US1657696A - A cobpobation - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 31, 1928.

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed June 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l gnwflloz William H. Robertson w u Jain. 31, 1928. 1,657,696

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed June 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .FIG.2

gwuenioc William H. Roberhon Jan. 31, 1928. 1,657,696

W. H. ROBERTSON CASH REGISTER Filed June 13, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 William H Robertson B Y M 0M Patented Jan. 31, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ROBERTSON, 0F DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO,-A CORPORATION OF EABYLAND.

Application filed June 13, 1924. Serial No. 719,783.

This invention relates to cash registers, and more particularly to cash registers of the type. described in Letters Patent of the United States to Kettering and Chryst, No. 1,137,061, issued April 27, 1915, to which reference may be had for a complete description of such parts of the machine as do not relate directly to the present invention.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for moving the record strip during the operation of the machine so that the last printed items are in a readable position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the amount on the totalizer is printed on the record strip and maintained on the totalizer after the operation.

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

Of said figures:

Fig. 1 is a right side elevation of the mechanism supported on the outside of the right hand side frame.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionof the machine taken inside of the right hand side frame.

Fig. 3 is a right hand side elevation of the printing mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a detail justment.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the totalizer read controlling mechan sm shown in operated view of the paper adposition.

' Fig. 6 is a detail view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 in home position.

.Fig. 7 is a detail view of the type printing segment operating connections.

General description.

. The machine illustrated inthe above men-, tioned application is of the drawer-operated type, that is, the energy for driving the mechanismduring the o ening movement of the drawer is stored up y the closing movement of the cash drawer. The drawer is normally spring-pressed outward, but is re- CASH REGISTER.

strained from such movement by a latch which is freed by the depression of a release bar. The drawer then opens under the action of the spring, and is returned by hand to its closed position. Upon the return movement of the drawer, the amount, clerks initial, transaction character, etc., set up on the keyboard are recorded on a record strip. The total amount accumulated on the totalizer may be printed on the record strip and the totalizer reset to zero, or not, as desired. The printing-of a sub-total and a reset total is controlled by manually operated devices which are operated prior to an operation of the machine. I

Referring to the drawings, only so much of the mechanism is shown as is necessary to clearly illustrate the im rovement, the complete mechanism being s own in the Kettering and Ghryst patent previously referred to. 1 I

The machine is o erated in the .usual manner by depressing t e proper keys representing the transaction, after which a release bar 30' (Fig. 1) is operated to release the cash drawer 31 and cause the operation of the machine. The release bar 30 is secured to a forked plate 32, suspended by- links 33 and 34 supported on the frame member 35. This'barv is retained in normal position by a spring 36. A pin 37 mounted in a bell crank lever 38 pivoted at 39 is held in engagement with the plate '32 b a spring 40 stretched between the pinan a pin in the plate 32, This causes the bell crank lever 38 to move when the release bar is operated. The lower end of the bell crank. lever 38 is formed with two notches 41 and 42, which are engaged bya roller 43"on'a rod 44 carried by'arms 45 and 46 pinned on a rod 47 (Figs. 1 and 2). A link 51 connectsthe arm 46 to-a drawer latch 52 pivoted at 53'to the frame of the machine. The lower end of the latch 52 is bifurcated to receive a roller 54 carried in a bracket mounted onthe rear end of the cash drawer. The roller 43 engages the notch'41, as shown in Fig. 1, to hold the latch in the position shown in Fig.2, thereby preventing the opening movement of the drawer to open. The latch is held in its moved position by a spring stretched between the link 51 and a member rigid with the left side frame.

When the latch 52 is freed to move clockwise, a pair of drawer-operating arms 55,

mounted on studs 56 on opposite sides of the machine, one arm being shown in Fig. 1, are swung clockwise to move the cash drawer forward. These arms are actuated by a spring (not shown), the lower end of which is attached to the frame of the machine, and the upper end to a pivoted arm which is connected by a link, both of which are not shown, to a bell crank lever 57 (Fig. 3) which is P nned to a rod 58. As only the right hand arm 55 (Fig. 1) and its associate parts are shown, the description will refer to such parts. Pinned to the rod 58 (Fig. 2) is an arm 59 which is connected by a'link 60 and stud 61 to the draweroperating arm 55 (Fig. 1). The lower end of the drawer-operating arm carries a. roller 71 which engages a block 72 secured to the cash drawer 31. Also fast on the lower end of the drawer-operating arm is a springactuated full-stroke pawl 73 which cooperates'with notches in a rack plate 74 to compel the drawer operating arms to be moved forward the proper distance before the cash drawer can be returned to. its normal posi-. tion. v

The drawer-operating arms 55 constitute means for driving the machine, as well as means for storing up energy in the driving spring, as they are moved counter-clockwise by the closing movement of the cash drawer, as is fully explained in the patent previously referredto.

Totalz'zer.-When registering items, the totalizer 75 (Fig. 2), which is normally engaged with its actuating segment 76, is disengaged from this segment at-the beginning of the operation of the machine. As the drawer operating arm 55 (Fig. 1) swings forward, a plate 77 pivoted on the right hand arm 55 engages a roller 78 carried on a bell crank lever 79 and causes said lever to move counter-clockwise on its pivot 80. A link 81 connects the bell crank lever 79 with another bell crank lever 82 to cause these two levers to move in unison. Also pivoted to the lever 82 is a link 83, the upper end I of which is-bifurcated and carries two pins 84 and 85 to engage the restricted ortions of openings 86 and 87 formed in p ates 88 and 89, respectively, which are secured to'a rod 90, to which totalizer supporting arms 91 (Fig. 2) are, also secured.

As the arm 55 moves forward, rocking the bell. crank lever 79 counter-clockwise, the totalizer 75 will be disengaged from its actuating segment 76. As the arm 55 approaches its forward position, the plate 77 will engage the roller 92 carried on the front bell'crank lever 82 and cause this lever to move clockwise to rock the 'rod 90 and" again engage the totalizer with its actuator so that the items represented by the depressed item keys 93 (Fig. 2) will be entered in the totalizer during the return of the cash drawer to normal position. A spring tensioned arm 94 (Fig. 1), pivoted on the rack plate 74, cooperates with a pin 95 mountcd'in the pawl 7-3 to prevent the bell crank lever 79 from being moved counter-clockwise by the plate 77 as the arm 55 returns to its normal position. The pin 95 engages the lower edge of the arm 94.- which is provided with an upwardly extending projection 96 engaging the lower end of the bell crank lever 79 to hold the lever rigid as the plate 7 7 engages the roller 78, thereby causing the plate to swing on its pivot against the tension of a sprin until it is free to pass by the roller 78. y this mechanism the totalizer is held engaged with the actuators as the parts return to home position.

The totalizer actuating segment 76 (Fig. 2) is pivoted on a stud supported in the key frame in axial alinemcnt with stud 98, and is loosely connected to a segment: 99 pivoted on the same center as the actuator. The segment is moved counter-clockwise b a spring until its movement is intercepted by a depressed key, and if no key is depressed, it will be moved one space when its movement will be intercepted by a zero stop lever (not shown), all of which is fully described in the patent above referred to.

The segments 99 (Fig. 2), which have been moved counter-clockwlse, are returned to their home position by a rod 105 which extends laterally through the machine to engage all of the segments, and is supported at each end by an arm 106 pivoted at 98. Each of the arms carries a roller 107 engaging a cam slot 108 formed in a plate 109 secured to the rod 58. As the rod 58 is rocked clockwise the arms 106 will be caused to move counter-clockwise and, as the cash drawer is closed to rock the rod 58 counter-clockwise, the arms 106 will return to their home position, as shown in Fig. 2. The depressed keys are released to return to normal position near the end of the operation of the machine. The keys are held in depressed position by the usual latching detent, not shown, which is supported at its upper end by a pivoted member 110, a portion of which is shown in Fig. 2 to show the operating relation to the mechanism which moves the latching detent to release the depressed keys. Engaging the swinging member 110 is a yoke member 111 which extends laterally across all the key banks and is freely mounted upon a rod 112 sup orted in the frame of the machine. This yo re member has a downwardly extending arm 113 on the right hand side which is connected by a link 114 (Fig. 1) to a lever 115 pivoted on a'stud supported in the side frame. The upper end of the lever carries a rollerz llfi which engages a spring pulled pivoted plate 117 mounted on a stud supported by the right hand arm 55.

The pivotal movement of the plate 117 is controlled by a pin 118 engaging a slot in the plate. As the arm moves clockwise, the plate 117 will move on its pivot in a like direction and, on the return of the arm 55 toits home position, the plate 117 will engage the roller 116 and move the lever 115 counterclockwise which rocks the yoke member 111 (Fig. 2) to operate the latching detent and release the depressed key.

Printer.Each item registered upon the machine is printed upon a .record strip 123 (Fig. 3), which is fed from a supply roll 124 over a guide roller 125 under a movable guide roller 126 around guide rollers 127 under a movable guide roller 128 over a guide roller 129 onto a receiving roll 130.

The items are printed upon the record strip by type segments 131 freely mounted upon a rod 132 and each having a rearwardly extending arm 133 which is connected by a link 134 to an arm 135, 137 or 138 (Fig. 7 The arms 135 are pinned to rods 136 to which are pinned arms 141 (Fig. 2). The arms 137 and 138 (Fig. 7) are freely mounted on two of the rods 136 and are yoked across to arms 139 and 140 also freely mounted on said rods 136. Each arm 141, 139 and 140 is connected by a link 142 to a swinging link 143 pivoted at 144 to its respective segment 99. The number of actuating segments and type segments varice with the registering capacity of the machine. Each one of the arms 143' carries a. roller (not shown) which is in axial alinement with the stud 98 and cooperates with a cumming arm 145 secured to the rod 146. The rod 146 is rocked during the operation of the machine by an arm 147 also securedto the rod and carrying aroller 148 engaging the cam slot.149 formed in a plate 150 secured to the oscillating shaft 58. The camming member 145 is the means'for swinging the arm 143 on its pivot 144 to differentially position the type segment corresponding to the differential position of the totalizer actuating segment, all of which is fully described in the patent previously referred to.

Legible impressions are made upon the record strip 123 (Fig. 3) by an inkin ribbon 156 wound on rotating spools 157 and 158. This ribbon is moved from one spool to the other by a ribbon feeding and reversing mechanism illustrated and described in the patent previously referred to. An impression platen 159 is mounted in a swinging arm 160 which is pivoted on a rod 161. This impression arm is normally held under 5 ring tension by a latch 162 freely mounte on the stud 163. The latch engages a flat sided pin 164 projecting laterally from the impression arm. The latch is mainplate 168 supports a pitman 170 pivoted at 171 and guidedb a pin 172 which engages a slot 173 forme in the upper part of the pitman. The upper end of the pitman 170 carries a pin 174 which is-fla'ttened on the left hand side so as to engage the flat side of the pin 164 carried by the impression arm 160 as the pitman 170 is moved downward by the clockwise movement of the plate 168. As the pin 174 passes. to the right of the pin 164 it will engage the latch member 162 and cause this latch to move clockwise on its pivot to the extent of disengaging from the pin 164. As the latch 162 dlsengages from the pin 164, the impressi on arm 160 will receive a slight counterclockwise movement so that the latch 162 can not return to its latched position when the pin 174 moves upward to disengage from the pin 164 and allow the impression arm to operate under the tension of the spring 165. There is provided enough clearance between the flat side of pin 164 and pin 174 to permit the slight counter-clockwise movement of the impression arm as stated above. Roleasing the impression arm by the upward movement of the pitman 170 enables the type segments to be placed in proper alignment before the impression is made. The impression arm is moved counter-clockwise by an arm 176 freely mounted on the stud 161 and constantly under the tension of the spring 165 attached to the latched member 162 and to a pin mounted in the arm 176. As the impression arm is released it will move in unison with the arm 176 until the lower end of the arm 176 comes into contact with a pin 177, when the arm 176 will stop and the momentum of the impression arm 160 will cause it to continue its movement until coming into engagement with the type segment, after which it is returned by a spring 178 until a projection 179 engages a pin 180 mounted in the arm 176. As the pitman 170 moves upward the pin 174 will engage the lower'side of the projection 179 and return the impression arm '160 to its latched-position, as shown in Fig. 3. A pin 181 projecting laterally from the frame of the machine controls the clockwise movement of the arm 176 and, consequently, the

the pawl 182 is mounted, has a movement greater thanthat necessary to move the ratchet one tooth, provision is made whereby the pawl 182 is disen aged from the ratchet during a part of t e movement of the arm 168. The pawl 182 has an arm 184 extending toward the left which as the arm 168 moves clockwise will engage a pin 185 supported in the side frame of the machine and cause the pawl 182 to move clockwise on its pivot to the extent of disengaging from the ratchet 183. The part of the arm 184 engaging the pin 185 is formed so as to give a camming action in the operation of the pawl by the pin 185. A spring-actuated pawl 186 prevents retrograde motion ofthe ratchet 183.

The last printed impression upon the record strip is brought forward to a writing table 187 so as to be in a position to permit writing memoranda pertaining to the printing. In registering the next item 'the paper is again shifted so that the next impression will be placed just above the last impression. The record strip is shifted from the writing position to the printing position by the movable guide rollers 126 and 128 which are sup orted by an oscillating member 189 pivoted at 190. The oscillating member is operated by a. link 191 connecting it to an arm 192 of the three arm plate 168. An elongated opening 193, by which the link 191 connects to the arm 192, provides a dwell in the movement of the member 189 at the time the impression is being made upon the record strip. In its home position, the member 189 engages an eccentrlc collar 194 (Figs. 3 and 4) adjustably mounted upon the rod 125. This eccentric collar provides adjustment to control movement of the record strip into proper printing position;

Total printing-The accumulated amount on the totalizer may be read by figures on the digit wheels and by printed figures on a record strip. In printing the accumulated amount on the record strip the totalizer may be reset to zero or the accumulated amount may be left on the totalizer after the total printing operation.

Printing a total without resetting the totalizer to zero will be termed a subtotal, and printing the total and resetting the totalizer to zero will be termed a grand total. To print a subtotal it is necessary for the operator to" move a knob 200 from the upper end of a slot 201 (Fig. 6) to the lower end of the slot (Fig. 5). The slot 201 1s in -a plate 202 fastened by two screws to the right hand side of the casing 203. There is also a slot in the casing corresponding to the slot 201. A plate 204 riveted to a flange 205 at all times closes the opening in the casing through which the knob 200 moves. The flange 205, to which also the knob 200 is fastened, is a part of a link 206, the lower end of which has an elongated opening 207 engaging a screw stud 208 mounted in the right hand drawer operating arm 551 When the knob 200 is in its normal or home position, as shown in Fig. 6, the link 206 (F i l) is disengaged from the plate 77, an when the knob is moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the lower end of the link 206 is in engagement with the plate 77 and has moved the plate clockwise on its pivot to the extent that when the drawer arm 55 moves forward in a. clockwise direction the plate 77 is maintained-in an ineffective relation with the roller 78 on the bell crank lever 79, and also the roller 92 on the bell crank lever 82, so that the machine is o erated without operating the mechanism whleh disengages and engages the totali zer with the actuator. The upper end of the link 206 (Fig. 1) has a notch 209 which will engage with a roller 210 as the knob 200 (Fig. 5) moves from the upper end of the slot 201 to the lower end.- The roller 210 is mounted on a stud carried b an arm 211 (Fig. 1) which is pinned to t e rod 112. As the link 206- moves downward, the roller 210 will cause a lever 212 to move counter-clockwise on its pivot 213 against the tension of a spring 214, and as the roller reaches the lower end of a projection 215 on the lever 212 it will engage a depression 216 and move to a second depression 217 formed in the lower end of the projection 215, the roller 210 remainin in the second depression 217 until release by the operation of the machine to return to its home position.

In a machine of this type it is necessary to make an extra or idle operation before printing a total, as fully described in the patent previously referred to. During this extra or idle operation of the machine an arm 218 (Fi 1) is moved counter-clockwise a sufiicient distance to disenga e a roller 219 carried by this arm from a s oulder 220 formed on the arm 211. With the roller 219 disengaged from the shoulder 220 (Figs. 5 and 6) from the upper end of the slot 201 to the lower end, as previously described. As the arm 2l1.moves clockwise, the roller 219 will travel along the curved edge 225 of the arm 211 which furnishes a means. formoving the arm 218 counterclockwise. As this arm moves counterclockwise a link 226, pivoted at the lower end of the arm and engaging a stud 227 carried by a link 83, will move'the link on its pivot clockwise and disengage the pin 84 from the restricted opening 87, in. which position the totalizer-is maintained in en-- gagement with the actuators during the entire operation of the machine. An, elongated opening 228 in the link 226 permits initialmovement of the am 218 at the time of the idle operation without affecting the link 83, and also permits the arm 218 to reposition and the operated position as shown in Fig. 5, by a spring tensioned lever 229 (Fig. 1) pivoted at 230 and connected to the arm 211 by a link 231. The left hand end of the lever 229 passes from a position below the plane of the pin 37 to a position above the plane of this pin as the arm 211 moves from its home position to its operated position. The elongated opening 232 in the lower end of the link 231 permits the knob 200 (Fig. 5) to return to home position prior to .the return of the release bar to normal position.

The return of the drawer operating arms 55 (Fig. 1) to their normal position will engage a flexible arm 237 with a roller 238- carried on the lever 212 and cause said lever to move counter-clockwise and disengage the roller 210 from the notch 217, permitting the rod, 112 to return to its normal position.

With the totalizer 75 (Fig. 2) remaining incngagement with the actuators during the entire operation of the machine, as described above in connection with printing a subtotal, the totalizer wheels will rotate clockwise until the digit wheels arrive at their zero position, where they will be stopped by a pin 233 mounted in each wheel and engaging a shoulder 234. on an arm 235 freely mounted on a rod 236, the segments 99 being moved counterclockwise to extents corresponding to the amounts represented on the totalizer wheels. With the segments 99 being differentially positioned, the type segments 131 (Fi 3) will be correspondingly positioned by t e same mechanism which controls their operation, when the machine is operated in registering items, but instead of being controlled by depressed keys they are controlled by the amount of rotation the totalizer wheels take in rotating to their zero position.

After an impression is made from the type segments in their diflerentially moved positions the driving mechanism returns the segments 99 (Fig. 2) to their home position, at the same time rotating the totalizer wheels to the positions they had prior to this subtotal operation, the type segments remaining in the position they were placed by the subtotal operation until the machine is operated again, as is the case whenoperating the machine in registering items, as described in the patent previously referred to.

To print a grand total and reset the totalizer to zero requires an extra operation of the machine as described in connection with the printing of a subtotal. Previous to this operation a reset key 245 (Fig. 2) is locked engaging the shoulder 220 of arm 211 whic is pinned to the rod 112 to which the reset key 245 is also pinned.

After'the extra operation of the machine the reset key is moved clockwise into its operated position which rocks the rod 112 and moves the link 83 clockwise to disengage the .pin 84 from the restricted opening86 and engages the pin 85 with the restricted opening 87, so that asthe machine starts on its operation the totalizer will not disengage from the actuator as it does in an item entering operation.

As the drawer operating arms 55 approach their forward position, the totalizer will be disengaged from the actuators, which operation will'leave the totalizer elements in their zero position.

With the totalizer elements in their zero position the type segments are difierentially' positioned corresponding to the accumulated amount on the totalizer which amount will be printed on the record strip, all of which is clearly described in the patent referred to.

While the form of mechanism herein against operations by the roller 219 (Fig. 1)

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

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing mechanism having a type segment, an ink ribbon, an impression hammer, a latch adapted to retain said hammer in normal position, a normally spring tensioned arm adapted to move said hammer when released, a pitman adapted to place said hammer in latched position, anoscillating member supporting said pitman, a

driving means adapted to operate said oscillating member, and means supported by said pitman for operating said latch to release said hammer.

2. In a printing mechanism having a type segment, an ink ribbon, an impression hammer normally under spring tension, a latch adapted to retain said hammer in normal position, a spring tensloned. arm adapted to move said hammer when released, means for stopping saidarm independently of said a ated, an ink ribbon, an impression hammer normally under spring tension, a latch adapted to retain said hammer in normal position, a spring tensioned arm adapted to move said hammer when released, a pitman plate operated by said driving means, means adapted to place said hammer in latched position, an oscillating member supporting said pitman, a driving means adapted to operate said oscillating member, means suported by said pitman for releasing said ammer, a recordstrip, means for feeding said record strip, a statlonary writing platen, stationa gui es for said record strip, movable gui es for said record strip adapted to segment, an impression hammer normal y under spring tension, a latch adapted to re tain said hammer in normal position, a spring tensioned means adapted to move said hammer, and means adapted when moving in one direction to place said hammer in latched position and when moving in the opposite direction to operate said latch but retain said hammer in normal position until 'said means moves in the first mentioned direction. r

5. In a printin mechanism having a type segment, a record strip, an impression hammer normally under spring tension, a latch adapted to retain said hammer in normal posltion, a spring tensioned arm adapted to move said hammer when released, means for stopping said arm independently of said hammer, a dri means, an oscillating supported b said oscillating plate for releasing said ammer and then returning said hammer to the latched position, means operated by said oscillating plate for moving said record strip from the reading osition to printing position and back to rea in position, and means intermediate of sai oscillating plate and said record strip moving means adapted to discontinue movement of said record strip at the time said impression hammer engages said t pe segment.

6. In a printing mechanism having a type segment adapted to be differentially operated, an inking means, a record strip, an impression means, an oscillating member adapted to operate said impression means, a driving means adapted to operate said oscillating member, movable guides for said record strip adapted to move said record stri from reading position into printing position and back to reading osition, and means intermediate of said osclllating member and said movable guides for operating said ides and for permitting a movement of said oscillating member independently of said movable guides when said record strip is in printing position.

7. In a printing mechanism having a type segment, arecord strip, two pairs of stationary guides for said record strip, and a movable guide intermediate of the guides of each pair of stationary guides adapted to move a portion-of said record strip from a reading position to a printing position and back to a reading position;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON.

Images