US2631530A - Slip feeler control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March, 1953 G. R. ENGLUND SLIP FEELER CONTROL MECHANISM IN CASH REGISTERS Filed Jan. 21., 1948;

3 sheets sheet l G. R. ENGLUND March 1 7, 1 953 SLIP FEELER CONTROL MECHANiSM IN CASH REGISTERS Filed Jan. 21, 1948 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 17, 1953 G. R. ENGLUND SLIP FEELER CONTROL MECHANISM IN CASH REGISTERS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 21, 1948 Patented Mar. 17, 1953 OFFICE SLIP FEELER CONTROL MECHANISM IN CASH REGISTERS Giista Roland Englund, Stockholm, Sweden Application January 21, 1948, Serial No. 3,491 In Sweden December 12, 1946 6 Claims. (Cl. 101-95) Cash registers for making records either on an issuing check or on a separately insertable slip operate as far as the feeding of the check is concerned. essentially according to two difierent principles. According to one principle the check strip is moved to the printing position only when the machine is started, while, according to the other principle, on the contrary, the check strip is positioned from the very beginning at the printing position, and carries an imprint previously made by a printing block on a space of the check paper which has already passed the printing position. In the said first-mentioned case a knife is provided to sever the checks from the strip, said knife being located in front of the printing position behind a pair of feed in rolls for the check strip. In the said last-mentioned case the knife is provided behind the printing position as well as behind a pair of feed out rolls.

Owing to constructional difiiculties occurring in connection with the positioning of the feed out rolls and the printing block close by the operating position of the type wheels for printing the amount, the check will in the said firstrnentioned case present blank spaces in front of and behind the imprint of the amount, particularly between said imprint and the fore end of the check, where there is a blank space of a length corresponding to the distance between the printing position of the type wheels and the position of the feed out rolls. In the said second case the corresponding space is provided with an imprint made by a block simultaneously with the previous amount printing operation so that no blank space will appear in this case, and the amount will be printed on a space immediately in proximity to both the block printing space next preceding and the block printing space next succeeding. After the printing operation is completed the stri is fed to a position in which the knife is in register with the space between the amount imprint and the block imprint next succeeding which will thus be situated at the feed out rolls after the severing operating is completed, in immediate proximity to the place where the amount is to be printed the next time.

Machines operating according to the above said firstnnentioned principle are better suited to the alternative of printing on separately inserted slips, since in such case the check strip is normally removed from the printing position so that in printing a slip care need be taken only to prevent the strip feeding mechanism from operation. In machines operating according to the other principle, on the contrary, the check strip remains at the printing position while the printing on a slip is accomplished. As a result, the check strip will be acted on by the printing hammer in each slip printing operation and may therefore in case of the printing of a set of slips in successive order be more or less damaged at the space thereof located at the printing position.

The present invention has for its object to provide a machine which may be used both, firstly, to print and issue checks from a continuous strip of paper and secondly to print on separately inserted slips, and in which the printing of checks is efiected in accordance with the second principle of operation above referred to, that is to say, with saving of paper and avoidance of blank spaces, whereas the printing on inserted slips is efiected in accordance with the first principle of operation above referred to, that is to say, with the check strip removed from the printing position when a slip is being printed. This means that the invention combines the advantages of the said first-mentioned principle of operation, as far as the printing on inserted slips is concerned, with the advantages of the said lastmentioned principle of operation, as far as the printing and issuing of checks is concerned.

The invention is characterized, chiefly, by the fact that the feeding device for the check strip is so constructed as normally to maintain said strip withdrawn from the printing position so as to allow the insertion and printing of a separate slip Without interference with the check strip and, following each feeding of the check strip to the printing position, to restore said strip to its normal position by a, preferably, equal amount of back feeding operation, thereby again leaving the next printing space in proper position for a slip printing operation to follow.

In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1, la, 12) and 1c diagrammatically illustrate the above said first-mentioned principle of check printing operation, while Figs. 2, 2a, 2b and 2c similarly illustrate the above said second principle of check printing operation, and Figs. 3, 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d illustrate in a similar way the principle of operation of a machine constructed according to the present invention. Fig. 4 shows the check strip feeding mechanism of such a machine when set for check printing. Fig. 5 illustrates the check printing operation and Fig. 6 the slip printing operation of this machine.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation showing the mechanisms for operating the feed out rolls, the check severing knives and the printing hammers. Fig. i5 is a view at right angles to Fig. 7, showing the interconnection of the severing knives.

With reference to Fig. 1 the numeral i designates an amount type wheel of a check printing cash register of a well-known type, 2 is a printing hammer for cooperation with said type wheel, 3 is a printing block and d is a printing hammer for cooperation therewith, 5 is a pair of feed in rolls and 6 is a pair of feed out rolls, and i is a pair of knives positioned between the feed in rolls and the block printing device for severing a check from a strip of paper 8. The principle of operation is as follows:

Prior to starting a check printing operation the strip of paper 8 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and la. In starting, said strip is fed to the position shown in Fig. lb, that is to say, so that it enters into between and is caught by the feed out rolls 6. Then, printing of the amount is efiected on the space a (Fig. 1b) and printing by the block is efiected on the space 1;, whereupon the check thus printed is severed along the line 0. As shown, there is a comparatively large blank space (1 between the amount print a and the fore end of the check which space is of no use and means a waste of paper, while at the same time rendering the size of the check unnecessarily large, which is a drawback from the point of view of the cutomer. After severing the check, which is shown separately in Fig. 1c, the remaining strip 8 is in a position similar to that shown in Fig. 1, that is to say, with its fore end reaching to the knives i. A printing operation on an inserted slip can then be elfected without interference with the check strip.

In Fig. 2 the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar elements as in Fig. 1. In this case the knives l are located behind the feed out rolls 6 and there are no feed in rolls at all, because such rolls are, at least theoretically, not required.

In this case the check strip 8, before the starting of a check printing operation, is positioned with its fore end at the knives I. On the space of the strip engaged by the feed rolls 6 an impression has previously been made by means of the printing block during the check printing operation next proceding, as indicated at b in Fig. 2a. The machine when started makes an impression of the amount on space a and an impression by the printing block on the space 17 Fig. 2b, whereupon the strip is fed forward to bring it to a position in which the knives "I are in register with line 0 intermediate between space a and space b Fig. 20. After severing the check the strip is in a position similar to that shown in Fig. 2a, that is to say, with its fore end positioned at the knives l and with space I) carrying an imprint made by the block for the check to be next issued. In this case no waste of material is caused and the check will be considerably shorter than that obtained as a result of the operation illustrated in Figs. l-lc, though the check carries the same imprints in both cases. If it is now desired to print on an inserted slip, then it is necessary to insert said slip over the check strip. As a result, also the check strip will be acted on by the printing hammers 2 and 4 when the imprints are made on the slip.

In Fig. 3 which has for its object to illustrate the principle of operation of the machine according to the present invention, there is as in Fig. 1

a pair of feed out rolls 5, but in this case the knives I are positioned behind the feed out rolls as in Fig. 2. The operation in printing and issuing a check is as follows:

Normally, the check strip 8 on which an im-' print has already been made on space 17 Fig. Bar, by means of the printing block 3 in connection with the previous check printing operation, is positioned with its fore end in register with the block, as shown in Fig. 3.

Starting of the machine to cause it to print and issue a check first causes a feeding of the check strip 8 to a position in which its fore end is in register with the knives, whereupon an imprint of the amount is made on space a in proximity of the block imprint b and an imprint is made by the block on space b Fig. 310, for the next check to be issued. Then the strip is fed by an amount corresponding to the length of a check, so that it reaches the position shown in Fig. 30. In this position severing of the check carrying the printed spaces b and a is effected by the knives along the line 0, Fig. 30, followed by a retraction of the strip to the position shown in Fig. 3d, that is to say, a position corresponding to that shown in Fig. 3a, with an imprint for the check next to be issued made by the block on space b For carrying out the operations above described in connection with Figs. 3-3d, the mechanism shown in Figs. 4-6 are used, though, of course, modifications may be made in the one direction or the other without departing from the principle of the invention.

In Fig. 4 are shown all details indicated in Fig. 3, that is to say, the amount type wheel I, the respective printing hammer 2, the block 3, the block hammer 4, the feed in rolls .5 and the feed out rolls 6, the knives 1, and the check strip 8. The positioning of said details with respect to each other corresponds to that indicated in Fig. 3. In Figs. 5 and 6 some of said details are also shown. In Figs. 4 and 6 the lower feed out roll 6 is not shown completely, a portion thereof being broken away in order to render the illustration more clear. The means for operating the type wheel I, the printing hammers 2, 3, the feed out rolls 8 and the knives 1 may be of any appropriate kind and are, therefore, not shown in the drawings. Even all such parts of the machine are removed which are not required for the illustration of the invention. The elements required for this purpose are all shown in Fig. 4:.

In Fig. l the reference numeral 9 designates a table for supporting the record materials, namely the check strip 8 and the inserted slips. The check strip is fed from the right in the drawing while the slips are inserted from the left.

t the front side of the machine there is a starting key it. The depression of this key effects, indirectly, operation of a lever H on which is fastened a laterally projecting pin l2 and, directly, operation of a bell crank lever t3, t5, mounted by means of a slot E5 on a rigid journal I 6. The slot !'5 is widened at its lower end. In this enlarged end the journal It is normally held by the action of a spring H which tends to pull the lever upwards. By this engagement any unintentional movement of the lever as a result of a rapid depression of the starting key is prevented, should a detent it normally in the path of the lever arm it be removed from said path. Said detent I8 is positioned by the side of the table 9 where it is mounted on a journal I9 above the level of the table. The detent is rigidly connected to a feeler 2t projecting into the path of a slip inserted on the table 9. 'Said feeler may move up and down through an aperture in the table 9.

The bell crank lever 13, M carries immediately below the lower end of the slot t a laterally projecting pin 2| adapted to engage a shoulder 22 of a slide :23 which is movable rectilinearly approximately in a direction parallel with the slot 1'5. The slide is guided, in part, :by the stationary journal 1'6 and, in part, by a stationary pin 24 engaging a straight slot formed in the lowerend of the slide. A spring 2*5 tends to move the slide upwardly, so as to bring its shoulder 22 into engagement with pin 2 l. Mounted on the stationary p-in 2A is a pawl 26 for cooperation with a pin 21 on the slide '23. Pawl 23 is formed with a rear arm or tail 28 having an angularly bent end 29 adapted to engage the pin 2 in such a way as normally to bear thereagains-t by its end surface but to catch same and keep it in depressed state, when the key is moved inwards as a result of a depression of the star-ting key, as already stated.

By the provision of the slot above referred to at the lower end of slide 23, said end becomes fork-shaped and, as shown, one prong 3i of this fork is longer than the other. Bearing against the end surface of said longer prong 3! is an antifriction roller 33 at one end of a bell crank lever 35 mounted at 34 which is acted on by a spring 3'! connecting the lever arm carrying the roller 33 tothe slide 23 so as to maintain the engagement, between the roller 33 and the end or prong 31. The antifriction roller 33 is further adapted to be acted on by a cam 36 driven through a gearing, including an intermediate shaft 31, from the main shaft of the machine, not shown. The other end of the bell crank lever 35 is adapted to engage a pin 38 on a toothed segment '40 mounted at '39 which is adapted to mesh with a pinion M secured to the shaft of the lower feed roll 5. A rear arm 42 of said toothed segment 40 carries a roller 43 for cooperation with a cam 44 on shaft 3W. Attached to said rear arm 42 is a restoring spring 45 for the toothed segmentdo.

The upper one of the feed out rolls 6 is rotatably mounted on one arm of a bell crank lever 46, pivoted to the machine frame at 41. A spring 48 a'ctson the other arm of said lever '46 to force the upper roll 6 against the lower one. Said spring-loaded arm of lever 46 carries at its free enda roller 50 operable by a cam -49 on the main shaft 31 of the machine for moving the lever 46 against the action of spring W8 so as to remove tthe upper roll :6 from the lower feed out roll 6, when the oscillating feed rolls 5 (Fig. 4) are in operation as well as when the machine is in its normal position .and a separate slip is inserted onto the table 9. The lower feed out roll 6 is operable by a toothed segment 5! ro-tatably mounted on the shaft 34 which meshes with a toothed wheel 51' secured to the shaft of the lower feed out roll 6. The shaft also carries a toothed wheel 52 in mesh with a toothed wheel 53 rigidly secured to the main shaft 31. Mova'bly mounted on said toothed wheel 52 is a detent 54 normally held by the action of a spring 55 in such a position as to be capable of engaging a bent tongue 56 on. the toothed segment 5|, causing the latter to. rotate in the direction of the arrow thereon (Fig. 7) thereby rotating the toothed wheel 51 of the. lower feed out roll 6.

When the pair of feed out. rolls 6 has rotated in the degree aimed at the detent 54 strikes a stationary pin 5-8 and releases the tongue 56, thereby interrupting the. rotation of the feed out rolls. When the action of cam 49 brings the upper feed. out roll, 6; out. of engagement with the 6 lower feed out roll '6, a fraction spring '59 moves the toothed segment 5| back again until it strikes a stop '60 (which position is shown in Fig. 7). The feed out rolls '6 are now ready for another course of operation.

The lower knife 1 is pivoted to the upper knife at BI, Fig. 8, and is controlled by means of a link 62 pivoted at its upper end to [the lower knife, as shown in Fig. 8, and pivotally and slidably connected at its lower end to a lever '64 by means of a pin I6 4 on said lever engaging a longitudinal slot 162 in the link 62, as shown in Fig. 7. The link 162 is operable by means of 'a lever 63a having a laterally projecting lug 63b adapted to engage a recess 2 6*2 in the adjacent edge of link 62. The lever ii3a is pivoted at its lower end to the lever "64 by means of the pin I64 and slidably and pivotally connected to the slide 23 'by means of a pin 21 of said slide engaging a longitudinal slot I63 in the lever 63a. The said lever M which is pivoted to the machine frame at 2-55 is controlled by a cam $5 on the main shaft 31. The lug 63b of lever 63a is brought into engagement with the recess 26-2 of link 6-2 when the starting key I0 is depressed. Upon depression of key l0 the pin 21 of lever [3-b t engages the slide 23 and pushes it down, thereby causing the pin 2'? to swing the lever 63a towards the link 62 until the lug 63!) engages the recess 2262; then the lever 64 raises the lever 53a causing its lug to take the link $2 with it, thereby effecting an upward cutting movement of the lower knife 1. After the cutting operation is completed, the lower knife 1 is retracted by a traction spring 66 engaging the lever 5d.

The printing hammers Z and 4 are carried by bell crank levers '61 pivoted to the machine frame by means of a common shaft 61a. Each lever 67 is formed with a rear depending a-rm ending in a nose H which is adapted to be operated by a printing roller 68.

Each such roller is mounted on a pin traversing the space between two axially spaced cam discs Be on a shaft [59. The shaft m9 of earns '69 is driven from the main shaft 3'! by means of the toothed wheel 53 on the main shaft and a toothed wheel Ill on shaft IE9 in mesh therewith. Each time during the rotation of the shaft I69 in the direction indicated by the arrow on cam 69, a roller 68 engages the nose ll of the respective hammer lever, the roller causes said lever to rotate against the action of a spring t2, and as soon as the roller 68 releases the nose H, the respective spring 1 2 will rapidly swing the hammer against the type wheel I in case of hammer 2 or against the block 3 in case of the hammers 4.

As a result, the hammer operated will make an imprint .on the check strip or on a separate slip as the case may be. In Fig. '7 an ink ribbon is indicated at T3 for printing purposes.

The ends of the springs 7-2 remote from the hammer levers are provided with end pieces 12', which extend through openings M in a frame member i5 and are formed with enlarged heads 12" on the other side of said member, the cross section of said heads corresponding to that of the openings M so that they may pass therethrough in a given position but will in other positions act as a detent in engagement with the frame. The heads 12" are operable by a pin 15 on a lever 16, pivoted at 11 the other end of which carries a roller 18 operable by a cam 19 on the link 62. By this means the enlarged ends 1'2" of the end pieces 12 are brought into engagement with the frame member t5 when the slide 23 is operated 7 by the pin 2! upon a depression of the starting key 10.

The operation of the mechanism described in efiecting a check printing operation i as follows:

When there is no slip inserted in the machine, the feeler 2B and the associated detent I8 are in the positions shown in Fig. 4, that is to say, with the detent situated in the path of arm M of the bell crank lever l3, M. On depression of the starting key Ill, the arm l3 of said bell crank lever is forced inwardly but, since arm I l is stopped by .the detent it, the lever will thereafter turn about the contact point with detent I8 as a fulcrum. During this turning the lever I3, M moves the slide 23 due to the engagement between pin 2! and shoulder 22, and slide 23 in its turn causes the bell crank lever 3-5 to turn on its pivot 34 so as to move the roller 33 into the path of cam 36.

On depression of the starting key I!) the lever II with the journal I 2 is forced inwards, as already stated, thereby allowing the end 29 of lever arm 28 to catch the journal 12. The movement of arm 28 by this time causes the pawl 26 to engage the pin 2'! of slide 23, thereby locking the slide in its depressed position. The roller 33 of the bell crank lever 35 will thus be maintained in the path of cam 36 until engaged thereby and caused to move with the cam, thereby imparting a counterclockwise rotation to bell crank lever 35. Said lever in its turn engages pin 35 of the toothed segment 40 and causes an idle rotation thereof until the toothed segment is about to engage the pinion d! which in order to permit said idle movement of the toothed segment lacks a tooth on its side facing the segment by this time, as shown in Fig. 4. At the completion of said idle stroke of the toothed segment the roller 43 is engaged by the hook-shaped rounded end of cam 44%, thereby initiating the operative stroke of the toothed segment. The pinion =4! is then rotated, causing the rolls 5 to feed the strip 8 to the printing position, Fig. 5. This rotation being completed, the roller '43 comes intoengagement with the circular portions of the periphery of cam M, as shown in Fig. 5. By this means the toothed segment to is maintained in the position shown in Fig. 5 for a suffi-cient period to permit performance of the printing operation, feeding of the strip with the check printed thereon from the printing position to a check severing position and severing of the printed check, as already described above in connection with the description of the mechanism for controlling the operation of the printing hammers 2, i, the feed out rolls 6 and the knives '1. During said period a double tooth space 49 of the pinion '4! (viz. .the right hand one shown in Fig. 4) faces a cylindrical portion of the toothed segment as and at the same time a plane portion of the periphery of the lower feed roll 5 is directed upwardly, as shown in Fig. 5, affording a clearance between itself and the upper roller 5 through which the strip may freely pass after the printing operation is completed. This feeding of the strip is effected by means of the feed out rolls 5 which pull the strip forward by an amount corresponding to the length of a check to a position corresponding to that indicated in Fig. 3c, whereupon the severing of the check immediately takes place. By this time the cam 44 is about to disengage roller 43. The cam, however, continues its rotation through a cornplete revolution, that is to say, until the cam is again in its normal position shown in Fig. i. As soon as during this rotation the cylindrical periphery of the cam getsrid of the roller 43, the toothed segment 40 is restored under the action of its retraction spring 45 by a counterclockwise rotation until it reaches its normal position shown in Fig. 4. While the toothed segment is thus returned to normal position it rotates the pinion 4i back again to its normal position, so that the lower feed roll 5 may again engage the strip and by its cooperation with the upper feed roll 5 retract the strip by an amount equal to the forward step of the strip just preceding. The check strip with the printed check removed therefrom is now returned from the position shown in Fig. 30 to the position shown in Fig. 3b.

By this time the machine has completed a check printing and issuing operation and is again ready either for starting another check printing and issuing operation or for starting a slip printing operation.

If it is desired to print on a slip the slip to be printed on is placed on the table 9 and pushed inwardly thereon from the left hand side of the machine. When the inserted slip engages the feel-er 213 and is further pushed in, it will lift same as shown in Fig. 6, where it designates the slip. Ihe feeler when thus lifted moves the detent [8 out of the path of lever arm it. By a depression of the starting key It the bell crank lever l3, I4 is caused to turn on the journal [6 as a pivot, said journal remaining in engagement with the widened lower portion of slot [5 in the slid 23 under the action of spring 11. The pin 2| of slide .23 is thus prevented from engaging the shoulder '22 of lever 13, M .and operating the slide. As a result, the operations controlled by the slide, that is to say, the feeding and retraction of the check strip do not take place. The check strip will, consequently, remain in the position shown in Fig. 4, allowing the slip to be moved to printing osition and printed without interfering with the check strip.

When there is a separate slip placed on the table 9, as shown in Fig. 6, the slide '23 will remain in its normal position when the starting key It is depressed. As will appear from the foregoing description the severing knives I will, therefore, remain in the inoperative position and do does the hammer mechanism too. It is to be noted, however, that in the example illustrated the feed out rolls 6 will operate also in case of the slip printing operation.

It is further to be noted that the construction above described is an example only of the invention, inasmuch as variations of details may be made without departing from the principle and scope of the invention as defined by the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cash register, a table for supporting the material to be handled in the register, check printing elements and check severing elements provided at spaced positions along said table, a pair of stri feed rolls, a main drive, means including a toothed gearing and a coupling mechanism for imparting a rotary motion from said main drive to said feed rolls for movin a continuous check strip on said table to a check printing position, a starting key for controlling said coup-ling mechanism, means under the control of the main drive for operating the check printing elements in the said check printing position of the strip, another pair of feed rolls and means under the control of the main drive for bringing said other pair of feed rolls into engagement with the strip and cause them to move said strip from the check printing position to a check severing position, means under the control of the main drive for operating said check severing elements at the completion of said lastmentioned feed motion, and then releasing the strip, a spring for operating the gearing of the firstmentioned pair of feed rolls in a return direction to cause them to retract the check strip after the severing operation so as to bring it out of the range of the said other pair of feed rolls and the printing elements, thereby allowing the insertion on the table of a separate slip from the end of the table remote from the firstmention-ed pair of feed rolls and the pushing of said slip by hand to a position in register with the printing elements.

2. In a cash register as claimed in claim 1 the provision in combination with the table of means operable by an inserted slip for disabling the operation of the coupling mechanism by means of the starting key.

3. In a cash register as claimed in claim 2, and in which a member is provided for transmitting movement from the starting key to the coupling mechanism, the further feature, that the said disabling means comprises a feeling element operable by an inserted slip and a detent operable by said feeling element for projecting into the path of said transmitting member for preventing its action.

4. A cash register as claimed in claim 3 in which said transmitting element comprises a shifting lever operable at its one end by the starting key and adapted to abut by its other end against the detent when unaffected by the feelmg element so as to allow the feeling element to act as a fulcrum for the lever, the lever being further adapted to engage the coupling mechanism at a point between its ends.

5. A cash register as claimed in claim 4, in which the shifting lever is formed near said point with a slot forming a, seat for a stationary journal at one end, so as to allow moving of the lever about said journal when the detent is removed from the path of the lever with resulting nonoperation of the coupling mechanism.

6. A cash register as claimed in claim 5, in which the coupling mechanism comprises a slide adapted to be operated by the shifting lever when turning about the detent as a fulcrum, and means controlled by said slide for bringing about an intermittent engagement between the main drive and the gearing for controlling the first pair of feed rolls.

G6STA ROLAND ENGLUN'D.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,795,509 Robertson Mar. 10, 1931 1,765,740 Green July 10, 1934 2,121,967 Kommling June 28, 1938 2,127,652 Placke Aug. 23, 1938 2,168,511 Berger Aug. 8, 1939 2,181,990 Fuller Dec. 5, 1939 2,456,414 Heyel Dec. 14, 1948

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