US610379A - Cash-register - Google Patents

Description

No. 6l0,379. Patented Sept. 6, I898. A. I. BLANCHARD.

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No. a|o,s79. Patented Sept. 6, I898.

A. I. BLANCHARD. CASH REGISTER.

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22? Q1 Jilen IBZancZIaZ-J ATTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLEN I. BLANCIIARD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OI'IIO.

' CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ratent No. 610,379, dated September 6, 1898. Application filed June 8, 1896. Serial No. 594,715. (No model.)

T (6 whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLEN I. BLANCHARD, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cash-Registers, of Which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates particularly to the to registering mechanism of such machines and comprises a series of graduated cams actuated by the keys to transmit their value to the totalizing-counter.

Another feature of my invention relates tor 5 the transfer devices employed to transmit an amount registered through the primary registering-wheel of the counter and from the cents to the dollars counter-wheels.

A third feature consists of an auxiliary keyboard arranged to establish an'operative relation between the five-cent-key cam and all the other keys representing odd multiples of that amount.

A fourth feature consists of a series of de- 2 5 tail-adding wheels arranged to register the amounts in detail independently of the totalizing-counter above referred to.

The novel constructions and combinations will be more fully described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of' this application, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine without the cabinet and the cash-drawer, which are omit- 3 5 ted from all the drawings, as they are not essential to the operation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. at is a bottom plan view 0 showing particularly the auxiliary keyboard and the independent pivoted five-cent-key cam, which is arranged so as to be actuated either by the five-cent key or by the auxiliary keyboard. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective,

5 showing the five-cent key and the five-centkey cam pivoted coincidently therewith. Fig.

6 is a detail elevation view from the opposite side of the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 isa detail view in perspective of the universal bar or keyboard, showing the stops for looking the registering mechanism upon the completion of the stroke of any operated key, also the standards carrying the plungers for turning the cam-wheel shown in Fig. 3. Fig.

8 is similar to Fig. 2, except that it shows in addition thereto one of the pairs of detail adding wheels which are actuated by each of the keys.

Like figures of reference denote the same parts in all the figures of the drawings. -The side frames 10 11 are provided with bearings, in which is supported the main shaft 12, upon which the keys 13 are pivoted.

At their rear ends the keys rest upon a horizontal cross-piece 14: of the frame. As usual in devices of this class,the indicators 15, upon which are numbers corresponding to the values of the respective keys, are carried by the indicator-rods 16, which rest upon the rear ends of the keys. Each indicator-rod is provided with a shoulder 17, adapted to engage or rest upon the wing 18, which is pivoted on the side frames, and by a cooperative action of the parts just mentioned the indicator of any operated key will be temporarily held in exposed position, but will be dropped out of sight upon the succeeding operation of any key in a manner now well known in the art.

Those keys of the machine shown in the drawings which represent numerical values are arranged in three banks or sets, the first banks comprising the nine keys representing from one cent to nine cents, inclusive, the second set the eighteen keys representing amounts from ten cents to nine-five cents, and the third set the nine keys representing amounts from one dollar to nine dollars, inclusive. Each bank comprises a series of graduated cams, one of which is secured to and, except in the ease of the five-cent key, 0 preferably formed integral with each key, according to the numerical value of the latter. Each series of cams cooperates withone of the three horizontally-pivoted swinging registering boards, the cents bank with the board 19, the dimes bank with the board 20, and the dollar bank with the board 21, in a manner to be presently pointed out. These boards, which normally assume a vertical position, with their lower ends barely clearing the key-cams, are pivoted upon the stationary horizontal shaft 22, extending, in the pres- ICO - ports 45.

ent instance, the entire width of the machine and journaled in brackets secured to the side frames 10 11, and coiled springs 23, each secured at the one end to the shaft 22 and at the other to its adjacent registering-board, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, serve to return the bars to normal position after they havebeendisplaced. Actuatedbytheswingin g registering-boards are the counter-drivi n g gears 24, 25, and 26, also turningupon the horizontal shaft 22, and each of these gears is driven by its adjacent swinging registeringboard through the medium of the drivingpawl arms 27, 28, and 29,-which are fixed to and movable each with its registering-board. Driving-pawls 30, 31, and 32 are pivoted to the pawl-arms and engage the counter-driving gears, respectively, so that any movement of the keys will be transmitted through the key-cams to the swinging registering-boards, thence through the the driving-pawl arms to the counter-drivin g gears, and finally through the pinions 33, 34, and 35, which are pivoted on the counter line-shaf t to the counter-wheels 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42. The amount of movement so received by any of the counter wheels is proportionate to the numerical value of the operated key, as shall be presently pointed out.- The restraining-pawls 80 are pivoted to a stationary portion of the frame of the machine and being held normally in engagement with the driving-gear by the small fiatspring 81 serve to prevent any backward motion of said driving-gear.

Exclusive of the counter-wheels the parts as I have thus far described them are substantially the same for each bank. I shall now, however, proceed to describe the transfer devices or the means employed when the cents-wheel 36 has made a complete revolution to move the dimes-wheels 37 forward a notch and when the dimes-wheel has made a revolution to move the primary wheel 38 of the dollar-wheels forward a notch. The means employed to effect the transfer from the centswheel to the dimes-wheel and those employed to transfer from the dimes-wheel to the primary dollar-wheel are substantially identical, so that a description of one will suffice for both. The counter line-shaft is formed of two independent parts 43 and 44, journaled in sup- The cents-wheel 36 is rigidly secured to its pinion 33 and to the cents transfer-arm 70, (shown in broken lines in Fig. 3,) and all three are loose upon and turn together on. the primary section 43 of the counter lineshaft, upon which and rigidly secured so as to rotate with it are the di1nes-wheel37, its pinion 34, and dimes ratchet-Wheel 46. The dimes transfer-arm 71 is also fixed rigidly to the primary section 43 of the counter line-shaft and upon the extreme left-hand end thereof. All of the dollar wheels except the primary wheel 38 are mounted to turn loosely upon the second section 44 of the counter lineshaft. The primary dollar-wheel 38, howis secured rigidly thereon and, together with the dollar pinion 35 and the dollar ratchet-wheel 47, turns with the section 44 of the counter line-shaft. The other dollar counter-wheels 39,40, 41, and 42 are, however, loose upon the second section 44 of the counter line-shaft. The transfer from one Wheel to another is effected and controlled by means of the transfer-gears 48 and lockingdisks 49, which it is unnecessary to describe particularly, as they are well known in the art, being clearly shown and described in the patent to Thomas Carney, No. 532,762, dated January 22, 1895.

The vertical transfer-pawl arm 50 is pivoted near its lower end to the vertically-extending bracket 51, and to its upper end is pivoted the transfer-pawl 5 2, which engages its transfer ratchet-wheel 46, being held in engagement therewith by the spring 53. The rigid locking member 54 of the transfer-pawl arm when in its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, is arranged -to engage the transfer ratchet-wheel to lock the same from any backward movement. The upwardly projecting transfer-hook 55 is fixed to the locking member 54 and is so positioned with reference to the cents transfer-arm that when the cents-wheel is about ready to transfer, and preferably while it is moving from the 9 notch to the 0 notch, the said transfer-arm 70 will engage with and force the said transfer-hook forward out of its path, thereby drawing the transfer-pawl arm forward, whereupon the transfer-pawl being thrown forward will engage the next higher notch of the transfer ratchet-wheel and upon the transfer-pawl arm beingreturned to normal position will turn the dimes-wheel one notch. The transfer-pawl arm is returned to normal position by means of the cam-wheel 56, which is journaled upon thehorizontal shaft 22 and which cooperates with the lug or projection 57 upon the transfer-pawl arm, whereby when the cam-wheel is at rest in normal position the transfer-pawl may be forced forward and the projection 57 will fit into one of the notches of the cam-wheel; but upon the succeeding operation of any key, by which the cam-wheel will be turned anotch, the transfer-pawl arm will be forced back and the proper transfer effected. To turn the cam-wheels at every operation of a key,

I employ a universal bar or keyboard 58, which extends entirely across the keys and is pivoted in the side frames 10 11 some distance above the plane of and with its swinging edge resting upon the keys. Every time a key is operated the said bar or keyboard striking the cam-wheel, which is held from,

backward movement by the retaining-sprin g 62, the plunger will be pushed down into the standard to permit the latter to pass by the cam-wheel. On the return or downward stroke, however, the plunger will engage one of the teeth of the cam-wheel and turn it a notch, the universal keyboard and the standard carried by it then returning to normal position.

As before stated, the transfer devices just enumerated have been described as operatin g to eifect the transfer from the cents counter-wheel to the tens or dimes wheel; but, as will be seen, substantially identical means may be and are employed to transfer from the tens or dimes wheel to the hundreds or dollar wheels.

The movement transmitted to one of the swinging registering-boards is proportionate to the numerical value of the operated key by reason of the fact that the key-cams are graduatedthat is, their operating-surfaces 7 3 are variouslyinclined, so as to move the swinging registering-boards according to the numerical value of the respective keys. Thus, for exalnple,the cam on the nine-cent key willswing the cents-board and consequently turn the driving'gear 22 nine times as far as will the one-cent cam. The same may be said of the keys in all the banks when the numerical values of the keys in the tens or dimes banks represent even multiples of five cents only.

\Vhere,however, as in my present machine, a set of eighteen keys representing the multiples, both odd and even, from ten cents to ninety-five cents, are employed in the tens or dimes bank, it is diflicult to adjust the parts actuating the registering-board which cooperates with this set of keys with suiiicient nicety to insure absolute accuracy in registering. In the tens bank, therefore, instead of having a diiferent degree of inclination to the operating-surface of each of the eighteen key-cams I arrange them in nine pairs, the two comprising each pair being duplicates of each other. Nine of these cams, comprising one from each of the pairs referred to, are actuated by the keys representing the even multiples of five. The other nine cams are actuated by the keys representing odd multiples of five cents, but in each case register five less than the numerical value of the operated key. Therefore to bring the registration up to the true amount I provide means, which I shall presently describe, whereby when any key representing an odd multiple of five is operated the five-cent-key cam shall be actuated automatically and simultaneously with that of the operated key and whereby each key representing an odd multiple of five registers its true amount. To this end I provide an auxiliary keyboard 63, which is journaled upon the horizontal shaft 64 beneath the keylevers and which comprises a series of ten prongs-that is, as many prongs as there are keys representing odd multiples of five cent-s. Each of such keys, except the fivecent key, is provided near its rear end with a pin or stud 65, upon which respectively the ends of the prongs of the auxiliary keyboard rest, by means of which when the five-cent key is pressed the said keyboard 63 will not be moved, but when any other key representing an odd multiple of five cents is operated the auxiliary keyboard will be moved up and back a determined distance for a purpose to be presently described. The five-cent key is different from all the others in that the cam is not secured directly to the key-lever, but is mounted side by side with it on the five-cent key cam-lever 66,which is,like the key-levers, pivoted upon the horizontal shaft 12, as is particularly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The said lever 66 is also slotted on an are described from the axis of the shaft 12 as a center, and a headed pin 67, passing through the slot into the key-lever 6, operates to limit the movement that the five-cent-key cam can make independently of the flve-centkey 65. Moreover, at its swinging end the five-centkey cam-lever 66 is provided with a projection or shoulder 68, which extends across over both the five-cent-key lever 65 and the five-cent tine or prong 64 of the five-cent keyboard 63, whereby the operation of the five-cent key will actuate the five-cent-key cam to register its value on the counter. By virtue of this construction also when any key representing an odd multiple of five is operated it will operate the five-cent-key cam for the purpose above described.

In devices similar to mine much trouble has been encountered through a tendency of the adding devices to overthrow when a key is operated with more than ordinary violence. To prevent the possibility of overthrow in my machine, I provide means to automatically lock the adding devices as soon as the operated key has completed its stroke. To this end I secure to the universal keyboard 58 three stops 75, 76, and 77that is, as many as there are counter-driving gears. These stops are so positioned that the instant an operated key has completed its stroke the stops will engage the teeth of the counterdriving gears and, depriving the parts of their momentum, instantly bring the adding de vices to a full stop, so that no overthrow is possible. The parts remain thus locked for an instant only, when the universal keyboard falls back to normal position, thereby withdrawing the stops from engagement with the counter-driving gears and leaving the machine in condition to be again operated.

It would of course be highly important in my machine as thus described to have a keyarrester to compel the full and complete operation of any key that may be started, and any of the wellknown forms of key-arresters may be employed for this purpose-for instance, that shown in the patent of F. J. Patterson, No. 437,236, dated September 30, 1890.

The operation of my machine is as follows: Suppose, for example, the eight-cent key pressed. The eight-cent-key cam 72 will be raised and its operating-surface 73 will contact with the cents registering-board. As the cam advances it forces the registering-board to swing on its shaft 22, thus actuating the pawl-arm and through it the driving-gear and finally the counter. If some key representing an odd multiple of five be operated-for example, the thirty-fivecent key--the fivecent cam will be simultaneously operated.

through the medium of the five-cent keyboard. The thirty-five-cent-key cam will register thirty on the counter and the five-cent cam will add five, in this manner bringing the registration up to its true amount.

111 my present invention as thus far described the special keys, by which I mean the charge key, the received-on-account key, the paid-out key, and the no-sale key,(shown in Fig. 1,) have no key-cams, their function when they are operated being simply to release the cash-drawer (where one is used) and to display appropriately-worded tablets or indicators.

An independent feature of my invention consists of the detail-adding devices, in combination with the totalizing-counter,by means of which not only is a record made on the totalizing-counter of the total cash sales, but the detail-adding wheels, one pair of which cooperates with each key, show how many sales have been made and the amount that has been registered on each key. By reference to Fig. 8 it will be seen that the primary detail-adding wheel 102 and its secondary detail-adding wheel 103 are mounted upon transverse shafts 100and 101, respectively. The primary wheel 102 is provided with a toothed periphery 102 along one edge, in which the pawl 97 engages, as shown. The said pawl is pivoted to the key, and a coiled spring 99, connected at its ends to the key and to the pawl, keeps the pawl normally in engagement with the toothed periphery. It will readily be seen that whenever the key is pressed the primary adding-wheel will be turned a notch. Projecting from the periphery, which bears the adding-numbers, is a pin or stud 104, which is arranged so that when the primary detail-adding wheel has completed a revolution the said pin or stud will engage the toothed portion 103 of the secondary detailadding wheel 103 and turn it a notch, whereupon the primary wheel returns to zero position, all in a manner now well known in the art. The retainingpawls 1.06 and 107 are mounted upon the transverse shaft 105 and are held in engagement with the respective detail-adding wheels by the spring 108, as will be readily understood. As before stated, each key is provided with a pair of these detail-wheels, from which it will be seen that at the close of a days business or whenever it may be desired to take off the record from the register the totalizing-counter will show the total cash sales and the detail-wheels will show the amounts that have been registered on the respective keys. Of course the sumtotal amounts shown on the detail-wheels operated by the cash-'keys will balance the amount shown on the totalizing-counter. The so-called special keysthat is, the charge, received on account, paidout, and no-sale keyseach operate a pair of the detail-wheels, which wheels thus show the number of transactions that have been recorded on the special key, respectively.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys, of a series of graduated camedged projections on said keys, a swinging registering-board arranged to be engaged by said cam edges and thus swung to a greater or less extent according to the inclination of said edges, a counter and means for trans-- mitting the movements of the registeringboard to said counter.

2. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys, of a series of graduated camedged projections on said keys, a swinging registering-board arranged to be engaged by said cam edges and thus swung to a greater or less extent according to the inclination of said edges, a pawl carried by said registeringboard, a gear engaged by said pawl, and a counter arranged to be operated by said gear.

3. In a cash-register, the combination with a series of keys arranged to operate a series of key-cams, of a counter, intermediate mechanism arranged to transmit thevalue of an operated key from its key-cam to the counter, a bar common to and actuated by the keys, and stops carried by said common bar and arranged to be thrown into engagement with said intermediate mechanism to lock the counter upon the completion of the stroke of any operated key.

4. In a cash-register the combination with a series of keys bearing graduated key-cams arranged to cooperate with a swinging board, of a counter, a gear-wheel arranged to transmit movement from said board to the counter, a bar common to and actuated by the keys, and a stop carried by said common bar and arranged to be thrown into engagement with said gear-wheel to lock the counter upon the completion of the stroke of any operated key.

5. In a cash-register of the class described, a counter comprising devices to effect the transfer from counter-wheels of lower denomination to a counter-wheel of higher denomination, consisting of a transfer-pawl, a cam-wheelto move said pawl in one direction, means for moving said pawl in an opposite direction, a bar common to all the keys and a spring-pressed plunger carried by the said bar and arranged to turn the cam-wheel a notch at each operation of a key.

6. In a cash-register, the combination with the pivoted transfer-pawl arm bearing the transfer-pawl and the transfer-hook also carried by the transfer-pawl arm, of the counter, means arranged to engage the transfer-hook ICC to move the transfer-pawl into engagement with one of the counter-wheels,and independent means for returning the transfer-pawl to normal position to complete the transfer.

7. In a cash-register having a five-cent key and other keys representing the odd multiples of five cents, the combination with the counter and registerii'lg-board, of the key-cams fixed to and carried by the keys, the supplemental keyboard having tines connecting with each of the before-mentioned keys except the five-cent key, a five-cent-key cam pivoted independently of the five-cent key, and having a shoulder extending across both the five-cent key and the supplemental keycoupler, for the purpose described.

8. In a cash-register of the class described, the combination with the counter and the registering-board of the key-cams carried by the keys, the supplemental keyboard having tines connecting with the keys, a five-centkey cam pivoted independently of the fivecent key and having a slot-and-pin connection with the latter, and a shoulder secured upon said key-cam and operatively connecting the same with both the five-cent key and the supplemental keyboard.

9. In a cash-register of the class described, a series of keys a counter comprising devices to effect the transfer from counter-wheels of lower denominations to counter-wheels of higher denominations, consisting of a trans fer-pawl, operating means for said pawl and an arm carrying a spring-pressed plunger for engagement with the operating means and arranged to be operated by any one of the keys.

ALLEN I. BLANCHARD.

Witnesses:

EDWARD RECTOR, LEONORA WIsEMAN.

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