US2422186A - Register selecting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1947- M. DEMEULENAERE REGISTER SELECTING MECHANISM Filed July 31, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l 7m V 2 w fdwva June 17, 1947. M, DEMEULENAERE 2,422,186

REGISTER SELECTING MECHANISM Filed July 31, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 17, 1947 REGISTER SELECTING MECHANISM Marcel Demeulenaere, Brussels, Belgium; vested in the Attorney General of the United States Application July 31, 1939, Serial No. 287,630 In Belgium August 10, 1938 24 Claims.

The present invention relates to computing mechanism for cash registers and the like, and has particular reference to mechanism of the kind disclosed in my prior Patent Number 2,282,120, dated May 5, 1942, in which an operating member for controlling a plurality of totalisers extends through successive groups of annular discs or wheels forming sai totalisers. In the mechanism described by way of example in my above mentioned patent, selection of the individual totalisers which are to take part in an entry of an item is effected by an axial movement of the operating member in one direction and the subsequent operations necessary to perform the entry are carried out while the operatin member is moved in reverse direction.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism that will be simpler and more convenient in operation, and in which the parts will move more smoothly than in my prior mechanism.

A further object is to provide a mechanism in which retractable driving projections are so arranged on the operating member that the operations for selecting the individual totalisers and the operations for registering the amounts by means of the operative totalisers are controlled by a succession of axial movements of the operating member in the same direction, said axial movements alternating with rotational movements of the said member.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a mechanism having two difierent kinds of individual totalisers, some of them associated with fixed selectors and others with angularly movable selectors, permitting the simultaneous selection of two or more individual totalisers by means of a single rotation of the operating member.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating by way of example an embodiment of my said invention.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 1a taken together present a longitudinal sectional view of the totalisers and indicator of a cash register machine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on a larger scale of an individual totaliser with the operating member extending therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line III-III of Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, showing the operating member in a diflerent position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View on line VI-VI of Fig. 2, showing the co-operation of an individual totaliser with its operation counter.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view on line VII-VII of Fig. 8, illustrating the selector for a goods totaliser.

Fig. 8 is an end view, partly in section on line VIII-VIII of Fig. '7, of the same selector.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal Sectional view of the indicator and the multiple item totaliser of the machine.

The mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises from left to right: a general totaliser G, two individual totalisers A and B, each having its operation counter A and B respectively, two further individual totalisers C and D having each its operation counter C and D respectively, then an operation counter S, a multiple item totaliser T and an indicator I. This arrangement is intended to permit, for instance, of registering separately the operations of two salesmen on the individual totalisers A and B hereinafter called personal totalisers and of recording the number of operations on the respective counters A and B, and further, of separately registering the operations respecting two kinds of goods on the individual totalisers C and D hereinafter called goods totalisers and of recording the corresponding numbers of operations on the respective counters C Simultaneously therewith the general and D. totaliser G totalises all the operations effected during a predetermined period, say one day, and the general counter S records the total number of said operations. By the indicator I the amount of each operation is made visible and the multiple item totaliser T adds, if desired, the total amounts of a plurality of successive operations.

The several totalisers and counters and the indicator comprise each a group of annular discs [9 arranged side by side, said discs having each ten peripheral teeth bearing the figures 0 to 9 or conventional signs as will be explained later. Fixed spacing members ll, HA etc. carried by the general support 6| separate adjacent groups of discs from each other.

All the individual totalisers being of like construction, I shall describe in detail only one of them, i. e. the personal totaliser A illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5. As shown in Fig. 2, the totaliser comprises from right to left five annular discs l0 having each on its inner periphery ten teeth to enable operation of said discs from the inside and a sixth disc lfi without inner teeth. The six discs forming totaliser A are capable of totalising amounts up to 999999. On the left of disc I0 \d is a disc Illa which ha inner teeth that are longer than those on the discs [3 and outer teeth bearing no figure, but a conventional sign designating the particular totaliser, for example, the Sign A in the present instance. On the left of disc iE-a are three further discs it) without inner teeth, said discs 13 having outer teeth bearing the figures to 9. These three discs l0 form together the counter A for counting the number of operations effected by totaliser A.

A rotary shaft i2 extends through the central apertures in the discs of all the totalisers and through the spacing members I i. The said discs, however, are not carried by the shaft [2 as they are supported on and centered by carrying rollers i .3, M, l5, which are respectively carried by shafts i 8, I9, 23 extending parallel to the shaft 12. Each disc H1 thus is supported coaxially to the shaft l2, but without contacting same. The rollers 13, i4, i engage in annular grooves formed between the outer teeth of the discs and rings 2| secured to the discs.

On the shaft 23 the rollers l5 alternate with pawls 24, pressed each against one of the totaliser discs by a spring 23 (Fig. 3). When they engage between two adjacent teeth on each disc, the pawls 24 hold all the discs in a predetermined angular position, so that the outer teeth of the discs, their inner teeth, and the intervals between teeth are each, respectively, in alignment.

The shaft i2 has a longitudinal groove l8 (Fig. 3) in which a spring controlled bar l! is slidably arranged. In Fig. 1a., the spring is shown at 25 and tends to move the bar towards the right. Opposite each individual totaliser, the bar IT has an axial recess 26 which extends entirely through the bar. In each recess 26 is pivoted on a crosspin 2'! a small lever 28 having at each end an upwardly directed projection, i. e. a driving projection 3t and a heel piece 29. The lever 28 is controlled by a spring 3i which tends to lift the heel piece 29. In this position (Fig. 2) the driving projection 33 projects above the upper edge of the bar i? only very slightly, that is, not sufficiently to engage the inner teeth of the discs [0, but enough to engage the longer inner teeth of disc Ida.

The selection of the desired personal totaliser is controlled by means of th fixed members I! which serve as selectors, there being in the example illustrated in Fig. 1 a selector H on the right hand side of and corresponding to each personal totaliser. The selectors for the goods totalisers are of different construction.

A selector for a personal totaliser, for example Selector i lA for totaliser A (Figs. 2 and 5), comprises a ring coaxial with shaft 12, and of larger diameter than said shaft so that an annular chamber 32 is left between the ring and the shaft. Into said chamber projects a boss 33 on the inner surface of the selector, which boss has smoothly inclined sides in the peripheral direction. When th axial and angular position of bar I"! (which rotates together with shaft [2) is such that the heel 23 comes opposite a boss 33, the heel is depressed against the action of its spring 3| and the projection 33 at the other end of the lever is raised well above the top edge of bar I! as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In this position of the lever 23, its projection 33 can engage with the inner teeth on the discs I3 of the totaliser considered which thus is selected.

In the several personal totalisers the boss 33 of each selector H is offset by one tenth of a revolution with respect to the boss 33 of the preceding selector. Thus in Fig. 5, the boss 33 of selector HA is at an angle to the vertical plane passing through the totaliser discs corresponding to one tenth of a revolution. The boss (not shown) of selector l IB is at angle to said plane corresponding to two tenths of a revolution, so that the axis of each boss is in line with a different one of the ten lines of interstices between the inner teeth of the totaliser discs. It will be understood, therefore, that in order to select totaliser A or totaliser B, the bar I! has to be moved axially until the teel 29 of each lever 28 registers with one of the bosses 33, then the shaft 12 has only to be rotated clockwise from the inoperative position shown in Fig. 3. If the rotation is through one tenth of a revolution (Fig. 5) totaliser A is selected, as has been explained. If the rotation i through two tenths of a revolution, totaliser B is selected, and thus the mechanism described can operate with as many as ten personal totalisers.

After the selection of the desired totalizer, the bar H is again advanced axially, as hereinafter explained.

Such farther axial travel displaces the lever 28 and its driving projection 30 relatively to the selector l IA, and its boss 33, whereupon spring 3i would restore the lever 28 counterclockwise from its position shown in Fig. 4, and withdraw the driving projection 30 from between the teeth of the selected totalizer wheel IO, were it not for the following provision.

A locking blade 34 secured to the shaft l2 engages in a groove in the side of bar l1, so that it does not interfere with axial movement of said bar. The lever 23 has a laterally projecting pin 35 and opposite said pin is a notch 36 (Figs. 2 and 4) in bar H so that the pin 35 can freely move within said notch when the lever 28 swings about its pivot 21. This movement is possible as the blade 34 is cut away in the vicinity of each notch 36, as shown in Fig. 2 which illustrates the bar I? in its extreme left position, and in Fig. 4 which illustrates the bar H in its selecting position. When, however, after the selection is effected, the bar H is again moved to the right in order to drive the discs H), the pin 35 is locked either above the blade 34 if its lever 28 has selected a totaliser, or below the blade 34 if its lever 23 has eliminated a totaliser. The levers 28 thus remain locked during all the time required for the entry of an item, and they are freed only when at the end of the operation the bar H is returned to its inoperative position, i. e. to the extreme left position shown in Fig. 2.

The counter A adjacent to the personal totaliser A must record a unit each time said totaliser is selected in order to partake in an entry. To this end, use is made of the disc 16a with long inner teeth. Said disc Illa (Figs. 2 and 6) has secured thereto a ring Zia which carries a cam 38 arranged to cooperate with a finger 39 on a member 40 loosely mounted on the carry-over shaft 4'! which extends parallel to shaft 12. The angular position of cam 38 is such that when it rotates with shaft [2 and disc 19a through one tenth of a revolution during the selecting operation, cam 38 pushes on finger 39 at the very moment when totaliser ,A is selected by the contact of heel 29 with the boss 33 of selector HA. At this moment a transfer member 42 secured to member 40 and facing the first disc H) (i. e. the first from right to left in Fig. 2) of counter A has rotated with member 49 so that its nose 43 is in a preparatory position and lies in the path of one of the arms 44 fixed on a shaft 45 whose rotation makes the transfers efiective when the entry is completed, as explained in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 17,119, filed April 18, 1935, now Patent 2,282,120 issued May 5, 1942.

Then, under the impulsion received from one of the arms 44, the nose 43 is rotated clockwise with member 42 (Fig. 6). The tooth 4| on member 42 comes into mesh with the teeth on the first disc 10' of counter A and causes said disc to rotate through one tenth of a revolution, to register one unit on the counter.

The item counter actuating member 4il43 and its shaft 41 are withdrawn from the counter wheel Illa together with the carrying pawls (not shown) for the several totalizers at the conclusion of the carrying operation, to enable the member 4543 to restore to normal position its spring 46, and the carrying pawls to restore to normal under the tension of similar springs, as more fully explained in the prior Patent 2,282,120.

In totaliser B, the cam 38 i angularly offset by one tenth of a revolution backwards with respect to cam 38 of totaliser A. Thus in totaliser B the cam 38 sets the member 40-43 to its preparatory position when the operator rotates the shaft l2 through two tenths of a revolution in selecting totaliser B. In that case, the cam 38 of totaliser A having also rotated through two tenths of a revolution, idly rock the corresponding finger 39 and then escapes past the finger, which is returned to its inoperative position together with its. member 40-43 by a spring 45. Thus the counter B will record one unit when the personal totaliser B has taken part in an entry.

It will be seen that the discs ID of the counters (Figs. 1 and 2) do not require inner teeth since they are always driven from the outside by trans fer members and not from the inside by driving projections such as 30.

The goods totalisers C and D are similar to the personal totalisers A and B, but their respective selectors are different from those described above in connection with the personal totalisers. One of the goods selectors is illustrated in sectional side elevation in Fig. 7 and in end elevation in Fig. 8. In a bore in the fixed member I l situated on the right side (Fig. 1) of the totaliser considered, is rotatably mounted a ring 48 controlled from the outside by means of a handle 49 or in any other suitable way. Axial movement of ring 48 is prevented by a screw 59 which engages in a peripheral groove 5| in ring 48.

On its inner periphery the ring 48 has, on a portion only oi its width, ten bosses 52 uniformly distributed over the periphery of said ring and separated from one another by notches 55. So long as the totaliser in question is not selected, the notches 53 are in line with the respective lines of notches between the inner teeth of the totaliser discs l0. In order to operate the selection of a goods totaliser the handle 49 with the ring 48 is rotated through one twentieth of a revolution so as to bring a boss 52 to a place normally occupied by a notch 53. Then, when the shaft I2 is rotated through any required amount of tenths of a revolution in order to select a personal totaliser, the lever 28 of the said goods totaliser partakes in this rotation and its heel 29 steps under one of the bosses 52 so that the goods totaliser is selected at the same time as the personal totaliser.

The goods counter C (or D) of the goods totaliser which has been selected is actuated, like the counters A, B, by a transfer member 54 similar to member 42 and, carried by the same shaft 41 (Fig. 8). However member 54 is not brought to its preparatory position by a cam rotating with one of the discs, but directly by a bent rod 55 carried by the ring 48, the end of said rod 55 pushing the nose 56 of member 54 when the ring 48 is rotated by means of the handle 49. This rotation, of one twentieth of a revolution, is limited in one direction by the rod 55 itself which, when the totaliser is not selected contacts against an abutment 51 on the support H. In the other direction, the rotation of handle 49 is limited by a bar or stop 58 which is secured to the parts I l, as shown in Fig. 8.

When an amount is registered by one or more individual totalisers A, B, C, D, it is also registered by the general totaliser G. As selection of the general totaliser is unnecessary, it it not driven by a collapsible projection 30, but is operated by a member or projection 60 (Fig. 1) which is simply fixed on bar l'l. As shown, totaliser G has eight discs !9, five being with inner teeth and three without inner teeth. The last three discs which correspond to the highernumerical order (thousand-s, tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands) cannot be driven directly by the projection 55, but they are capable of being actuated by the transfer of units from the discs of a lower numerical order. This also applies to the thousands disc (the sixth from the right in Fig. 1) of each of the individual totalisers A, B, C, D. The carry-over mechanism being composed of parts similar to parts 40-43 need not be described in detail.

The indicator I indicates each item entered, and therefore, it is also actuated by a projection Gil (Fig. la) fixed on member l1. As the indicator is zeroized after each operation, it does not call for a transfer and it comprises only five discs iii which are identical with the first five discs of each totaliser. To the left of the item indicating numeral discs iii (Fig. 9) are two discs l5 which carry conventional signs designating the particular personal totaliser and the kind of goods totalizcr, respectively, which have been selected. The operation of these two discs is identical with that of the discs led and it) of totaliser T now to he described.

The multiple totaliser T is shown on the left of indicator I and its function is to add the amounts of a plurality of successive operations of which the total is to be printed on a ticket. Like the indicator I, it is unnecessary to provide means to select the totaliser T which is actuated by a driving projection 60 fixed on the bar or member l'i. It comprises, from right to left in 9, five ordinary discs It], then a disc 10c having only cuter teeth, which disc N0 is narrower in the radial direction than the other discs. On the left of discs lllc are two discs Hid and I07 which differ from the ordinary discs in that their inner teeth are on a ring which is oifset to the right by the thickness of one disc so that the inner teeth of disc Hid are located within the pi he of and concentric with disc lilc, whereas the inner teeth of disc lOf are located within the plane of and concentric with disc lild.

The five discs I!) of totaliser T take part in the registration of all amounts to be added by said totaliser. The thousands disc lilo is actuated cnly by transfers from its right hand neighbouring disc it, as is the case in each of the totalisers in the mechanism considered. The discs Ifld and it which are directly actuated by the projection GD arerespectively intended to enter a conventional sign identifying the kind: of goods sold, and another sign identifying the personal totaliser that took part in the operation. It will be noticed that in'the course of the selecting operations the projection 60-will actuate the disc H]! (which is the seventh from the right in Fig. 9) while the levers 28 have their projections 30'engagedin. the seventh disc from the right in each totaliser (Fig. 4) and their heels 29 in register with th bosses 33 of the selectors l I.

In Fig. la, on the-left side of thetota-liser T are three discs IE journaled on a. sleeve 62 encircling the shaft 12 and supported at one end in the adjacent spacing member ll. These discs l0, form together a general counter S which may be actuated by transfer means controlled from the totaliser T in much the same manner as are the clerks operation counters disclosed in Patent 2,282,120 heretofore mentioned. They count the total number of operations performed by the mechanism and the ordinal of each operation is printed on a ticket together with its amount by asuitable printing mechanism which does not form part of the present invention.

The operation of the mechanism now will be described with reference to a numerical example. Let us suppose that a salesman A at the counter C of a store has sold goods for $208.50. The bar I! havingfbeen returned at the end of the preceding operation to its extreme left position (Figs. 1 and 2), the salesman now allows it to escape step by step towards the right under the action of'spring 25, each escapement step being equal to the thickness of a disc 10. The control mechanism of the axial and angular movements of bar I'." and shaft I2 forms no part of the present invention and it may be of any suitable type, operated by keys or-by a handle, for example of the type described in Patent 2,282,120.

After the first step. to th right (Fig. 4), the projections 36 of the several levers 28 associated with the clerks totalizers A and B and the goods totalizers C and D are in register with the discs Ilia which have the longer inner teeth, while the heels 29 of the respective levers 28 are in register with the bosses'33 and 520i the selectors l IA and 48, respectively. The mechanism thus is ready for selecting the individual selectors. By means of the handle -9 of goods totaliser C, the salesman turns the ring 48 (Fig. 8) through one twentieth of a revolution to position a boss 52 over'the h'eel '29 of the associated lever 28. (It should be pointed out that thisrotation could have taken place before instead of after the first axial escapement of bar H, in which case the escapernent step would have brought the heel 29 under the boss 52). In'either event, the lever 28 of the selected goods totalizer rocks, compressing its spring 3! and its driving projection 30 juts out of the slot 26 in the bar I! to suificient extent to engage between the inner teeth of disc Illa. Goods totaliserC thus is selected and simultaneously the rod 55 moves transfer member 54 to position to be operated by an arm 44 (Fig. 6) of the carrying shaft 45 so that counter C may register one unit at the end of the operation. Immediately thereafter the saleman selects his individual totalizer by rotating shaft [2 with its bar I l clockwise a number of steps depending upon the angular distance between the lever 28 appropriate to his totalizer andthe position of the boss'33 in the perimeter of the selector ring Ila of his individual totalizer. In the present example, there are but two clerks totalizers, and

hence the salesman turns the shaft l2 through one tenth ofa revolution, from th position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 5. The heel 29 of the lever 28 in the personal totaliser A stops exactly under a, boss 33 and causes theprojection 30 to rise as shown in Fig. 4. At this time the heel 29 of the lever 28in the goods totaliser C is again under a boss 52 so that totaliser C is not afiected'and remains selected. During the rotation through one tenth of a revolution the projection 30 in totaliser A has moved with it the disc ifla-owingrto the long teeth of said disc, together with the ring 21a (Fig. 6) to cause its cam 38 pushing on the finger 39 of member 40-43, to rock the carrying member to position to be operated by its appropriate arm 44 on tho transfer shaft 45, so that the counter A will mark one unit at-the end of the entry of an item.

The first escapement stepof bar I! has also resulted in bringing th driving projection 60 for the multiple item totaliser T (Fig. 9) into engagement with the inner teeth on disc 10! which thus'is caused to take part in the subsequent rotation through one tenth of a revolution. This disc effects the setting of'a sign to designate the selected personal or individual totalizer for subsequent impression on the ticket, in the present instance, the letter A carried byv the first outer tooth on disc Hif, which letter identifies the perconaltotaliser that has been selected. Likewise, in indicator I, the driving projection 60 has engaged. the first disc in which also takes part in the subsequent rotation through one tenth of a revolution and causes the letterA to be displayed, thus indicating that the personal totaliser A has been selected.

In the general totaliser G nothing has happened thusfar in the" operation because there are no inner teeth in the seventh disc (from the right) into which the driving projection 6i) can engage.

The-second step to the right of the bar H controlled by the operator, as in the manner shown in U. S. Patent 2,282,120, brings all theraised projections 3twithin discs ll) of h'ighestsignificant value'of th selective totalizcrsA, B, C and D (i. e. in each totaliser the sixth disc from theright) but these discs, which have no inner'teeth, will not be driven when the shaft [2 is rotated. In multiple item totaliser T and indicator-'1, the projections 60 have'come into engagement with the inher teeth on disc IOd'and on the second or right hand disc i0 respectively. When the shaft 12 is rotated through a predetermined angle, the toothed discs ltd and III" are each rotated to expose a conventional sign, for example X, designating the kind of goods sold, on the outer teeth of said discs. Means (not herein shown) such as is disclosed in Figs. 19 and 20 of my Patent 2,282,120 maybe employed to register the number of items accumulated in the multiple item totalizer T, on the counter S.

It is also to be observed that during the second step of bar 11, the pin or finger 35' on each of the levers 28has contacted with the'locking bar 34. The'fingers 35 in the selected totalisers A and C are above the bar 34, while in totalisers B and D which have not, been selected the fingers 35 are below the bar 34, all the levers 28 thus being locked in their respective positions until the end of the operation being effected.

The third'step of bar I! brings the operative projections 33 and 60 into the fifth disc (from the right) of each totaliser, which is the hundreds disc. Asthisis the denomination corresponding with the digit of highest significant value in the amount of the sale 208.50 which is to be entered in the machine, the operator then rotates the shaft l2 with bar l1 through two tenths of a revolution, and in all the operative totalisers, namely G, A, C and T, as also in the indicator I, the hundreds disc is rotated through two tenths of a revolution to register 2 thereon.

The fourth step brings the projections 30 and 60 into the tens discs, but as the number to be entered has no tens, the operator does not rotate the shaft l2, and he immediately moves bar H a fifth step to the right and then rotates the shaft l'2 through eight tenths of a revolution in order to register 8 in the units of dollars denominational discs.

The operation thus is continued until the entire number is entered. At the end of the operation the operator rotates, by means of a crank or otherwise, the shaft 45 with the arms 44 which render effective all the transfers set for operation either in the counters as described above, or/and in the totalisers themselves, in a wellknown manner such as described "for example in my aforesaid Patent 2,282,120. The operator then moves the bar I! with its levers 28, back to its starting or extreme left position, whereby the latching pins 35 of the levers 23 associated with the selected totalizers A and C ride off the upper face of the stationary latching bar 34 into the recesses provided, whereupon the springs 31 are free to restore the levers 28 counter-clockwise to their normal positions, to withdraw their projections 30 to ineffective position and project their heels 29 into position to co-act with the corresponding selecting rings HA and 48 prior to the entry of the next item. The mechanism thus is ready for a new selecting and registering operation.

The discs of the indicator I and the designating sign disc [a. are zeroized after each operation in any convenient manner, for example as described in my said Patent 2,282,120. The discs of totaliser T may also be zeroized, or they may add a plurality of amounts (as those of a customers successive purchases) and then be zeroized after the total amount has been printed. The zeroizing mechanism may be of any known type, as that described in my said Patent 2,282,120.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the arrangement and in the shape of the constructional details above described without departing from the scope of my invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising a plurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selector arranged adjacent said totaliser, an axially shiftable and rotatable operating member, extending axially through all said discs and through said selector, a disc driving lever pivotally mounted in a recess in said member, said lever having a projection at each end, one of said projections being movable into position to operatively engage said discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member and the other of said projections being adapted to cooperate with said selector, and a spring cooperating with said pivoting lever and arranged normally to push outwardly the second mentione'd projection to co-act with said annular selector.

2. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising a plurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selector arranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending through all said discs and through said selector, certain of said discs having teeth on their inner peripheries, one of said toothed discs having teeth longer than those of the other discs, a lever pivotally mounted in a recess in said operating member, said lever having a projection at one end, a spring to rock said lever to withdraw said projection into said recess, said selector effective upon rotation of the operating member to rock the opposite end of said lever against the action of said spring to protrude said projection from the recess, said projection of such length as to cooperate, when in withdrawn position, with said longer teeth only, and when protruded, to cooperate with the shorter teeth of the other toothed discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member.

3. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising a plurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selector arranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending through said discs and said selector, a disc driving lever pivotally mounted in a recess in said operating member, said lever having a projection at each end, one of said projections being movable into position to operatively engage said discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member and the other of said projections to cooperate with said selector, a spring cooperating with said lever to tilt the lever from one position to another, a locking blade, said locking blade being rotatably but not axially movable with said operating member, and a pin on said lever, said pin being adapted to cooperate with said locking blade for locking said lever in one of its positions, a notch being provided in said operating member to alTo-rd clearance for said pin, said locking blade being recessed at a predetermined point in the travel of the operating member relatively thereto to enable the lever to rock when the operating member is in such predetermined axial position.

4. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising a plurality of annular discs arranged side by side, a fixed annular selector'arranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending axially through said discs and through said selector, a pivotally mounted disc driving lever on said operating member, said lever having a driving projection at one end and a heel at the other end, said selector having on its inner periphery a cam surface to depress the said heel of the said lever to rock the lever and protrude the driving projection into position to operatively engage the discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member.

5. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser comprising a plurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selector arranged adjacent said totaliser, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending axially through said discs and through said selector, a pivotally mounted disc driving lever on said operating member, said lever having a driving projection at one end and a heel at the other end, said selector comprising an angularly adjustable ring surrounding said operating member, a plurality of cam surfaces on the inner periphery 11 of said ring, said adjustable ring being rotatable to select one of saidcam surfaces to depress the said heel of the said lever to rock the lever and protrude the driving projection into position to operatively engage the discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member.

6. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a-totaliser having a plurality of annular discs, an operating member extending through said discs, an operation counter adjacent-said totaliser, a pivotally mounted driving member on said operating member for engaging and operating the several totaliser discs, a selector including an angularly adjustable member, a cam surface on said adjustable member for moving said driving member into disc engagingand operating posi tion, normally ineffective operating means for said operation counter, and an actuator on said adjustable member for rendering the counter operating means operative during adjustment of i.

said adjustable member.

'7. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totaliser having a plurality of annular discs arranged side by side, an annular selector arranged adjacent said -totaliser, an operating member movable both axially and angularly, said operating member extending axially through all said discs andthrough said-selector, adisc driving lever pivotally mounted in a recess in said operating member, said lever having a projection at each end, one of said projections being movable into position to operatively engage said discs singly in succession during axial movement of said operating member and the other-of said projections being adapted to co-operate with said selector, aspring co-operating with said pivoting lever and arranged normally to push outwardly the second mentioned projection, means in said selector for depressing thesecond mentioned projection against the action of said spring, and means for locking said pivoting lever with said second mentioned projection either depressed or pushed outwardly.

v8. In a .cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers each including a plurality of annular discs, a multiple item totalizer having annular discs corresponding with the-annular discs of the individual totalizers, a rotatable andaxially movable operating member arranged within the several discs, a disc-engaging and driving member for each individual totalizer carried by and movable with the operating member, selecting means for each driving member ,operable according to the extent of angular movement in a predetermined axial position of the operating member to selectively condition the drive members for engagement with their related ,totalizer discs, a projection on said operating member fOI engaging and driving the discs of the multiple item totalizer simultaneously with the engagement of the selected drive member with its corresponding discs of the individual .totalizer, an indicating disc engageableand operable by said projection when said operating member is displaced fromsaid axialposition and prior .toengagement of the drive member with the individual totalizer discs, said selection indicating disc having an external offset portion spaced from the item totalizer discs, and a tens-transfer operated multiple item totalizer discin said space. i

9. In a cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers each including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operating member arranged within the discs, a disc-engaging and driving member for each totalizer carried by and movable with the operating member, selecting means for each driving member effective according to the angular position of the operating member to selectively control engagement of the driving members with their related totalizer discs, an additional totalizer including a plurality of annular discs surrounding said operating member, a normally ineffective member carried by said operating member for driving the discs of the additional totalizer, and adjustable means for rendering-the ineffective driving member effective in the angular totalizer selecting positions of the operating member.

10. ;In a cash register, a plurality of individual totaliaers each including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operating member arranged within the discs, a disc-engaging and "driving member for each totalizer carried by and movable with the operating member, se lecting means for each driving member efiective according to the angular position of the operating member to selectively control engagement of the driving members with their related totalizer discs, an additional totalizer including a plurality of annular discs surrounding said operating member, a, normally ineffective member carried by said operating member for driving the discs of the additional totalizer, and a cam member rotatable to a position to render the ineffective driving member effective in the angular totalizer se lecting positions of the operating member.

11. In a, computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer having a plurality of annular discs, each having teeth formed in its inner periphery, a, ring rigid with each of said discs, there being an annular groove formed in the periphery of each disc adjacent its ring, an operating member extending through said discs and said rings, a lever pivotally mounted on said operating mernber, said lever having at one end a. projection, a spring to rock outwardly the opposite end of said lever to withdraw said projection relatively to said teeth, means to rock said lever against the action of said spring to protrude said projection, said projection being of such length as to engage said teeth when protruded, and means to rota ably support said discs concentrically with said operating member. to provide a clearance between the inner periphery of said discs and said operating means, said supporting means comprising three spindles extending parallel to said operating member and arranged around said discs, and a set of carrying rollers rotatably mounted on each of said spindles, the rollers in each set being equal in number to said discs and engaging said annulargrooves.

12. In a computing machine, the combination of two axially aline'd' groups of rotatable, annular discs, each having internal teeth, one of which groups contains designating discs, the hub portions of the discs of on of said groups projecting laterally and being successively nested to position the internal teeth of the disc at one end of said group in the plane of the next adjacent disc, an additional annular edentate disc jour--- naled on the laterally projecting hub portion of the last named disc, and associated with the discs of the other of said groups of discs, an axially shiftable, and rotatable operating member extending through all-the annular discs, and a driving member on said operating member movable into operative driving engagement with the teeth of the toothed discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member,

13. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a pair of totalizers, each including two groups of annular, rotatable discs, said discs of both totalisers indicating identical entries, a group of discs in one of the totalisers having laterally projecting, shouldered hubs nested one within the other so that a shoulder of one hub lies in the plane of the next adjacent disc, said last named shoulder being internally toothed, an additional untoothed disc journaled on the shouldered hub of that disc of one group which adjoins the discs of the second group of that totalizer, to register excess units of amounts accumulated on such second group, the remaining discs of such second group in said first-named totalizer and the discs of both groups of the re maining totalizer being internally toothed, a ro tatable and axially shiitable operating member extending through all the discs of both totalizers, and driving members carried by the operating member for simultaneous engagement with the internal teeth of corresponding discs in the respective totalizers, as the operating member advances by equal steps relatively to both totalizers.

14. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer including annular internally toothed discs, the teeth of at least one of said discs being longer than those of the remaining internally toothed discs, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending through said discs, a shiftable drive member carried by said operating member and effective in one of its positions to operate the disc having the longer teeth only, and selecting means with which said drive member coacts on rotation of the operating member when in a predetermined position, to shift the drive member to position for operative driving engagement with the discs having the shorter teeth.

15. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending through said discs, a drive member for the discs, shiftably mounted on theoperating member, means to yiel'dingly retain said driving member in normal position, and a selecting device manually operable to transmit movement to the drive member in one axial position of the operating member, and upon rotation of said operating member in such position, to positively shift the drive member into position for operative driving engagement with said discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member.

16. In a computing mechanism, the combination of a totalizer, including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending through said discs, a driving member shiftably mounted on the operating member, a selector operable upon the driving member in one axial position of the operating member, upon rotation of said operating memher, to shift the drive member to position to operatively engage the discs, and means to positively retain the drive member in position to engage successive discs during subsequent axial movements of the operating member, said last-named means engageable with the drive member as a result of the first axial movement of the operating member which disengages the drive member from the selector, and releasing the drive member for return to normal position upon the return of the operating member to its normal axial position.

17. In a cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers, each including a plurality of annular discs, a multiple item totalizer having annular discs corresponding with the annular discs of the individual totalizers, a rotatable and axially movable operating member arranged within the several discs, a disc-engaging and driving member for each individual totalizer carried by and movable with the operating member, selecting means for each driving member effective according to the extent of angular movement of the operating member in a predetermined position thereof, to selectively condition the drive members for engagement with their related individual totalizer discs, a projection on said operating member for engaging and driving the discs of the multiple item totalizer simultaneously with the engagement of the selected drive member with the corresponding disc of its individual totalizer, a selection-indicating disc engageable and operable by said projection when said operating member is displaced one increment of movement axially and then rotated to select the desired drive member, said selection-indicating disc having a laterally projecting, shouldered hub to provide space for said drive projection when in its inactive home position in the plane of the selection-indieating disc, and teeth on said laterally projecting hub in advance of the normal position of the driving projection, and engageable by the driving projection simultaneously with the engagement of the drive member for the selected individual totalizer with its selection-indicating disc.

18. In a computing machine, the combination of two groups of rotatable, annular, internally toothed discs arranged side by side, the discs of one group having exterior off set portions to form a space between the two groups of discs, an additional disc mounted in said space for rotation about the same axis as the discs of said groups, an angularly movable operating member extending through all said discs of the groups, a driving projection on said operating member, said driving projection being engageable with any of the internal teeth of said discs, said operating member being movable axially to engage said driving projection with the internal teeth of successive discs.

19. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operating member extending through said discs, 3, pivoted and normally ineifective disc-driving member carried by and movable with said operating member, and means operable upon rotation of the operating member to rock said driving member about its pivot into position to operatively engage said discs singly in succession during axial movement of said operating member.

2!). In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operating member extending through said discs, a normally inefiective disc-driving member carried by and movable with said operating member, means effective during rotary movement of the operating member to move the driving member into position to operatively engage the discs in succession during subsequent axial movements of the operating member, and-means operable prior to engagement of the driving member with the discs to lock the driving member in engaging position.

21. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer, including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operating member extending through said discs, a normally ineffective disc-driving member carried by and 1.5 movable. with said operating member, means operable during initial rotary movement of the operating member in one axial position thereof, to move the driving member into position to operatively engage and drive the discs in succession during subsequent successive axial movements of the operating member, an operation counter adjacent aid totalizer, normally ineffective operating means for said operation counter, and means operable by the driving member participating in said initial rotary movement of the operating member to condition said counter-operating means for operation.

22. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer, including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially movable operating member extending through said discs, a normally ineffective disc-driving member carried by and movable with said operating member, means effective during initial rotary movement of the operating member in one axial position thereof, to move the driving member into position to 0-p-- era-tively engage and drive the discs in succession during subsequent axial movements of the operating member, an operation counter adjacent said totalizer, normally ineffective operating means for said operation counter, and a member rotatable co-axially of said totalizer discs and operable by the driving member participating in said initial rotary movement of the operating member to condition said counter-operating means for operation.

23. In a cash register, a plurality of individual totalizers, each including a plurality of annular discs, a multiple item totalizer having .annular discs corresponding With the annular discs of the individual totalizers, a rotatable and axially movble operating member arranged Within the several discs, a disc-engaging and driving member for each individual totalizer carried b and movable with the operating member, selecting means for each driving member eifective according to theextent of angular movement of the operating member in a predetermined position thereof, to selectively condition the drive members for engagement with their related individual totalizer discs, a projection on said operating member for engaging and driving the discs of the multiple item totalizer simultaneously With the engagement of the selected drive member with the corresponding disc of its individual totalizer, a se1ection indicating disc engageable With and operable by said projection when said operating member is in another axial position, said indicating disc having an external off set portion spaced from the item totalizer discs, and a tens-carry operated multiple item totalizer disc in said space.

24. In a computing machine, the combination of a totalizer including a plurality of annular discs, a rotatable and axially shiftable operating member extending through said discs, a. normally ineffective shiftable drive member for said discs extending longitudinally of said operating memher and engageable at one point in its length with said discs, and a selecting device operable in one axial position of said operating member to engage another point in the length of and to shift said drive member into effective position wherein the first mentioned point is engageable with said discs singly in succession during axial shifting of said operating member.

MARCEL DEMEULENAERE.

REFERENCES CITED "he following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 865,200 Moore et a1 Sept. 3, 1907 1,012,607 Degener Dec. 26, 1911 1,099,725 Smith June 9, 1914 935,593 Esco Sept. 28, 1909 1,475,152 Wright Nov. 20, 1923 728,179 Search et al May 12, 1903 2,042,249 Constantine May 26, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 798,042 France Ma 8, 1936

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