US539001A - Manual sales-recorder - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

G. H. GLEDHILL. MANUAL SALES RECORDER, CASH TILL, AND COIN DISPLAYBR. No. 539,001.

Patented May 7, 1895.

WWI/mum.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. H. GLEDHILL. MANUAL SALES RECORDER, CASH TILL, AND com DISPLAYER.

No. 539,001. Patented May '7, 1896.

Z/ I A /%f/// Wilmww. gjvwemfo n.

JEMW

(NO Model.)

G. H. GLEDHILL. MANUAL SALES RECORDER, CASH TILL, AND (JOIN DISPLAYER.

3 SheetsSheet 3.

Patented May 7,1895.

"m: NORRIS nsrzws co pnaram'wc, mammmw, u z;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE HENRY GLEDHILL, OF HALIFAX, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO \VILLIAM THOMAS BLAINE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MANUAL SALES-RECORDER, CASH-TILL, AND COIN-DISPLAYER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,001, dated May 7, 1895.

Application filed August 13,1894. Serial No. 520,881. (No model.) Patented in England June 27. 1 2, N 11,

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE HENRY GLED- HILL, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Trinity VOlkS, Trinity Street, Halifax, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oheck-Tills, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 11,908, bearing date June 27, 1892,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in check tills and refers more particularly to the class of check till described in my Patent No. 391,958 and dated October 30, 1888, in which, first, the coin or coins received from the purchaser are exposed or exhibited for a short period of time; secondly, the money drawer after being partially closed cannot be again withdrawn or opened until it has been first pushed completely home so as to avoid fraud or dishonesty in recording each transaction, and, thirdly, a strip of paper is caused at each operation of the money drawer or lid, to travel a certain necessary distance over a rest, the lid being formed with a suitable'aperture through which the salesman may write or record the amount of the purchase on the exposed portion of said strip of paper, known as the record paper.

Hy invention consists in the improved construction of check tills as hereinafter set forth and described, and in which I employ three strips of paper, 2'. 6., a voucher paper, a transfer or carbon paper and a recording paper, which three strips of paper are all moved by means of suitable mechanism at relatively different speeds of travel, said mechanism being actuated or set in motion by and at each complete operation of the money drawer or lid of the check till, means being also provided for automatically printing an advertisement, bill head, date or the like on the voucher paper, a suitable portion of said voucher paper being torn oif by the salesman at each transaction and handed to the purchaser as a receipt,the amount of the purchase which has been written on said oucher paper being transferred on to the record paper by means of the interposed transfer paper.

Such being the nature and object of my invention, I will now describe the same more particularly, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 on the drawings is a plan view of a check-till constructed according to the first part of my invention, the lid, together with the roll of paper and winding-on drum, being removed to show the parts underneath; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of same. Fig. 3 is a detail showing a modification of apparatus for exposing the coins. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a check-till constructed according to the second part of my invention. Fig. 5 is a transverse section, and Fig. 6 a plan view, of a check-till constructed according to the third part of my invention.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A designates the box or casing having a lid B in which is an aperture a for exposing the portion of the strip of paper I) which is unwound from the paper roll 0 on to a drum (1 and passes over an intermediate bar or rest 8 underneath said aperture a in the ordinary manner. The drum d is caused to turn round on its axis to wind on the paper by pawlf attached to the inclined plane 0 which is actuated every time the drawer D is opened as afterward explained.

E is a tray or table resting on and adapted to slide backward and forward on supports 9 at each side of the box, said table being preferably fluted or made with concave portions E. The coin or coins received from the purchaser are dropped through an opening it in the lid, on to the aforesaid table and can be seen for a period of time through the glass cover it fixed in the lid immediately above the table. Affixed to the under side of the table are two projections or studs 2', 2', engaging with each side of a suitably shaped bar or inclined plane F attached to or forming part of the second curved bar or inclined plane E which is hinged atj to the back of 5 the box A. To the rear end of the drawer D are also affixed two studs 70, in, engaging each side of the portion E of the hinged bar and which, on the drawer D being opened or drawn out or a cam attached to the under side 100 of the lid causes the inclined planes or curved bars F, F to move toward the side of the box, asindicated in dotted lines and therefore impels the table toward the back of the box A as indicated by the dotted lines or in the reverse direction to that of the drawer, while the closing of the drawer operates the tray in the opposite direction, the dished tray E in all cases, returning to the same distance backward as it has been pushed forward for the purpose of presenting the first concave underneath the slit edge h and also to cause the coin or coins to be transferred to the next succeeding concave portion of the tray until finally the coins drop off the trayinto the drawer D. In order to transfer the coins from one concave division to the next succeeding division as the tray moves backward and forward, I employ certain tumbling levers Z having their under sides curved or inclined as shown, and they are hinged to brackets I attached to one side of the tray, and over and under the said tumbling levers are adapted to ride small projections or studs m on the vibrating cross bars m, which are hinged or pivotally supported in the sides of the box. On the forward movement of the table in the direction of the ar row, these studs ride over the tumbling levers Z and raise the vibrating bars m clear of the table and also clear of the coins thereon, the completion of the forward movement placing these studs m beyond the ends of the tumbling levers which are therefore released and regain their normal positions with their opposite and heavier ends resting on the surface of the tray. When the tray commences its return movement, the studs m pass under the tumbling levers and engaging with the inclined or curved surface thereof cause the Vibrating bars to be drawn down on to the concave surfaces of the table and thereby scrape orforce the coin or coins therefrom into the next concave portion or off the end of the table on to the inclined plate at which delivers them into the drawer.

If thought desirable stationary hanging scrapers may be employed suspended over a moving table for the purpose of transferring the coins from one position, or these parts may be vice versa.

By the mechanism hereinbefore described, the coin or coins received from the purchaser and placed through aperture h in the lid on to the table E, areimmediately (on the drawer being opened) removed from under said aperture, and on the drawer being closed are forced farther on to the table in full viewof the purchaser and remain in view until finally forced off the table into the drawer, by reason of which arrangement any question raised as to the value of the coin given can be at once settled.

The table E is divided into compartments lengthwise in a similar manner to the drawer in which to place gold, silverand copper respectively, or other coins,'so that each coin of said metals ultimately passes into the corresponding compartments in the drawer. The vibrating bars m are bent or recessed where these divisions occur so as to be clear of same.

The table E may be fiat although I find that there is more liability of the vibrating bars becoming locked or jammed by reason of a coin finding its way under the said bars ona flat surface than on a surface such as herein shown. To prevent looking or jamming of the parts from the above named cause the vibrating bars may be supported in hearings in which they are free to rise or give according to the nature of the obstruction, and therefore pass over said obstruction; and cloth, india rubber, or other suitable material may be placed over the table toprevent the coins moving too freely when the drawer is violently actuated.

In Fig. 3, a modified arrangement of mechanism is shown for exposing the coin or coins given by the purchaser. In this case an endless belt or band E passes around two drums E, and on the axis of the lower one is mounted a disk E having pins or projections on its face with which an arm 0 pivoted on the drawer is adapted to engage each time the said drawer is opened which partially rotates the disk and therefore causes the band or belt to traverse a short distance. Rotary motion could also be imparted to the disk E by a rod or pawl attached to the under side of the lid B. Suitable plates E are attached to the endless belt and on to these the coins drop as they are passed through the aperture 72. in the box A, and they are carried down thereon and finally deposited on the inclined board a from which they slide into the drawer. The horizontal plates E, with the coins thereon pass down in front of asheet of glass h in view of the purchaser.

Referring to the second part of my invention which is shown plainly at Fig. 4:, as applied to a simple construction of recording till, wherein C isan inclined plane of a similar description to that. lettered I, in my Patent No. 10,247, of 1886, one end thereof being hinged atp to the side of the box A and the opposite end resting in the bottom of the guide 10', p is a pawl or catch also hinged to the side of the box and adapted to engage with the teeth of the ratchet rack p attached to the upper edge of one side of the drawer D. This said pawl p is connected to the inclined plane 0 by means of a hinged link or lever 19 resting on the said plane and carrying at its free end a pin or stud which abuts against the under side of the pawl 19 At the rear of the drawer D is a pivoted finger p which is maintained normally in a vertical position by the weight of its base, but is free to turn on its center in one direction so as to pass under and not operate the inclined plane on the drawer being pushed home. In

withdrawing the drawer (after writing the amount of purchase on the strip of paper) the finger p rides under and elevates the free end of the inclined plane 0 andthereby raises the link or lever 19' which in turn raises the pawl p clear of the ratchet teeth on the side of the drawer which can therefore be opened to the d esired extent to putin money, or totake out the necessary change. If an attempt be now made to close the drawer the finger p will be caused to fall into a groove in the side of the drawer by the resistance or weight of the inclined plane acting on the finger 19 thereby allowing the catch or pawl p to drop on to the serrations or teeth of the rack over which it will ride so long as the drawer is being pushed home, but should there be any dishonest intention on the part of the salesman who after only partially closing the drawer afterward attempts to open it, the catch or pawl 19 would be immediately engaged with one of the ratchet teeth and any outward movement of the drawer is impossible until it has been pushed completely home again. At each opening of the drawer the pawlfon the inclined plane moves the winding on drum d a distance equal to one or more teeth of the ratchet wheel on said drum, and thus traversing the paper a short distance places the last amount written thereon beyond the aperture and out of reach of the salesman. The above apparatus is shown also at Fig. 2 but is partly hidden from view by other mechanism which for the sake of clearness is not added to the till shown at Fig. 4. v

The drawer D of the till is cushioned so as to be noiseless by a piece of india rubber or other yielding substance or material afiixed to the back of the drawer.

I am aware that it is not new to employ apparatus to prevent the drawer being opened after being partially closed, but the checking action of such apparatus does not come into play instantaneously. According to my pres ent invention, however, the pawl 19 drops on to the serrations and is ready for action the very moment it is released.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 showing the application to check tills of my improvements for permitting vouchers to be given to the customer and a record thereof to be retained, 0 represents a roll of paper to contain the records of purchases mad e. This paper passes under a guide rod 0 also over the table or rest 6 and is securedto and wound upon the drum (Z. q is a roller having wound thereon a supply of carbon or like transfer paper which also passes over the table or rest e and above the recording paper a and this transfer paper is secured to and adapted to wind on to a drum q, the said roller and drum being journaled in a bracket which can be removed bodily from the till when required. The voucher paper is uppermost and is unwound from a roller suitably placed in the box but not shown. This voucher paper passes between rollers r and t, the former or lower one being composed of india rubber or other suitable material and it is employed (in addition to feeding the paper) for the purpose of pressing the voucher paper against the printingrollert. This roller 0 is mounted in self adjusting hearings in the framework 5 secured to the sides to the compartment of the box in which the mechanism is placed. The loose end of voucher paper is passed between guide plates r, over the table or rest- 6 and above the transfer paper, and finally conducted through the inclined or slanting Opening T in the lid of the box, and under the finger rest r which is preferably tapered to an edge to form a knife for severing the written voucher from the paper. Resting on the drum 7' and also mounted in self adjusting bearings is a roller 25 having type thereon for printing the name of the firm or Words such as received and other matter for advertising, dating and similar purposes, which type is inked by a roller t',the latter being pressed against and maintained in contact with the type by springs such as t secured to the lid of the till. The various drums and rollers are actuated through a train of gearing by the closing of the drawer D in the following manner: An inclined plane or projection u is secured to the side of the drawer and when the latter is being pushed home the said inclined plane abuts against the end of a weighted lever arm a mounted loosely on a stud or shaft 1; on which are fixed a ratchet wheel 1; and toothed wheel v The weighted lever arm a is provided with a pawl a eugaging with the teeth of the ratchet wheel and as the said lever is forced from the position shown in dotted lines to that shown in full line, the ratchet wheel c and consequently the toothed wheel 41 is partially rotated, this motion being communicated by the train of wheels to to the drums cl and r the former of which winds on the paper containing the record and the latter unwinding a length of paper which is forced through the opening r By fastening a rod to lever u and to the under side of the lid the same intermittent motion will be imparted to the rollers. In consequence of the paper which supplies the voucher having matter printed upon it and which printed matter is not required on the recording paper 0, I have arranged, for the sake of economy in the paper 0, to traverse the voucher paper at a quicker rate than the bottom recording paper the effect of which would be that the various items marked on the upper paper would be transferred to the lower paper in lines closely following one another, but the upper paper is fed forward a larger length each time, to permit the advertisement being printed upon it in addition to writing the amount of same. In order therefore to prevent waste of the bottom recording paper, the train of wheels for conveying motion to the drum (1 and pulling off roller r are of different diameters and the number of teeth to each wheel calculated so as to give the requisite increase of motion to the drum 7' over the drum d to unwind by the former a sufiicient length of paper to form the voucher, and rotate the latter only to the extent necessary to carry the record last made beyond the aperture to the same extent as at present, as is generally done.

In order to change the position of the transfer paper lying between the voucher paper and the recording paper, I employ means for intermittently moving the said transfer paper but at a much slower speed than the other papers, and for this purpose one side'of the toothed wheel on the drum dis provided with a stud or projecting finger a: which, at every revolution of said wheel, engages with a tooth on the ratchet wheel to mounted on a stud and carrying a toothed wheel m gearing with a similar wheel on the end of the drum q. A partial rotary movement is thus given to the said drum at each revolution of the long in use on the rest e. The salesman writes the amount of each purchase on the upper voucher paper in the same way as he now writes it on the recording paper in the ordinary tills, but in my case the written matter is transferred to the recording paper by the intervening transfer paper. When the voucher, with the printed matter and amount of purchase written thereon is forced through the inclined opening in the lid, the salesman severs it by means of the sharp edge of the finger rest r and hands it to the purchaser, the record thereof remaining on the paper strip b in the till as at present.

The pinion 2 which gears into the toothed wheel on the drum d is capable of being slid on its axis out of gear with said wheel by withdrawing the pin ,2 which secures it in position. This provision is made so that when unwinding the record paper from the drum (1 which may be done every night, the other mechanism shall not be actuated. The pinion 2 is provided with two studs or pins which are adapted to enter corresponding openings in the concentric toothed wheels 2 when placed into gear with thewheel on the drum d so as to be revoluble with said wheel 2 On the drawer D being reopened the weighted lever u again assumes the position indicated by dotted lines.

Instead of the till being fiat or level at the top asshown, it may be constructed after the manner of a desk as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and, if required, provided with ink wells. 7 Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a money checking till having a lid B and a money drawer D, the combination therewith of a coin exhibiter comprising a table E adapted to slide backward and forward on supports 9 at each side of the box A said table E having affixed to its under side two studsi i engaging with each side of a barF attached to a second bar F which is hinged at j to the back of the box A, studs k k fixed to the drawer D and engaging with each side of said bar F, tumbling levers Z hinged to brackets l pivotally supported scrapers m having studs m, an inclined plate n, aperture h and glass cover h in lid B, all constructed, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.

2. In a money checking till having a lid B, a money drawer D and a coin exhibitor consisting of a table E adapted to slide backward and forward on supports 9 at each side of the box A, said table E having affixed to its under side two studs t' i engaging with each side of a bar F attached to a second bar F which is hinged at j to the back of the box A, studs k fixed to the drawer D and engaging with each side of said bar F, an inclined plate n,

aperture h and glass cover It, in lid B the combination therewith of scrapers m having studs m to engage with and pass alternately over and under tumbling lovers 1 hinged to brackets Z all constructed, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.

3. In a money check till the combination of suitably hinged inclined plane 0 adapted to be actuated on the opening of the drawer D by means of a hinged finger p and through the medium of a link p raise the pawl 10 clear of the rack 19 with which the drawer D is provided, all constructed, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.

4:. In a money checking till havinga drawer B provided with a rack 10 a weighted finger p pivotally attached to said drawer B, one side of the lower end of said finger being normally in contact with the end of the drawer so that when the said drawer is pulled open, said finger is caused to engage with and raise an inclined plane 0 pivoted at p, and when said drawer is being closed, said finger p is thrown out of the vertical by reason of its frictional contact with the inclined plane 0,

thereby permitting said inclined plane 0 to fall into its normal position, a hinged link f engaging with the inclined plane 0 and also with a pawl p all adapted, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially as set forth.

5. In a money checking till having a voucher paper, a transfer paper and a record paper, the combination therewith of alugu secured to the drawer, weighted lever arm 'u/ pivoted at 'u, pawl a on the lever arm 11/, ratchet wheel '0' provided with a gear wheel 12 train of wheels to drums d and r, the drum (1 having on its gear wheel a stud :1; adapted to engage at every revolution of said drum d with the ratchet wheel w mounted on a stud and carrying a toothed wheel at gearing with a similar toothed wheel on the end of the drum q, a printing roller t, inking roller 25', spring t, guide plates r and a table e, all constructed, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.

6. In a money checking till the combination with a box A having a lid B and money drawer D, a table E adapted to slide backward and forward on supports g at each side of the box A, said table E having affixed to its under side two studst't' engaging with each side a ratchet wheel o provided with a gear wheel 20 o train of wheels to drums d and r, the drum d having on its gear wheel a stud an adapted to engage at every revolution of said drum cl with the ratchet wheel 02 mounted on a stud and carrying a toothed wheel on the end of the drum q, a printing roller 23, inking roller t, spring t guide plates 7", table e aperture a and inclined opening? in the lid 13, and a fin: ger rest r all adapted, arranged and operating for the purposes and substantially as de- 30 scribed and illustrated.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY GLEDHILL.

Witnesses:

CHAS. ROCHE, HARRY PETER VENN.

Images