US1766560A - Cash protector - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1930- H. c. STOCKWELL 1,766,560

CASH PROTECTOR Filed Nov. 17, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Figi! m/4 6 ./24

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CASH PROTECTOR Patented June 24, 193@ HERBERT C. STCKTELL, GF LOS ANGEEES, CALIFORNIA CSH PROTECTGR Application filed. November 17, 1925.

At present it is customary for cashiers at restaurants, soft drink counters, theaters, oil filling stations and other places where the business is done with small cash amounts, to use a cash register having a. drawer which is normally locked, and is subject to be opened by the cashier each time a transaction involving cash payments is had; and such places have become quite subject to the operations of robbers known as hold-up men, who watching the chance when the cashier is practically alone, threaten lite with tire arms and compel opening the cash register and eitect the removal or the cash or other valuables contained therein.

The action of such hold-up men is necessarily limited for time as the danger of discovery by on-comers is usually very great.

In case the demands of the robber are not instantly complied with, the attendants lite is endangered, and an object or" this invention is to make provision whereby the custodian of any considerable amount of valuables may endeavor to the best of his ability to make the Jfunds available to the hold-up men; and the invention broadly considered, comprises a cash receiver provided with two receptacles, one being a change drawer having a quick service lock under the direct control ot the attendant, and the other being in the nature of a reserve fund receptacle having a look under the control of the attendant, and also an auxiliary time lock, which is not under the immediate control of the attendant, but will unlock automatically after a predetermined period of time has elapsed from an unlocking of the main lock that may be effected by the attendant,

Said receptacles may be in the form ot two superposed drawers analagons to the drawers of cash registers, and the main locking means therefor may be oi' a character analagous to the quick service lock of the usual cash register, while the reserve lock may be of any suitable chronoinetric nature.

Serial No. 69,655.

lilith this invention the cash register quick service or change drawer is just as available to the attendant as heretofore, but the reserve drawer or receptacle is locked by the usual lock and also by the delay lock and the unlocking operation ot' the usual lock will release the time mechanism and allow it upon elapse of the predetermined period of time to unlock the delay lock, thus giving access to the reserve receptacle. By this novel construction of cash register theattendant may unlock the change service drawer and may allow the robber to attempt to unlock the reserve drawer or may do all in his own power to unlock such drawer, and may take opportunity to convince the holdup man that the final unlocking oit' such reserve drawer is determined by a delay lock, the period ot the unlocking of which is problematical so far as the hold-up man is advised; so that the hold-up man will leave for fear orp discovery or y:trom discouragement, before the delay time has elapsed.

rlhe invention also includes the novel construction of delay lock applicable to cash registers and other repositories for valuables and comprises the combination with a lock under the direct control of an attendant either by key, dial or other lock, and an automatic delay time lock which is releasable by the mechanism normallyinactive and only started into operation by the unlocking movement ot' the key, dial or other lock.

This invention is applicable with main locks in various Jerms ot construction and three of such forms invented me will be illustrated herein; but it is understood that l do .not limit myself to any speciiic Jroi-m.

The invention comprises the combination with a main lock and means for locking and unlocking the same; of a time movement:

and stop means normally preventing the operation oi said time movement while the main lock is locked; said means being adapted. and arranged to be withdrawn from interference with the time movement when the main lock is unlocked; and auxiliary locking mcans releasable by the time movement only after a run or' such movement .for a predetermined time.

An object of the invention is to construct a. device which may be applied as an attachment to a common lock already in use and the invention is applicable to any receptacle having a lockable closure releasable eitherI by operation of a dial, a` key or other lock opelrating means under direct manual contro Simplicity, ease of application, certainty of operation and ready adjustability as to the period of delay are further objects.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a. fragmental elevation in longitudinal section of a drawer in locked position constructed in accordance with this invention; broken lines indicate the drawer unlocked and drawn out.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental plan view of the invention in an open drawer.

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section on line z3, Figs. 1 and 2, looking toward the back of the drawer.

Fi 4 is a plan view partly in section showing the mechanism whereby the operation of closing the drawer will cause the time movement to be wound.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section of a cash register constructed in accordance with the invention.

6 is a broken fragmental plan of another form of apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 7 is a section on line m7, Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental detail of parts of the auxiliary locking bolt shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of another form of the apparatus.

F ig. 10 is an elevation partly in section on irregular line :v1-a:1, Fig. 9, looking in the 5a direction of the arrow.

Fig. 11 is a detail of parts of Fig. 9 viewed from the rear of said figure.

In Fig. 5 the cash register a is shown provided with a change drawer b having the usual quick service locking mechanism, f and also provided with a reserve fund drawer c having the main lock d and the delay lock e. n

Referring to the form shown in Figs. 1-5, 1 is a drawer forming a closure to protect the reserve fund or other valuables; 2 is a housing for such closure; 3 is the main lock for the closure having a bolt 4. I will now describe the auxiliary locking means. 5 a bolt adapted to automatically engage a,

keeper 6 in the housing when the time movement or chronometric reserve lock unlocking means 7 is set and the drawer is closed. 8 and 8 are upper and lower guides for the auxiliary bolt. 9 is a lever operable by a spring 10 to move the auxiliary bolt 5 into keeper catch engaging position. 11 is a release arm fixed to the lever 9 and adapted to be moved by a hand 12 of the time movement 7, which is adapted to be wound by the rack 13 having a stud 14 to engage a stop 14 with lost motion, and operating the spur gear 15, each time the drawer is closed; said spur gear 15 operating through the ratchet mechanism 16. 17 is an auxiliary brake carried by the lever 9 and adapted to engage a part of the time movement, so as to prevent the time movement from running so long as the engagement continues.

In the drawing this brake 17 is shown adapted and arranged to engage the escapement balance wheel 18 of the time movement; other members of such movement may bc of any well known character which can only run when the balance wheel is free.

Said brake may be a light spring adapted to press against one side of the balance wheel except when the lever is depressed from the auxiliary locking position shown in Fig. 1.

19 is a main tumbler that carries a brake 20 adapted to engage part of the time movement to prevent it from running when the bolt 4 of the main lock is in locked position; said brake 20 is connected by tumbler 19 to the shal't 21. rejecting from the lock 3 and turned by the key 22 whenever the bolt 4 is operated by said key, which thus comprises means for not only moving the main bolt 4 into and rctracting it from locking position, but also constitutes means for operating the chronometric motor for retracting the reserve lock bolt.

By this construction and arrangement, the milocking of the main lock releases the time movement and allows said movement to run. thus bringing the hand 12 of said movement against the arm 11 ot the lever 9, and to rock said lever on its fulcrum 23 against the force of the spring 1() to withdraw the auxiliary bolt 5 from its keeper 6.

24 indicates a slot through which money may be pnt into the drawer without unlocking it.

.25 is a stem by which the hand 12 can be set with refer-ence to dial Q6 and the arm 11.

The hand 12 is shown adapted to move over the dial tace 26 with the time movement, and said dial tace is shown provided with numerals 29 so that when the operator wishes to predetermine the time period required to release the auxiliary bolt, after the time m i vcmcnt released by operation ot' the key Q2, the operator will retract the arm 12 to a position i'rom which it will require a predetermined time for its travel suii'iciently to operate the arm 11 and withdraw the auxiliary bolt 5 from engagement with its keeper, and the parts are so arranged that the moment the bolt 5 is withdrawn from engagement with the keeper 6, the brake 17 will engage the time movement and stop the same from running. At this last named position the closure is entirely released and remains so until the main lock is re-locked by use of the key; and when this is done the auxiliary brake is withdrawn and the main brake is applied so that the time movement may run only after the main lock has been unlocked and will then start to run and will run only during the period for which it is set.

In the form shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the time movement 32 may be wound by a key, not shown, inserted through two holes 33, 34 in the housing 35 and drawer wall 36 to reach the stem 37.

T he auxiliary bolt 38 is normally held in locking position by a light spring 39 and is withdrawable from such locking position by the hand 40 of the time movement 32; the bolt being provided with a finger 41, which is engaged by said hand 40.

A detent 42 mounted on a lever 43 that is fulcrumed by the screw 44 screwed into the wall of the drawer, is operable by the cam 45 that operates the main bolt 46 to which the end of the lever 43 is pivoted at 47.

lith this form the operator will set the hand 4() as before described, and when the cam 45 is turned to unlock the main bolt 46 the auxiliary bolt 38, which has caught in its keeper 3'8 when the drawer has closed, will maintain its hold and thus lock the drawer until the hand 40 reaches the linger 41 and withdraws the bolt against the pressure of the spring 39.

The form shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 is adapted for application to the closure 48, which is screwed into the housing 49. Said housing is shown as having a notch 50 into which a dog 51 may seat. Said dog is pivoted, with lost motion, to the closure 48 by a pin 52, which extends through a slot 53 in the dog 51, to allow the dog to move lengthwise toward and from its seat in the housing toward which it is normally urged by the spring 54, that is notched in and acts on the usual jointed connecting rod 55 of the type of lock shown, which connecting rod is operable by the time lock dial 56 in a well known manner to which no claim is made herein.

60 is a rack pivoted at 61 to the stationary time movement frame 62 and adapted by its teeth 63 to engage and stop the time lock dial 56 when said pivoted rack is purposely placed in engaging position by pressure on the pin 64.

65 is a rack-holding dog pivoted at 66 to the'closure and adapted at one end to engage a seat 67 in the pivoted rack'60 when said rack is not engaged with the teeth of the dial 56. A spring 68 tends to retract the rack from the dial teeth 56 and a spring 68 tends to turn the dog 65 on its pivot 66 to engage the step 69 on the rack when the rack is depressed against the force of spring 68 to engage the teeth of the dial as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 9.

In the operation of screwing the closure 48 into the housing in the direction of the single barbed arrow in Fig. 9, the dog 51 enters the notch to the position shown in said Fig. 9, and the closure can only be unscrewed by allowing said dog 51 to be depressed and this is done by irst revolving the closure in unlocking direction, indicated by the double barbed arrow, thus bringing the dog 51 to the broken line position in Fig. 9 with its serrated face 51 against the serrated front wall 50 of the notch 50.

The sei-rations thus hold the locking dog from being jarred into unlocked position as with previous constructions of such locks.

In Fig. 9, the broken lines not only indicate the position of the dog 51 when the closure 48 has been turned to contact with the wall at notch 50, but broken lines also indicate the set position of the rack 60 and the rack holding dog 65 in engagement with the peripheral gear of the lock dial 56; and as the closure 48 is turned in the direction indicated by the double barbed arrow, the lost motion between the pin 52 and end of the slot 53 will be taken up and the dog 51 will act upon the rack holding dog 65 to bring it to the position shown in solid lines in said Fig. 9, thus allowing the dial gear 56 to be revolved by its spring, not shown, and to operate through the time lock gear to retract the connecting rod 55 against the force of the spring 54, thus allowing the dog 51 to tall by its own weight and release the closure so that it may be unscrewed by turning it in the direction of the double barbed arrow in Fig. 9.

I claim:

1. In a cash register having a reserve fund drawer a main lock; a delay lock mechanism ladapted and arranged to be locked by said main lock; and a time movement controlling said delay lock and adapted and arranged to be set into operation by the unlocking of the main lock for locking the reserve fund drawer.

2. In a repository for valuables; the combination with a main lock having a bolt and means for moving the boltinto and retracting it from locking position; an automatic auxiliary lock having a bolt yieldingly held in locking position; normally operable chronometric means in connection with the auxiliary bolt and adapted to retract such bolt from locking position at the end of a predetermined movement of the chronometrie means; and means operable by the main lock and adapted and arranged to prevent operation of the chronometric means when the main lock is locked7 and to release the chronometric means when the main lock is un locked.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 5th day of November, 19:25.

HERBERT C. STOCKWELL.

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