US2121967A - Cash register - Google Patents

Description

June 28, 1938 I L. G. A. KOMMLING' 7 CASH REGISTER Filed Aug. 20, 1935 I Smqe'ntor Leo G. A. Kiimmling His Cttorneg Patented June 28, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CASH REGISTER Leo G. A. Kiimmling, Berlin, Germany, assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Application August 20,

1935, Serial No. 37,067

In Germany August 30,1934

11 Claims.

This invention relates to cash registers and the like, but'is more particularly directed to the impression mechanisms of such machines.

Generally it is an object of this invention fig to devise novel means to control the impression mechanisms of cash'registers and like machines. A more specific object is to provide means to varythe number of working strokes of the impression mechanism depending uponthe type of record material being used.

Another object is to provide a machine, having' a single impression means adapted to perform'a varying number of printing strokes to, make imprints upon difierent types of record material. with means to governthe number of printing strokes of said impression means to s'uit the type of record material being used.

A further-object is to supply an impression device, adapted to make two impressions upon 9 one type of record material and one impression upon another type of record material, with controlling means cooperating with one type of record material to'- govern the printing movements of said impression device. v With these and. incidental objects in view, the invention includescertain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of 3Q which is hereinafter described withreference to 'the drawing which accompanies. and forms a partof this specification: r I Inthe drawing:

;Fig. l is a side elevation, as observed from the lefthand side of the. machine, showing the impression mechanism and the controlling means therefor.

General description The machine embodying the present inven tion has mechanism consisting of a single line 45 of type carriersand a single hammer cooperating therewith, adapted to print either upon an I issuing receipt or upon an insertable slip. The issuing receipt has a detachable stub, consequently it is desirable to make two identical im- 50 pressions upon. said receipt, one upon the body thereof and 'oneupon the detachable stub. The double printing upon the issuing receipt is effected by imparting two impression strokes to the hammer each machine operation; said receipt be- :55 ing fed during the interval between; impression Fig. 2 is a detail view of the impression hamstrokes of the hammer to present different portions thereof to the impression means.

In slip printing operations, the slip is inserted in a suitable receptacle or slip chute, provided therefor and moved in the path of a slip feeler mechanism to obstruct movement of said feeler which by means of connecting mechanism prevents the second impression stroke of the hammer, thereby allowing only one impression tobe made upon the insertable slip.

A manipulative device with, two positions, namely check and slip renders the feeler mechanism inoperative-when in check position and simultaneously causes a closure to obstruct the slip chute to prevent the insertion of slips therein. Moving the manipulative device to slip position opens the closure to the slip chute and Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the machine of this invention has a plurality of type wheels Ill rotatably mounted on a shaft H supported by the printer framework not shown, said type wheels being positioned in adding operations by means of depressible amount keys (not shown) and in total taking operations by means of a series of totalizer wheels (not shown) as they are returned to zero. An impression hammer l2, turnably mounted on a shaft [3 supported by the main framework of the machine, carries a platen block M which in cooperation with the type wheels l0 and an inking ribbon (not shown) makes imprints either upon an issuing check or receipt or upon an insertable slip.

The hammer I2 is actuated by means of lobes liand N3, of a hammer operating cam IT, in cooperationwith a roller l8 carried by a lever I9 journaled on a stationary stud 2B. The lever 19 carries a stud 2|, which is urged by a comparatively weak spring 22, tensioned between said lever 19 and the hammer l2, into contact with a rearwardly disposed surface of said ham mer l2. A comparatively strong spring 23, one end of which is connected to the lever I9, urges said lever counterclockwise to maintain the roller la. in contact with the peripheryof the cam H. The cam I1 is secured on the shaft l3 and moves in unison therewith one clockwise revolution each machine operation.

When the machine is at rest and the cam I1 is in home position, as here shown, a high portion 24 of the periphery thereof is in contact with the roller 18 and retains the hammer retracted as here shown. Due to the contour of the cam fulcrumed on a stationary stud 3i.

I? rotation thereof during machine operation causes the hammer l2 to move slowly counterclockwise under the influence of the lever l9 and the spring 23. Continued rotation of the cam l1 causes the lobe E5 in cooperation with the roller i8 to rock the lever l9 clockwise, the hammer [2 moving in unison therewith under influence of the spring 22 in preparation for the first impression blow. When the roller i8 rides off of the abrupt edge of the lobe i5 the'spring 23 imparts sharp counterclockwise movement to the lever I9 and the hammer l2. This counterclockwise movement of the lever I9 is suddenly terminated, by means of the roller !8 contacting a low surface of the periphery of the cam i'i, just before the platen 14 moves the inking ribbon and the record material into contact with the type wheels, however, momentum of the hammer I2 is sufficient to complete the impression stroke regardless of the spring 22. The lobe l6 effects a second impression blow of the hammer in exactly the same manner as the lobe i5.

Control of the impression hammer in slip printing operations As stated previously, it is desirable that only one imprint be mad-e upon the insertable slip, and this is accomplished by means of a feeler mechanism which prevents the second impression stroke of the hammer when a slip is inserted in the machine, and prevents both strokes of the hammer when no slip is inserted in the machine. The feeler mechanism for controlling the impression strokes of the hammer will now be described in detail.

The insertable slips are presented to and located in relation to the printing mechanism by means of a slip chute 25 (Fig. 1) supported between the frames of the printer mechanism and having an aperture 26, in a case or cabinet 21, which encloses the mechanism of the machine, for the introduction of said insertable slips. The top and bottom plates of the slip chute 25 each has a matched opening 28 arranged toregister with the upper end of a slip feeler 29 mounted for vertical sliding movement by means of vertical slots therein in cooperation with two stationary studs 35 secured in the printer framework.

The feeler 29 has a horizontal slot 3! which embraces a stud 32 in a crank 33 secured on a shaft 34 journaled in the printer framework. Also secured on the shaft 34 is a crank 35 which is pivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank 35 The other arm of the bell crank 36 carries a stud 38 which extends within a slot in one end of a link 39, the other end of which link is pivotally connected to an arm 40 loose on a shaft 4! supported by the main framework and integral with a similar arm 52. The arm 42 carries a roller 43 which is urged by a spring 44, the upper end of which is connected to the fulcrum point between the cranks 35 and 3 5, into communication with the periphery of a cam 45 secured on a shaft 46, said cam and said shaft making one counterclockwise rotation each machine operation. The spring 44 through the crank 35, shaft 34 and crank 33, urges the feeler 29 upwardly.

Printer control lever Whether or not the feeler mechanism is effective depends upon the position of a printer control lever 47 (Fig. 1) fulcrumed on a stud 43 secured in one of the machine frames. The lever 47 has a suitable fingerpiece which extends through an aperture in the cabinet 21. The lever 4'! has two positions, namely, check, in which it is here shown, and slip, indicated by dot and dash lines,and is retained in either of its positions by means of two V-shaped notches therein in cooperation with the rounded nose of a retaining pawl 49 pivoted on a stud 50 and urged into communication with said V-shaped notches by a spring 51!.

The printer control lever 47 has therein a camming slot 52 which cooperates with a roller 53 carried by an arm 54 secured to one end of a sleeve 55 rotatably supported by a shaft 56 journaled in the machine framework. Secured on the other end of the sleeve 55 is an arm 51 with a stud 58 embraced by an angular slot 59 in an arm 69 secured on a shaft 6! journaled in the printer framework. Also secured on the shaft 5% is an arm 62 with a bent-over ear 63 which cooperates with a shoulder 64 of the feeler 29.

When the lever 47 is in check position, as here shown, the train of mechanism described above positions the arm 62 so that the bent-over ear 63 in cooperation with the shoulder 64 pre vents upward movement of the feeler 29, under influence of the spring 44, when a lobe 65 of the cam 45 moves out of the path of the roller 43 at the beginning of machine operation. It is therefore evident that when the lever 4'! is in check position the feeler mechanism is rendered inoperative and the hammer I2 is free to make twoimpression strokes to make two identi cal imprints upon the issuing check. Likewise when the printer control lever 4! is in check position a closure 66 secured on the shaft BI is so positioned that a-curved portion 61 thereof, which coincides with a slot in the bottom plate of the slip chute 25, closes the opening to said slip chute 25, thus preventing the insertion of slips at this time. It should be here noted that the curved portion 6? 'of the closure 66 does not extend completely across the slip chute, but only so far as is necessary to prevent the insertion of slips. This enables the machine to issue checks during check printing operations when the curved portion of the closure member is in effective position.

Lever 4?, through mechanism which forms no part ofthe instant invention, controls the operation of the check feeding rollers 80. When thislever is moved into slip position, it causes the eccentric mounting 8! for the lower roller 80 to be actuated to move the lower roller from contact with the upper roller and accordingly disables the check feeding rollers in slip printing. Further details of the mechanism for controlling the check feed rollers may be found in the United States application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 734,537, filed July 10, 1934, by Kurt Vogelgesang and Erich Wagner.

Moving the lever 4'! clockwise to slip position by means of the slot 52 in cooperation with the roller 53 rocks thearm 54, the sleeve 55 and arm 5i counterclockwise. Counterclockwise movement of the arm 51 by means of the stud 53 incooperation with the slot 59 rocks the arm til, the shaft 5! and the arm 62 clockwise to dis: engage the car 63 from the shoulder 54 to render the slip feeler mechanism effective. Obviously the closure '36 moves clockwise in unison with the shaft 6! to the. position indicated by dot and dash lines to remove the curved portion 61 thereof from the opening of the slip chute 25 topermit the insertion ofslips therein.

The operation of the impression hammer I2 arm H secured on the shaft 34.

(Fig.2) is governed by a detent 68, loose on the shaft 34, which is positioned by the slip feeler mechanism. The detent 68 has a concentric slot/69, which cooperates'with a stud Til in an A spring l2 forms a flexible connection between the arm H and the detent 68 and urges the detent 68 clockwise to normally maintain the left end of the slot 69 in contact with the stud HI, as here shown.

Slip printing operations In slip printing operations, operating the machine with a" slip improperly inserted in the chute 25, (Figs. 1 and 2) or with no slip inserted in the 5; chute 25, permits the feeler 29 to'move full distance upwardly, under influence of the spring 44', when, the lobe 65 of the cam 45 moves beyond the roller 43. This. permits full counterclockwise movement of the shaft 34 and the arm H and causes said arm 'H'to carry the detent 68 counterclockwise in unison therewith, to the position indicated byldotted lines, to move a shoulder 13 thereof in the path of a right-angled extension 14 of one arm of the hammer 12, to

obstruct impression movement of said hammer under influence of; the cam earlier herein. 5

An example of a slip printing operation with the slip properly inserted in the chute will IT, as explained now be given. The contour of the cam I? (Fig.

2) is such that initial movement of said cam in cooperation with the roller IS, the lever l9, and

the stud 2|, rocks the hammer I2 a suiiicient distance counterclockwise to move a roller '15 5 carried thereby into the, path of an extension 16 of the detent .68. This occurs before the lobe 65 of the cam .45 moves beyond the roller 43 and consequently movement counterclockwise of the detent 68, arm H and the shaft and the upward feeling movement of the feeler 29, under influence of the springM, are obstructed and these parts are retained in their ineffective positions as here shown, while the hammer l2 moves slowly upwardly under influence of the cam 5?.

When the lobe [5 of the cam i! retracts the, hammer It, in preparation for the first impression stroke, the roller 15 moves beyond the extension 16 permitting the spring 44 to move the feeler 29 upwardly until such movement is stopped by the slip contacting thetop plate of the chute 25. This rotates the shaft M a slight dis tance counterclockwise to move the detent $8 to the position indicated by'dot. and dash lines.

During the first imprinting stroke of the ham mer I2, caused by the lobe [5 of the cam ll moving beyond the roller t8, the roller 15 engages the extension 15 and moves: the detent 63 independently ofthe arm H and the shaft 3 in a counterclockwise direction from the position indicated by dot and dash lines to the position cause the extension M has moved beyond the shoulder 73 before the detent B8 is fully moved to effective position. .Retraction of the hammer The detent 68 does not'interfere with thesecond imprinting stroke, causes the extenby the lobe E6 of the cam IT in preparation'for' sion '14 to by-pass the shoulder 1'3 and the spring 4'4 immediately returns said shoulder into the path of the extension 14. Obviously this blocks the second imprinting stroke of the hammer I2 when the lobe I6 of the cam I1 rides off the roller Mend it is therefore clear that only one imprint will be made upon the insertable slip.

Near the end of machine operation the lobe 65 of the cam 45 (Fig. 1) in cooperation with the roller 43 and connecting mechanism imparts clockwise movement to the shaft 34 to return the feeler 29 downwardly to ineffective position, as

here shown. The arm H and the spring 12 cause the detent 68 to move clockwise in unison with the shaft 3% until an upward extension of the pawl ll engages a static-nary stud 19 to disena gage said pawl from the step I8, thus permitting the spring '12 to impart relative movement to said detent B8, to restore it to normal position, as here shown, which position is determined by means of the slot 69 in cooperation with the stud 10. Furtlrer explanation of operation is deemed unnecessary as it is believed that a thorough understanding of the functioning of the impression mechanism will have been obtained from a perusal of the foregoing specifications.

While 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.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing device adapted to print optionally upon a check or slip, the combination of an impression hammer; means to impart two impression strokes to the hammer each machine operation; and means, rendered effective by the sow hammer during its first impression stroke in 'a slip printing operation, to prevent the second im pression stroke of said hammer.

2. In a machine of the character described, having a printing device adapted to make avaryimpression hammer; means to impart two imprcssion strokes to the hammer each machine operation; a member to block the second impression stroke of the hammer; and meanson the hammer, cooperable with the member during the first impression stroke of the hammer, to move the member to effective position to block the second impression stroke of the hammer.

3. In a machine of the class described, adapted to make one imprint upon an insertable slip, and a plurality of imprints upon an issuing check, the combination of a receptacle for the slip; a

feeler device associated with the receptacle and the slip; an impression hammer; means to iming number of imprints, the combination of an part two impression strokes to the hammer each machine operation; and a member controlledby' the feeler device and operated by the hammer during its first impression stroke to prevent the second impression stroke of said hammer. T

4. In a machine of the character described,

adapted to make a varying number of imprints depending upon the type of record material, issuing check or insertable slip, being used, the combination ofa receptacle for the slip; a feeler device associated with the receptacle; manipulative means torender the feeler device operative or'inoperative; an impression hammer; means. to

impart two impression strokes to the hammer each machine operation; means controlled by the feeler device to render the impression means inoperative when a slip is not in the chute, and to prevent second impression movement of the hammer when a slip is inserted in the chute.

5. In a machine of the class described adapted to make a varying number of imprints upon an issuing check and upon an insertable slip, the combination of an impression hammer; means to impart two impression strokes to the hammer each machine operation; a receptacle for the slip; a feeler mechanism associated with the receptacle and the slip; a shaft controlled by the feeler mechanism; a member on the shaft adapted to be moved in unison therewith to prevent operation of the impression means during a slip printing operation when no slip is inserted in the receptacle; and means to move the member relatively to the shaft to prevent the second impression stroke of the hammer when a slip is inserted in the receptacle.

6. In a machine of the class described, adapted to make a different number of imprints upon an issuing check and upon an insertable slip, the combination of a receptacle for the slip; a feeler device associated with the receptacle; means to operate the feeler device; manipulative means to render the feeler device operative or inoperative; an impression hammer; means toimpart two impression strokes to the hammer each machine operation; a shaft controlled by the feeler device; a member on the shaft adapted to be moved in unison therewith to prevent operation of the impression means during a slip printing operation when no slip is inserted in the receptacle; and means to move the member relatively to the shaft to prevent the second impression stroke of the hammer when a slip is inserted in the receptacle.

7. In a machine of the character described, having a printing mechanism including a plurality of type carriers and adapted to make a different number of imprints upon an issuing check and upon an insertable slip respectively, the combination of an impression hammer associated with the type carriers; means to impart two'imprinting strokes to the hammer each I machine operation; a receptacle for the insertable connecting the element to the member, where-' upon positioning of the shaft and the element under the control of the feeler, when no slip is in the chute, moves the member in unison with said shaft to prevent the hammer from making an impression stroke; and means whereby the hammer moves the member relatively to the element and the shaft to prevent the second impression stroke of said hammer when a slip is inserted in the chute.

8. In a machine of the class described, having a printing mechanism including a plurality of type carriers and adaptedv to make a plurality of imprints upon an issuing check and one imprint upon an insertable slip, the combination of an impression hammer adapted to cooperate with the type carriers; means to impart two imprinting strokes to the hammer each machine operation; a slip chute to guide the slip to the printing mechanism; a feeler device associated with the chute; a shaft controlled by the feeler device and arranged to be located thereby in one position when no slip is in the chute, and arranged to be located by said feeler mechanism in another position when a slip is in the chute; an element arranged to move in unison with the shaft; a member flexibly connected to the element and adapted to control the imprinting strokes of the hammer, whereupon movement of the shaft to' one position causes the member to block imprinting movement of the hammer when no slip is in the chute; and means rendered effective, when the shaft occupies its other position, to move the member relatively to said shaft to block the second impression stroke of the hammer when a slip is inserted in the chute.

9. In a machine of the class described having a printing mechanism including a plurality of type wheels, adapted to make imprints upon record material, the combination of an impression hammer cooperating with the type wheels; means to impart two working strokes to the hammer each machine operation; a feeling means; a shaft; an element on the shaft; a member flexibly connected to the element and arranged to control the impression strokes of the hammer; means controlled by said feeling means to impart a certain degree of movement to the shaft, the member and the element, to cause the member to block impression movement of the hammer, said imparting means also adapted to be controlled by said feeling means to impart another degree of movement to the shaft, the member and the element; and means effective after the member has received the latter degree of movement to move said member relatively to the element and the shaft to block the second impression stroke of the hammer.

10. In a machine of the character described having a printing mechanism including a plurality of type wheels adapted to make imprints upon record material, the combination of an impression hammer associated with the type wheels; means to impart two working strokes to the hammer each machine operation; a member tocontrol the impression strokes of the hammer; means on the hammer effective during the first working stroke thereof to move the member to effective position to prevent the second impression stroke of the hammer; and means to move the member into cooperative alinement with the moving means on the hammer.

11. In a machine of the character described having a printing device including a plurality of type wheels adapted to make imprints upon record material, the combination of an impression hammer associated with the type wheels; means to impart two working strokes to the hammer each machine operation; an element to control the impression strokes of the hammer; a projection on the hammer adapted to cooperate with the element; means including a feeler device to move the element into cooperative alinement with the projection, whereupon the firstiinpression stroke of the hammer moves the element to effective position to prevent the second working stroke thereof; and means to retain the element in eifective position until near the end of a machine operation.

LEO G. A. KOMMLING.

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