US1887555A - Device for recording sales transactions - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 1 5, 1932. J, E JOHNSQN 1,887,555

DEVICE FOR RECORDING SALES TRANSACTIONS Original vFiled Feb. 15, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l NOV. 15, 1932. E, JOHNSON 1,887,555

i DEVICE FOR RECORDING SALES TRANSACTIONS origina; Filed Feb. 15, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Nov. 15, 1932 vUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] .TOEN E. JOHNSON, or cnrcAGo, ILLINOIS, VAssieuvon To AnDRErox co.,`o1 cnicas-o,

ILLINOIS, A. CORIORA'IION4 QF DELAWARE ADEVICE. ron RECQRDING y SALESl TRANSACTIONS Application led February 15,1929, Serial No. 340,066. Renewed Marcih326, 19,82. I

This invention-relates to business transactions Whichrinvolve the making of records or the like containing specific data relating, for example, to anmdividual involved in the transaction; and aims to provide improved means for expediting and increasing the reliability and accuracy of such transactions. l Y.

The inventionmay vbe readily understood by reference to one exemplification thereof as applied to retail merchandising and recordng of retail sales transactions. Such exemplication of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hand held imprinting device having associated therewith one form of sales book and record for receiving data involved in sales transactions;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the imprintingmechanism (the sales record having been removed for the .sake of clarity) taken approximately on the line 22 0f Fig. 4; p p

Fig. 3 is a plan view of theV imprinting mechanism, the manipulating and supporting handles having been broken away to permit illustration on a largerscale;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the imprinting device, taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 isla-bottom plan view of the holder for holding the customer-carried token, taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;v

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of a devic for ejecting a. token from the holder, taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5; y

Fig. 7 is a general` view (details omitted) showing the relation of the parts at the instant of impression upon thesales record; and v Y Fig. 8 is a similarview showing the relation lof the parts immediately after impression, such position being assumedv automatically and without intervention of the operator.

In the present embodiment of the invention, the physical instrumentalities employed cooperate to record upon a record (such as a sales record) in an invariably legible form, certaindata specific to the customer, such as, for example, theV customers name, address, credit rating, etv cetera.v These cooperating instrumentalities vcomprise a printing plate or token-of` a size and shape, convenient to be carried by thevcustomer and bearing in legibly embossed printing char- 'f Y acters the customers name, address, et cetera; a sales or other record upnwhfich the customer-data may be imprintedby the einbossed characters on thetoken ion as many copies asmay be desired; an imprinting medium; and a device for associating the Y s alesrecord and the token and impressing the latter upon the record sheet vor sheets thereby to record the data from the token legibly and accurately. Y.

The present embodiment of theinvention avoids4 direct Contact ofthe customertoken v with the-ink or other imprinting medium, Vwhereby the token may bereturnedto the customer` in'unsoiled condition and the danger ofsoling the customers hands or gloves may be avoided. I i

The individually-carried tokeni or" imprinting element comprises in this instance v7,5 a plate 10-(Fig. 5) of metal suficientl ',ductile and malleable that 'it may be' embossed (and re-embos'sed if need be to correct errors orto makechange's) to provide in relief, clear and sharp `printing characters 11, 'that is, v8.0 characters which will print clearly Vand sharply. The obverse or intaglio side ofthe plate exhibits thefvcharact'erslin normal'order sothat the data mayy easily be'read. The long sides of the plate orV token-,carry'rein- 85 forcement in the form oflongitudinal Vribs 12 and marginalfinishingbeads 1 3,` the latter serving alsov to provide the plate with smooth rounded edges. The side edges of the plate being smooth, round, and free from 90 'sharp projections or indentations, wearupon the purse, pocket or clothing of "the customer is minimized, so that the plate lends itself to convenient handling,'-thereby` pre'- venting any reluctance on the part of customers to develop thehabit of carrying the plate and using it in makingpurchases or trans-acting other business. 1 The marginal reinforcement prevents bending' of the relatively soft metal of the plate by muchhan- '100 lio dling and preserves it in the fiat condition desirable when the plate is used to print upon a record. In this connection the embossed surface of the plate also supplies a certain longitudinal and transverse reinforcement against bending. The beads 12 extend approximately into the plane ofthe top surface of the embossed characters 11, thereby minimizingfthe wear on the faces of the characters to which they are subjected in the normal carrying and handling ofthe plate. rI he foregoing structural features adapt the plate to be continuously carried by a customer without damage or impair ment of function as a printing plate.

' The device for operatively associating the printing token and sales record and for malring the impression is in this instanceV embodied in a light weight, compact, hand carried or hand held device which requires no fiiredor other support for its use and particularly avoids the use of valuable counter or `other supporting space in department stores andgthelilie Such device comprises aV platen 14' havingan integral supporting handle 15 projecting rearwardly thereof. The handle .and platen sub-structure are in thisinstance made hollow to reduce weight. The platen is faced with a plate 16 of hard rubber or other slightly resilient material appropriate for platen purposes. In area the platen corresponds in size to the type areaof the token. The depth or vertical height of the platen is Vsuchthat it may be readily inserted under a sales record or group of sales'records (if more than one copy be made) without the necessity for 'removing the recordsheet or sheets fromthe sales book (see Fig. 1).

. The printing token is in this instance removably held in an impression head com-y prisinga holder'lTmovably carried'by the supporting handle 15 by means of a supporting structure 18 opposite and spaced from 'the platen and in this instance integral with thehandle 15. f The impression head is limited to vertical` movement Yrelative to the Y,platenrby avguide rod 19 passing through the hollowl structure 18 and screwed intopthe back of holderl'? (see Figli).v The guide rod 19 and holder are prevented from rotation relative to the platenbyaguide pin V20 fcarried'by the guide rod 19 and travelling in 'slots 21 in opposite sides ofthe housing 18. A relatively weak spring 22 surrounding the guidefrod and Vconfined between the head '23 thereof and a supporting plate 24 norma'lly maintains the impression Vhead at a substantial distance ,above the platen (see Figs. 2, Vand 8).v v- I The lower face of theholder is marginally grooved as at 25 to receive the edge beading 13 of the lprinting token and is flat in its midr'die arearv26 to provide a backing surface for the type area of the token. The token is plunger28 which assists in the convenient removal'ofa token from the holder. Plunger 281s carriedin a longltudlnal bore in the holder and a portion thereof projects from the rear ofthe holder. A screw 29 whose end projects in a longitudinal recess or cut out portion 30 in the plunger limits the forward and backward travel of-V the plunger. To remove a token itis simply necessary to press the' end of the plunger, whose engagement with the tolren causes it to project sufficientlybeyond the forward end of the holder to permit it'to be visibly grasped by the operaton I The holderis advantagouslylf'designed to assist in the insertion of the printing plate therein in correct position, that'is, withfthe embossed characters out. The height of the printing'characters'11 is such that if placed in contact'with the backing surface 26 of the holder they would hold the beaded edge 13 suciently far out of the'holder to liebeyon'dthe engagement of the retaining iianges 27, and the printing plate would, therefore7 not be supported thereby. In other words, the plate will only enter the holder 'when its intaglio side (that is, the/side which exhibits the characters in theirnormal arrangement) is in engagement with the surface 26 of the holder.V f Y y rEhe impression upon the sales recordis in this instance made bya percussive movement of the impression head which'insures a sharp andY clear cut impression `not only on the original record sheet but on all copies thereof. The present embodiment is also designed so that the pressure deliveredto the record1 i. e., the pressureof the printing plate upon the record is only of instantaneous duration, lthus eliminating any opportunity for impairing the sharpness'offthe impression as might occur if the' pressure were prolonged.

The aforesaid operation of the impression head is effected in this instance, by giving it a high velocity by means of compression springs 31 located inside the supporting structure 18. These springs operate through the medium of plungers'32 having stop collars 33 adjacent their lowerends against which the springs 'press and which serve to limit the downward travel of the plunger by engagement with tl e 'bottom 34; of thev` housing. The upper ends lof the plungers are yconnected to plate 2li'. The springs l are n energized by an operating handle 35 having spaced arms 36 passing on opposite sides of tie'housing 18 and pivoted thereto by the pin 37. The extremity of the handle 35'is placed anapprovpriate distance from the supporting handle 15 to permit the two handles to be readily grasped by one hand not only for manipulation but or support ofthe device (see Fig. l) The handles 15and 35 are yieldingly held apart by a torsion spring 38 located between them and limited in its separating action by the pinv 39 Vpassing through the housing 18 and 'engaging the arms 36. The handle is operatively connected with the springs 31 by devices in the form of pawls 40 pivoted to the extremities of the arms 36 and engaging flat surfaces on the pin 20. Thus, downward depression of the handle relative to the handle 15 raises the plunger 19 which', carrying with it the holder 17, compresses-the spring 31 whose upper ends bear against the top of the housing 18. The pawls swing with the handle 35 about its pivot pin 37 and are designed to clear the pin 20 when the springs 31 have been sufficiently compressed, thus releasing the springs which impart their energy to the impression head. This transfer of energy is accomplished by the time thestop collars 33engage the bottom of the housing 18, at which point the printing plate and its holder arestill a substantial distanceabovc the platen. Nevertheless thekinetic energy thus imparted to the impression head carries it downwardly ata high velocity, compressing spring 22 (which is a relatively weak spring), todeliver a nercussive blow upon the sales record.

This sharp legible impression made by the percussive action at the impression head results not only from the force with which the printing plate `is caused to strike the record 1 but because of the character of the force.

Because of the rapidity of the blow-the resistance of the various record sheets and interleaved carbon sheets even tol slight movement withk the printing plate (brought about by inertia and the air cushion between the sheets) is eiiective to holdthe portionsl of the sheets not actually embraced within the outlines of the type, out of any substantial contact lwith the inking or inked surfaces,- thereby limiting the inked impression exactly to the outline of the type and resulting in a sharp impression. The rapidity of the imprinting operation also contributes to the sharpness of outline of the printed characters because no opportunity is afforded for slight relative shifting of the elements involved in the operation to produce the blurred outlinesl which characterize an impression made by a' slow or prolonged pressure. Anothercharacteristic of the percussive blow by which the impression is made, is that there is no possibilityo manual interference with the operation of the elements in making the impression. Successive blows are not'only uniform but the impression head isiree to react under the forces developed on impact which cause it instantly to raise the printing platev from the record. This reactivel movement is rendered effective by the circumstance that the plungers .32de not travel with the* impression head to the point of impression, thus limiting `the force of the impression simply to the kinetic energyoi` the impression head itself. Subsequent contact of the printing plate with the record is pre-vented .by the action of the light spring 22 which, on the Y reboundof the impression head, carries and holds it a substantial distance above the recl ord. This upward movement is arrested by engagement of the holder with plungers 32. lnthis position the records may readily be removed orinserted without danger ofcou- Atact with the hereinafter described inking means. Y

Uniformity and clarity of a given impression also depends on the'adequate inertia flexible. ln adding weight to or beneath the` i platen care must be taken not to concentrate such a proportion of weight at this point'as to imbalance the device and make vit inconvenient to-handle.

e The character and force of the percussion may be substantially varied by the` designof theimpression head, particularly its weight and distance of travel.l Further variation may be eiiected by the degree of initial compression in the springs 31. By the latter means the velocity of the'impression head may be varied, the force of the blow depending also upon the mass of the moving parts.

The pawls 40, pivoted as they arel at 41 to the extremities of the respective arms 36, permit the automatic resetting of the device. Springs l2 carried by the arms 36 and connected-with rearwardlyv projecting arms 43 on the pawls, allow the return of handle 35 i Vwithout binding of the pawls against the pin 20. As or shortly before the handle 35 reaches the vpoint of engagement with the pin stop 39 the ends of the pawls 40 will have clearedV the pins 2O and their springs 42 will cause them to snap under thepins to reset the device. i f

In the present case the supporting handle, structure 18 and platensupport are integral and pressed in complementary halves, from sheet steel. The halves are secured'together by transversely extending screws, thus providing a hollow light weight device'but with adequate strength and durability. A

Ink supply means is herein represented by an inking sheet eetV in the form of a carbon paper strip A(the upper surface of whichA is uninked `mounted in a device 45 carried on theimpression head. The device includes a receptacle i6 of tubular or cylindrical shape within which is carried in roll form a surslightly beyond the face of a printing token.

Thisspacing of the carbon strip facilitates the insertion and removal of printing plates.

The end of the carbon paper is passed between contacting feeding rolls 48 and 49 whose surfaces are roughened or knurled to eect a feeding of the carbon strip. The upper roll is provided with knurled head 50 by means of which it may be turned. rhus the carbon paper may be advanced slightly as occasion requires to present a fresh inked surface and the projecting extremity of the used strip may be torn ofi from time to time.

arried as it is wit-h the impression head' itself,the blow of the printing plate in making the impression is not so much against the carbon strip as against the record sheet. This contributes to a sharp impression on the upper Yrecord sheet. The upper or uninked face of the carbon strip prevents direct contact of the printing` token with the ink supply, thereby keeping the token free from ink and enabling its return to the customer in a clean condition after use. A mark or guide .51 on the impression head (to align with an appropriatelylocated mark 52 on the sale record) may be provided to assist in properly locating` the record on the platen.

Since the ink supply means is in this instance carried by the impression head, its mass must be taken into consideration in determining the total moving mass necessary to produce the proper momentum or percussion. If a lighter ink supply device were employed, the loss of mass would be compensated for in the relatively heavier weight of the other parts of the impression head.

Vyhile adequate momentum of the impression head to produce a proper impression might be secure-d by increasing the energy stored in the actuating springs (instead of adjustingthe mass of the impression head), there are practical limitations to this where the device is to be manipulated by girls or women, as is thepcase, for example, in department stores. increase in spring energy may be secured either by employing stronger springs or by increasing the closing travel of the handles l5 and 35 (i. e., their separation) but the gripping strength and the hand span of the sales girl pla ce rather close limits on both of these means for increasing momentum. The minimum rather than the average hand strength and hand size must be considered. i

For the same reasons it is important that the total weight of the devlice be small; twenty-live ounces in the present embodiment. light Weight, easily held and operated device is highly desirable to secure cooperation of' the sales girl-to effect the economies hand) inherent in a consistent use of the device. Obviously the problem of securing'lightness requires that the mass of the impression head be not'increased to v'secure momentum which can be secured by increased travel or strength of the actuating springs within the limits of easy manipulation by the sales girl.

In completing a transaction, such as a retail sale, in a system wherein the customer carried token is employed, the clerk rst inserts the token in the holder, the light weight of the device readily permits this to be done while holding the device in one hand and inserting the token'with the other. Whereupon the sheets upon which the impression is to be made are inserted over the platen (the balance of the record book` lying, for example, below the platen support (see Fig. 1)). ,Y The operation being completed the token may be immediately withdrawn and returned to the customer.

hile the installation of the above described system whether for retail merchandising or for recording other transactions does not preclude the making of purchases and recording of sales or other transactions (in the samesales books) without `the use of the individual printing plate or token, the advantages both to the individual and to the organization employing the system resulting from the habitual use of the plate or token, are so great that the'individuals will inevitably fully cooperate with the organization to effectthe general and systemmatic use of the plates or tokens. From the standpoint of a retail customer, for example, whose effective cooperation requires the carrying and use of such a token whenever purchases are made, the speed of completing a .given transaction atv once impresses the customer` Furthermore, the errors', delays and failuresindelivery are avoided, as well as erroneous debits on the customers charge account due to illegible or erroneous ydata on the sales record (when entered in long- Since the token is always returned -to the customer in unsoiled condition, the latter' is not reluctant to carry and .use it regularly.

From the standpoint of the .organization such as a department store', the speed in completing a given sales transaction obviously is highly advantageous because a given sales person can complete ay greater number of sales transactions; and the mental fatigue of securing and writing names and addresses of customers, is wholly eliminated. The outstanding advantage to the department store is, however, the avoidance of loss through illegible or erroneous data on the sales record. Loss from this source is wholly avoided by the use of such tokens. The illustrative device requires no Ipermanent support and need occupy no valuable counter space, but can readily be moved about as convenience requires.

A single token is capable of use in making purchases or transacting other business at a number of establishments. In such cases each establishment may emboss on the token an individual, private symbol (represented by which may serve to indicate the credit rating of the individual. Another establishment when extending credit to an individual already supplied elsewhere with a token, mayadd its individual credit symbol 54. Such symbol on the token may serve, if the management of a store so desire, to indicate to the employee (who is familiar with the signicance of the private symbols of the establishment) the fact that certain credit has been extended to the individual to whom the token has been issued. Moreover, an establishment may advantageously place on the token a description (by means of appropriate symbols or code) of the individual to Whom credit authorizationhas been extended. lOn the other hand, a given establishment may not extend such significance to its credit or descriptive symbols and may, on occasion, require proof of the individuals identity, etc., in the usual manner or that the sale be approved byan oiiicial, regardless of the possession by the individual of a token. e

For convenience and for purposes of illustration, the individual carrying the token has been referred to as a customer; but it should be understood that the invention is not limited to uses in which the individual occupies the status of a customer.

Obviously the invention is not limited to the VAdetails of the exempliflcation thereof herein illustrated and described, since such details may be variously modified. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all features of the inventions be used conjointly, since various features may be advantageously employed (without others) in different practices and combinations.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising in combination a platen adapted to receive a plurality of'record sheets and interleaved carbon sheets, a supporting handle projecting therefrom, an impression head movably supported opposite said platen and having means for removably holding a printing plate, an operating handle associated with said supporting handle anA-d arranged relative thereto so that the two handles may be grasped together in a single hand, resilient means adapted to be energized by the operating handle for moving saidimpression head, a trip automatically actuated upon further movement of said operating handle for releasing said resilient means to cause the latter to impart a rapid movement to said impression-head independently of the operating handle to deliver a percussive blow to the record sheetsnpon said platen .to im'- print said printing plate thereon, a spring for automatically raising the impressionhead above the platen immediatelyafter-impression, and a carbon'paper feeding device associated with vsaid impression head andoperative to presentfresh carbonf paper forsaid impression head. v f

5 2; A device of the vcharacter described comprisingin combination, a platenfadaptedto, receive a plurality of record sheets andinter- Y sociated with said impression head and carry- Y Y i ing a roll of carbon paper, an operating handle associated with said supporting handle and arranged relative thereto so that the two handles may be grasped together in a single hand, resilient means adapted to be energized by the operating handle for moving said impression head, and means for releasing said resilient means to cause the latter to impart a rapid movement to said impression head independently of the operating handle to deliver a percussive blow to the record sheets upon said platen to imprint said printing plate thereon.

3. A device of the character described comprising in combination a platen adapted to receive a plurality of record sheets and inter- 5 leaved carbon sheets, an impression head movably supported opposite said platen andhaving means for removably holding a printing plate, a carbon paper supply device having feeding rolls for drawing a sheet of carbon paper across the printing plate held in said -impression head, an operating handle associated with said platen, actuating means controlled by said operating handle and including a compression spring arranged to be compressed by said operating handle and subsequently released thereby to impart a rapid movement to said impression head and thereby to cause the impression of the printing plate tov be made by percussion upon the record sheets on said platen, and means forV automatically raising said impression head above the sion., y

4. A device of the character described comprising in combination a platen adapted to support a record sheet, va supporting handle projecting therefrom, an impression head movably supported opposite said platen and platen immediately after impreshaving means for removably holding a print- Y ing plate, a carbon paper supply 4device including a holder for a rollof carbon paper and a feeding roll yadapted to be turned to draw fresh carbon paper into alignment with said impression head, an operating handle associated with said supporting:` handlerand arranged relative thereto sol-that the two I handles may be graspedtogether in a single hand, and actuating means controlled by said 5 operating' handle and ncludinga compression'spring for giving Vsaid impression head a rapid movement toward said platen so as to strike the record sheet upon the latter lwith a percussive blowl so' as'to imprint the k1,0 printing plate thereon.

In testimony whereof, I` have signed my Yname to this specification.

JOHN E. JOHNSON.

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