US466280A - Gash eegistee - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) y 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. E. WELLS.

'CASH REGISTER.

Patented De0.'29,1891`.`

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CASH REGISTER.

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J. E. WELLS.

CASH REGISTER. No. 466,280. Patented Deo. 29., 1891.

MTA/555550 /Vl/f/v-TU/ /Q- @@@QL i c?. I' m Egg. Fgl -whn%w%%wx UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES E. VELLS, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY MILLAN AND FOREST W. BEAL, OF SAME PLACE.

cA'sH-aeclsTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,280, dated December 29, 1891. Application tiled pril 24, 1891- Seria1No.390,281. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES E. NVELLS, a citizen of the United States, formerly of Auburn, in the county of Cayuga and State of Newl York, but now a resident of Lynn, county of Essex, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented y certain new and useful Improvements in Cash- Registers, of which the following is-va specification.

Thev main objects of my'invention are to provide a cash-register of simple, compact, and durable structure, from which shall be omitted the series of finger-keys and separate movable indicators, usually employed in certain types of cash-registers, and to provide one inwhich, in place ofthe arrangements comprising,r two or more dials and their respective indicating-pointers,which heretofore have been employed in the class of cash-registers which may be designated dial-regis ters, there will be employed but a single dial having thereon a single circle of graduations and having arranged in proper relation therewith concentrically-pivoted indicating-pointers having operative connections with registering devices.

My invention consists in certain'new and useful features of construction and novel combinations of parts, and will irst be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then be particularly pointed out in the claims at the close of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view in front elevation of a cash-register embodying my present invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the said cash-register in section on the line a; .r of Fig. l, showing, however, in elevation certain details which are cnt by said line of section. Fig. 3 is a view showing the cash-register in section on the line y y of Fig.

2, the view being taken from the rear in the said Fig. 2. Fig. et is a detail view, partly in section, showing one of the pointers, its springactuated pawl, the ratchet-wheel engaged by the said pawl, the hub on which said wheel is keyed, and the shaft passing through said hub. Fig. 5 is a detail view in plan, showing portions of the registering-wheels, and also the plate having perfor-ations through whichv the graduations of the said wheels are to be read. Fig. 6 is a detail View showing a portion of one of the registering-wheels and the pinion in engagement therewith. Fig. 7 is a view in plan of a portionof the side of the cash-drawer and certain devices applied thereto, which will be described hereinafter. Fig. S is a View of another yportion of the cashdrawer, showing a part of the devices for locking the drawer in a closed position. Fig. 9 is a view in section showing, mainly, the bell, the devices for sounding the same, and the spring for projecting the drawer slightly open when the latter is unlocked.

In the drawings, A is the case of the cashregister, the same having the upper portion f thereof provided with a front plate B, preferably disposed in aninclined position, to which the registering devices are applied, the front side of such plate having thereon the dial E, which, in connection with pointers F G, serves to indicate the extent of each transaction.

C is the cash-drawer, and c is a spring, herein represented as a bent strip of spring material,

placed between the rear end of the drawerl and a portion of the case A and compressed by the drawer when the latter is pushed into its closed position. By its reaction this spring operates to push the drawer forward and partly open when the drawer is unlocked. In practice it will be arranged to thrustthe drawer forward and open to a short distance'- as, for example, just about one-half inch. One of the partitions c of thecashldrawer is notched vertically near its frontend at c2, as:

indicated in Fig. 8, and when the` drawer is closed the lower end of a locking-:leverfDg'pivoted at d B, enters the not-ch c2, the said lower iend of the lever D being drawn into the said notch by the action of a spiral spring d2, one end of which spring is connected tothe face-plate B and the vother to the lever D. An abutting piece c3 is applied to the partition aforesaid at the side thereof adjacent to the notch c2, and the lever D has a roller ds mounted thereon, which contacts with the inclined side of the said abutting piece and rolls thereon as the drawer is being closed.

In order to provide for moving the lever D the movable' to the inner side v'of thefront platev `ICO I plate 'bored Out,

to disengage its lower end from the notch c2 and abutting piece c3, and thereby leave the drawer free to be thrust partly open by the spring c, I employ, in connection with the indicating and registeringdevices, other devices through which, when the pointers are in their normal position at zero, one of them may be caused to act upon the locking-lever D to move the latter and free the drawer, all as will appear hereinafter.

The dial E, upon the front side of the face- B, by preference, has thereon one hundred subdivisions or graduations arranged in a single circle, as indicated in Fig. l, and the pointers F G are pivoted concentrically with the dial Eend With each other, one ofk the said pointers, as F, being intended ,for a cents indicator or index,

GLbeingintended las the dollars indicator, as denoted by the marking thereon in Fig. l. These 2 in `their normal position-fthat is, at `zero-- and resting 'against a fixed Vstop f in the shape of afpin Aentering the face-plate B.l The pivotal portion .or hub f` of each pointer F GA is as at f2, Fig. 4, and throughthe Wall of the said hub portion extends a pawl f3, pressed inward by aspring fsecured by ascrew f5 to'theouter side ofthe hub.

Within the hubs yof the pointers F `G are `placedftwo ratchet-wheelsg g2 and a disk g3,

which is riveted or otherwise connected to one `of lthe said ratchet-Wheels and is of a diameter a little greater than that of the ratchet- ,wheels .g g2, This disk gris placed between interiore/portions `of the two ratchet-Wheels and lies partly Within the hubof oner pointer and partly'withi'n the Vhubofthe other, and'is intended Yto Akeep the thefhnbs from coming into contact with the teeth of the ratchet- Wheels,` The ratchet-'wheel g is engaged by .At-h@ `Spring -actuated pawl carried by the wheel q2 is connectedbypin h5 pointer G, and the ratchet-wheel g2 is engaged bythe spring-actuated pawlcarried by the pointer F. Ratchet-Wheel g is connected by av pin or keyrg19 with a shaft H, and ratchetd with a sleeve lli, surrounding the shaft II, and connected with or `forming part of the hub of 'the registering-wheel I. f `Upon the shaft lIare mounted Vthe `registering-wheelsv K and L, the former of which is connected withA the shaft so as lto ',turn therewith by some suitable means, as by `a screwh passing through its hub 'and engagingwith the shaft, while the latter is free to rotate loosely around the shaft. A disk h2 is `applied to the shaft II between the head h3 thereof and the ratchet-wheel g', and has a lportion thereof reduced in diametertoequal thediameter of the disk g3, the said reduced fportion of the disk h2 entering the hub of the pointer Gand serving the same purpose as disk g3. The sleeve I-I has applied to the exterior thereofa disk h4, upon an extension or hub of which is mounted the ratchet-wheel d as is indicated bythe vmark-I ing thereonin Figs. 1 and 4, andthe other, as

pointers are represented in Figs. l and g2, the said ratchet-wheel gL and disk hi be-V ing keyed to each other and to the sleeve I-l by a pin h5. To the rear side of the faceplate B is affixed a frame M. The sleeve II has its bearing in one side of this frame and inthe faceplate, While the shaft Il has its bearing in the other side of this frame. A washer m is applied to the shaft II between the Wheel L and the adjacent side of the frame M, While the pin m2, passed through a hole in the end of the shaft'l'l, prevents the said shaft from being withdrawn until after the said pin m2 has been removed. The said Wheels I K L are graduated and marked or numbered on their peripheries, each one having preferably one hundred subdivisions orgradnations and being correspondingly marked. On a rod m3, fixed in the frame M, are mounted to turn loosely'a pinion m4, the teeth of which engage with teeth on'the wheel K, 'and a second loose pinion m5, the teeth of which engage with those on the wheel L. On the Wheel I is mounted a'tooth extending into position to engage with the pinion m4 in the rotation of the Wheel I, the said tooth communicatinga partial rotation to the pinion m, and thereby serving to Amove forward the wheel K one'step for each complete revolution ofthe wheel I. A tooth carried bythe wheel K is adapted in like manner to engage with the pinion m5 and move ythe wheel L. I have herein shown (see Fig.Y 3) the teethkwh'ich are carried by the Wheels I K, as bein gpivoted to the said wheels and 'acted' upon by springs letto hold them in position for'engagement with the pinionsm m5. By thus connecting and applying the said o teeth they are made yielding, and thereby,

when i'n the rotation of the Wheell its tooth 7o is brought into the relation to the'pinion of the fact that an independent movement is given tothe Wheel K whenever the pointer G is moved around the dial, the said pointer G being operatively connected with thesaid `W`heel,`as already described herein. I find it convenient to employa yieldingv tooth upon the wheel K,'also' for engagement with the pinion m5, which serves as a part of theA means of transmitting motion from 'the said Wheel Kto the wheelL,although it is to be observed that thesaid wheel L derives its movement only from the wheel K through the intermediary of the tooth carried by the said wheel.

K'and the pinion m5. A rigid tooth may be employed on the Wheel K in placeof the yield- By way of insuring clearing one, if desired.

IOO

IIO

zoY

ness it is noted at this point that wheel I is rotated directly by means of pointer F and that the wheel K may be rotated directly from the pointer G, while at the saine time each complete rotation of the wheel I also serves to move the wheel K forward a step. The

lwheel L, however, is rotated only from the wheel K, it being given a movement forward of one step at the completion of every revolution of the wheel K. Spring-pawls M2 engage with the teeth of the wheels I K L to hold them from accidental rotation. Above the wheels I K L is a plate B2, which is secured to the rear side of the face-plate B in position to extend over the said wheels, and this plate is perforated, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, in order that the positions of the wheels IKL may be ascertained by reading the numerals that appear on the portions of the wheels which `are visible through the perforations. A portion b of the top side of the case A is hinged, as at b2, so that it may be raised when it is desired to inspect the registering devices. This hinged portion will be kept locked ordinarily.

I prefer to hold the registeringwheels i locked, so as to render them immovable when the drawer is completely closed, and also when it is either wholly or partially opened, except when the drawer is at one particular point in its opening movement and reaches this pointin such opening movement. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention I Y have shown one construction and arrangement of devices by which I secure this result.

Thus in the drawings I have shown a bar N to hold the said wheels from movement. An arm n on the locking-bar N is engaged by pivoted'in the sides of the frame M and provided with engaging fingers or lugs n, adapted to enter between the teeth of the wheels I K L, andrwhile thus entered to serve positively the Lipper end of a rod n2, the lower end of which is pivoted at w21 to an L-shaped'arm 91.3, which is pivoted at w31 to the side of the case A, the said arm having a projecting part u32 resting on the upper edge of one side of the drawer.A The said edge cis recessed, as in'- dicated in Fig. 2, and ina depressed portion of the recess is inserted a piece w33, which piece is formed with a depression n35, and has pivoted thereto at one end, as at H381, one end of a spring-switch 71.36, the free end of which is bent so as normally to incline or curve upwardly, as in Fig. 2, and the outer side of which is cut away at w39 for the reception of an upwardly-extending portion w40, on the piece w33, the end of the switch n.36 at m38 being cutaway at angle. The switch swings horizontally on its pivot at H381, and is pressed by its spring 'n.37 laterally into contact with the portion 7139, and thereby maintained in the position in which it is represented in Fig. 7.

'Ihe parts thus constructed and combined operate as follows: Vhile the drawer remains closed the portion m32 of the arm n? rests on an elevated portion of the side o9, and thereby the locking-fingers a, Fig. 3, are held in engagement with the teeth of the wheels I K L. As

`the drawer is drawn outward to open the tance-say a little over half an inch-the arm n3 descends as its portion u32 slides down the inclined port-ion at one side of the depression n3, the spring N2, which is connected at one extremity to the arm n of the lockingbar N and at the other extremity to the frame M, forcing down the said arm n3 and rocking the locking-bar 'N, so as to raise the fingers n out of engagement with the teeth of wheels I K L. At this moment the wheels are free to be turned for the purpose of registering. Now when the drawer is pulled out farther the portion n.32 of the arm n3 rides up the inclined opposite side 0f the depression n35, the lingers n thereby being :forced again into locking engagement with the teeth of the wheels I K L. `The switch n.36 is swun0` b its s rinOt w37 backV e y e into its normal position, as represented in Fig. 7, after the arm has passed, and when now the drawer is pushed to the arm rests on top of the said switch and is guided thereby across the depression n35 and kept from descending into the said depression, the wheels in consequence being kept locked. For the purpose of preventing the wheels I KL from being moved rearwardly while the fingers n are out of engagement therewith, I employ pawls, such as O, which are pivoted between lugson the locking-bar N and acted-upon by springs o to throw their engaging ends toward the teeth of the wheels'I K L, these pawls being depressed into position to engage with the teeth of the said wheels by the same movement which lifts the locking-lingers out of the said teeth.

lt is necessary to provide for unlocking the cash-drawer when it is desired to deposit `money therein, and I find iteXpedient to utilize one of the pointers and appropriate operative connections for the purpose of acting upon the locking-lever D in order to effect the unlocking aforesaid. To this end I place a push-pin P in ahole extending through the face-plate B, the said pin having its inner end forked and arranged to straddle the upper arm of a lever P which is pivoted at I?2 between lugs P3, secured to the face-plate. A spring 1J acts to project the push pin through the hole in the face-place and to press the upper end of the leverPi toward the said plate. The lower arm of the said lever P stands in proximity to the inclined end p2 of a sliding bolt p3, which. is held by plates p4 to the rear side of the face-plate and is jointed to the upper arm of the lever IOO IIO

j in the partition c' of the cash-drawer and over to one side to escape the abutting piece c3. The lower arm of the lever D plays within a keeper d, secured to the rear side of the face-plate.

As a means of preventing the drawer from being unlocked and opened, except when the indicators or indexes F G stand at the zeropoint on the dial, I employ a locking-pin PJ, which passes through a hole in the face-plate B ata point adjacent to the hubs of the pointers F G, and is pivotally connected atits rear end to the lower arm of the lever P. A hole p5 is formed in the hub of each of thepointers F G, and these holes register with each other and with the hole in the face-plate for the bolt P4 only when both pointers are brought against the stop j". lVhen the pointers are in any other position than both at the zero-point on the dial, the hub of either the lower pointer or the upper pointer will be struck by the pin P'l at one side of the hole p5 therein, and consequently the leverP will be prevented from being moved sufficiently to disengage the lever D from the partition c of the drawer, except when both pointers are brought against stop f. In this position of the pointers they overlie the pin P, and hence, in order that the said bolt P may be depressed, it is necessary to bear upon the pointers and occasion a deflection of either both of them or the lower of them sufficient to effect the movement of the pin P. I prefer to ,make the lower pointer F flexible, so that it may be used as a means of acting upon the pin P. W'here the said indicator is not in itself sufficiently'flexible it may be composed of two parts united by a steel strip fm.

The bell and sounding apparatus which I employ are represented in Fig. 9. R is the bell secured to one side of the case A. r is the hammer carried by a lever o", pivoted to a plate r2, secured to the side of the case and drawn in a direction to carry the hammer against the bell by spring r, one end of which is connected to the side of the case and the other to the upper arm of the lever lr. Adjacent to the lower arm of the lever o" a trip r is pivoted to the plate r2, and bythe spring r3 the said lower arm of the lever fr is pressed against the said trip, the said arm bearing against the trip on both sides of the fulcrum of the latter. The lower end of the trip extends into proximity to the drawer, on the side of which are secured projections or pins of r, In the outward movement of the drawer these projections or pins contact with the bell and cause the same to be sounded twice, and

similarly two strokes ou the bell are produced during the inward movement of the drawer.

The register constructed and arranged as shown and described is simple and reliable in working. Its mode of operation is as follows: At the beginning the wheels I K L will be set so that zero on each appears through the corresponding perforation in the plate B2 and the pointers F G will be turned until they are `in vertical position and resting against the stop f. It being desired to register' the amount of a sale and open the drawer for the purpose of depositing cash therein, the pointer is pressed upon so as to push in the push-pin P. This turns the lever P upon its fulcrum, carrying the lower arm thereof against the bolt 193 and moving the latter and the lever D in a manner to unlock the drawer, at the same time thrusting the locking-pin PVl through the holes pi in both indicators F and G in a manner to lock them from accidental or other movement at this time. The unlatching of the drawer leaves the same to be pushed forward slightly by the spring c, and the latter occasions a sufficient forward movement of the drawer to carry the depression n35 under the arm n3. This causes the wheels I K L, which up to this time have been held locked by the fingers n, to become unlocked by the ltfting of the said fingers in consequence of the action of the spring N2. The pressure on the pointer F is now relieved and the spring p acts upon the lever P to withdraw the bolt PL from the holes p5 in the pointers F G, leaving the latter free to be moved for the pur pose of registering the amount of the transaction. The pointers havingbeen thus moved, the drawer is pulled completely open by hand, the cash is deposited and change made, it' necessary, and the drawer is again closed. As hereinbefore indicated, by the continued forward movement of the drawer in opening the same the depression 07;"5 is withdrawn from beneath the arm n3 and the latter rides out upon the elevated portion of the side e9 of the drawer to again lock the wheels I K L, so as to render impossible any further change in the position of the wheels. As before indicated, also during the closing movement of the drawer the wheels remain locked, owing to the presence of the switch n3 beneath the arm n3, so that no further change can be made in the position of the wheels until after the drawer has been completely closed, the indicators have been returned to the zero-point on the dial, and the pointer F has been pressed upon to effect an unlatching of the drawer and permit the spring c to carry the drawer forward to present ydepression n35 under the arm n3 again. The bell arrangement described occasions a tap on the bell, resulting from the contact of the projection rs with the trip "l" at just the moment when the arm n3 drops into the depression n35, and a second tap after the depression has been carried beyond IOO IIO

the portion @L32 of the arm n3, repeated in the drawer.

By the single dial, with its graduations extending up to one hundred, and the two `pointers F and G, I am enabled to register any transaction involving any amount from one cent to ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents by one positioning of the indicators, and the use of the third wheel L enables me to register any aggregate amount up to nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents. Other wheels may be added to wheel L to carry up the addition as far as desired.

As a means of guarding against any falling back of the pointers after they have been turned around to the left-hand halt' of the dial, I may form them, as I have shown the pointer F formed, with a counterbalancing portion fm.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination,withasingle graduated dial, wheels for registering values of different denominations, and transmitting devices for moving forward the second Wheel one step for each revolution ol the first wheel, of a shaft on which one of the said wheels is mounted and secured, the said shaft' passing through the hub of the other wheel, ratchet-wheels mounted on said shaft and hub, respectively, pointers mounted concentrically with relation to said ratchet-wheels, and pawls carried by the said pointers and engaging the said ratchet-wheels, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with asingle graduated dial, of pointers mounted concentrically with relation to said dial, pawls carried by the said pointers, two ratchet-wheels with which said pawls engage, a shatt on which one of said ratchet-wheels is fixed, a registering-wheel mounted on the said shaft, a hub surrounding the said shaft and having fixed thereto the second of said 1atcl1et-\\'heels,a second registering-wheel carried by the said hub, a tooth pivoted to the registering-wheel last. men tioned, a spring acting upon the said tooth, a pinion to be' engaged by such tooth in the revolution of the registering-wheel by which it is carried, the said pinion being in gear with the registeringwheel carried bythe shaft, all substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a pointer, a cashdrawer, a spring acting upon the cash-drawer in a manner to push itpartly open, and a latch whereby the drawer is held locked normally, of a push-pin in a position to be covered by the pointer whenthe latter stands at Zero, a lever with which said push-pin engages, and a bolt operated by said lever and engaging' the taps being closing movement ot` the the latch, whereby when the pointer is at Zero and is depressed the from the rdrawer to pushed partly open tially as described.

latch will be disengaged permit the latter to be by the spring, substanhas been partly opened, substantially as delocking device operated by the pointer when the latter is pressed upon and engaging with the latter to hold it from movement until the pressure thereon is relieved, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the pointers, of a push-pin, a lever, and a locking-pin for engagement with the said pointers to hold them from movement, the said push-pin being acted upon by one of the pointers when such pointer is pressed upon, substantially as described.

G. The combination, with the pointers, each having a hole therein, as described, of alocking-pin to enter the said holes, a lever, a pushpin which is acted upon by one of the pointers when such pointer is pressed upon, and a spring for retraeting the locking-pin, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the pointers, a locking-pin for engaging therewith, a cashdrawer, a latch engaging therewith, and a spring for projecting the drawer part way open when permitted to do so by the withdrawal of the latch, of a lever in operative connection with the said latch and lockingpin, and a push-pin to be depressed by one ot' the pointers when the said pointer is pressed upon, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with registering devices and a cash-drawer, of a lock for such registered devices normally in engagement with' such devices, and devices intermediate the vsaid lock and the drawer and operated by the drawer for causing the lock to engage the said registering devices and normally hold them from movement and release them only when the drawer is open to a given extent, substantially as described.

9. Thecombination,withregistering-wheels, a lock to hold them from revolution and normally in engagement with such wheels, and a cash-drawer havingadeprcssion in oneside thereof, of an `arm connected with the lock and resting on the said side of the drawer, the depression being positioned to enable the arm to enter the same after the drawer scribed.

10. The combination, with registeringwheels and a pivoted lock normally engaged therewith and holding them from revolution, of a cash-drawer having a depression in one side thereof, an arm in connection with the lock and resting on the drawer side, the depression being positioned to enable the arm to enter the same after the drawer has been partly opened, and a spring-actuated switch covering the said depression, substantiallyas described.

ll. The combination, with registeringwheels, a lock to hold them trom revolution and normally engaged therewith, a cashdrawer having' a depression in one side thereof,

and a spring to project such drawer open a 13a 4. The combination, with a pointer, of a short distance when allowed to act by the unlatching of the drawer, of an arm connected with the leek resting on the said side of the has been disengaged therefrom and thereby drawer andv entering the depression after the hold the Wheels from retrograde movement, drawer has been proj eeted open by the spring, substantially as described.

substantially as described. JAMES E. WELLS. 5 1 12. The combination, with the registering- Witnesses:

vheeis and a leek therefor, of pawls carried HENRY MILLAN,

thereby to engage the wheels after the leek F. XV. BEALE.

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