US615024A - Autograph cash register - Google Patents

Description

No. 6|5,024. Patented Nov. 29, I898. J. A. HOFF.

AUTOGRAPH CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1888.)

2 Sheets-Sheefl.

(No Model.)

m: NORRIS Farms co. Pnmoumm WASHINGTON. 0. c4

No. 6l5,024. Patented Nov. 29, I898. .1. A. HOFF.

AUTOGRAPH CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

KEEE MOTL MERCHANT Uata WITNESSES INVENTOR "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. I'IOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WVILLIAM T. BLAINE, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOGRAPH CASH-REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,024, dated November 29, 1898.

Application filed February 28, 1898. Serial No. 672,073. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. Horn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

5 have invented a new and useful Improvement in Autograph Cash-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in the class of cash-registers in which the origi- I nal entry of transactions is made on a receiving-stri p to be delivered to the customer and is transferred to a record-strip by means of interposed carbon paper or other suitable transfer medium.

[ The primary object of my improvement is to provide, in connection with an autograph cash register of the character outlined, a printing attachment .of novel construction adapted to be actuated by operating the cashregister, as by moving a cash-drawer or otherwise, to print desired matter on the original entry-strip.

A further object is to afford compactness to the cash-register by avoiding the necessity of locating the printing attachment so far away from the writing-table as to leave an extentof space between them of the entire length of custom ers-check section of the strip on which the original entries are made.

0 A still further object is to provide for correspondingly numbering or otherwise identifying simultaneously the customers check and the transfer copy thereof by operating the cash-register.

3 5 Another object is to provide convenient means of novel construction for automatically feeding the carbon or other transfer medium between the form-plate and the original entrystrip, and my object is generally to provide a simple, compact, and comparatively inexpensive construction of autograph cash-register in the class referred to, with the mechanisms which are provided for performing the different functions devised with a view to 5 their durability and reliability in operation and to remain in order under the greatest amount of use to which the machine may be subjected.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, partly broken, in longitudinal vertical sectional elevation of an autograph cash-register involving my improvements; Fig. 2, a broken sectionalview, in side elevation, of the printing attachment, presenting the side thereof opposite that displayed in Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a view in elevation of the impression-roller; Fig. l, a front View of the form-plate; Fig. 5, a cross-section of a rail of the track on which the impressionroller-actuating levers travel; Fig. 6, a sectional view showing the numbering attachment and its immediate actuating mechanism in side elevation, and Fig. 7 a plan View of the series of rotary number-carrying disks which I prefer to employ. 6 5

A is the cash-register case, formed of any suitable material, preferably in the general rectangular shape illustrated, and shown as containing in its base portion a sliding cashdrawer C and as provided with a cover B, hinged at one end and equipped with a keyoperated lock '0 at the opposite end. The cover contains an opening 1", in which a writing-table D is supported to leave spaces at its opposite ends for the passage of paper.

In the case, near one end and supported above the drawer on a false bottom a, is j ournaled on standards 0 (only one of which is presented toview) a roller 13 for carrying the supply-roll of customers-check paper, (indi- 8o cated at p.) A frame E, both sides of which are like the side presented to view in Fig. 1, is also supported in the case on the false bottom n and carries, journaled upon it between its ends, a roller m for the supply-roll of rec- 8 ord-strip paper (indicated at m) and journaled upon it at one end a receiving-roll T, on which to wind the record-strip, as indicated at 00. On the opposite end of the frame E is the printing attachment, involving the following-described construction:

The frame portion F of the printing attachment forms one end of the frame E, at which it bears on the false bottom 11. Each side of this frame portion contains an elongated ob- 5 lique slot 1, the slots in the two sides extending parallel with each other. Adjacent to one side of the slots (the rear side or that nearest the roll 19) is seated between the sides of the frame portion F a form-plate G, provided on one surface, toward one end, with the matter of heading (indicated at G in Fig. 4)

and toward its opposite end preferably also with matter, such as the lines represented at G in the same figure. The form -plate is adapted to be slid into place and is held therein by a block 70, confined at its edges in grooves in the sides of the frame portion to bear against the back of the plate. The block 7c has provided upon its outer surface pairs of standards 7c and one pair having journaled upon them a roller H, provided at one end with a grooved pulley 70 and the other pair having journaled upon them a roller H, provided at one end with a grooved pulley 70 and with a loosely-hum g lever k carrying a pivotal dog 7; to engage a ratchet 70 on the roller. The pulleys 70 and k are geared together by an endless band 70 and the rollers carry the sup ply of carbon-paper H which extends from one to the other across the face of the formplate G and under the paper from the roll 19 against the face of the form-plate. The employment of the endless band 7.0 to gear together the pulleys 70 and It provides against tearing of the paper under variations of the speed of the rolls, as any such variations will cause the band to slip on the pulleys, as will be understood. The paper 19 passes from the printing attachment out through the cover B, over the table D, beyond the tearing edge, (indicated at t in Fig. 1,) and the paper from the roll m passes in the same way over the table D, underneath the customers-check paper 19, and back into the case at the forward end of the table, across a guide-roller at w, to the roller T, to be wound thereon as hereinafter described. Both sheets pass between friction-rollers iand 1', supported in advance of the table D, the one below the cover B and the other above it.

I is an impression-roller, formed preferably of metal and carrying loosely on the opposite ends of its shaft the wheels h 72,, Fig. 3, beyond which it is journaled in boxes h, confined in slots h formed in the corresponding ends of the heads L, of generally triangular shape, of a pair of levers L, only one of which is shown, fulcrumed at s, to extend mainly in the portion of the case A below the false bottom 17. and operate through slots n therein. Each lever is controlled by a spring 6 to retract it when raised, as hereinafter described. Thus the levers L flank the plane in which the drawer 0 moves and extend, with their slot-containing heads adjacent to the slots Z- in the sides of the frame portion F, along the rails near which the wheels 77. on the impression-roller travel, as hereinafter described. In the lower angle of the head L of each lever L is journaled a roller 9 to ride up an inclined rail g, one of the two rails, which together form a track, being shown in Fig. 1 fulcrumed at its upper end to a side of the drawer O at S, whence it inclines downward and forward to rest at its free lower end against a lug g on the side of the drawer.

Along the inner forward side of each slot Z in the frame portion F is supported to extend normally parallel with the slot a yielding rail f, Fig. 2, its support being afforded by a pivotal connection at its opposite ends with the free ends of arms f, fulcrumed to the inner sides of the frame portion F. A set screw f to bear against which at its upper end each rail f is held by a spring f is suitably supported in a bearing f on the inner surface of the frame portion to afford a rigid stop against the upward movement of the rail.

M is a consecutive-numberin g device which may be of the well-known construction involving a series of disks 01, supported to be rotated in a manner to cause the complete rotation of each to turn that adjacent to it through a partial rotation, whereby the raised numerals provided on the periphery of each in series from O to 9 shall present on the several disks a horizontal line of figures describing a number, which is subjected to consecutively-increasin g change by each partial rotation of a disk. The shaft (2, carryin g the series of disks oi, is supported on the free ends of a pair of arms d extending from a rock-shaft d journaled in bearings 61, depending from the under side of the table D and adapted to be turned against the retracting force of a'spring d by a handle d extending from the rock-shaft into the path of the impression-roller I, which engages the cam end al of the arm in the manner hereinafter described. Between the arms 62 is pivoted a spring-controlled dog d engaging a ratchet d on the shaft d and actuated against the retracting force of its controlling-spring by encountering a rigid arr-ester d depend ing from the under side of the table D. The series of rotary raised-character-bearing disks is supported to extend belowa bank of needles M, Fig. 1, depending from the under side of the table D, at an opening therein (not shown) covered by a raised shield N, these needles being held in the bundle thereof to yield independently of each other, whereby any raised characters on the disks impinged against the lower ends of the needles will encounter only those in the plane of each character and accordingly raise them to perforate through the two strips of paper on the table D the same form of character. The upper ends of the needles are received, when raised, in a cavity N under the shield N.

The shaft on which the roll T is supported carries a ratchet c, engaged by a spring-eontrolled dog 0, pivotally supported on one end of a lever 0 fulcrumed on said shaft and extending at its opposite end, with an inwardprojecting stud 0 which it there carries, into the path of a projection c on a side of the drawer 0, near its inner end.

The operation is as follows: Each time an entry is made at the table D upon the customers-check paper 19 thereon it is copied on the lower record-paper m below it by an interposed carbon or other transfer medium, which in the present instance may be provided in the form of a carbon surface on the under side of the paper 19. After each entry is madethe cash-register is operated, in the present case by pulling out the drawer G to the position in which it is represented by full lines in Fig. 1 and thereafter pushing it in again. Closing the drawer carries it and the inclined track-rails g to the dotted positions indicated in Fig. 1,thereby causing the wheels g to ride up the inclined track, and thus raise the levers L, whereby the impression-roller I is raised through the slots 1 in the printingattachment frame F and-rotated by its contact with the paper 19 and transfer-strip H to press them against the form-surface of the plate G, and thus imprint the latter on the paper 19. This same inward movement of the drawer causes it to encounter the stud c and turn the lever c to back the dog 0 one tooth over the ratchet c and hold it there against the retraction force of its controlling-spring until the drawer is again opened. Moreover,

v the recoil force of the spring of the dog 0' as sists in opening the drawer. When the drawer is completely closed, the higher ends of the inclined rails g have passed the rollers g, thereby permitting the head ends L of the levers L to drop and rest at their rollers on the base of the case A. The drop of the levers L carries down to the lower ends of the slots Z the impression-roller I without material impediment, since the rails f, owing to the manner of their spring support, readily yield downward and outward under the pressure against them of the impression-roll in its descent.

Another result of the rise of the impressionroller under closure of the cash-drawer is due to its encountering, as it reaches the upper ends of the-slots l, the arm to turn the carbon-paper rollers H H, and thus feed a fresh section of the carbon-strip over the form-plate G. A still further result of the rise of the impression-roller is due to its encountering the arm (1 of the numbering device M. This forces the arm aside and turns the rock-shaft d raising the arms d to force the disks (1 against the back of needles M to perforate the papers p and m above them with the figures on the disks which encounter the needles. In the rise of the disks the dog d encounters the arrester d to be held thereby, so that when with the descent of the impression-roller I the recoil force of the spring d is permitted to act it-lowers the arms 01 to their normal position, thereby permitting the spring controlling the dog to turn one or more disks through a partial rotation to present another number thereon for subsequent engagement with the bank of needles. In the upward movement of the number-carrying disks the dog (:1 is arrested to engage with another tooth of the, ratchet to turn the disks when they come down.

In the closed condition of the drawer the wheels g on the lever-heads L are obviously in the path of the backs of the inclined rails g; but in opening the drawer again the tracks ride over and clear at their free lower ends the wheels g to bring them in the opened condition of the drawer into position relative to the tracks to ride up them when the drawer is again closed. Moreover, by opening the drawer from its closed position (indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1) the projection c is carried away from the stud c on the lever 0 thereby permitting the spring which controls the dog 0 to retract the latter against the ratchet c and turn the ratchet one tooth to wind upon the roll T the section of the recordstrip on which the copy has been made of an entry. Moving thus, the record-strip, by turning the roll T, likewise advances the paper 1) to the tearing-off point towing to the pressure exerted against the two paper sections by the friction-rollers i and 11.

Rewinding the transfer-paper H from the one roller H, upon which it has been accumulated by consecutive windings, back to the roller H, from which it has been unwound, may be readily accomplished by reversely rotating the roller H through the medium of a thumb-nut I), provided for the purpose.

It will be noticed that the form-plate is presented in Fig. 4 in inverted positionthat is to say, with the advertising-heading G lowermost and the lined section G uppermost, to be severed by tearing at the broken line a. This is the position in which the plate is adjusted in the frame portion F in order that the heading on the printed section of the pa per p forming the customers check may form the rear end of such section, and in advance of which the customers check is torn off at the line a when fed to the tearing-off point at t by operating the cash-register. Thus the heading for each printed section of the strip 19 affording a customers check is originally the tail end of the check in advance ofit and which is severed from it to leave it as the heading for the next succeeding customers-check section and advanced by the feed to extend beyond the forward end of the table D. As will be seen by the described inverted disposition of the form-plate G, the last-printed heading G, which forms only a portion of the length of customers check, is all thereof that extends stationarily between the printing attachment and table D, while the remainder of the section printed at the same time is extended over the table to be written on, while if the form-plate were contrarily disposed the printing attachment would require to be located as far away from the table as the length of each section of paper forming a customers check, thereby rendering necessary a mate rial increase in the dimensions of the case A and to that extent impairing its compactness.

The nature of my improvement has necessitated, to enable it to be clearly comprehended, that the details of the various mechanisms and their operations be quite minutely set forth in the foregoing description. I do not, however, wish to be understood as intending by such minute explanation to limit my invention to the precise details of construction and combinations of parts set forth, as they may, without departure from the spirit of my invention, be variously modified by those skilled in the art. It would, as an example of one change contemplated by me, be within my invention to have the form to be printed on the roll I, when the plate G would afford an impression-plate.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination of a printing attachment containing a form, a shiftable transfer-strip interposed between said form and the strip to be printed therefrom, means -for shifting said transfer-strip, an impression device, and means for bringing said impression device upon the form against the strip to be printed, substantially as described.

2. In an autograph caslrregister of the character described, the combination of a printing attachment containing a form, a shiftable transfer-strip interposed between said form and the strip to be printed therefrom, means for shifting said transfer-strip, an impressionroller, and means for moving said roller upon the form against the strip to be printed, substantially as described.

3. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination with the table, of a printing attachment containing a form-plate having the heading to be printed on the customefs-check strip at its rear or lower end, whereby the space between said table and attachment need not exceed the width of said heading, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination with the mechanism for operating it, of a printing at tachment containing a form, a track supported adjacent to said form to yield in one direction, and an impression-roller rolled by said operating mechanism against the form upon said track, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination with the mechanism for operating it, of a printing attachment comprising a frame having parallel upward-inclined slots in its side portions and supporting a form-plate adjacent to said slots, a track spring-s11 pported adjacent to said slots to yield downwardly and outwardly and stopped against upward yielding, and an impression-roller rolled by said operating mechanism against the form upon said track, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination with the mechanism for operating it, of a printing attachment containing a form-plate, a transfersheet interposed between said plate and the strip to be printed therefrom and wound at its opposite ends upon rollers journaled on a base at the back of said plate, an impressionroller rolled by said operating mechanism upon said form against the strip to be printed, and an actuating-arm extending from one of said transfer-strip rollers into the path of said impression-roller, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination with the mechanism for operating it, of a printing at tachment containing a form, a transfer-strip interposed between said form and the strip to be printed therefrom, a table in the cover of the device across which the printed strip and the record-strip are extended one upon the other, an impression-roller rolled by said operating mechanism upon said form against the strip to be printed, and a perforating marking device supported below said table and extending into the path of said impression-roller to be actuated thereby, substantially as described.

8. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination with the mechanism for operating it, of a printing attachment comprising a frame supporting a form-plate, a transfer-strip interposed be tween said form and the strip to be printed therefrom, a table in the cover of the device across which the printed strip and the recordstrip are extended one upon the other, an impression-roller supported to be rolled by said operating mechanism upon said form against the strip to be printed, and a rotary-disk consecutive-number-perforating device springsupported below said table and having an operating-arm extending into the path of said roller to be actuated thereby, substantially as described.

9. In an autograph cash-register of the character described, the combination with the record-strip roll and cash-drawer and mechanism between said drawer and roll for actuating the roll by moving the drawer, of springcontrolled levers L having heads L carrying rollers g, a track 9 for said rollers pivotally supported at opposite sides of the drawer to incline down ward,a printing attachment comprising a frame supporting a form-plate, and an impression-roller journaled to be rolled against the form-plate by the rise and fall of said lever-heads under the opening and closing movements of said drawer, substantially as described.

JOHN A. IIOFF.

In presence of-- M. J. Fnos'r, R. 'l. SPENCER.

Images