US468967A - Cash register and indicator - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) I I ZSheets-Sheet 1.

E. HECTOR. CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR.

No. 468,96'7. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

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no Model.) I w 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. HECTOR. CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR.

No. 468,967. Batented Feb. 16, 1892.

ED\VARD RECTOR, OF CINCINNATI,

PATENT OFFICE.

ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, or DAYTON, OHIO.

CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,967, dated February 16, 1892.

Application filed August 31,1891. Serial No. 404,255. on model.)

of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and use-' ful Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. 1 The first feature of my invention relates 'more particularly to thatclass of machines in which the operating-keys are combined with a series of indicators-one for each key-one of which indicators is thrown into View by the operation of each key and maintained in view until the operation of another key, whereupon the first-mentioned indicator is released and drops back out of sight and the second remains exposed. For the purpose of holding the indicators in the exposed position to which they are moved by the operation of the keys, it has been common to provide each of them or its supporting rod or plate with a projecting shoulder which oo-opcrates with a movable supporting-bar., the shoulder being arranged to pass by the supporting-bar as theindicator islifted into view, and to catch upon it when the key is released, so as to hold the indicator up. The supporting-bar is yieldingly held in and returned to normal position by a suitable spring.

It is essential to the proper operation of the machine that when any key is operated and the corresponding indicator lifted into view, the indicator which is already exposed, in indication of the preceding sale, shall be released and dropped out of view. To this end the supporting-bar must be moved from under the shoulder of such indicator when the new indicator is lifted into view; but it has been found in practical use ofthe machines that the shoulder of the newly operated or rising indicator cannot be alone depended upon to move the supporting-bar sufficiently for this purpose. To insure the release of the indicator already up,-therefore, a separate releasing mechanism has to be employed. This mechanism has heretofore generally consisted of a train of parts interposed between the operating-keys and'the support ing-bar aside entirely out of the path of the rising indicator, and from under the shoulder of the indicator resting upon it and further than the shoulder of the rising indicator could alone have moved it and to then release the bar and permit its spring to return it to normal position in time to catch under the shoulder of the newly-lifted indicator. In the machines with which I am familiar this mechanism is arrangedto release the supporting-bar during the downward or positive stroke of the keys to'permit the supporting-bar to spring back under the shoulder of the lifted indicator before the latter begins to fall. This operation necessitates the employment of a trip or escapement device in between the keys and the supporting-bar, so that after the supporting-bar has been moved a given distance the mechanism will become tripped or disconnected and the bar will be thrown back to normal position by the spring,

the lifted indicator when the latter is released. A familiar instance of such a mechanism is shown in Letters Patent No. 271,363, to Ritty &; Birch, January 30, 1883, and may be found in Various forms in most of the well-known cash-registers now in general use.

It is the object of my invention to simplify thismechanism, which has heretofore necessarily been more or less complicated, and to do away with the trip or escapement device, which has heretofore been necessary to the successful operation of the parts. This I accomplish by so arranging the parts that the shoulder on the rising indicator (or upon its supporting-rod) will pass by and above the supporting-bar before said bar is moved by the releasing mechanism and by employing a releasing device of exceeding simplicity between the keys and the supporting-bar. This brings about a new mode of operation and greatly simplifies the construction of the parts.

- It will be explained in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings.

A further feature of my invention relates to the drawer locking and releasing mechanready to catch and support the shoulder of ing-bar and operating to move the supportthe mechanism or train of parts interposed ism, which is so constructed and arranged that when the cash-drawer is closed and locked it cannot be opened except by operating a releasing-frame, and this frame cannot be operated until one of the keys of the machine is first operated, so that while it is necessary to operate a keybefore the drawercanbe opened. yet the simple operation of the key does not release the drawer, but merely unlocks another device, which may then be operated to release the drawer.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of a cash register and indicator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same with the upper part of the casing removed and with one cor- .ner of the drawer-releasing frame broken away.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate identical parts.

The operating-keys A are strung upon a horizontal shaft 13, and are provided at their front ends with the usual numbered fingerbuttons.

The indicators consist of the tablets 0', each bearing a number corresponding to the value of its operating-key. These tablets are supported by vertical rods D, mounted in guides E and resting at their lower ends upon the rearends of the keys A. Each of the rods D has upon its rear side a beveled shoulder F, which shoulder co-operates with the supporting-bar G. This bar is in this instance pivoted at its lower opposite corners to the framework, and its upper edge is free to swing backward and forward. It is normally and yieldingly held in its forward position against any suitable stop (not shown) by a spring II. Vhen any key is operated, the corresponding rod D is lifted and its shoulder F engages the bar G and pushes the same backward against the stress of the spring ll. \Vhen the shoulder passes above the edge of the bar, the latter is drawn forward again by the spring into position to catch under the shoulder and support the rod and tablet when the operated key is released. If this were all of the machine, the indicators would be thrown up by their respective keys and held up by the bar G; but the lifting of one rod and tablet would not with certainty release the one already up. If the shoulder of the last lifted rod should happen to be a little longer or project a little farther rearward than that resting upon the bar G, the latter would he moved from under such shoulder as it (the bar) was forced back by the passage of the rising shoulder, and the shoulder resting on the bar would be released; but if the rising shouldershould be a little smaller or a little more worn than that resting upon the bar G the latter would not be moved far enough to release it. Such being the case, the releasing device to be now described is employed to move the bar G farther than it is or can be moved by the shoulders on the rods, and thereby insure the release of the indicator which is up and exposed.

The releasing device in the form illustrated in the drawings consists of a vertical rod I, mounted in the guides The lower end of this rod rests upon the rear end of anarm J, projecting rearward from a cross-bar K. This bar extends across all the keys and is pivotally hung to the frame-work by a side arm L at each end,so that when any key is operated the bar and consequently the rod I are lifted. The red I is of such length that its upper end comes in contact with the bar G just after the shoulder of the rising rod has passed above the bar, and the upward play of the keys are such that the full stroke of a key lifts the rod I high enough to push the bar G backward beyond the vertical plane of the rear side of the shoulders and entirely from under those which may be resting upon it, so that the indicator which is up is released with certainty. A spiral spring M, surrounding the red I and confined between the upper guide E and a pin passed through the rod, resets the latter when the operated key is released.

It is evident that the red I is merely one of a great many forms of releasing devices which may be substituted for it and have the same mode ofoperation and perform the same duty in the combination, and even where such a rod as I is employed its arrangement may be varied. Thus instead of having its lower end rest upon the arm J of the cross-bar K with its upper end some distance below the bar G the rod might be supported with its upper end against or in close proximity to the bar G, and its lower end be some distance above the arm J, so that the latter would not strike and lift the rod until the shoulder of the tablet-rod being lifted had passed the bar G. So the form of the supports for the indicators may be varied, the vertically-guided rods being illustrated simply as a well-known and suitable form, for which other well-known or suitable forms may be substituted. Again, where vertical rods such as D are employed, the shoulders may consist of separate pieces pivoted in or to the rods D and held out in engaging position by springs, in which case the bar G could remain stationary as the rising shoulder passed the bar, and be moved only by the releasing device. Inasmuch as indicatorrods provided with such pivoted shoulders are well known in machines upon the market and are illustrated in various patents, it is not thought necessary to illustrate or further describe them here. It will also be understood that the bar G may be arranged to slide in guides either transversely or longitudinally, instead of swinging on pivots. In view of these facts this feature of my invention is not restricted to the particular construction or arrangement of any of the parts, but contemplates, broadly, the combination of the keys, the indicators provided or having their supports provided with shoulders, a supporting-bar for the indicators, and a releasing device common to and actuated by the keys and acting on the supporting-bar after the rising shoulder has passed above it to push said bar aside and release the shoulder or shoulders which-may be restingon the bar.

The second feature of my invention may now be described. The cash-drawer N is fitted within a compartment in the base of the machine, and when closed is locked by abolt O, which engages a locking-plate P, secured upon a middle cross-partition of the drawer. This bolt is hung by a link Q to a rearward.- ly-extending arm R of the drawer-releasing frame, the latter consisting of two side arms R R, hung upon the key-shaft B, and the cross-bar S, connecting their front ends in front of the finger-buttons of the operatingkeys. Each of the side arms of the releasingframe may be extended rearward and carrya locking-bolt co-operating with a locking-plate upon the drawer,or there maybe only one looking bolt and plate, as shown in Fig. 2. From the above construction it will be seen that upon depressing the cross-bar S the bolt 0 will be lifted and the drawer released, whereupon the drawerwill be thrown open by 'a spring T, arranged behind it. If this were all of the mechanism, the bar S could be depressed and the drawer released at any time; but, as before stated, it is desirable to prevent the drawer being opened except a key be operated, and the means I employ to this end may now be described. Arranged transversely beneath the keys in front of their pivotal shaft, is a laterally-sliding bar U, mounted at its ends in guide-slots in theside frames of the machine. A spring V at one end presses it toward the left and normally holds it in the position shown against any suitable stop. Nearly beneath but normally out of line with the side arms R R of the releasing-frame, the bar U is provided with two notches WV WV. When this bar is slid to the right andthe notches brought into line with the arms R R, the releasing-frame can be depressed and the drawer unlocked; butwhen the bar is in normal position shown in the drawings the arms R R- are locked from downward movement by the upper side of the bar U. Beneath each key the bar U is provided with a notch having its right-hand wall inclined beneath the key, as shown. When the key is depressed, the bar is forced to the right and the notches W W brought under the arms R R, and the drawer can then be unlocked, hVhen the key and releasing-frame are released and reset, the spring V resets the bar tonormal position again.

It is evident that various other releasing devices for the drawer may be employed instead of the frame which I have shown and described and that the form and arrangement of the lock for holding such device from movement, except when a key has been operated, may be widely varied without departing from this feature of my invention.

Having thus full ydescribed my invention, I claim- 1. .In a cash register and indicator, the combination of a series of operating-keys, a series of indicators actuated thereby, a supporting-shoulder for each indicator, a supporting-bar for the indicators to co-operate with said shoulders, and a releasing device common to the series of keys and operated by them to move the supporting-bar after the shoulder of the rising indicator has passed beyond the bar and to thereby insure the release of any indicator whose shoulder may be then resting on the bar and also the retention of the lifted indicator in elevated position, substantially as described.

2. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of the operating-keys A, the indicators C, the rods D, provided with shoulders F, the supporting-bar G, the cross-bar K,

overlying the keys, and the releasing-rod I,

interposed between the cross-bar K and supporting-bar G and acting directly upon the latter to force it backward after the shoulder upon'the lifted tablet-rod has passed above the bar andv operating to prevent forward movement of the bar until the operated key begins to return to normal position, substantially as described.

3. In a cash register and indicator, thecombination of the operating keys, the cashdrawer, a lock for the drawer, the swinging releasing-frame having the bar S, extending transversely across the front ends of thekeys, and a lock for the releasing-frame normally holding such frame from operation, but actuated by the operation of any one of the keys. to release such frame to permit it'to be operated and the drawer to be opened, substantially as described.

4C. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of the operatingkeys, the cashdrawer, a lock for the drawer, the swinging releasing-frame for the lock composed of the arms R R, and the cross-bar S, extending across the front ends of the keys, and the sliding locking-bar M, provided with the inclined surfaces co-operating with the keys and operating to lock and unlock the releas- I ing-frame in the manner described.

. EDWARD REOTOR.

Witnesses:

OWEN N. KINNEY, E. II. MOOKBEE.

IIO

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