US2263459A - Cash register, accounting, and the like machines - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 18, 1941. H. GELLER CASH REGISTER, ACCOUNTING, AND THE LIKE MACHINES Original Filed July 26 19:57

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Dr. Helmu t Geller Inventor y MZ/ w His Attorney Patentecl Nov. 18, 1941 CASH REGISTER, ACCOUNTING, AND THE LIKE MACHINES Helmut Geller, Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany,

assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Original application July 26, 1937, Serial No. 155,594. Divided and this application July 23, 1940, Serial No. 346,976

3 Claims.

This invention relates to cash registers, accounting machines, and other machines having a plurality of banks of keys. This application is a division of the application for United States Letters Patent of Helmut Geller, Serial No. 155,594, filed July 26, 1937.

During certain machine operations it is important that a key in one bank and a related key in another bank be operated each machine operation in a certain sequence.

It is an object of this invention to provide mechanism whereby related keys in associated banks are caused to be operated in a certain sequence.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism for requiring the sequential operation of the same value-representing key in each of two associated key banks on each machine operation.

Further objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following detailed description with reference to the drawing which shows a preferred form of embodiment of the invention.

Of said drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a typical keyboard having two banks of related and connected keys.

Fig. 2 is a section through bank I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section through bank II of Fig. 1.

General description Two key banks I and II (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) each having an equal number of depressible keys are provided, each of the keys 2!] of key bank I being operatively connected to a corresponding key 2| of key bank II by means of a connecting link 22 hinged by a pin 23 to the key and resting on the outer end of the related key 2|. A key tip 24 is fastened to each connecting piece 22, by which operating pressure may be applied to the outer ends of the pairs of connected keys 20 and 2|.

A detent 25 (Fig. 2) associated with the keys 2!) is slidably mounted on frame-supported studs 26, said detent normally being in the position shown, but adapted to be forced upwardly, upon depression of any key 20, by the action of keysupported pins 21 on sloping surfaces 28 of the detent, one of which surfaces is positioned in the path of each of said pins. The upward movement of detent 25, through link 29, causes clockwise rotation of arm 30, secured to a sleeve 3| loose on shaft 32. Thus, if any key 20 of the I key bank is depressed, sleeve 3| is rotated clockwise. Surfaces 33 are positioned under the pins 21 on the undepressed keys when the detent 25 is in the up position, preventing operation of any other key than that first depressed.

A detent 34 (Fig. 3) slidably mounted on pins 35 in the frame of key bank II is normally in the down position and when in that position it presents surfaces like surface 38 to each key pin, like pin 36, supported by keys 2| of key bank II preventing any such key from being depressed. On upward movement of the detent 34, an opening 31 is presented to each of the pins 36, permitting depression of any key 2|. A link 40 connects detent 34 to an arm. 4| also secured to sleeve 3| (Figs. 2 and 3), so that upon a key in key bank I being depressed the keys of key bank II are released for depression.

As a single key tip 24 (Fig. l) on connecting link 22 is used to depress the related keys in the two key banks, the pressure on the key tip will first cause the associated key 20 to be depressed, which act allows the associated key 2| to be depressed on continued pressure being applied. By making each key 2| a release key for the machine, in any well known manner, the machine with which such interlocked key banks are associated cannot be operated until the two selected and related keys are depressed in a certain sequence.

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 machine of the class described having two banks of operable keys, the combination of means to join two keys of the same value in adjacent banks so as to be operable in a single manual movement; and interlocking means between the keys so joined including a locking means for the keys of one bank and a locking means removing means operated by the keys of the other bank whereby said keys in said other bank must be operated before the keys in said one bank are released for operation and the joined keys are caused to be operated in an invariable sequence.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a first key bank having a plurality of keys; a member movable when any key of said first bank is depressed; a second key bank having a plurality of keys; a member normally blocking any key of said second bank from being depressed but movable to an out-of-blocking relation with the keys in said second bank; means connecting the members so that when the member associated with the first bank of keys is moved by its related keys, the blocking member will also be moved so as to allow any key of the second bank to be depressed; and means to de-v press a key in each bank with a single movement.

3. In a machine of the class described having two banks of keys, corresponding keys in each of the banks forming pairs of like significance, the combination of a plurality of bridging means, one for each pair of keys and each bridging means having one end pivoted to its related key in one bank and its other end engaging its related key in the other bank so that upon the single manual depression of a bridging means a key in each bank will be depressed; means normally in position to lock the keys of said other bank against depression; and means operated by the keys of said one bank for moving said locking means to unlocking position, whereby upon the depression of a bridging member, its related key in said one bank will operate and remove the locking means for its related key in said other bank after which the key in said other bank will operate thus causing the two keys of like significance to be operated in a predetermined sequence'upon the single depression of a bridging member.

HELMUT GELLER.

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