US1744033A - berger - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2*], 1930'.

F. W. F. BERGER CASH REGISTER Filed NOV. 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l Zlwuentoz Friedrich W. F. Berger 21, 1930. F. w. F. BERGER 1,744,033

CASH nmlswaa Filed Nov. 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' gmemtoz Friedrich W. F. Berger His awn 4 a I Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STAT ES OFFICE,

FRIEDRICH W. BERGER, OFJBEBLIN, GEBMkNY ASSIGN OR' TO DEE NATIONAL CASH REGIS'IEB'CDMBANY} 0F DAYTON, OHIO, A CQRBORATIGN OF MARYLAND CASH REGISTER Application filed November 26, 1826, Serial No. 150,903; and in Germany December 17, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in cash. registers, and morepart'icularly to the keyboard of. a machine of the type shown anddescribed in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,242,170, issued to Frederick L. Fuller, October 9,1917.

One object of t'his-invention is to provide amechanism for locking a totalijzerseleoting key in its depressed positionduring a series of adding operations, and for rel'eas'-' ing'sa'id. key onlyduring total; taking operations.

But it is not sufficient for the purpose to simply provide means toretain the totalizer selecting key depressed throughtwo or more. adding operations, and arrange to release the depressed total-izer-selecting key only uponmeans for selecting the particular totalizer desired, and also the means for relativelyengaging and disengaging the selected'totalizer and its differentially positioned actuating mechanism, in the machine to which thisinvention is applied.

Therefore, it is desirable to maintain the totalizer-selecting key depressed until such time in the totalf taking operation, as the totalizer and-its actuating mechanism are dis; engaged.

But the means provided to retain the toalizer-selecting key in depressed position throughout two or' more adding operations,

and to. release the key during the succeeding total-taking operation, becomes effective to release'the key at a time'in the total-taking operation, prior to.the disengagement of the totalizer. and its. actuating mechanism.

Therefore, another object of this invention is to arrange to retain the totalizer-selecting key in depressed position during a total-takmg operation-,until the disengagement of the totalizer and its actuating mechanism occurs, despitethe release ofthe totaliZer-selecting key by the means which retains the key depressed throughout two or more adding operations until the succeeding. total-taking operation,

NVit-h these and incidental obj ectsv in View, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, theessentiahelementsof which are set forth inappended, claims and a preferred form. or

embodiment of which is hereinafter described with neference tothe drawings which accompany and. form part of thisspecification.

Of, said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a. side elevation of one of the transaction key banks.

Fig.2 is a detail. view of thespecial locking detent bar for'the list key.

Fig. 3 is a. detail view of a flexible detent bar for holding the transaction keys depressed.

i-Ti 4-.is a detail view of the control har.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the list key shown in depressed position.

F 6. is a. detail View showing how the list key held depressed: after the special locking detent has been moved during the nrst partof a total taking operation.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a nart of the mechanism. for controlling the machine for total taking operations. 7

Fig. 8 is:a detail View of the mechanism for rocking the controlshaft to control the differential mechanism for total taking operations.

General description The type of machine to which this invention is. applied is shown and described in the above 1 ientijon'ed Fuller patent. In machines of this t'ye, a'special key, called a list'key, is sometimes provided, and is used when adding a series of items or a column-of figures. machine in which a list key has been provided,

is shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,619,796, issued to Bernis M. Shipley on March 1, 1927. In the machine shown in said Shipley patent, the list key is released at the end of each adding operation, and before another item can be entered it is necessary to again depress the list key when the machine is being used as above mentioned. In the present invention the list key isheld depressed and locked against release until a total taking operation is made, thereby insuring that all of the items of the pa ticular transaction will be added into the list totaliz er. The mechanism shown herein notonly insures'correct addition of the amounts, but it is also useful in that it speeds up the operation of the machine, due to the fact that the list key need not be clepressed during each adding operation.

The machine is released for operation by depression of the well known motor bar, shown and described in an application of B. M. Shipley, for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 686,564, filed Jan. 16, 1924.

Detail description The bank of keys shown in Fig. 1 includes eight transaction keys and a key 45 slidably mounted in a frame 31 supported on .the usual cross rods 32 and33. Each key 30 carries a laterally projecting stud 34 which cooperates with a flexible detent bar 35, provided with detent hooks 48 by means of which the key is held indepressed position. The detent bar 35 is supported by links 36 and 37 (Fig. 3) pivoted to the key frame 31, and is yieldingly held in looking position by a spring 42. Thelink 36 is provided with a rearward extension 38 which lies in the path of a nose 41 formed on an arm 39 secured to the usual key lock line on shaft 40. Once during each adding and total taking operation, the kev lock line or shaft 40 is rocked first counter-clockwise and then clock wise back to its normal position; During the counterclockwise movement of the key lock shaft, the nose 41 of the arm 39 contacts the extension 38, thereby moving the detent bar 35 downwardly, against the tension of the spring 42', to release the depressed key 30. l

The lowermost key 45 (Fig. is the list key. This key is provided with a flattened stiid 46 (Figs. 5 and 6), which also controls the detent bar 35. However, it will be noted by referring to Fig. 3, that the projection 47 on the detent bar 35, with which the stud 46 on the list key cooperates, has no bill or hook like the detents 48, and merely enables the key 45 to shift the detent bar 35, the projection 47 does not operate to lock the key 45 in depressed position, whereas the studs 34 on the keys 3O cooperate with hooked detents 48. From this it can be seen that the detent bar 35 is ineffective to hold the list key in depressed position. The lug or projection 47 is provided to enable the key 45, through the detent bar 35, to operate certain interlocks in the machine, which form no part of the present invention, and therefore no further reference will be made thereto. 7

A special locking detent bar 50, (Fig. 2) having a hook 51, is provided for holding the list key 45, when depressed in such position. This detent bar is carried by links 52 and 53 (Fig. 1) pivoted on the key frame 31. The

totalizer and its actuating mechanism during the first cycle, the disengagement of the totalizer and its actuating mechanism occurring during the second cycle of such operation.

The control shaft 57 rocks counterclockwise (Fig. 1) when the selected totalizer and its actuating mechanism are engaged, during the first cycle of the total-taking operation, the control shaft remaining in the position to which it has been rocked, until the totalizer and its actuating mechanism are disengaged, at which time, the control shaft 57 is rocked back to its normal position.

Therefore, by the provision of the special detent bar and its detent hook 51 to lock the list key 45 in depressed position, and which special detent bar is not controlled by the usual key release mechanism on release shaft 40, the list key is held in depressed position through two or more adding operations, and by arranging to release the special detent bar 50 through the control shaft 57 operable only during total-taking operations, I compel the operator, once the list key 45 is depressed to take a total of the amounts accumulated on the listing totalizer before he can do anything else.

But the control shaft 57 and releasing tappet operates during the first cycle of a total-taking operation to shift the special detent bar 50 and hold it in shifted position, to release the hook detent 51 on the bar 50 from engagementwith the pin 46 on the list key.

the selected. tqotal'izer and its actuating means disengage.

Such, supplemental detaining means. may conveniently comprise a, locking: lug 58' having an inclinedside facing the hookedidetent 51: and. spaced apart t ieref-rom suiiiciently to foam. in combination.uherewitlna passage for.

the stud. 46'of the list key 45, so that. whenv the list key, is depressed, the stud. 46. enters and traverses the slanting. passage: between;

thc hooked; detentr 51 and the locking lug 58 to cam the speciahdetenti bar. 50*downwardly. (Fig. 1;); against; the tension of. the spring: 56

untilthe stud passesbelow the hacked and of the detent, whereuponsthespring restores the dete bar- 50, to=fit the hooked'eet-ent 51'; over the stud 16 on the list. key i-and lock the key depressed.

Andrthe special-detentbar 50 and its detent' hold thekey depressed: untih a: totai taking operation. During the first cycle of such: total taking'operation. the" control shaft 57 and tappet 55; arerocked counten-clockwise (Fig. 1) as the selectechtotalizer. andits act-u.-

a-ting mechanismengage (by means shownlin.

the aforementioned: Fuller patent), so that the't'appet 55 contactsthe st-uda54and shifts the special detent bar 50 against the tension of the spring 56rto. back. the hooked detent 51 away from he stud 46 on the listing key i5 andfhusfree the key rro-mits detent.

But, as heretofore explained, restoration of the totalizer selectin key; at this time would be undesirable, and therefore, as the "hooked detent 51 withdraws from the stud 46, the overhanging end ofzthe lockin lug 58 entersthe returnpath of'the stud and: pre vents the restoration=of= the list key. In-

deed, as the special detent continues its travel underthe influence of. the tappet 55, the inclined edge of: thelocking lugi58 contacts the stud 46lonthe: list keyv 45andcams the key back to itsdepresse'd.position, in case itmay have startedtoirestore toits normal position.

The tappet 55 remainsinits operated p0? sition to hold the special detent bar.- 50 at its lower limit of: travel shown in Fig. 6, until As the detent bar. 50 returnsto-itshome position, the stud: 4610f thelist key45 rides up-the inclinededge of: thelocking lug. 58,

under the influence ofthe'usual key restoring spring (not shown) andout through-the pass sage between the locking lug 5'8 and the hooked detent 51, as the key 4:5returns to normal undepressedi position.

The mechanism. for rocking. the control shaft 57 is shown. in Figs. 7 and; 8. During adding operations, the control. shaft remains inactive, and therefore, the tappet 55 (Fig. 1) does not, actuate the special detent bar 50 duringadding operations. The shaft 57. is rocked during total taking operations by a notched disk (Fig. 8), pivoted ona stud 71, carried by the right side frame of the machine (not shown.) and byv anauiriliary frame orhanger 79, supported by rods and 81. lThe disk 7 Ois connected to the usual totalizen engaging and disengagingspider 72 by a hub 73, the spider 72 being actuated by means to be presently described, to rock the notched disk 70. The disk 70 has a notch 74 on its peripheny, into which a stud 75 is moved, preliminary to a totaltaking operation. However-,during adding operations, the stud 7 5 remains out of the notch 74- and within a notch 69 in-the hanger 7 9, and therefore, the disk 70 reeks idly. The stud 75 is carried on the lower end of a link 76, pivoted on an arm 77, secured to the control shaft 57. The low er end-of the link is held in the-position shown by a forked arm 78, pivoted at 68, on the hanger 7 9 and embracing the stud 75. The arm 78 has astud 85, which enters a slot 86 in a total controlilever 87, and normally holds the arm.7.8 inposition tohold the stud 75 in the notch. 69. of the hanger 79 andout. of the notch 7 a in the disk 7 O.

lVhen-the totalcontrol lever is shiftedv one step, in. eitherdirect'ion, from normal position shown in Fig.7,to control the machine for. a totaltaking operation, the cam slot 86 cams the stud inwardly, thus rocking the 7 8 to move the stud 7 5into the notch 74 inthe disk 70. Thus, during total taking operations, when the disk 70 is rocked, the link 76 is shifted to and fro in the direction of its length, and through the arm 77, rocks the control shaft 57, first c'ounter-clocl-rwise, and then clockwise back to normal.

Since the disk 70 is fastened to the counter engaging anddisengaging spider 72, the control shaft 57 is rocked at the same time that the totalizer is engaged and disengaged relative tothe totalizer actuators, as before mentioned.

In machines of the type to which this invention is applied and disclosed in the above mentioned patents, three totalizer lines are usually provided, and for this reason three controlshafts are provided. The disk 70 (Fig. 8) is shown with three notches 74, but since-onl'y'one totalizer line is involved in the present invention, only one train of mechanism, includingthe arm 85,.link 76 and arm 7 7 is shown and described.

The mechanism-for rocking-the disk 7 O, includes a na-ir ofplate cams 90 (Fig. 7) secure-d toa: maincani shaft 91 of the machine. A.

lever 92, carrying rollers 93 and 9 1, is actuated by the cams, said lever being pivoted on a stud 95, on the machine frame. A pitman or link 96 is pivoted on the lever 92 and supported at its other end by a stud 97 on a shifting lever 98 entering a slot in said link 96. The link 96 has two notches 99 and 100, to embrace studs 101 and 102 respectively, on the totalizer engaging and disengaging spider 72, to rock said spider when the cam shaft 91 is operated.

VJ hen a reset total taking operation is performed, the total control lever 87 is first rocked countercloclnvise. hen thus adjusted, the total control lever 87, through a cam slot 103 into which projects a stud 104:, rocks an arm 105 clockwise about a stud 106, on which the arm 105 is pivoted. The arm 105 has a slot 107 through which a stud 108 passes, said stud 108 being mounted on the upper end of a link 109. The stud 108 also passes through a slot 110 in the shifting lever 98, and serves to couple the lever 98 and arm 105 so that, when the arm 105 is rocked clockwise, as above mentioned, the lever 98 is also rocked clockwise and, through the stud 97, rocks the pitman or link 96 counter-clockwise, with its right end as the pivot, to withdraw the notch 99 from the stud 101.

Upon subsequent rotation of the shaft 91, the lever 92 shifts the link 96 to the right, but this movement is idle, since the pitman is disconnected from the totaliz er engaging and disengaging spider 72.

However, after the link 96 is moved to the right hand position, said link is rocked still farther counter-clockwise until the notch 100, embraces the stud 102. This latter rocking of the link 96 is accomplished by mechanism actuated by a shaft 115, which shaft is rocked in the usual manner (not shown herein but shown in both the Full r and Shipley patents previouslv mentioned), to rock an arm 116 secured thereto in clockwise direction. The rocking of the arm 116, lowers the link 109, on which the stud 108 is mounted, thus lowering the stud in the slots 107 and 110. The stud 109 is guided in its downward movement bv the slot 107, and when the stud 109 strikes the offset of the slot 110, it cams the lever 98 clockwise, which through the stud 97 moves the link 96, as above described, so that the notch 100 embraces the stud 102.

After the stud 102 is embraced by the notch 100, the cams 90 return the link 96 to its left hand position, whereupon the totalizer engaging and disengaging spider 72, and the notch disk 70, are rocked clockwise to rock the control shaft 57 counterclockwise.

At the beginning of the second rotation of the cam shaft 91, the cams 90 again move the link 96 toward the right to restore the notched disk 70, and through the disk 7 O to restore the control shaft 57 to normal position. After these elements are restored to their normal positions, the shaft 115 returns the arm 116, thus raising the link 109 and stud 108, to rock the lever 98 counter-clockwise, and through the stud 97, withdraw the notch 100 from the 'stud 102, after which the link 96 is again restored to its left hand position, ready to be the machine, as is well known in the art, and i is fully shown and described in the above mentioned patents. The control bar is carried by two links 61 and 62 pivoted to the key frame 81. (Jamming slots 63 are provided for each of the keys 30 but a straight slot 64 is provided for the list key 15, so that when this key is depressed, its stud 46 will enter the slot 64, thereby preventing depression of any of the upper keys 30. Thus it is seen that when the listing key 45 is depressed it is necessary to complete the listing operation and take a total thereof before any other key in this bank can be depressed.

Operation A brief description of the operation of the key bank will be given. The machine is provided with a plurality of transaction totalizers (not shown, but illustrated. and described in the Fuller and Shipley patents above mentioned), one for each key in the transaction bank. During the usual operation of the machine in entering transactions, the desired transaction key is depressed and the amount entered into the selected tot-al izer, and at the end of the adding operation, the transaction key is released. In adding a column of figures or in handling a multiple item transaction, a special key 45, called the list key, is used for selecting the list totalizer. In order to eliminate any possibility of adding the items or figures into the wrong totalizer, the list key 45 is arranged when depressed to be locked down until all of the figures of the column have been added and the total has been taken, the list key when depressed, also preventing depression of any other totaliZer-selecting key in that bank. During a'total taking operation, the list key is released. From this it can be seen that when the list key has been depressed, any item set up on the keyboard must be registered in the listing totalizer, as the key is locked in depressed position until the total is taken from the tot-alizer. Adding amounts into the wrong totalizer, therefore, is entirely eliminated.

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

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a depressible key, means for holding said key depressed during adding and total taking operations, and a device opcrable during total taking operations for shifting said holding means to eleasc said key during the second cycle of the total-taking operation, said device being inactive during adding operations.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a manipulative device for selecting a totalizer for adding a plurality of items relating to a single transaction, means for locking said manipulative device in its selecting position until the total of the transaction has been taken, and means for releasing said key during the second cycle of a total taking operation, said last mentioned means being inactive during adding operations.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of-a depressible key for selecting a totalizer for adding a plurality of items relating to a single transaction, a detent bar, a detent on said detent bar to hold the key depressed during a series of adding operations, and. a tappet adapted to operate said detent bar during the second cycle of a total taking operation to disengage the detent from the key to enable the key to release, said tappet being inactive during adding operations.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a depressible key, a detent bar having a detent for holding said key locked in depressed position during a series of adding operations, a control shaft operable during the first cycle of a total taking operation for operating said detent bar to disengage the detent from said key, said control shaft being inactive during adding oper ations, a locking member on said detent bar, the member being shifted by the bar into position to hold said key depressed upon said operation which disengages the detent from the key, and a spring for returning the detent to its normal position when said control shaft returns to its normal position during the second cycle of a total taking operation, for releasing the key from the locking member.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a series of depressible keys; means to latch certain of the keys in their depressed positions; and means opermeans beyond the control of "the latch-releasing means, one of which .holds another of theke'ysdepressed throughout-two or more successive adding operations; means actuated upon total taking operations and remaining idle during adding operations, to disengage the last-named key and that locking means which retains the key depressed during adding operations, and substantially simultaneously therewith, to render the other of said locking means effective to retain the key depressed until a time during the second cycle of a total taking operation.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a series of depressible keys; means to latch certain of the keys in their depressed positions; and means operable as an incident to an adding operation, to disengage the latching means from the key depressed; of a locking means beyond the control of the latch-releasing means, the locking means operative to hold another of the keys in depressed position throughout two or more successive adding operations of the machine; and means actuated during a totaltaking operation and remaining idle during adding operations, to disengage the locking means and the key.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a depressible key; of a plurality of means to lock the key in depressed position; and a single control means to release one of the locking means and substantially simultaneously therewith, to render another of the locking means effective, whereby to further detain the key in depressed position.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a 'depressible key; of a plurality of means movable in unison to lock the key in depressed position; and means to supersede one of the locking means with another.

9. In a machine of the class described, th combination with a row of control keys; a detent bar and detent-s to lock certain of the keys in depressed position; means operable upon each adding operation of the machine to shift the detent bar and detents to ineffective position, whereby to release the depressed key; and means operable by any of the keys when depressed, to lock the remaining keys against depression; of a special detent bar and detent for one of the control keys to hold such key depressed through two from its depressed key; and a second look ing means made efiective upon the disengage ment of the last-named detent from its key to temporarily detain the key against release.

In testimony Where of I afiix my signature.

FRIEDRICH W. F. BERGER.

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