardly to a distance corresponding to the size of the check inserted. Through the various ratchet Wheels, the primary indicating wheels of .both the individual and total adding mechanisms will be actuated to a greater or lesser degree, as the. case may be. Thus, the amount of the check last inserted, together with the amount of the checks previously deposited, will be registered thereby. The numbers on the periphery of the primary indicating wheels represent amounts from five cents to one dollar, as before stated, said amounts increasing at the rate of five cents, and the device is so constructed that after checks to the amount of one dollar have been deposited, the pins on the primary indicating wheels will engage the gears on the secondary or adjacent indicating wheels, so upon the next movement of the primary indicating wheels, said secondary wheels will be moved a distance of one notch. As each successive number on the secondary registering wheel represents an increase of one dollar, the amount deposited by each helper and the total deposited in the ma chine, may be observed at a glance. The total registering or operating mechanism operates in precisely the same manner as the individual or single adding mechanis1n,'with the exception that it is provided with two additional indicating wheels, the third wheel registering one space or notch for each twenty dollars deposited, and the fourth wheel registering one space or notch for each one hundred dollars deposited in the machine.

It is intended that at the close of each days business, theforeman will open the adding mechanisms, representing the work accomplished and the payments received by each helper. These amounts may be recorded and the checks removed from'the machine and returned to the respective employees. It will be seen, that inasmuch as each class of checks is received in a separate receptacle 2'. e.-a drawer 6, the same will not require sorting as the sameare being removed from the machine. It will be seen from the drawing, that the total recording mechanism is disposed in the rearward. portion of the machine and is coveredby the covering plate or member 3. This member is not intended for removal by any other than the proprietor of the establishment in which this machine is being used, so that no unauthorized persons may observe the amounts of money which are constantly being registered in this device. After observing and recording the amounts registered on this device, the wheels may be turned by hand and set to the zero mark if desired, for further registration in the use of the device.

While it is necessary to raise the cover plate 4 in order that the proprietor or other authorized personmay observe and determine the total amounts, each individual using the registermay v observe his own registering disk through a transparent pane 4 provided in said cover plate 1- for that purpose. This transparent plate is sufficiently large to enable the figures on the disks to be readily observed one at a time, as said disks are rotated.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved device, the opera tion thereof and the manner of applying the same to use will be readily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided a ma chine which is simple and durable in construction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and one which will be very eflicient and useful in operation.

While I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion, and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the principles of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a registering device of the class described, a casing provided with slots arranged at predetermined points therein, a frame mounted within the casing, shafts rotatably mounted within the frame, indicating wheels carried on said shafts, means for causing certain of the shafts to be rotated upon the rotation of certain other of the shafts, clutch mechanisms in connection with certain of said shafts, sliding rack bars arranged within the casing for cooperation with certain of said shafts to rotate the latter upon the movement of said rack bars, spring means in connection with said rack bars to normally retain the latter in position for cooperation with the slots in said casing, and means adapted for introduction through said slots to actuate said rack bars and parts connected therewith.

2. In a registering device of the class described, a casing provided with slots arranged at predetermined points therein, a frame mounted in the casing, shafts rotatably mounted in the frame, primary indicating wheels mounted on certain of said shafts, secondary indicating wheels mounted on certain other of said shafts, means in connection with said Wheels and shafts to rotate certain of the same upon the rotation of certain other thereof, clutch mechanisms arranged in connection with the shafts carrying the primary indicating wheels, sliding rack bars mounted in the casing, means in connection with said rack bars and the last referred to shafts to rotate the latter upon the sliding movement of said rack bars in one direction, and spring means to normally retain said rack bars in position for cooperation with the slots in said casing, whereby to be actuated upon the introduction of members through said slots.

3. In a registering device of the class described, a casing, a frame mounted in the casing, a plurality of shafts rotatably mounted in said frame, primary indicating wheels carried on certain of the shafts to rotate therewith, secondary indicating wheels carried on certain other of the shafts to rotate with the latter, means for causing the last mentioned shafts to be rotated upon the rotation of the first mentioned shafts, clutch mechanisms in connection with the first mentioned shafts, pinions in connection with port-ions of said clutch mechanisms, spring means arranged in connection with the pinions to normally position the clutch mechanisms elfectively, rack bars slidably arranged in said frame in connection with said pinions to rotate the latter and parts connected thereby when said rack bars are disposed in one direction, and spring means in connection with said rack bars to normally dispose the latter to predetermined positions in the casing for actuation at predetermined times.

a. In a device of the class described, a casing having a check receiving slot in the top wall thereof, a horizontal flooring mounted in the casing slightly below the top wall of the same, bearing members mounted on said flooring in longitudinally spaced relation to one another, a rack bar arranged for longitudinal movement between the bearing members, said rack bar being provided with longitudinally spaced apart slots and having one end thereof bent for disposition to a point immediately adjacent said slot, bearing rollers carried on said bearings and received in the slots of said rack bar, spring means to normally retain said rack bar in a predetermined position in the casing and operating mechanisms in connection with said rack bar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID WV. THORNTON. Witnesses:

R. FERGUSON, GILEs CAMPBELL.

Copies of thll patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent;

Wanhington, D. G.

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