US596452A - Emory a - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. A. BEDIENT.

LOOKING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS.

Patented D60..Z8, 1897.

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(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2 E. A. BEDIENT.

LOOKING MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS.

No. 596,452. Patented Dec. 28,1897,

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UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

EMORY A. BEDIENT, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK ASSIGNOR TO THE ROCHESTER CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LOCKING MECHANISM FOR CASl-l-RELGEOTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,452, dated December 28, 1897. Application filed November 6, 1896. Serial No. 611,257. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom ill; may concern:

Be it known that I, EMORY A. BEDIENT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Rochester, Monroe county, New.

moved. Fig. 3 is a section 011 the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Figs. at and 5 are detail views.

The drawings show the application of my device to a cash-register which is not of my invention, except as to the means herein described and claimed for locking the drivinghandle while the drawer is open and the means for locking the driving mechanism till a predetermined setting device has operated but my improvements herein set forth are applicable to cash-registers and like mechanisms of other construction than that shown, provided such cash-registers and other like mechanisms are of the two-motion typeviz., the type in which there is a setting mechanism for setting the registering or other parts for operation and a handle device, such as a crank or lever, for actuating the mechanism in accordance with the actuation of the setting mechanism.

In the drawings, U is a cash-drawer movable in and out by means of the endless band or chain U attached to the bottom of the drawer and passing around a pulley U, loose on the driving-shaft E The driving-shaft E is positively driven or operated in one direction by a crank 11*, acting through a suitable train of gears, as H II H Fig. 2. Inside the pulley U is a clutch device, whereby on driving the shaft E in one direction, such as that of the arrow in Fig. 1, the pulley is driven with the shaft, under which circumstances the endless chain pulls the drawerU open. The chain passes under the drawer around guide-pulleys a and around a guide pulley a under the front part of the drawer. A suitable catch U connects the drawer to the chain, preferably at the back of the drawer, so that on revolving the pulley U the drawer can be projected from its casing by the pulling action of the chain. The drawer itself moves on suitable rollers, as U and a", which run on guideways U and U.

The setting mechanism in the particular form shown consists of a finger-plate C, which is supported by an arm C and rocks upon a shaft B, and there is one of these finger-plates for each denomination of currency in a cashregister; but, as will be seen, my invention is applicable to a cash-register having any movable form of setting device and a separate driving device. Each of these fingerplates bears an operating-arm C and a toothed seg1nentplate D which is locked by a dog (Z the whole series of dogs being rigidly fixed upon a shaft d and operated by a suitable mechanism driven by the crank II The finger-plates C are similar in function to those shown in the patent to \Villiam H. Clark, No. 556,045, of March 10, 1896, and are moved differentially to and from a stop-bar (1.. Connected to each finger-plate C is an arm C which is connected to one end of a connecting-link, the other end of which is attached to a lever movable upon an axis O In a cash-register there may be a series of four numeral finger-plates, in which case the machine will be capable of operation with reference to amounts up to ninety-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents.

Itis desirable in cash-registers of high grade to include a mechanism for indicating what operator (or the origin of the transaction) or what kind of goods to which the transaction refers, (or the character of the transaction.) This is usually done by providing a manually-operated apparatus, such as the fingerplate or a series of keys capable of being set to operate an indicator which has upon it, to correspond with the finger-plate or keys, a series of characterizing-letters, as A, B, C, to indicate the origin of the transaction (the operator or department of the store) with or without an additional series of characteriziug-marks-such as Paid in, Paid out, No sale, Cigars, Drugs to indicate the character of the transaction or character of goods sold.

In the form of device shown there are a series of four numeral keys or linger-plates,

each one connected to a connecting-link C C C and C which rod is connected to an arm (1 connected to its finger-plate and to a parallel arm (1 C 0 C A finger-plate C, situated on the extreme right, if seen from the back in Fig. 2, (and thus situated on the extreme left of a view showing the front of the machine,) is connected by an arm C to a connecting-link C and a parallel arm 0 hung from the shaft C The arms 0 and (J in this case are of equal length, and in their motion thus produce a substantially parallel movement of the two arms and a nearly straight-line movement of the connecting-link. The finger -plate of this system, which bears the characterizingmarks above described, is arranged so that it is necessary for the operator to set this mechanism indicating the origin or character of the transaction before a numeral indication can be registered. This is valuable in cash-registers, and particularly in department-stores where there are several clerks in each department and where the proprietor desires to keep the accounts of the particular departments and of the several clerks independently; and this result is desirable also in cases where checks are printed which must be presented to a cashier for payment or where a check is delivered to be preserved by the customer. In case of mistake on the part of the customer or clerk the check shows in what department and with what clerk the transaction was con ducted. v

The drawer U moves outward to open in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 1. On the inside of the casing A, which incloses the drawer, is mechanism for stopping the handle H at its normal position of rest and for preventing rotation of the handle in operative direction until a selected linger-plate or key is operated and preventing a second operation of the handle until the drawer is fully closed. To the inside of the casing is pivoted a plate 101 by the pivots 101. This plate has a pin 100, which projects outwardly through the side of the casing A and which projects into the path of the handle H" in such a position as to stop the handle H in its normal position of rest. In the form of device shown the handle ll bears a pin extending inwardly from the side of the handle adjacent to the casing, and the pin stops the handle by contact with the pin h. The plate 101 may be pressed inwardly by a pushbutton 102, which has a stem 103 passing through the casing A and connected with the plate 101. The push-button 102 is out of the path of the pin 7b and does not extend outwardly from the casing A so far as to be struck by the handle 11. The puslrbutton 102 is placed close to the handle 11*, so that while the fingers of the operator clasp the handle his thumb may be placed upon the push-button 102 and the puslrbutton may thus be pushed in at the same time that the crank H is started in its revolution. When the push-button 102 is pressed inwardly, the pin 100 is moved inward so far as to permit the pin 7r to pass the same, and, as above described, the handle may move a predetermined distance (enongh to pass the stop and to permit the stop to return to initial position again) before the drawer begins to open. The drawer U has a rail or bar 105 on its side, near the free edge of the plate 101, and the plate opposite to the rail has a lug or projection 100. Opposite to the position of the lug 100, when the drawer is stationary and is fully closed, is a socket 107, in which the lug fits closely, thus interposing a stop in the path of the drawer when the button 102 is pressed inward. A spring 101 acts upon the plate 101 to move the lug 100 automatically out of the path of the drawer U and the pin 100 into the path of the crank 11 or pin 7%. The lock for the device can therefore be released only when the drawer is in its initial orfully-closed position. The plate 101 also actuates a bar 200 movable in guides 201 transversely across the machine and normally pressed toward the plate 101 by a spring 202. The end of the bar opposite to that end which is actuated by the plate 101 is a block 203, which abuts against a movable part of a selected setting device, such as a block 0 on the connecting-link C. This block 0 when its key is in the unopcrated position, lies between a stationary abutment in the frame of the machine and the block 203.

If new it is attempted to press in the pushbutton 102 before operating the key which actuates or permits the movement of the predetermined connecting-link (1 the block 203 presses against the block U, which presses against the abutment A, and as the bar 200 is rigid the plate 101 cannot be pressed in far enough to remove the pin 100 from the path of the pin 70 and hence the crank or driver H cannot be turned until the key of the link C is operated and removes the block G from the path of motion of the block 203. If, however, the key is actuated, where by the link C is moved and the block 0 is removed from its position shown in the full lines in the drawings to a position, as, for instance, that shown in dotted lines in Fig. 8, the bar 200 may be then moved longitudinally by the inward motion of the plate 101 and the pin 100 is removed from the path of the pin h", whereupon the crank ll may be turned and the machine operated.

The method of operation herein shown is easily and obviously applicable to machines having moving gear-wheels or moving segments, for the block C may be attached to or be part of a segment or a wheel, and, if desirable, a suitable abutment A may be provided, whereupon the operation of the parts will be the same, for the movement of such segment or wheel will remove the block from a position which prevents the movement of the bar 200.

If any key which controls through suitable connections the movement of the block 0 is a key bearing one or more letters or other characterizing words or symbols, it will become necessary to operate this key and thus indicate the character or origin of the transaction before the other or numeral keys of the cash-register can be operated.

The chain U is firmly attached to the pulley U, as by the pins U and a suitable device is provided whereby the rotation of the shaft E from the initial position of rest of the handle H (shown in Fig. 1) to the same position again produces a sufficient revolution of the pulley U to throw the drawer open. Between the pulley U and the shaft E is a clutch device. Inside the rim of the pulley is a cam U having an abutment end if, and fast on the shaft E is a pawl-arm U hearing a pawl U pressed by a spring it in a direction to engage the abutment a when the shaft turns as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1. The pawl has an end it which extends within the rim of the pulley to engage the abutment "M. A suitable part G of the frame carries a stationary cam n which holds the pawl in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the cam U can pass the pawl without touching it. On rotating the shaft E the pawl moves off from or disengages from the cam n and engages the abutment uTafter having moved a predetermined distance from its initial position, and when this engagement takes place the drawer begins to be opened. The further rotation of the crank to complete its movement brings the pawl back to a position of engagement with the stationary cam and the driving-shaft is arrested with the pawl in the initial position. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The drawer is now fully opened and it must be closed by hand, which moves the chain and drives the pulley U backward on the stationary shaft E but if the initial position of the cam U was, as shown in Fig. 1, a certain distance ahead of the pawl then the complete return movement of the drawer rotates the pulley until the drawer is returned to its initial position and the cam also returns to its initial position. Thus these parts are reset to the positions whereby it is necessary for the driver to move a predetermined distance from its starting-point.

If the plate 101 is pressed in, the lug 106 enters the socket 107 and the pin it may move past the pin 100. After the pin 7t has passed the pin the drawer begins to move, opens fully, but its side on the rail 105 is long enough to remain opposite the lug or pin 1.06,

and while the drawer is open the push-button 102 cannot be pressed in, because the stop or lug 106 comes in contact with the rail or bar 105 on the side of the drawer and prevents the inward movement of the plate 101; but as soon as the drawer is again closed the socket 107 stands opposite the stop or lug 106, and the handle may be again rotated to open the drawer,.provided the push-button is pressed in. A look 108 may be attached to the easing A, having a bolt 100, which may be thrown to prevent the inward movement of the plate 101, and thus the machine may be locked against any operation by turning the crank I1 In order that the machine may be set so that it is not necessary to operate the character orletter key before operating the n umeralkeys, the following mechanism is provided: The block 203 is hinged to the bar 200, as by the pivot 20 i, Figs. 4E and 5. Pivoted to the bar 200 is a plate 205, which may be swung around its pivot 206 to support the block 203 in position for engagement against the block C lVhen the plate 205 is swung into position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4;, the plate 203 may fall into position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, and if the bar 200 is moved by the plate 201 the block 203 will not come in contact with the block C but if the block 203 is raised into the position to make contact with the block 0 and the plate 205 is swung into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 the block 203 will be supported in suitable position to make contact with the block 0 and compel the operation of the key affeetin g the movement of said block 0 before any other key in the machine can be operated.

Thus I have produced a mechanism for cash-registers comprising a driver and a stop movable into the path of a movable or sliding part, (such as the drawer,) which is actuated by the driver when said part is stationary. Thus the drawer cannot be pulled open by extraneous-means at the moment the driver-lock is released, because the drawerstop is in its slot and the driver must pass the driver-lock in order to permit the drawer to be released. The driver or crank does not begin to move the drawer or start until the driver has moved a predetermined distance from initial position, thus permitting the spring 101 to move the stop out of the path of the drawer, but moving the stopinto position to stop the driver when the latter returns to its initial position.

What I claim is 1. In a cash-register having a setting mechanism, an operating-lever and a cash-drawer opened by said lever, the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever, and means for preventing the removal of said lock from the path of said lever eX- cept when the drawer is in the closed position.

2. In acash-register having a setting mechanism, an operatinglever and a cash-drawer opened by said lever, the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever and means controlled by the drawer for preventing the removal of said look from the path of said lever except when the drawer is in the closed position.

In a cash-registerhavinga setting mechanism, an operating-lever and a cash-drawer,

the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever, manually-operated means for removing said lock from the path of said lever and means for prevent ing the actuation of said manually-operated means except when the drawer is in the closed position.

4. In a cash-register having a setting mech anism, an operating-lever and a cash-drawer, the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever, manually-operated means for removing said look from the path of said lever, and means controlled by the drawer for preventing the actuation of said mannally-operated means except when the drawer is in the closed position.

5. In a caslrregister, the combination of a setting mechanism,a crank,and a cash-drawer opened by the movement of the crank, alocking device normally projecting into the path of the crank, a manually-operated device for removing said locking device from the path of the crank which is prevented from operation by the drawer except when the drawer is in its closed position.

6. In a cash-register, the combination of a setting mechanisnna crank, and a cash-drawer opened by the movement of the crank, a looking device normally projecting into the path of the crank, and a manually-operated device for removing said locking device from the path of the crank which is held from opera tion by the drawer while the drawer is open to any degree, but when the drawer is closed, permits a portion of said manually-operated device to enter a socket in said drawer and to remove the locking device from the path of the crank.

7. In a cash-register, a driver, a movable part operated in one direction by the driver but starting after the driver has moved a predetermined distance from initial position, a stop for said movable part, a driver-stop normally in the path of the driver, means for moving the first-mentioned stop into the path of said movable part while the latter is sta tionary in its initial position and for moving the driver-stop out of the path of the driver, means for automatically moving said first stop out of the path of said movable part and said driver-stop into the path of the driver when the driver has passed its stop and has moved said predetermined distance, and means for retaining the driver-stop in the path of the driver while the movable part is out of its initial position.

8. In a cash-register, a driver, a sliding part operated in one direction by the driver but starting after the driver has moved a predetermined distance from its initial position, a stop for said sliding part, a driver-stop normally in the path of the driver, means for moving the first-mentioned stop into the path of said sliding part while the same is stationary and in its initial position and for moving the driver-stop out of the path of the driver, 1n cans for automatically moving said stop out oi the path of said sliding part and said driverstop into the path of the driver when the driver has passed its stop and has moved said predetermined distance,and means for retaining the stop in the path of the driver while the movable part is out of its initial position.

9. In a eash-register,a driver,a cash-drawer operated in one direction by the driver but starting after the driver has moved a predetermined distance from initial position, a drawer-stop, a driver-stop normally in the path of the driver, means for moving the drawer-stop into the path of said cash-drawer while the latter is stationary in its initial position and for moving the driver-stop out of the path of the driver, means for automatic ally moving said drawer-stop out of the path of said cash-drawer and the driver-stop into the path of the driver when the driver has passed its stop and has moved said predetermined distance, and means for retaining the stop in the path of the driver while the drawer is out of its initial position.

10. In a cash-register, a series of setting mechanisms, a rotary crank for the registering mechanism, a cash-drawer opened by the operation of said crank but remaining at rest in its closed position until said crank has moved a predetermined distance, a pin projecting into the path of movement of said crank, a drawer-pin projecting into the path of said drawer when the firstnamed pin has moved out of the path of the crank, means for simultaneously moving said pins into and out of the path of the drawer and out of and into the path of the crank, means for automatically removing said last-named pin from the path of the drawer and for moving the first-named pin into the path of the crank, and means brought into action by the movement of the drawer for retaining said firstnamed pin in the path of the crank while the drawer is open to any degree.

11. In a cash-register having a setting mechanism, an operating-lever and a cash-drawer opened by said lever, the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever, means for preventing the removal of said look from the path of said lever except when the drawer is in the closed position and provided with a locking device releasable by movement of a partof said setting mechanism.

12. In a cash-register having a setting mechanism, an operating-lever and a caslrdrawer opened by said lever, the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever, means controlled by the drawer for preventing the removal of said look from the path of said lever except when the drawer is in the closed position and provided with a locking device releasable bymovement of a part of said setting mechanism.

13. In a cash-register havin a setting mechanism, an operating-lever and a cash-drawer, the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever, manually-operated means for removing said look from the path of said lever, means for preventing the actuation of said manually-operated means except when the drawer is in the closed position, and a locking device for said manually-operated means releasable by movement of a part of said setting mechanism,

14. In a caslrregister having a setting mechanism, an operating-lever and a cash-drawer, the combination of a lock normally projecting into the path of said lever, manually-operated means for removing said look from the path of said lever, means controlled by the drawer for preventing the actuation of said manually-operated means except when the drawer is in the closed position, and a looking device for said man ually-operated means releasable by movement of a part of said setting mechanism.

15. In a cash-register, the combination of a setting mechanism, a crank, and a cashdrawer opened by the movement of the crank, a locking device normally projecting into the path of the crank, a manually-operated device for removing said locking device from the path of the crank which is prevented from operation by the drawer except when the drawer is in its closed position, and a locking device for said manually-operated means releasable by movement of a part of said setting mechanism.

, 16. In a cash-register, the combination of a setting mechanism, a crank, and a cashdrawer opened by the movement of the crank, a locking device normally projecting into the path of the crank, and a manually-operated device for removing said locking device from the path of the crank which is held from operation by the drawer while the drawer is open to any degree, but, when the drawer is closed, permits a portion of said manuallyoperated device to enter a socket in said drawer and to remove the locking device from the path of the crank, and a locking device for said manually-operated means releasable by movement of a part of said setting mechanism 170 In a cash-register, a driver, a movable part operated in one direction by the driver but starting after the driver has moved a predetermined distance from initial position, a stop for said movable part, a driver-stop normally in the path of the driver, means for moving the first-mentioned stop into the path of said movable part while the latter is stationary in its initial position and for moving the driver-stop out of the path of the driver, means for automatically moving said first stop out of the path of said movable part and said driver-stop into the path of the driver when the driver has passed its stop and has moved said predetermined distance, means for retaining the driver-stop in the path of the driver while the movable part is out of its initial position, a series of setting mechanisms for the register and means for retaining the driver-stop in the path of the driver releasable by the operation of a particular setting mechanism.

18. In a cash -register, a driver, a cash drawer operated in onedirection by the driver but starting after the driver has moved a predetermined distance irom initial position, a drawer-stop, a driver-stop normally in the path of the driver, means for moving the draw er-stop into the path of said cash-drawer while the latter is stationary in its initial position and for moving the driver-stop out of the path of the driver, means for auto1natically moving said d rawer-stop out of the path of said cash-drawer and the driver-stop into the path of the driver when the driver has passed its stop and has moved said predetermined distance, means for retaining the stop in the path of the driver while the drawer is out of its initial position, a series of setting mechanisms for the register and means for retaining the driver-stop in the path of the driver releasable by the operation of a particular setting mechanism.

19. In a cash-register, a series of setting mechanisms, a rotary crank for the registering mechanism, a cash-drawer opened by the operation of said crank but remaining at rest in its closed position until said crank has moved a predetermined distance, a pin projecting into the path of movement of said crank, a drawer-pin projecting into the path of said drawer when the first-named pin has moved out of the path of the crank, means for simultaneously moving said pins into and out of the path of the drawer and out of and into the path of the crank, means for automatically-removing said last-named pin from the path of the drawer and for moving the first-named pin into the path of the crank, means brought into action by the movement of the drawer for retaining said first-named pin in the path of the crank while the drawer is open to any degree, and a bolt for retaining the first-mentioned pin in the path of the crank, which bolt is released by the movement of a particular setting mechanism.

20. In a cash-register, a series of setting mechanisms, a rotary crank II" geared to a driving-shaft E, a cash-drawer opened by the rotation of the crank and having a rail 105 and a socket 107 on its side, and a rocking plate 101 having a pin 100 normally in the path of the crank, and a pin 106 movable into the socket 107 only when the drawer is fully closed, said pin 100 being held outward by the rail 105 when the drawer is open to any degree thereby holding the pin 100 in the path of the crank.

21. In a cashregister, a series of setting mechanisms, a rotary crank II geared to a driving-shaft E a cash-drawer opened by the rotation of the crank and having a rail 105 and a socket 107 on its side, a rocking plate 101 having a pin 100 normally in the path of the crank, and a pin 100 movable into the IOO socket 107 only When the drawer is fully closed, said pin 100 being held outward by the rail 105 when the drawer is open to any degree and a bar 200 moved by the plate, a movable part C of one of the setting mechanisms in the path of movement of the bar and preventing its movement by the plate to remove the pin 100 from the path of the crank until said setting mechanism is moved out of the path of the bar.

.l lillIOlltY A. BED'IEN'I. Witnesses:

A. E. WEET, E. II. MAnsELLUs.

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