US1924278A - Cash register - Google Patents

Description

C. W. GREEN CASH REGISTER Original Filed Dec.

Aug. 29, 1933.

5.5 become apparent as the description w.

Patented Aug. 29, 1933 CASH REGISTER Charles W. Green, Ilion, N. Y., assigner, by mesne assignments, to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a Corporation o! Maryland Original application December 19, 1927, Serial 241,046. Divided and this application Y March 15, 1929. Serial No. 347,335

2Claims.

'I'his invention relates to overthrow preventing means for the totalizer actuating segments in cash registers, and the embodiment selected for the purpose of illustration is particularly adapted 5 for use in cash registers, although it is susceptible for use in other types of accounting machines and analogous devices. i

This application is a division of the application of Charles W. Green, Serial No. 241,046, iiled December 19, 1927, to which application reference may be had for a more complete disclosure of the cash register mechanism and other devices not shown herein.

Machines of this character are at times subjected to improper usage by extremely rapid and violent operations. In rapid operations oi an adding machine or cash register considerable momentum is imparted to the various elements and particularly to the actuators of the totalizer wheels as well as to the totalizer wheels theme selves. Accordingly, it is desirable, in order to insure proper accumulation of amounts in the totalizer Wheels, that a means be provided for preventing these actuating segments from moving past their proper destinations.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an effective overthrow preventing device for accounting machines or cash registers that will insure proper accumulations of amounts therein 30 by preventing the totalizer actuating segments fromimparting an improper movement to the totalizers. Another object ci' my invention is to provide an overthrow preventing means for the totalizer actuatingsegments which may be readily placed in the machine withounecessitating material alteration of the same or interfering with the other mechanisms contained in such a machine.

' A further object is to provide an overthrow 40 preventing means which is simple in construction, the parts of which may readily be stamped in a machine and assembled into a compact and eilicient device which may be manufactured at a small cost.

A further object of my invention is to provide an overthrow preventing means which is actuated by the key coupler when the latter has been moved to one of its limiting positions.

. A more speciiic object of my invention is to provide an overthrow preventing means which is eil'ective to stop all o! the actuating segments when reaching their proper destinations, -regardless of the extent of their movements.

Other and further objects of my invention. will (Cl. 23S-131) Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational View, showing my overthrow preventing means mounted in the machine, together with other associated mechanisms common in cash register constructions.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view in part showing the yoverthrow preventing device and its relation to the totalizer actuating segments.

The improvements are applied to a cash regiso5 ter of the key-operated type in which the amount keys are divided into a plurality of banks for registering the amounts of the several denominations. The machine also contemplates the provision of special keys, such as transaction or clerks' keys for example, whereby special transactions or the clerk operating the machine may be suitably indicated.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, amount keys 19 are provided upon a shaft 20 75 journalled between main side frames 21 of the machine. The mechanism is enclosed by a suitable cabinet 22. The various keys carry at their front portions suitable key cups bearing indicia,

designating the nature of the keys, -and the .y

forward ends of the key lever are guided by slots 23 formed in the cabinet 22. At their rear ends the keys are guided by slots 24 formed in a plate 25 secured to cross-bars 26 and 27, attached to the rear of the machine.

The keys are provided with notches 28 adapted to receive the rearward end of a. key coupler 29 which extends between the side frames 21 and normally rests upon the rear ends of the keys. The key coupler is pivotally supported by means of a pair of parallel plates 30 attached to the ends of the key coupler by screws 3l. 'I'he plates are suitably apertured to receive a shaft 32 which is located in substantially the mid-portion of the machine and is carried by the side frames. It will be obvious that when the forward ends o! the operating keys are depressed the key coupler 29 will be rocked counter-clockwise so that its cearward end willenter the notches 28 of the d .:essed keys. The purpose of such a key coupler mechanism is well known in the art and need not be discussed herein.

It is desirable that some device be provided to insure a complete performance of the started registration before a second operation can subsequently be eil'ected. To this end, any suitable mechanism may be provided, but in the present instance one of the plates 30 is extended upwardly and to the rear to form a segment 33 provided no with teeth 34 adaptd to coact with a pawl 35 to which a spring 36 isy connected. Very early in the operation of the machine the engaging end of pawl 35 will coact with one of the teeth and thereby hold the key coupler and key in their operative positions, even though pressure on the key may be released, and during a subsequent portion of the downstroke of the key the ratcheting of the pawl over the teeth will prevent any retrograde movement of the key or key'coupler.

At thetermination of a downstroke of the key the full stroke pawl will be disengaged from the rack, thus permitting restoration of the keys and key coupler .but at the same time, after this return movement has commenced, movement in the opposite direction will be prevented.

As will be noted, the rear ends of the keys are formed with upstanding projections 37, the forward edges 38 being substantially concentric with the key coupler supporting shaft 32. When the coupler is being operated the rearward end 29 will pass in front of the concentric portion of the unoperated keys, thereby locking them against movement. Since this construction is well known in the art it need not be discussed herein in further detail.

A suitable indicating mechanism is also provided. This mechanism comprises a series of indicating tablets 39 arranged in groups of three. The stems of said indicating tablets are offset in such a manner that each stem will be positioned directly over its corresponding key lever so that upon operation of a key its corresponding indicator will be moved to raised position. A bar 47 extends across the rear portion of the machine and contains a plurality of fingers 50 and 51 which engage the raised indicators and hold them in operative position. Upon the initial operation of the machine, the bar 47 is rocked in a counter clockwise direction, thereby permitting the indicators which were raised during the previous operation to drop. The said bar 47 is then given a movement in a clockwise direction at the end of the downstroke of the keys and thengers 51 will then engage the newly raised indicators and thereby hold them in raised position. Since this mechanism forms no part of the invention disclosed herein a detailed description thereof is unnecessary. For a complete description of this mechanism reference may be had to the parent application.

'I'he present invention includes an overthrow preventing device for the totalizer actuating racks, which mechanism will now be described. This mechanism comprises a series of actuating segments 70 adapted to drive a corresponding totalizer wheel 71, it being of course understood that the totalizer wheels are engageable with the respective actuating segments for actuation in accordance with the keys depressed.

In my application Serial No. 183,392, filed April 13, 1927, I have disclosed certain forms of means whereby the totalizer wheels may be engaged with the actuators for actuation thereby during depression of the keys. The totalizer engaging means, however, forms. no part of my present invention and hence will not be described herein. It is suilcient to note that the totalizer wheels are driven by the actuators during the downstroke of the keys, which is a common occurrence m the art.

Each actuating segment is movable with a corresponding differential frame 701 operated by the associated denominational series of keys 19, said frame having a rearward'cross piece 702 lying in the path of upstanding extension 191 on the rear portions of said keys whereby said frame is rocked when any of the associated series of keys is depressed. The rear extensions 191 of the respective keys are spaced different distances from the cross piece 702 whereby the differential frame may be actuated different extents commensurate with the` value of the keys. Each key is also provided with a complemental projec- 'j tion 192 on its forward portion, which projection 85 is adapted to engage a cross bar 703 on the differential frame to positively stop the latter when it has been moved the appropriate extent.

While each segment 70 is secured to its corresponding diferential frame and each differential frame is positively held against overthrow by the complemental stops 192, I have provided an additional overthrow preventing means cooperating directly. with the actuating segments and precluding overthrow thereof when the regg5 ister keys are misoperated by too rapid and violent depressions. If, in the course of extremely rapid and forceful operations, the segment should be temporarily strained beyond its proper position and its associated totalizer wheel momentarily overthrown an incorrect reading might, under certain circumstances, result. More specifically, should the proper position of the totalizer wheel be at 9 overthrow thereof as a result of improper and violent operation might, though momentarily, result in conditioning the transfer mechanism for carrying 1 prematurely to the totalizer wheel of the next higher order. To insure that misoperation of the machine shall not result in such an overthrow, I have provided the following mechanism:

Each actuating segment has secured thereto a serrated plate 72. Secured to the front tie bar 73 of the` machine is a bracket 74 comprising a horizontal portion 75 and side arms 76 and 77, 115 the rear portions of said side arms being bifurcated to engage the shaft 20 for support thereby. Pivotally mounted in said bracket is a bail 78 having fingers 79 extending rearwardly and adapted to cooperate with the serrated plates 72. A spring 80, interposed between said bail and a stud 81 on bracket 74, normally holds the bail in its forward position, as shown in Fig. 1, in which position the forward extension or arm 82 of said bail rests against the horizontal portion 75 of 125 said bracket 74. Extending from the opposite side of said bail is an arm 83 carrying a laterally disposed'pin 84, which lies in the path of a rocking finger 85, the latter is an extension of a segmental plate 95 which moves with the key cou- 130 pler 29.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that as the register keys are depressed and the segments,70 operated to drive the totalizer wheels 71 the finger 85 moves downwardly, 135 and at approximately the end of the depression of said keys said finger will strike pin 84. The fingers 79 of bail 78 are thereby brought into engagement with the serrations of extension 72 so that the actuators 70 and totalizer wheels 71 in 140 mesh therewith will not be carried beyond their proper positions. The plates l72 carry a plurality of serrations so that the finger 79 will engage said plates regardless of the distance that they have been actuated. Thus, it is clear that my overthrow preventing device is just as effective in the case where the actuating segments have moved one unit as lt would be had they moved a -distance required to actuate the totalizers nine units.

From the foregoing it is apparent that an effective means has been provided for preventing overthrow of the differential segments and which insures proper operation of the machine under all conditions of operation.

While the form of mechanism herein described is admirably adapted to fulll the objects primari- 1y stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to conne the invention to the one form of embodiment herein shown, since it may be embodied in various forms all coming Within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is: 'y

1. In a. machine of the class described, a plurality of actuating segments having diierential extents of movement, serrated portions connected to and movable with said segments, and an overthrow preventer for said segments comprising a pivoted bail having a bar movable edgewise to engage simultaneously the serrated portions of all of the segments, and means for moving the bail into operative position.

2. In a machine of the class described, a plurality of groups of keys, an actuating segment associated with each group, said segments having differential extents of movement under control of the keys, a key coupler common to all groups of keys and adapted to cooperate with the keys for moving the segments, and means for preventing overthrow of the segments, said means cornprising a bar actuated by the key coupler and movable edgewise to engage simultaneously all of the segments, said segments being notched to receive the edge of said bar.

CHARLES W. GREEN.

Images