US2577395A - Autographic eegister - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1951 1.. E. ZURBUCHEN 2,577,395

AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Filed March 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3110mm LOUIS E. ZURBUGHEN awe M Dec.-4, 195] L. E. ZURBUCHEN AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER File d March 10, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 \ui ll lnnentor LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN His (Ifiorneg Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOGRAPHIC REGISTER Louis'E: ZurbuchemZurich, Switzerland, assignor to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of- Maryland ApplicationMarch-IO, 1948,'Serial No. 13,985 1 3 Claims. (Cl. 2352)v This invention relatesto'improvements in 'au-. tographic registers equippedawith'a totalizer and a cash drawer.

The principa1 object of the invention. is topro-e vide an improved autographic register in which data to be printed 'on an autographic strip, and

entered into a totalizer, is set up one series of.

With these and incidental objects inview, the

invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, the essential elements of which are .set forth in appended claims and a preferred form orembodimentof. which is hereinafter described with reference to 1 the drawings which accompany-and form apart" Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken just inside the right side frame and looking toward the left when viewing the register from the front.

Fig. 3 is a time chart showing thetiine of operation of the various mechanisms of the register.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION The invention embodies an autographic register with a totalizer and a cash drawer, of simple and inexpensive construction. Manipulative devices are provided for setting up datato be printed on an autographic strip and to enter amounts into a totalizer. A novel and simple construction of each manipulative device consists of a unitary member having a lever protruding through the cabinet, by means of which the member is manually set; type characters thereon; and an actuator rack for enteringv amounts into the totalizer element. After said unitary member has been manually set, a springactuated printing hammer' is released by the initial depression of a release key on a keyboard, and complete depression of the: release key unlatches the cash: drawer tothe actionof a spring.-

It is a feature of construction of the machine to :print the data before the cash drawer is unlatched. Release of the cash drawer releases the operating mechanism-of the machine to restore anyitens transierwhich may have been tripped during. the. previous operation; to cock the autographic'stripifeed mechanism; to cock the ribbon feed mechanism; and to restore therelease key to its normal position. Manual closing of the cash drawer restores the operating mechanism to normal position, during which time the unitary members are tilted to engage the actuator racks thereon: with the totalizer elements, whereupon the unitary members arerestored to normal posi- 'tion, and; since at this time these unitarymeznbers 'arerin'engagement with the totalizer elements,:the data represented by :the setting thereofiiszaddedeinto the totalizer. After the data haszbeen: entered into the'totalizen'the unitary membersxare tiltedback to disengage them from v the totalizer elements. After the unitary members are disengaged from the totalizer elements, the tens transfers'are entered wherever required. During .the manualclosing. operation of the cashdrawer, the operating mechanism also linespaces the autographic strip and feeds the ribbon. A springlto open the cash'drawer and initially actuate theoperating mechanism is stretched by the cash drawer when the cash drawer is -man-. ually. closed whereupon the cash drawer is latched, ready to bereleased for the next operation- It should be noted that the operating mechanism has no heavy load during the first half of the machine operation, and since during this operation only preparatory functions are performed, such. as restoring the tens transfer mechanism and cocking the autographic strip and ribbon feed mechanisms, thereafter, when the cash drawer isclosed manually, the positive operations consisting of engaging the actuator racks with .the'totalizer, entering data into the totalizer,-entering the tens transfers, feeding the DETAILED DESCRIPTION Themachine is provided with a base I 0 (Figs. 1 and 2), in which acash drawer H is slidably mounted; Supported on the base Ii] is a cabinet H: for. housing-.the mechanism of the. machine.

'A series of slots l3'are provided in the top of the cabinet l2, through which finger pieces 14 of a group of unitary members I5 protrude. Indexes to guide the operator in properly setting the unitary members l5 are provided adjacent the slots l3. As shown in Fig. 1, these indexes are illustrated with characters to represent to 9, which characters are used for setting up amounts. Any other character may be provided adjacent the slots l3 if any other data is to be printed on the audit strip. A second series of slots I6 (Fig. 1) are provided for guiding the unitary members l in their movements.

The unitary members l5 are mounted at their forward ends on a rod ll carried by the side frames of the machine. A second rod l8, carried by a pair of pitmans l9, only one being shown herein, projects through slots 28 of the unitary members iii to support them at their rear ends. The rod 18 is raised and lowered during each machine operation in a manner hereinafter described to engage an actuator rack 21, formed on the rear of each unitary member [5, with a pinion on an associated totalizer element 22, one pinion being provided for each unitary member l5.

The unitary member is also provided with type characters 23, which characters are selectively positioned into the path of a printing hammer 24 when manually adjusted.

An aliner 9 is provided to properly aline and hold the unitary members in the adjusted positions. A spring 8 is provided to maintain the aliner 9 in effective position.

It is an important feature of the present invention to provide the novel unitary member l5 with'the finger piece M, the type character 23, and the actuator rack 21. The novel construction of utilizing a unitary member to perform all the functions of type setting and amount entering eliminates the necessity of expensive differential mechanisms, as are usually provided in machines of this class.

Printing hammer mechanism The printing hammer 24 is pivotally mounted on a stud 25 and, is normally held in a cocked position by a trip pawl 26 carried by a stud 21 on a link 98, hereinafter described. The printing hammer is provided with a shoulder 28 engaged by a forwardly-extending arm 29 of the trip pawl 26. A spring 30, one end of which is secured to the printing hammer and the other end on a stud in the machine frame, is normally stretched, ready to operate the printing hammer.

It is a feature of the present machine to trip the printing hammer 24 to make a printed record on the autographic strip before the cash drawer l l is released to release the main operating mechanism of the machine.

The release of the hammer is accomplished during the initial movement of a release key 3| projecting through an opening in the cabinet l2. The release key 3| is provided with a'slot 32, through which projects a stud 33 carried by a bell crank 34 pivoted on a stud 35 carried by the framework of the machine. The lower end of the bell crank 34 has pivoted thereon a plunger 36, which is slidably mounted in a cross bracket 31. The free end of the plunger 36 lies in the plane of an upstanding finger 33 of the trip pawl 26. A spring 39, coiled around the plunger 36, normally maintains the bell crank 34 and the release key 3| in their undepressed position. Depression of the release key acting through the slot 32 and the stud 33 rocks a bell crank 34.

clockwise, thus moving the plunger 36 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, to engage and rock the trip pawl 26 counter-clockwise against the action of a spring 40. The spring 40 is connected to the trip pawl 26 at one end, and the other end is connected to a feed pawl 4| for the autographic strip, hereinafter described. Counter-clockwise rotation of the trip pawl 26 withdraws the forward end of the finger 29 from engagement with the shoulder 28 on the printing hammer and permits the spring 30 to rapidly rotate the printing hammer 24 in a counter-clockwise direction to make an impression on the autographic strip 42. After the trip pawl 23 has been rocked to release the printing hammer, the release key, upon further depression, withdraws a latch 46-, pivotally mounted on a rod 45 carried by the framework of the machine, to release the cash drawer II. The drawer latch 46 engages the inner rear wall of the cash drawer to normally maintain the cash drawer in its latched position. The forward end of the drawer latch 46 is provided with a stud 43, which projects into a slot 44 in the lower end of the release key 3!. The slot 44 is of suificient length to permit the trip pawl 26 to release the printing hammer for operation before engagement of the release key with the stud 43, which, therefore occurs after the impression has been made on the autographic strip, thus permitting the cash drawer to be opened by the main operating mechanism in a manner to be presently described.

Main operating member The mechanism of the machine is operated by a main operating member 50 pivotally mounted on a shaft 5| supported by the side frames of the machine. A spring 52, connected to a stud 53 on the main operating member 50 and on a lug 54 on the base of the machine, normally tends to rock the main operating member 50 in a clockwise direction. Clockwise rocking movement of the main operating member is normally prevented by a stud 55 carried by the cash drawer.

When the release key 3 I, through the slot 44 and the stud 43, rocks the drawer latch 46 counterclockwise to withdraw its free end from engagement with the inner back wall of the cash drawer, the spring 52 is released to rock the main operating member 50 clockwise and through the stud 55 moves the cash drawer ll into its open position. A rod 58, carried by the side frames of the machine, limits the clockwise rotation of the main operating member 56, as shown by the chain lines in Fig. 2.

In order to add stability to the operation of the main operating member 50, a second main operating member can be provided at the left side of the machine, and in this event the two main operating members 56 are pinned to the shaft 5|, so that the two members 50 and the shaft 5| would act as a unitary frame. In this construction a stud 55 is also provided on the left side of the cash drawer.

Totalieer engaging mechanism l H. When the cash drawer H is returned into I the base of the machine manually, thewstudLiSE, by engagement withzthe main: operating :mem ber 50, restores the :mainoperat-ing member to its normal position, .thus storing up xenergy in the spring 52 for-the next operationof. the'ma chine. It is during this manual restoring movement by the opei'ator that :the rack .2Iris moved into engagementiwith thetotalizer element '22,v For thisreason, it is :necessaryithat the camslot' 60 does not become 'effectiveduring the original clockwise movementiof themain opera'ting member. This result is obtained by; providing the bye pass pawl BI, pivoted on-astu'cl 63=carriecl by the main operating member. The by-pass pawlr'o'I is provided with a flange 64 havingfazcamzedge 65, which comes into engagement withthe :stud

talizer actuator 2I with thepinions on the total-. izer element 22. After the actuators 2| have been engaged with the totalizer element 22,the unitary members I5 are automaticallyrestored to their normal positions .bymechanism hereinafter'de scribed, toenterthe'amounts represented by the setting of the unitary member into the totalizer element. After an amount has been entered into:

the'totalizer, the cam 60, engagingthe stud 52,

camsthe pitmans I9 downwardly to again disengage the rack 2| from the totalizer element. The pitman I9 is guided in its up-and-down movements :bythe shaft 5| at its lower end and by a stud 68, on the-frame of the machine, at its upper end.-

Totalieer rack restoring mechanism Each of the unitary members I5 is provided with a downwardly-extending finger I; lying in the plane of a rod I I, carried bya pair of floating bell cranks I2 (only one of which is shown) pivotallymounted on a shaft 73L The bell crank 72 r is provided with a stud I4, on which normally rests an operatingpawl i pivoted on a stud 15" carried bythe main operating member 59. Duringthe initial movement of the main operating member Eat-that is, when the cashdrawe'r released" by raising the "'drawer latch 46-the pawl i5 is rocked rearwardlyuntila shoulder TI thereon drops over the stud. When'the cash drawer is returned to its 'closedposition', themain operating member 59 restores the pawl I5 to thenormal position, shown in Fig.2. As the pawl-I5 is restored to'its-normal position it, being in engagement with the stud -'I4;-rocks-the bell crank 72 clockwise, which, through the rod-"H engaging the fingers 19,-restores the unitary members I5; and therefore the totalizer actuator racks, to

their normal positions, thus entering theamount standing ontherack into the totalizer elements. Near the end of the restoring movement of the pawl'75, a cam surface I8, formedon the under side of the pawl I5, coming into engagement with the shaft 5|, raises the pawl I5 todisengage the shoulder T! from the stud 14, thus restoring the pawl 75 to the position shown'in Fig. 2.

The bell cranks 12 are limited in their counter-' clockwise movement by a rod 19 carried bythe side frames of the machine. The position which the bell crank 12 assumes after the m'achineoperation" is not important, since, when the uni-- tary: members I5 are :set up for the -next operat1on,-i: the? and II willibe :moved an extent neces sary-by the movement of the unitary member: having the greatest extent of movement; There-- after, when the machine isoperated, the pawl 15 will come into contact with the stud .14 at a timedepending upon the position of thebell crank 72. As illustrated in Fig. 2jthe bell crank 12' is. inits farthest counter-clockwise position. Except for-the force of gravity, the bell crank 12 and the rod II would normally come torest inengagement with the fingers 'II'I'instead of in engagement with the stop stud I9.

In-order'to lighten the force requiredto restore the unitary-members I5, alihk 84; pivoted on pitman. I9, is provided to raise the aliner 9. The link. is slotted at its upper end to engage a stud 85,carriedby.the aliner 9. When the pitman is raised upon operation of the main operating member 50, the link 84 is raised to lift the aliner out of the aliner. notchin the unitary member I5.

Tens transfer mechanism- Any form of tens transfer mechanism may be used in the totalizer,- and, since it is not a feature of'this invention, such a tens transfer mecha nism has not been shown'in detail. However,

the totalizer element 22 is illustrated with a tens transfer ratchet wheel 80, which may be actuated by pawls in the manner shown in the United States Patent'to Ernst Br'eitling, No. 2,209,763, issued on July '30, 1940. Alink 8l is illustrated,

pivoted on the stud B3 for-actuating cams for supply roll 90, restingin a trough SI carried by theframework of themachines over a guide rod 92=past-a glass window 93 over a guide rod 94 and onto a receiving roller 95. The receiving roller:95 is .rotatably mounted on a shaft 96 and.

is-provided with afeed ratchet 91, which is engaged-by. the before-mentioned feed pawl 4|. The-feed pawl 4!, together with the printing hammer trip pawl 26,'is--pivotal1y supported on a link :98, the right-hand end of which is pivoted on a stud -99-carried by. the main operating member 50.- The link 98 is supported to slide in a slot cut'in the crossframe 31. When the-main opcrating-member 50 isrrocked clockwise by the spring 52-, the link- 98 is withdrawn to the right i '(Fig. 2) to move the 'feed pawl 4| far enough to drop behind the next tooth in the ratchet 97. When the cash drawer isrestored to its closed position and the main operating member Ell-is rocked counter-clockwise, the-link 98 is moved toward the left (Fig. 2), whereupon the feed pawl 4| rotates the ratchet wheel 91 and the receiving roll 95 to'line-space the printed item on the autographic strip, 42. At this time, the trip pawl 26 comes. into engagement with the shoulder 28 on theprinting hammer and cocks the printing hammer,v readyfor the-next machine operation.

A non-retrograde movement pawl Hill is pivotallymounted on a stud I05 carried by the ma-' chine framework and is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring I02.

The window 93 is provided with an opening I03 (Figgl), through which written entries can be made on the autographic strip 42 adjacent any printed entry. A writing. tablesIMWFig. 2) is supported :beneath ithe opening I 03 and .is 1. provided to form a table in making the written enspring I05.

, Insertable slips The machine is also arranged to permit printing on insertable slips if desired. The insertable slip I05, either in duplicate, or a single slip, may be inserted on the glass window 93 and through a slot in the cabinet I2, as shown in Fig. 2. A ribbon I II] is provided for taking the impressions either on the insertable slip or on the autographic strip 42. If an insertable slip is used, carbon paper must be used for making thempression on the second strip of the duplicate insertable slip and on the autographic strip 42.

Any suitable ribbon feed mechanism may be provided, which will be operated according to the time shown on the time chart (Fig. 3).

OPERATION In the use of the machine, the operator first grasps the finger piece I4 on the unitary member I5 and sets up the amount to be entered with the aid of the index on the cabinet adjacent the slots in which the finger piece I4 moves. The timing of the setting of the unitary member I5 is shown in line 8 of the time chart (Fig. 3). After the unitary members I5 have been properly adjusted, the release key 3i is depressed (line 2. Fig. 3). The initial movement of the release key 3!, through the slot 32 and the pin 33, trips the release pawl 26 to release the printing hammer 24 to the action of the spring 30 to make the entry on the autographic strip 42 and on the insertable sales slip if an insertable sales slip is positioned in the machine. The timing of the operation of the printing hammer 24 is shown 7 restored to its home position (line 5, Fig. 3), the

autographic'feed strip pawl 4| is moved rearwardly ready to start a feeding operation (line 6, Fig. 3), and the ink ribbon feed mechanism is cocked, ready for operation (line I, Fig. 3).

Closing of the cash drawer (line I, Fig. 3)' rocks the main operating member 50 counterclockwise.

At the beginning of this restoring movement of i the cash drawer, the pitmans I9 'are raised by the main operating member to engage the actuator M with the totalizer elements 22 (line 4, Fig. 3). After the actuator 2| has been engaged with the totalizer elements, the racks are returned to normal position (line 8, Fig. 3) by operation of'the pawl 15 and the bell cranks I2, which, through the stud II engaging the fingers III on the unitary member I5, restores the racks to their normal positions (line 8, Fig. 3), thus entering the amounts into the totalizer elements 22. After the amounts have been added into the totalizer elements 22, the pitmans I9 are again lowered (line 4, Fig. 3) to disengage the actuator 2I from the totalizer elements. this operation, the tens transfer pawls which have been tripped are operated by the link 8| to enter the tens transfers which are required (line 5, :Flg. 3).

After During the restoring movement of.

the cash drawer, the autographic strip is fed (line 6. Fig. 3); and the ribbon ieedmechanism 8 is also operated (line I, Fig. 3). During this re storing movement of the cash drawer, the printing hammer 24 is cooked by the release pawl 26 (line 3, Fig. 3), ready to release the printing hammer upon the next operation of the release key 3i.

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, a slide, type characters formed on the slide, a totalizer actuator formed on the slide, a finger piece formed on the slide by means of which the slide can be set from a normal position into any one of a plurality of settable positions, in combination with a totalizer element mounted on a fixed support, a slot in the slide, a link having a projection thereon projecting into the slide whereby the slide can be shifted to move the totalizer actuator into engagement with the totalizer element, an operating member, a cam formed in the operating member coacting with the link to shift the link after the slide has been set into one of said plurality of settable positions to shift the slide and engage the totalizer actuator with the totalizer element, a projection on the slide, a floating member, and a pawl connected to the operating member for actuation thereby, said pawl movable into engagement with the floating member during an operation of the operating member to rock the floating member whereby the floating member engages the projection on the slide and restores the slide to normal position to enter an amount commensurate with the set position of the slide into the totalizer elem affi' 2. In a machine of the class described, a slide, type characters formed on the slide, a totalizer actuator formed on the slide, a finger piece formed on the slide by means of which the slide can be set from a normal position into any one of a plurality of settable positions, in combination with a totalizer element mounted on a fixed support, a slot in the slide, a link having a projection thereon projecting into the slide whereby the slide can be shifted to move the totalizer actuator into engagement with the totalizer element, a spring tensioned operating member, a

latch to normally maintain the spring tensioned operating member in home position; a cam formed in the operating member coacting with the link to shift the link after the slide has been set into one of said plurality of settable positions to shift the slide and engage the totalizer actuator with the totalizer element, a projection on the slide, a floating member, a pawl connected to the operating member for actuation thereby, said pawl movable into engagement with the floating member during an operation of the operating member to rock the floating member whereby the floating member engages the projection on the slide and restores the slide to normal position to enter an amount commensurate with the set position of the slide into the totalizer element, and a manipulative device to operate the latch to release the spring tensioned operating member for operation.

-3. In a machine of the class described, a slide, type'characters formed on the slide, a totalizer actuator, formed on the slide, a finger piece.

formed on the slide by means of which the slide can be set from a normal position into any one of a plurality of settable positions, in combination with a totalizer element mounted on a fixed support, a slot in the slide, a link having a projection thereon projecting into the slide whereby the slide can be shifted to move the totalizer actuator into engagement with the totalizer element, a spring tensioned operating member, a latch to normally maintain the spring tensioned operating member in home position, a normally cocked spring-tensioned printing hammer to take impressions from the type characters, a pawl to normally maintain the printing hammer cooked, and a manipulative device operable to first actuate the pawl to release the printing hammer and thereafter operate the latch to release the spring tensioned operating member, whereby a printed record is made before the machine starts to operate.

LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 470,742 Brown Mar. 15, 1892 490,898 Carney Jan. 31, 1893 589,245 Carney Aug. 31, 1897 704,795 Hallwood July 15, 1902 984,999 Brandt Feb. 21, 1911 1,034,500 Von Pein Aug. 6, 1912 1,103,068 McCormick July 14, 1914 1,120,347 Tillman Dec. 8, 1914 1,137,061 Kettering Apr. 27, 1915 1,262,195 Huffman Apr. 9, 1918 1,829,817 Von Pein Nov. 3, 1931 2,012,330 Widmaier Aug. 27, 1935 2,060,167 Breitling Nov. 10, 1936

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