US3017078A - Selective drawer control mechanism for cash registers and accounting machines - Google Patents

Description

Jan. .1962 F. R. WERNER ETAL 3,017,078

SELECTIVE DRAWER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Original Filed July 1, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG."II

INVENTORS FRANK R. WERNER HAROLD o. RANDALL& v KENNETH (1Z4; BY W TI'QR ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1962 F. R. WERNER ETAL 3,017,078

SELECTIVE DRAWER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Origmal Filed July 1, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 4 A I mvsmoas FRANK R. WERNER HAROLD O. RANDALL 8 KENNETH C.FLI

.MW @MZMQ THEIR ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1962 F. R. WERNER ETAL 3,017,078

SELECTIVE DRAWER CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Or1g1na1 Flled July 1, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 6

so |os 53 52 59 Q BY WM M44 THEIR ATTORNEYS SELECTHVE CGNTRGL MECHANISM IFGR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCUUNTENG MACE-IHNES Frank R. Werner and Harold O. Randall, Dayton, and Kenneth C. Flint, West Carrollton, Ohio, assignors to The National Cash Register Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Maryland Original annlicatin July 1, 1955, Ser. No. 519,426. now Patent No. 2,884,851, dated May 5, 1959. Divided and this application Dec. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 781,525

2 Claims. (Cl. 235-22) This invention relates to cash registers and accounting machines and is particularly directed to multiple-drawer mechanism for such machines and to mechanism for controlling the selection of the several drawers for opening movement.

This application is a division of the co-pending application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 519,- 426, filed July 1, 1955, by Frank R. Werner, Harold O. Randall, and Kenneth C. Flint, now Patent No. 2,884,- 851.

The general object of this invention is the provision of a machine of the general type referred to above, of compact dimensions and economical construction, having many of the features and appointments usually found only in larger and more expensive machines.

Another object is to provide a machine, having a plurality of operable control elements and a cash drawer corresponding to each control element, with selectively operable means controlled by the effective control element to cause the corresponding drawer to open.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

Of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the complete machine embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation of the drawer selecting and operating mechanism for causing the drawer corresponding to the depressed clerks control key to open near the end of machine operation.

FIG. 3 is a detail view of a portion of the selecting mechanism shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a detail view of a portion of the drawer selecting and operating mechanism shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the drawer selecting and operating mechanism shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation showing in diagrammatic form the side-spacing of the framework of the machine.

The machine chosen to illustrate the present invention is identical in appearance and in many of its structural details to the machine disclosed in co-pending application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 412,464, filed February 25, 1954, now Patent No. 2,962,- 209, by Frank R. Werner and Kenneth C. Flint, inventors, to which reference may be had for a full disclosure of similar mechanism illustrated in the present application which is not pertinent to the present invention and which for that reason will be described only in a general way herein.

Mechanism pertinent to an understanding of the present invention will be described in detail in the ensuing pages.

Machine in general and its supporting framework The framework of the machine comprises main right and left frames 50 and 51 (FIG. 6) and their corresponding auxiliary frames 52 and 53, which are secured, re-

spectively, to the upper ends of their corresponding main frames, said main frames being secured in proper spaced relationship to each other by a machine base 54, to which they are secured, by a back plate 48, secured between said main frames, and by various cross frames,

rods, and shafts. The framework also includes right and left totalizer frames 55 and 56 (FIG. 6), secured, respectively, to their corresponding main frames 50 and 51 by various screw studs, rods, and shafts. The framework also includes a receipt roll support plate 57, a detail support plate 58, and a right printer plate 59, all of said plates being connected to the main frame 50 by means of various screw studs, rods, and shafts in the usual manner. Likewise, a receipt hammer support plate 60 is connected in proper spaced relationship to the right auxiliary frame 52 by various screw studs, rods, and shafts. Also, the framework of the machine comprises a left printer plate 61 (FIG. 6) for the slip-printing mechanism, and a left type wheel support plate 62 for the slip-printing mechanism, said plates being secured in proper spaced relationship, respectively, to the main left frame 51 and to the left auxiliary frame 53.

The base 54 is secured inside a shallow oil-drip pan 63, in turn secured to the top surface of a drawer cabinet 64 (FIGS. 1 and 6), and the mechanism of the machine is enclosed in a suitable case or cabinet 65, secured to the pan 63. V

The keyboard of the machine comprises, in the present instance, four denominational rows of amount keys 66 (FIG. 1) and a release key 67 for releasing any depressed amount keys, said amount keys being of flexible construction, wherein the depression of a key in a particular denomination, after a key has already been depressed in said denomination, releases the previously-depressed key, and so on. The keyboard likewise includes four Clerks transaction or control keys 68 for selecting clerks totalizers corresponding to said keys, and for simultaneously initiating machine operation, and includes five Department or Item control keys 69, which control the selection of corresponding totalizers to receive amounts set up on the amount keys 66, said control keys 69 also arranged to initiate machine operation on being depressed, the same as the Clerks keys 68. The keyboard also includes a unit lock lever 70, often referred to as a total control lever, which is movable to various positions to control the functions being performed in the totalizers. The total control lever 70 (FIG. 1) is provided with a lock 71, the keys of which are generally retained by some person in authority, for locking said total control lever in certain positions and for locking it against movement into certain other positions. The various positions of the total control lever 70 are engraved upon its face, and, when brought into register with an arrow formed in an opening in the keyboard, through which the face of said total control lever is visible, the lever conditions the machine for the type of operation indicated by the engraving.

Reading from top to bottom (FIG. 1), the engraved positions on the total control lever 70 are as follows: Reset Row 1, in which the totalizers corresponding to the Clerks keys 63 are reset or zeroized; Read Row 1, in which the wheels of said clerks totalizers are subtotalized, or read; Register, in which the totalizers corresponding both to the Clerks keys 68 and to the Department key 69 are conditioned for addition; and Locked Register, in which the machine is locked against operation by all keys being locked against depression. Continuing the engraved positions of the total control lever 70, the next positions are Read Row 2, in which the totalizers corresponding to the Department or Item keys 69 are conditioned for a reading, or sub-totaling, operation, and Reset Row 2, in which the totalizers corresponding to the keys 69 are conditioned for resetting, or totalizing, operations. The lock 71 for the total control lever 70 (FIG. 1) is usually provided with two keys, one of which permits the'total control lever to be moved to all positions with the exception of Reset Row 1 and Reset Row 2 positions, and the other key, often referred to as a Reset key, permits the total control lever 70 to be moved to all positions including Reset Row 1 and Reset Row 2. With either of the keys mentioned above, the total control lever 70 may be locked in Locked Register position to prevent operation of the machine.

The amount keys 66 (FIG. 1) and the control- keys 68 and 69 are provided with front and back indicators 72, '73, and 74 (only the front indicators being shown here), which are visible through corresponding openings in the cabinet or case 65, said indicators being positionable under the control of the corresponding keys to visibly indicate the amount and the type of machine operation being performed. In read and resetting operations, often referred to as sub-total and total operations, the amount indicators 72 are positioned under control of the wheels of the selected totalizer corresponding to the control keys 68 and 69, in the usual manner.

Theamount keys 66 and the control keys 68 and 69 likewise control corresponding type wheels for printing related data upon a detail strip 75 (FIG. 1), upon an issuing receipt 76, and upon an insertable duplicate slip 77; A portion of the detail strip, containing the latest entries, is visible through a corresponding opening in the cabinet 65, and the receipt 76 is issued through a slot in said cabinet past a tearing'blade, which may be used for separating the finished receipt from the web thereof. A table 78 is provided for presenting the insertable slip 77 to the printing mechanism, and said table is provided with an adjustable stop for determining the positioning of the printing on said insertable slip. A small electric light (not shown) is provided for illuminating the slip table and the'slip when necessary, and said light iscontrolled by a switch 81, conveniently located on the front portion of the cabinet 65. A removable cap 82 provides access to the light, when necessary, for the purpose of replacing the bulb.

In the present arrangement of the machine of this invention, all entries are made upon the detail strip 75. However, it is not possible to issue a receipt and print upon an insertable slip during the same machine operation, and, to properly condition the machine for a slip-printing operation, a slip key 79, located immediately to the right of the Clerks keys 68, is provided and, upon being depressed, renders the receipt issuing and printing mechanism inoperative and simultaneously activates the slipprinting mechanism. A shiftable slide 163 (FIG. 1), located immediately below the slip key 79, is provided for manually releasing said key or for manually locking said key in depressed position against automatic release at the end of machine operation, whenever necessary or desirable.

By referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the drawer cabinet 64contains four drawers, 84 to 87 inclusive, corresponding to the four Clerks keys 68, the opening of which drawers near the end of operation is effected by the depression of said corresponding Clerks key 68;

The machine is likewise provided with four special counters 88 (FIG. 1), corresponding to the Clerks keys 68, which count 1 each time a corresponding key is used to initiate a machine operation; five special counters 89, corresponding to the Department keys 69, which likewise count 1 each time the corresponding ones of said keys are used to initiate machine operation; a reset counter 91, which counts 1 each time the total control lever 70 is moved to Reset 1 or Reset 2 position; and an item counter 90, which in multiple-item transactions counts 1 for each item entered in the item totalizer. The item counter is automatically cleared of the items counted in theprevious transactionat the beginning. of a succeeding machine operation. The special counters 88, 89, 90, and 91 (FIG. 1) are visible through corresponding apertures in an offset angular portion of a cabinet front plate 92, secured to the machine framework.

In addition to the nine totalizers corresponding to the control keys 68 and 69, the present machine is provided with an item totalizer for accumulating the amounts of the items as they are listed in the item-entering operations of a multiple-item transaction and for transferring the total amount of said items into the clerks totalizer corresponding to the depressed Clerks key 68 in a final item total operation. An Item Sub-Total key 81), located immediately below the Clerks control keys 68, is provided for reading the amount in the item totalizer any time during a multiple-item transaction.

Each Clerk key 68 (FIG. 1) is provided with a pintype cylinder look (not shown), controlled by a key (not shown), formed by a shank portion, integral with the tip or finger portion of the corresponding Clerks key. When the key is inserted into the lock, the corresponding Clerks key 68 may be depressed, and, when the key is removed from said lock, the Clerks key is locked against depression. This provides a safety feature which prevents the intentional or otherwise entering of amounts into the wrong clerks totalizer and further provides means whereby a clerk may lock hiskey 68 against depression by unauthorized persons if for any reason it is necessary for him to leave his post of duty.

Secured to the top surface of the cabinet 64 (FIG. 1), directly above the clerks drawers 84 to 87 inclusive, is a coin slab 96, for use in making change.

The present application is directed particularly to the selecting mechanism for the four cash drawers, and said mechanism and all other mechanism closely associated therewith will be described in detail in the ensuing pages. Other mechanism illustrated herein, and not pertinent to the drawer mechanism, will be described only in a general way, and, if a more complete description of said mechanisms is desired, reference may be had to the co-pending United States application Serial No. 412,464, referred to before, and to the co-pending United States application Serial No. 341,633, filed March 11, 1953, now Patent No. 2,880,930, by Frank R. Werner, Kenneth C. Flint, and Walter G. Sterzer, inventors, which applications provide a complete disclosure of the mechanisms embodied in machines of this type.

Drawer selecting and control mechanism By referring to FIG. 1, it will be recalledrthat the present machine is provided with four drawers, 84 to 87 lnclusive, corresponding to the four Clerks keys, 68, A to E, respectively, the opening of said drawers being controlled by depression of the corresponding Clerks keys in item total operations, and in Read Row 1 and Reset Row 1 operations, in which the Clerks keys 68 are used to select the corresponding No. 1 totalizers for reading or resetting. Moving the total control lever 70 to Read Row 2 or Reset Row 2 positions alters the control of the drawer-opening mechanism to cause the drawer 87, corresponding to the E Clerks key 68, to open automatically near the end of such No. 2 reading and resetting operations.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the Clerks control keys operate through the usual differential mechanism to drive The disk has a bor-' cordance with the various positions of said sector 397, said slot being engaged by and coacting with a roller 399 mounted near the rear end of a lever 400 free on a stud 401 secured in the left frame 51. The rear end of the lever 400 is bifurcated to embrace a stud 402 in the left arm of a yoke 493 free on a transmission aliner shaft 404 journaled in the machine framework. The right arm of the yoke 403 carries a stud 405 engaged by the bifurcated forward end of a lever 406 free on the shaft 404 and having in its rear end a slot engaged by a stud 407 in the upper end of a vertical pitman 468. The pitman 4418 is mounted for vertical shifting movement by means of parallel slots therein, in cooperation with a rod 409, supported by the totalizer frames 55 and 56 (FIG. 6), and in cooperation with a stud 410 carried by a brace plate 411 supported by rods 412, 413, and 414, in turn mounted in the totalizer frames 55 and 55.

The hook-shaped downward end of the pitman 408 (FIGS. 2 and 3) carries a stud 415 engaged by a slot in one end of a lever 416 pivoted on a stud 417 secured in the plate 411. The other end of the lever 416 is slotted to embrace a stud 418 in the downward end of a slide 419 mounted for substantially vertical shifting movement by means of parallel slots therein, in cooperation with studs 420 and 421, secured in the plate 411. The slide 419 is further supported for vertical shifting movement and stabilized by means of the forward edge thereof, which engages an annular groove in a collar 43-4 (FIG. 2) secured to the rod 412, said collar in turn assisting in supporting the plate 411 against lateral displacement upon said rod 412. The slide 419 carries a stud 422 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 4), which forms a rotatable support for the parallel symmetrical arms of a yoke 423, said arms being connected at their lower end by a bail 424. The arms of the yoke 423 carry, respectively, studs 425, which coact with corresponding vertical slots formed in the enlarged rear ends of plates 426 and 427 of a slidable framework (FIGS. 2 and 3), said plates being similar in outline and secured in fixed spaced relationship to each other by means of rods 428 and 429, extending therebetween. The plates 426 and 427 are mounted for horizontal shifting movement by means of three slots therein, in cooperation with three studs 430 extending between the upright side members of a bracket 431 secured to the machine base 54.

The forward rod 429 is embraced by a slot in the upper end of a crank 435 secured on a shaft 435 journaled in the upright side members of a bracket 437 secured to the machine base 54. Also secured on the shaft 436 is a crank 438 slotted to receive a stud 439 secured in a downward extension of a cam lever 440 free on the shaft 333. Y-shaped extension of the lever 44-0 carry rollers 44-1 and 442, which cooperate, respectively, with the peripheries of companion plate cams 443 and 44-4 secured on the main cam shaft 233. As previously explained, the main cam shaft 233 makes one clockwise revolution (FIG. 2) each machine operation, and, during this revolution, the cams 443 and 4-4-4 rock the lever 44-1] first clockwise and then back to normal position near the end of machine operations, said lever, through the crank 438, the shaft 436, and the crank 435, shifting the plates 426 and 427 first forwardly and then back to normal position.

The bail 424 of the yoke 423 (FIGS. 2, 4, and 5) is arranged to coact with the ends of fingers formed on drawer-opening bars 445 to 448 inclusive, corresponding to the four Clerks keys 68 (FIG. 1), said bars being mounted for horizontal shifting movement by means of three slots therein, in cooperation with the three studs 430, supported by the bracket 431. Each of the bars 4-45 to 448 is provided with a stud 449, which coacts with a rearward surface 451] formed on an upward extension of a corresponding pawl 451 free on a rod 452 supported by parallel uprights of a bracket 454 secured to the machine base 54. The rear ends of the pawls 451 underlie and coact with corresponding studs 453 secured in forwardly-bent ears formed on drawer-opening bars 455 to 458 inclusive, corresponding to the four Clerks keys 68 and to the four drawers 84 to 87 (FIG. 1), said bars being mounted for vertical shifting movement on a bracket (not shown) in turn secured to the machine base. The downward ends of the bars 455 to 458 inclusive are operatively connected to latches (not shown), which engage latch plates on each of the drawers 84 to 8-7, inclusive, to normally retain said drawers in their closed positions against the action of their respective spring-actuated levers (not shown), which are tensioned to push said drawers forwardly to open position when the corresponding latch is released.

Depression of the A Clerks key 68 (FIG. 1), to initiate an item total operation, causes the transmission gear sector 397 (FIG. 2) to be positioned as shown here, in which position the slot 398, in cooperation with the roller 399, positions the pitman 408 and the slide 419 (FIG. 3) as shown here, causing said slide in turn to position the bail 424 of the yoke 423 opposite the finger of the bar 445, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Operation of the cams 443 and 444, near the end of machine operation, first rocks the lever 44% clockwise, causing said lever to shift the plates 426 and 427 forwardly, which movement, by means of the vertical slots in the rear ends of said plates, in cooperation with the studs 425, shifts the bail 424 forwardly in unison therewith. Forward movement of the bail 424 causes said bail to engage the finger of the bar 445 and shift said bar forwardly in unison therewith, against the action of the spring 459. Forward movement of the bar 445 (FIG. 4), through the stud 449, carries the pawl 45-1 counter-clockwise in unison therewith, causing said pawl to lift the stud 453 and the corresponding drawer release bar 455 to disengage the latch mechanism for the A Clerks drawer 84, to free said drawer to the action of its springactuated lever, which pushes said drawer to open position.

Depression of the B Clerks key 68, to initiate an item total operation, causes the gear sector 39? to be positioned accordingly, thereby causing the slot 398, in cooperation with the roller 399, to operate the pitman 408 and the slide 419 to shift the yoke 423 upwardly, said yoke being guided by the studs 425, in cooperation with the vertical slots in the plates 426 and 427. This alines the bail 424 of the yoke 423 with the rearwardlyextending finger of the bar 446, which bar is connected to and operates the latch for the B Clerks drawer 85, in exactly the same manner as explained for the A drawer 84. Thereafter, forward movement of the bail 424, under influence of the cams 443 and 444, shifts the bar 446 forwardly, near the end of machine operation, to lift the corresponding latch bar 456 to disengage the latch for the B drawer 85, to permit the spring-actuated lever for said drawer to push said drawer to open position. Using the D and E Clerks keys 63, for initiating item total operations, causes the bail 424 to be positioned, respectively, opposite the rearwardly-extending fingers of the bars 447 and 448, whereupon operation of the plates 426 and 427 causes said bars to be shifted forwardly to release the corresponding drawers 86 and 87 for opening movement under influence of their springactuated levers, the same as explained for drawers 84 and 85.

Depression of the Item Sub-Total key Si) (FIGS. 1, 2, and 4) to initiate an item sub-total operation causes the clerks differential mechanism to position the transmission gear sector 397 in accordance with said Sub- Total key, in which position the portion of the cam slot 398 indicated by the letters ST is opposite the roller 399. This causes the pitman 498 to shift the slide 419 and the yoke 423 to their uppermost positions, in which the bail 424 of said yoke is above the bar 448, and consequently, forward movement of said bail, when the plates 426 and 427 are operated by the cams 443 and 444, causes said bail to ride idly over said bar 448. As a result, no drawer 84 to 87 is opened in item sub-total operations.

In item-entering operations, when the item or department keys 69 (FIG. 1) are used to initiate operation of the machine, the transmission gear sector 397 is retained in zero position, and consequently the portion of the cam slot 398 indicated by the letter O is located opposite the roller 399. This causes the pitman 408 to position the slide 419 and the yoke 423 in their extreme upward positions, exactly the same as under control of the Sub- Total key 80, so that the bail 424 is above the bar 448, and, consequently, operation of said bail does not open any of the drawers.

The automatic drawer-opening mechanism operates exactly the same in receipt-issuing operations as in slipprinting operations.

As previously explained, the totalizers corresponding to the Clerks keys 68 may be read or reset, respectively, by moving the total control lever 70 (FIG, 1) to Read Row 1 or Reset Row 1 position, and the keys 68 used to initiate machineoperation to select the corresponding totalizer for reading or resetting operation. In reading and resetting operations, initiated by depression of the Clerks keys 68, the corresponding drawer opens automatically at the end of such operations in exactly the same manner as explained above in connection with multiple-item transactions. It will also be recalled that the Item or Department keys 69 are used in conjunction with the total control lever when said lever is in either Read Row 2 or Reset Row 2 position, to cause the corresponding totalizers to be selected for reading or resetting, respectively. However, as in multiple-item transactions, the Department keys 69 have no effect upon the drawer selecting and opening mechanism, and consequently said drawers remain closed in reading and resetting operations initiated by said control keys 69.

It is believed that a full understanding of the mode of operation of the selective drawer-releasing mechanism will have been obtained from a perusal of the preceding description, and therefore no further explanation is deemed necessary.

What is claimed is: I

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with depressible control keys to initiate and control machine operation, a cash drawer corresponding to each control key, a spring-actuated device for each drawer to open said drawers, and disengageable means for each drawer to retain said drawers closed against the action of the spring-actuated devices, of means including a vertically-shiftable element for each drawer, said elements effective when shifted to disengage the corresponding retaining means to free the corresponding drawer for opening movement; means comprising a horizontally-shiftable bar for each element and arranged to be shifted to shift the corresponding element; a horizontally-shiftable framework supporting the bars; a yoke member mounted in the framework for horizontal shifting movement thereby and for independent vertical shifting movement, said yoke having a bail arranged to be positioned in operating relationship with any selected one of the bars during vertical shifting movement of said yoke; means controlled by the depressed control key to position the bail in operating relationship with the corresponding bar; and means effective after the bail has been positioned to operate the framework to cause the bail to operate the selected bar to in turn shift the corresponding element to disengage the corresponding retaining means and thus to free the drawer corresponding to the depressed control key for opening movement.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with depressible control keys to initiate and control machine operation, a cash drawer correspondin to each control key, a spring-actuated device for each drawer to open said drawers, and disengageable means for each drawer to retain said drawers closed against the action of the spring-actuated devices, of means including a vertically-shiftable element for each drawer, said elements effective when shifted to disengage the corresponding retaining means to free the corresponding drawer for opening movement; a horizontally shift'able bar for each ele-'- ment; means to operatively connect each bar to the corresponding element, whereby operation of said bars simultaneously shifts the corresponding elements; a horizontally shiftable framework supporting the bars; a yoke member mounted in the framework for horizontal shifting movement thereby and for independent vertical movement, said yo-ke having a bail arranged to be positioned in operating relationship with any selected bar during vertical movement of said yoke; means including two members connected for reverse shifting movement in a vertical plane, one of said members being operatively connected to the depressible control keys and the other of said members being operatively connected to the yoke, so that depression of a control key positions the bail in coacting relationship with the bar corresponding to said depressed control key; and means effective after the bail has been positioned to operate the framework to cause the bail to operate the selected bar, which, through the connecting means, shifts the corresponding element to disengage the retaining means and thus to free the drawer corresponding to said depressed control key for opening movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images