US498728A - Chusetts - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 1.

J. J. RANGE 8u E. N. POOTE. CASH RBGISTERING MACHINE.

No. 498,728. Patented May 30, 1893.

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O l OO f u .2 o s i Z2 a c (No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 2.

J. J. RANGE 8v E. N. FOOTE. CASH RBGISTBRING MACHINE.

No. 498,728. Patented May 30, 1893.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. J. RANGE 8v E. N. FOUTE. CASH REGISTERING MACHINE Patented May 30, 1893.

@zam- Wifwse: w52 f (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. J. RANGE 8v E. N. POOTE. CASH RBGISTERING MACHINE Patented May 30 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JAMES RANGE AND EDWARD N. FOOTE, OE N ORTHAMPTON, MASSA- OHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE BOSTON OASlI REGISTER COMPANY,

OF SAME PLACE.

CASH-REGISTERING MACHINE.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,728, dated May 80, 1893.

Application filed December Z9, 1892. Serial No. 456,655. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that we, JOHN JAMES RANGE and EDWARD N. Foorn, citizens ofthe United States, both residing at Northampton, in the county of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful lmprovements in Cash-Registering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention, relating to improvements cash registering and indicating machines, has for its object the provision of various devices whereby it becomes more difficult to beat the machine, therefore rendering the machine more reliable and valuable to the person in whose behalf it is employed.

The nature of the improvements may here be more particularly indicated by referring to them as, first, improvementsin devices for preventing what is termed any pumping of the key after it has completed its register operating movement, and during its return to normal position; second, improvements indevices for ringing the bell only after the complete register-operating movement of any key has been given and -as the key is in its return movement; third, improvements in devices for holding the lid of the change-till closed during` all the time that a register-operating key is in its working movement, the devices operating to release the till-lid to open only on the return movement of the key; fourth, improvements in devices for automatically locking the key-levers,when one key of a bank or single keys of two or more banks, have been started in their register-operating movements,-against being again operated while the till-lid remains open, said automatic locking devices being susceptible, however, of such a purposed manipulation that, at pleasure of the proprietor or authorized person, they may be rendered temporarily inoperative so far as their automatic action is concerned, it therefore then becoming` possible to eftect registrations by any of the keys time and again even while the cash drawer or change till remains open.

To these ends the invention consists in vari` ous combinations or arrangements of parts or devices, and the construction of certain of the parts all substantially as will hereinafter Afully appear, be explained, and set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a partial elevation and partial vertical section taken from front to rear through a cash registering machine which is here shown as comprised within an inclosing cabinet, all of the devices of the present invention being shown, or their rela-tive locations indicated, with more or less clear-ness. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation in some respects similar to Fig. l, but showing the parts (except the anti-pumping mechanism, illustration of which is here omitted), in changed positions, as occasioned by the working Inovement of one of the register operating keylevers. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the till-lid, the devices for locking it closed, which have the peculiar releasing movements as hereinafter described, and part of the mechanism which locks the key-levers, as explained in the clause hereinabovenumberedfourinthestatement of the nature of the invention,certain parts and connections heilig shown in horizontal crosssection. Figais perspective view of a portion ofthe mechanism referred to in the aforesaid clause numbered four. Figs. 5 and 6 are views in side elevation, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view, illustrating the anti-pumping devices, the positions of the parts in Fig. G being shown as changed from those seen in Figs. 5 and 7. Fig. 8 isa perspective viewof the bell-ringing mechanism, Fig. 9 being an elevation with parts in section of the hammer-lever and devices having cam-operating actions thereon.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.

The improvements pertain to the wellknown class of key-operated cash register machines comprising eithera single bank of keys and a register therefor or two or more banks of keys and registers respectively therefor, there being certain devices in common to the keys of one or several banks of keys whereby they may derive their operative effects from or by the manipulation of a key-lover of either of such banks. One clement, in particular,

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embodied in this class of machines and having the co-operative combination in common to any of the key-levers of one or more of the banks thereof, is the rock-shaft or bar, B, which has important functions in the carrying out of the present improvements in addition to those heretofore fulfilled by it. rlhis rock-shaft, B, as well known, reeks in one direction in unison with the workingmovement of any of the key-levers of the machine and in the other direction with the return inovement thereof and it will now be assumed that this element in the machine and the manner of its operation are too well understood to require Vfurther explanation, especially in view of the description and illustration thereof given in Letters Patent of the United States issued to us July 19, 1892, No. 479,357, as well as in other Letters Patent of the United States granted te ns, and to others.

The register constitutes no part of this invention, one, however, for a bank of keys being indicated at A, in Fig. l, the same being understood as of the rotary class and reeeivingits proper degree of registering movement by the swinging of any of the keys in co-operative relation to which this register is provided.

Proceeding shortly to describe the nevel anti-pumping device for the hereinbefore indicated precautionary eifect on the return movement of any of the keys of a bank or group thereof, we will premise by stating that as here arranged the operation of this novel device is in conjunction with thealready well known mechanism embodied in this class of cash-registering machines which prevent the pumping of any key of the bank in its working movement. This already well known mechanism is comprised in the pendent wings, ai, with the rear serrated arc-formed edges, provided on the key-levers, and the long pawl, b, which is mounted for its swinging` movement on the duplicated pivoted arms, b2. As any one of the key-levers has its rear winged-arm upwardly swung in the working movement the rateheted edge ef the depending key-leverwing, d2, clicks past the then engaging edge of said long pawl, b, and remains in engagement until the positive completion of such working movement. Movingin unison with any of the key-levers is the well known rocker-plate, c, mounted to swing from the same fulcrum as the key-levers and carrying the depending and curved arm, c2, which, as particularly seen in Fig. G, at the completion of the working movement of the depressed key contacts with and forces the long-pawl out of engagement with the toothed keylever-wing leaving the key-lever then free to receive its return movement, the long-pawl during the return movement being held out cf engagement with the toothed-wing by the pivoted trigger, d. The trigger is tripped to let the long-pawl swing forward into its engagement again only as the key-lever and rocker-plate reach their normal positions.

New, as to the new and improved device' for preventing while the keylever is returning toits normal position, any hitch or thrust in the working direction z-There is connected to the end of the aforesaid recker-plate,or to the carrying cheek-plate, c, therefor, and which is as one therewith,-a depending bar, c, with its forward edge rateheted; and this bar has practically a straightway vertical movement as the rocker-plate has its up and down swinging movement by reason of the guiding constraint insured by the stationary pin, c2, (which is affixed to the metallic framing, D, for the bank of keys) projecting through the slot, c', in the bar. Rigidly connected to, or formed as one with, the vertical ratcheted-bar, c, is a frame or extension comprising the upper and lower forwardly extended arms, c3, with the vertical plate, f, which is extended at right angles to the plane of movement of the aforesaid bar, c. This plate has, within its edge which is toward and at a slight distance from the end upright of the framing, D, the apertures, 10 and l2, the one heilig located above the other at a distance approximately equal to the extent of vertical movement bodily ofthe parts, eandf. A pawl, g, is pivoted on the end upright of the framing, D, just within the inner edge of the plate,f, and it hasihe outwardly extended stud, g2, which may lie either at the forward or rear side of the aforesaid plate,f, accordingly as the pawl is forwardly swung, as in Figs. 5 and 7, or rearwardly, as in Fig. 6, the swinging movements being controlled at the proper times and for the proper effects by the connection between the said pawl, g, and the aforesaid long-pawl, b, which connection consists of the connecting-bar, 7L, pivoted te the long-pawl and having at its other end an engagement with the pawl, g.

Now in the operation of the machine with the parts in their normal positions, as seen in Figs. 5 and 7, the depression of the key causes also the upward movement of the plate, f, which at this time is rclatively,by reason of the forwardly swung position of the long-pawl and forwardly thrust position of the bar, 7i,-te the rear of the stud, g2, on the pawl, g. On the completion of the working movement of the key-lever the plate, f, has become so elevated as to bring the lower edge aperture, l2, thereof, at the saine height as the pawl-stud, g2, at which time 0ceurs the rearward swinging movement, for its disengagement, of the long-pawl which effects the rearward drawing of the pawl, g, its stud, g2, passing' through the aperture, l2, taking up its position on the rear side of the plate, j', the pawl having its engagement with the ratehetteeth of the vertical bar, c the spring, h2, drawing the pawl with certainty inte the ratchet-teeth engagement. The connection between the connecting bar, 7L, and pawl is a yielding one, formed thus:-'l`he'for ward extremity of the bar, 7L, has a longitudinal slot, h3, through which the screw or stud,

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7a4, on the pawl extends for a sliding engagement. The spring, h2, has its one end connected to this stud, h4, of the pawl, its other end being connected to the pin, 7L, on the bar.

As at present practiced, and as will be notieed, Fig. 5, the point of the long-pawl, l), lies, just previous to the depression of a key, in a shallow recess forwardly formed, as seen at a3, within the rear edge ot' the wing, a2, this so-t'ormed rear surface exerting a camaction, rearwardly forcing the long` -pawl, slightly, before it takes into the ratchet of the Wing. This rearward movement ot' the long-pawl, at this time, is not designed to so rearwardly swing the pawl, g, as to bring it into engagement with the toothed-bar, e; in fact, as the invention is equipped with the guard-plate, f, the rearward swinging movement of the pawl is prevented by the portion of the guard-plate which is next under the aperture, lO, and which at the time ot' this initial movement of the long-pawl and bar, 7L, is just to the rear of the pawl-stud, g2, at which time the spring, h2, is slightly stretched as the slotted bar moves relatively to the screw, h4.

By the provision of the yielding connection between the long-pawl, Z2, and the pawl, g, the certainty of action of the mechanism in the accomplishment of its purpose is attained without excessivel y line mechanical work and adjustment, for it will, of course, be immaterial at the time of completion of a key-lever movement, whether the long-pawl, l), has a rearward movement exactly as great as the distance between the point of the pawl, g, and the toothed-edge of the bar, e, or some what greater, but if greater in an extent less than the length of the slot, h3. The guardplate, f, is provided as an element for increased certainty of operations, for it stands as a most positive barrier against any possibility of the pawl, g,eoming into engagement with the plate, f, except at just the proper time, and serving to prevent the pawl, for any unusual reason, from jumping away from the ratchet-bar, c, afterit has comeinto engagement therewith. This plate, however, may be omitted and the mechanism may, even then, have its required actions with a very reliable degree of certainty.

New as to the improvements in the bell ringing device z-The bell, E, is supported on a suitable lug at a rear upper part of the machine; and the hammer, i, is carried at the upper end ot a lever, t2, which is pivotally` mounted on an ear-lug, t3, near the bottom of the machine at the rear, for a swinging movement in a vertical plane. The lower arm, t, 0f the hammer lever is somewhat angularly bent or extended so as to normally stand oblique, as seen in Fig. 8 and in full lines in Fig. 9. The arm, t, has the laterally extended projection, t5, at a short distance from its end, and at its end it also has another lateral projection, 6, both projections, and it, having step-like relations as seen in Fig. 9, with, however, the dividing space, t7, between them. The spring, is, exerts its reaction on the hammer-lever to throw the hammer against the bell and there hold it, except when withdrawn therefrom by positive torce. A lever, F, is, intermediately thereof, pivotally mounted on a suitable snpport,-for instance, on a lugf/`, of the framing, D,-fer a swinging movement in a vertical plane which is at right angles to the vertical plane of movement of the aforesaid hammer lever. The forwardly extended arm of this lever, F, has, as seen atjg, a pinand-slot engagement with the rigid arm, 7n, which is attached to and rearwardly extended from the before mentioned rocker-shaft, B. This lever, F,has at its rear end a membeigf, which extends partially across the width ot the projection, fr", on the hammer lever, but not so far as to reach the plane coincident with the proximate face of the lever proper; this member, js, is in the form et an ellipse or diamond, the longer axis of which is oblique to the plane of movement of the lever, F. The depression of a key-lever, insuring the rocking of the rock-shaft, B, elevates the forward end and depresses the rearward end of the lever, F, and the elliptical formed member in its downward movement,-from the position shown in full lines atFig. 9, to the position shown in the dotted lines in said figure,by first impinging against the projection, t5, swings the hammer lever into the position shown by the dotted lines with the hammer withdrawn from proximity to the bell ;-and coincident with the iinal depression of the key the parthii, arrives at,and remains, so long as the key is depressed, against the projection, fi, ofthe then swung hammerlever, it being noticed that the upwardly presented nose of the part, ji, lies at the mouth of the aperture, t7; and now, as the key-lever begins to return, permitting the shaft, B, to reversely rock, the member, f/in moving upwardly and passing olt from the projection, t0, instead of passing over and onto the projection, t, passes under it, leaving the lever then free to strike the bell 011 the reaction of its spring. The projection, j", upwardly moving under the said projection, f",\vhieh has now resumed its normal position, seen in full lines in Fig. E), forces itself past said projection, i, to resume its position thereabove with its downwardly presented nose partially overlying` the projection. This action is permitted by having the lever, F, yieldingly mounted on its pivotal support for a movement laterally relative to the plane of its vertical swinging movement. To this end there is, therefore, a

spring, applied around the pivot stud,7", on which stud the lever, F, may move slightly in the direction oi' the length of the stud. The spring exerts its reaction on the lever, F, to force it so that the projection, after it has crowded itself upwardly past the said IOO part, i4, will stand slightly across the vertical plane coincident with the uppermost edge of the part,

The change-till lid, G, is movable to cover and uncover the change-till by havingits edge portions, m, m, guided in arc-formed ways therefor the said lid being supported on the arms, m2, m2, which are pivoted within the cabinet at each side of the cash drawer, J, which has its sliding movement under the till. The said arms, m2, have their pivotal line coincident with the center from which the cross-sectional arc of the lid, G, is struck. This lid, has at its rear edge a member, m3, by which it is engaged, when closed, by the locking devices therefor which are operated to release the lid, to fall backward to open by its gravity only after a key of a bank (or the keys of several banks, if a single key of two or three banks comprised in the mechanism shall have been depressed) has commenced its return movement. These novel locking devices are seen in Figs. l, 2, and 3 and will be now described.

L represents a locking -lever pivotally mounted on a suitable support at the rear bottom of the framing for the key mechanism, this lever having, normally, and when the till-lid is closed and the key-levers are in their normal positions, its forward end against the rear edgewise projected member, m3, of the lid,it being normally held in this position by the spring, n'3,wl1ich draws itdown against the bar, o; this bar has one end thereof pivotally supported, as indicated at 02, in Fig. 3, for the depending lug, which is understood as extended downwardly from the base of the framing, D, this bar, o, has its other end connected, as seen at o3, to a depending link, o4, which has a connection with the aforementioned arm, 7c, extended radially from the rock-shaft, B. There is another catohlever, M, which is shorter than the one L, and which is intermediately thereof pivotally supported upon a depending lug, p, its forward end terminating slightly to the rearward of the forward end of the lever, L; and the spring, p2, applied to the rear arm of this lever, M, so swings thelever for its normal position,--and as seen in Fig. 1,-that the forward end thereof is above the rear edge of the till-lid, the rear arm of the lever resting against the top of the bar, o. New as a key-lever is depressed the rocking of the bar, B, insuring the upward swing of arm, 7s, causes through the link, o, a rising of the bar, 0, sufficiently far to swing the lever, L, upwardly to disengage the lid, G, which, so far as this lever, L, concerns its action, is free to slide open; but the elevation of the bar, 0, which caused said rising of the lever, L, also so upw rdly swings the rear arm of lever, M, as to bring its forward arm into a detaining engagement with the till lid, which engagement is maintained until after the key has commenced its return movement. It will be noticed, see Fig. 2, that the till-lid in coming into this detaining engagement with the forward end of lever, M, has a slight, though sufficient, movement to bring its rear edge portion under the forward extremity of the lever, L. Now, as the arm, 7e3-downwardly swinging in consonance with the return movement of the key the bar, 0,-is lowered, the rear arm of the lever, M, is downwardly swung and the forward and engaging end of this lever is upwardly swung out of engagement with the lid which may now slide entirely open. The lever, L, is prevented from resuming its normal position until the lid is again closed, which is done by hand.

The devices referred to in the paragraph numbered four, in the statement of the nature of the invention will be now described. There is, on the arm, 7e', extended from the rockshaft, B, the stud, t, more particularly shown in Fig. Lt, and intermediately thereof, a lever, P, is pivotally mounted having at its upper end the hook, t2, to be carried by the spring, t3, into engagement with the stud, t, when the arm, 7e', and rock-shaft, and all of the key-lcvers, are in their normal positions and thc till-lid remains open. This engagement-cannot be had when the till-lid is closed because of the draft which the lid imparts through the medium of the chain, t1, upon the lever, P, to swing the latter against its spring, Therefore one registration having been made, another cannot be made until the till-lid has been closed, unless the further devices which are here shown as provided are manipulated to render the locking-lever, P, temporarily inoperative. This device consists of a vertical shaft, or spindle, a, mounted in suitable bearings and carrying the radially extended bar, or arm, u2, the end of which is provided with the inclined or cam-surface, a3, which terminates in an abutment portion, u". Normally this bar is swung' into the position relative to the lever, P, as shown in Fig. 3, butif it is desired to operate the register, even while the till-lid is open, this may be permitted by so rotating the spindle, u, by means of the knob, a5, thereof, that the abutment portion, at, engages the lever, P, as seen in Fig. 4, preventing the usual operation of this le ver. Should the spindle, a, be turned at a time when the keys are in their normal positions, and thelever-hook, t2 is in engagement with the stud, t, the cam-surface, a3, will force the lever, P, out from such hook-engagement. As will be apparent on a glance at Fig. l, this device last described, is inclosed within the cabinet and accessible only by the use of the key in the possession of the proprieter or a trusted person. In lieu of the till-lid for operating the hook-lever, P, for its described action, the cash drawer maybe connected therewith for the corresponding effect to render the key-levers locked against movement while the drawer remains open as is well known already in cash registers; and the device constituted by the spindle, u, and bar, a2, has its co-opcrative combination, as described, with the hooklever, l?, irrespective of whether this lever is TCO in combination with the cash drawer or the till-lid through any suitable medium of en` gagement.

We claiml. In a cash registering machine, the cembination with a key-lever having a rateheted wing, a2, and a bar reversely ratcheted movable in unison with the key, of the pawl, Z), and the pawl, g, both mounted to swing on fixed supports, devices movable with and controlled by the key-lever for forcing and hold` ing the pawl, b, away from said ratcheted wing and for duly permitting it to come into engagement therewith, and a yielding connection between the said pawl, b, and the pawl, g, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a cash registering machine, the combination with a key-lever with wing, a2, and the pawl, b, and means for actuating it, substantially as described, of a bar movable in unison with the key-lever and having a ratcheted edge, the pawl, g, the bar, 7L, connected to pawl, b, and having a slotted extremity, a pin or screw passed through said slotted eX- tremity and connected to said pawl, g, and a spring connected to the said pin and to the bar, substantially as shown.

3. In a cash registering machine, the combination with a key-lever having a part movable as one therewith with a ratcheted edge, and a pawl for engaging said part in its working movement, of another bar or part with a reversely ratcheted edge and mounted and connected to have a movement in unison with the key-lever, a pawl pivotally mounted on a fixed support adjacent said second ratcheted bar and having a stud projected therefrom, movable connections primarily actuated by the key-lever for forcing the rst pawl out of engagement and the second pawl into engagement with the respective ratcheted parts on the return of the key, and a guard-plate mounted on said second ratcheted bar and having, at different points in its length, apertures through which the stud of the second pawl may pass whereby the stud may in one movement of a key-lever have a restraining position at one side of the plate and on the reverse of the lever a restraining position on the other side of the plate, substantially as described.

4. In a cash registering machine, the combination with a series of key-levers having the ratcheted-wings, 0,2, and the long-pawl, b,

. of the rocker-plate having the arm, c2, and the Leaves gaging stud, e2, the pawl, g, mounted adjacent the bar and having the stud, g2, the guard consisting of the plate, f, with the edge apertures, l0 and 12, and the arms, es, e3, by which the guard is supported by and at a proper distance beyond the edge of the said ratcheted bar and means controlled by the operation of the keys for duly throwing the pawl into and out of engagement with the ratcheted bar, substantially as described.

6. In a cash registering machine, the combination with a bell and one or more key-levers, of the hammer-lever intermediately pivotally mounted and having an arm thereof provided with the lateral projection, t5, and the lateral projection, i, separated from the one, substantially as shown, the lever, F, having the end projectiomjg, and a medium of connection between said lever and the keylevers, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a cash registering machine, the combination with a bell and one or more key-levers, a rock-bar, B, movable in unison with any of the key-levers and having the arm, 7c, the hammer-lever having the arm, t, provided with the lateral projections, and 0, separated and in step-like arrangement, and the lever, F, intermediately pivoted and one arm thereof having a pin-and-slot engagement with the arm, 7c, and its other arm having the obliquely disposed projectiond, and all arranged for operation, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a cash registering machine, the combination with the till-lid and the rock-shaft, B, movable in unison with any of the keylevers and having the arm, 7c, of the lever, L, pivotally hung near its end and having its forward end adapted to form a catch for the closed lid, and the lever, M, intermediately pivoted and havin g its forward end normally out of engagement with the till-lid, a bar or part, engaging both of said levers and having a connection with said arm, 7o, and adapted,

on the upswinging of said arm, to force the lever, L, out from, and the lever, M, into, engagement with the till-lid and to permit, on the downswinging of the arm, the lever, M, to resume its normal disen gagin g position,sub stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a cash registering machine, the combination with the fixed till and movable lid therefor and a series of key-levers and the rock-bar, B, with the arm,7.;, movable in unison therewith, substantially as described, of the catch-lever, L, pivoted as described, and the shorter catch-lever, M, intermediately pivoted as described and having' the springs, n2, and p2, and the bar, 0, mounted for a vertical movement and having connected to and between it and said arm, 7c, the link, 0*, for the purpose set forth.

lO. In a cash registering machine, the combination with the rock-shaft, B, having the arm, 7c, provided with the stud, t, and the hook-lever, P, all for the purpose set forth, of

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the spindle,u, adapted for a rotational movement and having a baror arm thereon, which, on the turning of the spindle, may be brought as a stop to prevent the hook-engagement between said lever and stud, substantially as described.

1l. In a Cash registering machine, the oombination with the roek-shaft, B, having the arm, 7c, provided with the stud,i5, andthe hooklever, P, all for the purpose set forth, of the spindle, u, adapted fora rotational movement and having a bar or arm thereon which has the cam portion, u, and the stop portion, u", substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

l2. ln a cash registering machine the oombination with the rook-shaft, B, having the JOHN JAMES RANGE. EDWARD N. FOOTE. Vitnesses:

WM. S. BELLoWs, J. D. GARFIELD.

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