US512639A - Cash register - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet l. C. W. WEISS. CASH REGISTER, INDICATOR, AND RECORDER.

Patented Jan; 9, 1894.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. W. WEISS. CASH REGISTER, INDICATOR, AND RECORDER. No: 512,639. Patented Jan. 9,1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT Osman,

CARL W. \VEISS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF OHIO.

CASH REGISTER, INDICATOR, AND RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,639, dated January 9, 1894.

Application filed November 10, 1891. Serial No. 411.450. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL vV. \VEISS, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and 5 useful Improvements in Cash Registers and Recorders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference I marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

My present invention relates to cash registers of the type shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 443,024, granted to me I December 16, 1890, and consists particularly in the improvements thereon hereinafter described and claimed, and I have herein shown my present improvements as applied to a machine of the particular form shown and de scribed in my application for Letters Patent,

serially numbered 400,575.

My objects are to improve the means for guarding effectually against any improper movement of the devices which actuate the adding mechanism, to provide means whereby the amount of each sale may be printed separately upon a recording tape, to enable the usual adding mechanism which adds by tens to be operated correctly by an indicat- 0 ing mechanism which shows twice ten units, and variously to improve the construction and operation of the register.

In the drawings I have shown so much of the mechanism which is shown and described in said patent and pending application as may be necessary to enable the operation of the register to be understood and as far as possible I have identified like parts by the same letters and numerals of reference.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of the complete register on the planes indicated by the line :rsc of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the planes indicated by the line yy of Fig. 1, with parts broken out 5 to show other parts more clearly, and Figs. 3

and I are details of the adding mechanism.

In the lower portion of the casing A is fitted a drawer B to slide in and out, and upon its upper front portion are secured plates E,

one for each of the two separate indicating mechanisms shown in Fig. 2. The plates are severally provided with a series of bosses E, E, within which slide the spring-pressed stops or keys F, which are notched to co-operate with the locking disk I, the latter being notched and spring-actuated, all as in my said patent.

In line with the center of each plate E is mounted in suitable bearings a shaft G, upon the end of each of which, near the front plate, is fitted to rotate freely a dial-plate G, preferably carried by a central plate e having a hub e. The said plate may also provide a bearing in its outer end for the rotary pin K parallel with the shaft G. Fast upon the outer end of the pin K is an arm K which at its inner end, as at 7t, embraces the end of the shaft G to permit of slight lost motion, and at its outer end bears a spring-actuated trip-latch P, which is made to register with the inner ends of the keys F, F, and in such proximity thereto that when a key is pushed inward it will stand in the path of movement of the outercud of the latch. In the forward movement of the arm K from its initial position, the latch will trip and yield so as to pass by any key which may have been pushed in, but on the return movement the latch will not yield when it strikes a key but will operate to stop the arm and dial and prevent their further movement.

Upon the pin K and near its rear end is pivoted a pawl L adapted to engage a ratchetwheel L which is fixed to the shaft Gand has teeth corresponding in number with the keys F, F, said teeth being so inclined as that the pawl will engage the wheel as the dial-plate G and arm K are moving forward only. The pawl is pressed toward the teeth by a spring 0. I

Fast to the rear end of the pin K is a detent M adapted to engage a single notch m in the periphery of the disk M mounted to turn loosely on the shaft G, the engagement of the detent M with the notch being enforced by the 5 spring 0. The detent M hasarearwardlyprojecting beak which carries a pin overlying the pawl L to forcethe pawlagainst its ratchetwheel L and lock the latter against accidental movement When the detent is not in engagement with the disk.

The disk M is fast to apinion N, also loose IOO upon the shaft which meshes with an oscillating gear segment N, journaled on a stud N Said segment is oscillated by means hereinafter described, and the amplitude of its oscillation is such that the pinion N and 1 necting it with the disk or driving member,

and the keys co-operating with such devices to determine the points of connection and disconnection and the consequent degree of movement imparted by the driving member. In the initial position of the disk M the notch m stands directly under the tooth of the detent M, and the detent would therefore engage the notch and make a complete rotation with the disk, carrying the dial-plate G and pawl L with it, if means were not employed to prevent the engagement at such time. To this end, as fully described 1n my said application, a.second disk M formed with a notch somewhat wider than the notch m, and with a tooth m projecting from its periphery, is mounted loosely upon theshaft G, closelto the disk M. A pin in disk M enters the notch m and compels the two disks to move together with some lost motion. I the initial :position the parts are in the position with the notch m closed by the disk M The first movement of the pinion N moves the first disk M through a complete rotation into position with the notch munder the detent M. The second disk M moves with the first until the tooth m strikes the detent, when thesecond disk will be stopped and the notch will be opened allowing thedetent to enter said notch. On the second or backward rotation of the disk the detent M will be carried with it until it is thrown out by the partial rotation of the pin K due to the contactof the trip-latch Pwith a depressed key. The detent will then cease to move while the-disk M will continue to move until it returnsto its initial position. Just before it reaches such position the tooth m on the second disk M will strike the detentM, this timeon the other side, causing the second disk M to close the notch m and restoring the disks to their initial position. The dialplate, detent and pawl will be left in the position where they stopped until they are returned to theirinitial position,as follows: On the next forward movement of the pinion N and disk M and Mtthe toothm of the second disk, when it reaches the point where the detent stopped, will contact with the detent, opening the notch m and allowing the detent toenterthe same, when the detent will be moved to its initial position, carrying with it the dial-plate G and the pawl L, the latter during this movement passing idly over the teeth of the ratchet L. During these movements the shaft will be rotated only while latter is in the notch of the disk M. end, therefore, that such movement may be the detentM is in engagement with the disk M. Consequently the shaft is rotated only in the proper direction and to the proper extent to cause the adding mechanism S to increase the value shown at the sight opening by the value of the key depressed.

The means for oscillating the segmental rack N may consist of a pitman N pivoted to the segment and to acrank-pin N 4 carried by a shaft N the relations of the several parts being such that a complete rotation of the shaft in one direction causes the rack to oscillate to and fro and to return to its initial position. The shaft has a slipping clutch connection with a pinion N in mesh with a rack upon a rack-bar N* which reciprocates longitudinallyin ways secured to the casing. The pinion is loose upon the shaft and during the upward movement of the rack-barthe teeth of the pinion will slip idly over theteeth of the sleeve without rotating the shaft. The rack-bar N* bears a second rack N which meshes with a segmental rack or gear N pivoted at N and impelled downward bygravity or by a strong spring N An arm N carried by the segmental rack N engages a notch b in a bar I) carried by the drawer B. The drawer is held as usual bya bolt 11, and when the bolt is withdrawn the drawer will be started out by the usual spring 10. The spring N will then act through the rack N both to throw the drawer furtherout, through the arm N and to move the rack N* down ward, rotatingthe shaft N and causing the oscillation of the segmental rack N through the described mechanism.

The devices for releasing the drawer B and forlocking the actuating mechanism against improper movement are all operated by the pushing, in of a single key F, which is adapted tomove an escapement frame R. Pressure upon the keyF raises the boltll and moves the stopout of the path of the crank-pin, allowing the mechanism to move under the im-.

pulse of the spring N The devices thus far referred to are the same as in my said application and have been described only to make the construction and operation of theremaining devices more read ily understood. In my said pending application I have shown devices connected with the segment N for preventing, under certain circumstances, an improper movement of the detent M and pawl L about the shaft G. It is undesirable that said pawl and detent should move except when the teeth of the To the prevented eflieetually whenever the detent tooth is out of said notch and in whatever position the detent and pawl may be, I have formed the rear of the detent with a toothM and have fixed in the plane of movement of the detent, an interiorly notched ring M of such interior diameter as that the tooth M shall enter one of the notches of said ring as soon as the detent is raised from the notch of.

the disk M, thereby locking the detent, and with it the pawl L and the adding mechanism S, until the detent again falls into the open notch of said disk. I

As an additional feature of the present machine I have provided a mechanism for printing upon a web or tape of paper the amount of each sale in succession. Two printingwheels T and V the one for dollars and the other for half-dimes, are supported side by side upon a shaft X. Each printing-wheel is provided with a gear T and V respectively. Each gear meshes with a corresponding gear T or V upon a shaft T or V which carries a gear T or V in mesh with a gear T or V mounted upon the respective shaft G to move with its respective dial-plate G. The gears are so proportioned that each printing-wheel rotates in unison with its respective shaft G, and the consequence is that when the shaft G is brought to rest the printing-wheels will be stopped with the proper character at the line of print. Each printing-wheel is also provided with a star-toothed wheel T or V for a purpose to be referred to.

The paper in the form of a tape 20 is supported in a roll 21, by a suitable casing 22, and is fed forward to and through a trough or carrier 23 which is pivoted at a suitable point and is raised to bring the paper in contact with the printing-wheels by means of a cam 24: upon the shaft N the cam acting preferably upon an anti-friction roller carried by the trough. From the carrier 23, the paper passes, through a guide 25, and between an actuating-roll 26 and a weightroll 27 to the winding-roll 28. The roll 26 carries a ratchet wheel 29 which is engaged and driven by a pawl 30 pivoted to the paper carrier. Said roll has a gear 31 in mesh with a gear 32 on the shaft of a second roll 33 for driving the winding-roll 28. The gears and rolls hear such a relation to each other that the winding-roll 28 normally rotates with a somewhat greater speed than the roll 26 and consequently takes up any slack produced by the roll 26, while the paper is fed forward the proper distance for printing a new impression, every time the paper carrier is raised to bring the paper into contact with the printing-wheels, by the pawl 30 which is actuated by the carrier 23. For the purpose of bringing the characters on the printing-wheels exactly into the line of print, the paper-carrier 23 is provided on each side with a tooth 3a which is adapted to enter the notches of the star-wheels T or V and so bring the respective printing-wheel into true position should it have been left by the actuating mechanism a little to one side or the other.

Since the printing-wheels, at each operation of the register, may move through any number of spaces, from one to nineteen, or whatever the maximum may be, it is necessary that provision should be made for inking the printing-wheels at the line of print,

at each operation. To this end a suitable inking-roller 35, extending across the face of the wheels, is carried by an arm 36 pivoted upon the shaft X. A connecting rod 37 is pivoted to one of said arms and to the paper-carrier 23 so that at each downward movement of the latter the inking-roller is caused to pass over the characters in the line of print and is then moved back out of the way during the upward movement of the paper-carrierto make an impression.

In the operation of the register the action of the indicating and adding mechanisms is produced in the manner fully explained in my said application. By the connection of the gears T and V with the dial-plate G they are made to partake of the movement of the latter, that is, with each operation of the register they are first moved backward to the initial position or O-point and are then moved a distance corresponding to the amount to be registered. The gearing between the wheels T V and their respective printing-wheels T andV is so arranged that the latter rotate in unison with the former and that when the dials G are in their initial position the printing-wheels stand with 0 at the printing-point. As will be understood, the shaft N makes, during each operation of the register, a single rotation and as the efiective portion of the cam 24 reaches its operative position just before the rotation of the shaft is completed, the printing-wheels will have come to rest before the paper is brought into contact therewith at the line of print, and the movement of the paper by the roll 26, the ratchetwheel 29 and pawl 30 will have ceased by reason of the fact that the pawl and the papercarrier 23 form a substantially straight line before the paper reached the wheels. The inking roller will also have completed its function and be moved out of the way of the paper-carrier.

In certain classes of trade'it is of great advantage to have a register which will indicate a sale amounting to more than ten dollars and I have accordingly sought in the present instance to combine such an indicating mechanism with the usual adding mechanism which adds by tens. In my said application I have shown both an indicating mechanism for dollars from one to twenty, and an indicating mechanism for cents, by fives, and have shown the latter alone as having an adding mechanism connected therewith. In the present case the dollar indicating mechanism has connected therewith an adding mechanism which is identical with that for the cent indicating mechanism except as modified as hereinafter described. Fast upon the shaft G of the dollar indicating mechanism are fixed the usual ratchet-wheel ll, with which co-operates the pawl 40 to prevent reverse movement, an adding-wheel 42, showing dollars from O to 9 on each half of its periphery, and a gear 43 which meshes with a gear 4A mounted loosely on the shaft G. Fixed to the gear at, to rotate therewith, is a gear 45, having, instead of a single tooth, two diametrically opposite teeth 45, 45 each of which in turn, as the gear 45 makes a revolution, actuates a gear 46 loose on the shaft G and having ten teeth. Scalloped stop-gears 4'7 and 48, the gear 48 having two notches 47 and 47 and the gear 48 having two scallops, are employed to prevent movement of the gear 46 except when actuated by the teeth of the gear 45. The adding wheel 49, showing successive tens of dollars from 1 to 10, is secured to the gears 48 and 46 to operate therewith. Assuming that the adding-wheels are both at 0, a movement of the indicating mechanism to any number less than ten would carry the unit adding-wheel with it to expose the same number, on the the first half of the wheel, at the sight opening, while amovement of the indicating mechanism to a number between ten and twenty would carry the unit-wheel with it to expose the last figureof that number, on the second half of the wheel, at the sight-opening and would cause, by the tooth 45 3a movement of the tens-wheel to bring the number 1 to view at the sight opening. On the addition of ten or less, sufficient to make the total more than twenty, the unit-wheel would be moved as before to bring the last figure of the total to view and the tooth 45* would operate to bring'the next figure on the tens-wheel into view. The addition of any number between ten and twenty sufiicient to increase the number of tens by two, would bring to view as before, the proper unit figure, and would bring both teeth 45 and 45 into play to produce a double movement of the tens-wheel.

I am aware that the combination of aseries of operating keys, an indicator actuated or controlled in its movements thereby, a typewheel or carrier moving in unison with the indicator, and a platen cooperating with the type-carrier, is not broadly new; I am also aware that the combination of a driving member havingadefined movement,an indicator, meansforintermittentlyconnectingthem,and a series of keys cofoperating with such means to determine the extent of movement to be imparted by the driving member to the in dicator, is old; but, so far as I am aware, I am the first in the art to combine in a machine of this character a driving member having a defined movement at each operation of the machine, an indicator, a type-carrier moving in unison therewith, meansforintermittently connecting the indicator with the driving member to cause the latter to impart different portions of its movement to the indicator, and a platen co-operating with thetype-carrier to print at each operation of the machine the number exhibited by the indicator, and I desire to broadly secure the same, and the other combinations set forth in my claims, without regard to the particular character of the driving member, the indicator, or

the intermediate devices, except as may be indicated by the terms of my respective claims.

I claim as my invention- 7 1. The combination in a cash-register, of a rotating-disk,adetent adapted to engagesaid disk and supported to rotate about the axis of said disk, an indicating device supported to move with said detent means todisengage said detent from said disk, a tooth formed upon said detent, and a fixed toothed ring to engage said tooth when the detent is disengaged from the disk, substantiallyas shown anddescribed.

2. The combination, in a cash-register, of a rotating disk, adetent adapted to engage said disk and to rotate therewith, an indicating device connected to move with said detent,means to disengage said detent from said disk, a gear supported and connected to rotate with said detent and indicatingdevice, and a printingwheel driven by said gear, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination ina cash register, of independent indicators, independent printingwheels connected severally to move with their respective indicators, a star-wheel connected to each of said printing-wheels, a pivotedpa- 7 per-carrier having a tooth to engage each of said star-wheels, and a cam to move saidpaper-carrier against the printing-wheel, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of a driving member having a definedmovement at each operation of the machine,an indicator, a type-carrier moving in unison therewith, a latch or coupling device for connecting the indicator and d riving member and means co-operatingtherewith to disconnect them to cause the driving member to impart difierent portions of its movement to the indicator and type wheel, and a platen actuated vby the motor or driving mechanism of the machine and cooperating with the type-carrier to automatically print at each operation of the machine the number exhibited by theindicator, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a driving member having a defined movement at each operation of the machine, an indicator, a type-carrier moving in unison therewith, means intermediate the indicator and driving member for connecting and disconnecting the two, a series of keys cooperating with such means to determine the extent of movement to be imparted by the driving member to the indicator and type-carrier, and a platen actuated by the motor or driving mechanism and 00- operating with the type-carrier, whereby upon setting a key and operating the machine the indicator will be set to indicate and thetypecarrier and platen will automatically print the value of such key, substantially as described.

6. The combination of a driving member having a defined movement at, each operation of the machine, an indicator,a type-carrier moving in unison therewith, means intermediate the indicator and driving member for connecting and disconnecting the two, a series of keys cooperating with such means to disconnect the driving member and indicator at different points determined by the position of the key, and a platen actuated by the motor or driving mechanism and cooperating with the type-carrier, whereby upon setting a key and operating the machine the indicator will be set to indicate and the type-car rier and platen will automatically print the value of such key, substantially as described.

7. The combination of an oscillatory driving member having a defined movement at each operation of the machine, an indicator, means for intermittently connecting the driving member and indicator to cause the former to impart different portions of its movement to the latter, a series of keys cooperating with such means to determine the extent of movement imparted to the indicator, a type-carrier moving in unison with the indicator, and a platen actuated by the motor or driving mechanism and cooperating with said carrier, whereby upon setting a key and operating the machine the indicator will be set to indicate and the type-carrier and platen will automatically print the value of such key, substantially as described.

8. The combination of an oscillatory driving disk making substantially a complete revolution in each direction at each operation of the machine, an oscillatory indicatordial mounted upon the same axis, a latch for connecting the disk and dial,a series of keys cooperating with the latch to disconnect the disk and dial at different points determined by the position of the operated key, a typecarrier moving with the indicator-dial, and a platen actuated by the motor or driving mechanism and cooperating with said carrier, whereby upon setting a key and operating the machine the indicator will be set to indicater and the type-carrier and platen will automatically print the value of such key, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL XV. WEISS.

Witnesses:

A. N. J ESBERA, W. B. GREELEY.

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