US3011699A - Repeat control mechanism for cash registers and accounting machines - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1961 1.. E. ZURBUCHEN ETAL REPEAT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 8, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN 8| FRANK R. WERNER BY W THEIR ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1961 L. E. ZURBUCHEN ET AL REPEAT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 8, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN a FRANK R. WERNER BY W THEIR ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1961 L. E. ZURBUCHEN ETAL 3,011,699

REPEAT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 8, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN 8: FRANK R. WERNER yfl 'm f g g M THEIR ATTORNEYS AL 3,011,699 ASH REGISTERS HINES Dec. 5, 1961 E. ZURBUCHEN ET REPEAT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR 0 AND ACCOUNTING MAC Filed Jan. 8, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.9

REGISTE;

LOCKED REGISTER INVENTORS BUGHEN a RNER THEIR ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1961 L. E. ZURBUCHEN ET AL REPEAT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 8, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS LOUIS E. ZURBUCHEN 8 FRANK R. WERNER THEIR ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1961 Filed Jan. 8, 1958 L. E. ZURBUCHEN ET AL REPEAT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REGISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS FRANK R. WERNER QQM 4 m M; %n M.

THEIR ATTORNEYS LOUIS E.ZURBUCHEN a I,

United States Patent 3,011,699 REPEAT CONTROL MECHANISM FOR CASH REG- ISTERS AND ACCOUNTING MACHINES Louis E. Zurbuchen and Frank R. Werner, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to The National Cash Register Company,

Dayton, Ohio, 'a corporation of Maryland Filed Jan. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 707,774 7 Claims. (Cl. 235-11) This invention relates to cash registers and accounting machines and is particularly directed to means for controlling the amount-repeating mechanism of such machines.

One object of this invention is to provide means to control the amount-repeating mechanism of cash registers and accounting machines to insure proper operation thereof and thus to prevent maloperation of the machine and the possibility of damage to the machine mechanism resulting therefrom.

Another object is the provision of means to prevent operation of the machine when said machine is not properly conditioned for either an amount-repeating operation or an amount-non-repeat operation.

Still another object is to provide means to prevent operation of the machine when a control key is retained in operated condition at the end of either a repeat operation or a non-repeat operation, or when said control key is operated prior to the end of such operations.

A further object is to provide means to prevent operation of the machine when certain control keys remain in operated condition at the end of a repeat operation and an attempt is made to condition the machine for an amount-non-repeating operation or a totalizing operation.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a right side elevation of the machine taken just to the right of one of the amount banks, showing said bank and the differential mechanism associated therewith for transmitting the data set up on the amount keys to the printing and indicating mechanisms and to the selected totalizers.

FIG. 2 is a right side elevation taken just to the right of the Row 2 transaction or control keys, showing the control mechanism of said bank and a part of the coupling pinion operating and controlling mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a detail view of the coupling pinion supporting and operating mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a detail view showing a portion of the repeat disabling mechanism and means for resetting said disabling mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the mechanism actuated by certain control keys for controlling the repeat mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a detail view of the mechanism actuated by a particular control key for controlling the repeat mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a detail view of the total control lever and means associated therewith for controlling the repeat mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail view of the zero stop mechanism for one of the amount banks.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic plan view of the keyboard of the machine embodying the present invention.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are detail views of the repeat control mechanism, showing said mechanism in position to free 3,011,699 Patented Dec. 5, 1961 the machine-releasing means for operation, to initiate a repeat operation.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are detail views showing the repeat control mechanisms of FIGS. 10 and '11 in position to free the machine-releasing mechanism for operation to initiate a non-repeat operation.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are detail views showing the repeat control mechanism in position to block operation of the machine-releasing means when a Row 2 control key is retained depressed at the end of a repeat operation.

FIG. 16 is a detail view showing the repeat control mechanism and the manner in which it functions to obstruct operation of the machine-releasing mechanism when a Row 2 control key is retained depressed at the end of a non-repeat operation.

FIG. 17 is a detail view showing the manually-operable key release lever and the mechanism operated thereby for moving the obstructing means shown in FIG. 16 to ineffective position, so that the machine-releasing mechanism is free to operate.

FIG. 18 is a right side elevation of the Row 2 control keys and the mechanism associated therewith for initiating operation of the machine.

FIG. 19 is a right side elevation of the key release lever shown in FIG. 17 and the mechanism associated therewith for rocking the key lock and release line from its central or home position in a restoring direction to release any inadvertently depressed amount or control keys.

The machine chosen to illustrate the present invention has many basic principles and features, similar to those of a well-known type of cash register, which is fully disclosed in the following United States patents: No. 1,816,263, issued July 28, 1931; No. 1,929,652, issued October 10, 1933; No. 2,048,200, issued July 21, 1936; and No. 2,056,485, issued October 6, 1936, all to William H. Robertson.

Reference may be had to the above-listed patents for a history of the development of the pioneer machines of this type and for a complete disclosure of mechanism used in the present machine which is similar to the corresponding mechanism of the pioneer or basic machines, and which for that reason will be described only in gen eral terms in the present application.

Likewise, the machine embodying the present invention is practically identical in its appearance and in many of its structural details to the machines disclosed in the co-pending applications for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 341,633, filed March 11, 1953, by Frank R. Werner, Kenneth C. Flint, and Walter G. Sterzer which issued into United States Patent No. 2,880,- 930, April 7, 1959 and Serial No. 412,464, filed February 25, 1954, by Frank R. Werner and Kenneth C. Flint, which issued into United States Patent No. 2,962,209 on November 29, 1960, and to which patents reference may be had for a full disclosure of similar mechanism, which is illustrated in the present application and which will be described only in general terms unless it has a direct bearing on the present invention.

Machine in General The mechanism of the subject machine is supported by right and left side frames, only the left frame 101 being shown here (FIG. 1), and by corresponding auxiliary frames (not shown) secured to the upper ends of said right and left frames, which latter are in turn secured at their lower ends to a machine base plate 102. The base plate 102 rests in and is secured to a shallow pan (not shown) in turn secured to the top surface of a drawer base (not shown), which base contains one or more cash drawers (not shown), which open automatically at the end of certain machine operations and which 3 may be opened manually by authorized persons having a key to the right-hand closure of a machine case or cabinet (not shown). The cabinet encloses the mechanism of the machine and is constructed of suitable ma terial, such as sheet metal or plastic, and said cabinet is secured at its lower edge to the machine base plate 102 by suitable screws, which engage threadedholes in said base plate. The right and left side frames are maintained in proper spaced-apart relation-ship to each other by the base plate 102, by a back plate 119 (FIG. 1), se cured between said side frames, and by various cross bars, plates, rods, and shafts.

The details of construction of the machine framework are not shown here but are fully disclosed in the previ-.

ously mentioned applications, Serial No. 341,633, now Patent No. 2,880,930, and Serial No. 412,464, now

Patent No. 2,962,209.

action or control keys 104 to 108 inclusive, a Row 2 of transaction or control keys 109 to 113 inclusive, a

row of Clerks keys 114, and a key release lever 115 for I releasing any depressed keys prior to operation of the machine. The keyboard of the machine also includes a total control lever 116, often refer-red to as a Unit Lock Lever, which is movable to various positions to control the different functions of the machine, said positions including Register, Locked Register, Read Row 1, Reset Row 1, Read Row 2, and Reset Row 2 positions. The total control lever 116 (FIGS. 7 and 9) has incorporated therein a lock 117, provided with two or more keys (not shown), one of which permits said lever to be locked in either Register position or Locked Regis- V ter position, so that said lever may not be moved out of these positions by unauthorized persons not in possession of said key.

The total control lever 116 is normally locked against movementinto either Reset Row 1 or Reset Row 2 position, and the second key is a special reset key which, in cooperation with the lock 117, unlocks said total control lever, so that it' may be moved to either of its reset positions. This makes it impossible for persons not in possession of a resetkey to move the total control lever to either of its reset positions for the purpose of clearing the amounts from any of the totalizers on the No. 1 and No. 2 totalizer lines.

Each of the rows of amount keys 103 (FIGS. 1 and 9) has associated therewith a corresponding amount differential mechanism, which causes the amount set up on said keys to be entered into the selected totalizer and positions the corresponding front and back indicato r s 118 (FIG. 1), only one front indicator being shown here. Likewise, the Row 1 and Row 2 control keys 104 to 113 inclusive have associated therewith corresponding transaction differential mechanisms for positioning corresponding front and back transaction indicators (not shown) according to the dispressed key, to indicate visibly the kind of transaction being performed. The front and back indicatorsare visible through corresponding openings in the upper portion of the machine case or cabinet.

In addition to positioning the indicators, the amount differential mechanisms and the transaction differential mechanisms position corresponding type wheels for printing values corresponding to the depressed amount keys .and for printing identifying characters or symbols,

corresponding to the effective control keys, upon a detail audit strip (not shown) and upon an issuing receipt (not shown) or, if desired, upon an insertable slip (not shown). The Clerks keys 114 also are provided with a differential mechanism for positioning corresponding type wheels for printing identifying characters upon the record material. The mechanism for printing records upon the record material is not disclosed herein but is fully disclosed in the previously-mentioned United States application Serial No. 341,633, new Patent No. 2,880,930.

The machine is normally driven by the usual type of small electric motor, not shown here but disclosed in the application Serial No. 341,633, now Patent No. 2,880,- 930; however, in emergencies the machine may be operated manually by means of a hand crank (not shown),

which is inserted through an opening provided therefor in the machine case. A rockable shutter (not shown) normally closes the opening for the hand crank.

The present machine is provided with two lines of interspersed totalizers (FIG. 1), and in the present adaptation the No. 1 line, which is controlled by the Row 1 control keys 104 to 108 inclusive (-FIG. 9), has four sets of interspersed totalizer wheels thereon, and the No. 2 totalizer line, which is controlled by the Row 2 control keys 109 to 113 inclusive, has five sets of interspersed totalizer wheels thereon, said totalizer lines being shiftable laterally under control of their corresponding control keys to align the selected set of totalizer wheels thereon with the amount differential mechanism for actuation thereby. Likewise, the control keys, in conjunction with the total control lever 116, control the engaging and disengaging movements of the selected totalizer with and from the differential mechanism for entering amounts into said selected totalizer wheels and for the taking of totals therefrom. Each totalizer line is provided with a tens transfer mechanism for transferring tens digits from lower to higher denominations.

In the ensuing pages, mechanism pertinent to the present invention will be described in detail.

Detailed description-Amount keys and difierential mechanism therefor As explained previously, the present machine is provided with five rows of amount keys 103 (FIG. 9), and each row of amount keys is provided with a correspond ing differential mechanism for transferring the value of the depressed key to the indicating and printing mechanisms, and for setting the selected set of totalizer wheels in accordance with the value of said depressed amount key. Inasmuch as the five amount banks are similar in construction, it is believed that a description of the amount bank illustrated in FIG. 1, as representative of all the amount banks, will be suflicient.

The amount keys 103 (FIGS. 1 and 9) are slidably supported in corresponding slots in a key frame removably attached to the machine by means of rounded notches in opposite ends thereof, which engage corresponding cross rods 126 and 127 supported by the machine framework. The rod 126 is undercut to form a flat surface which permits the key frame 125 to be removed from the machine when said rod is turned counterclockwise substantially ninety degrees from the position in which it is shown in FIG. 1. The turning of the rod 126 moves its undercut portion into position to provide clearance for the inner edge of the upper notch in the frame 125, thus permitting said frame to be rocked forwardly, or counter-clockwise, out of engagement with said rod and then to be lifted off of the lower rod' 127. Each key 103 is urged upwardly to undepressed position by a corresponding compressible spring 128 (FIG. 1), which springs encircle the lower ends of the stems of said keys and are confined between shouldersformed on said keys, adjacent the stems, and a finished arcuate surface formed in the frame 125. Each of the amount keys 103 (FIG. 1) carries a stud 129, which coacts with a corresponding hook on a locking detent 130 mounted for swinging movement on the inner ends of parallel links 131 and 132, in turn pivoted on studs 133 and 134 secured in the frame 125. A spring 135 urges the locking detent 130 inwardly, or to the right (FIG. 1), to normally maintain the angular camming nose on the hook of said detent in yielding engagement with its corresponding stud 129 in the key 103.

Depression of any one of the amount keys 103, in the denominational order being described, causes the stud 129 therein, in cooperation with the angular nose on the corresponding hook, to shift the detent 130 downwardly as the links 131 and 132 rock clockwise. This moves a lower surface, on a downward extension 136 of said link 132, into the path of an ear 137 on an arm 138, secured on a key lock and release shaft 139, journaled in the machine framework, to block releasing movement of said arm and said shaft in a clockwise direction, when an amount key 103 is partially depressed. Full depression of an amount key moves a flat upper surface on the stud 129 beyond the shoulder of its corresponding hook to free the detent 130to the action of the spring 135, which immediately returns said detent upwardly a slight distance to latch the shoulder formed on said hook over the flat surface on the stud, to retain said amount key in depressed position against the action of the spring 128 and to restore the link 132 sufficiently counter-clockwise to move the extension 136 out of the path of the ear .137.

Release of the machine for operation frees the shaft 139 and the arm 138 for clockwise releasing movement (FIG. 1), causing the ear 137 to move into the path of an arcuate surface formed on the extension 136 to obstructdownward movement of the locking detent 130 and thus to lock the depressed amount key 103 in depressed position and simultaneously lock the undepressed amount keys in this row against depression during machine operation. Near the end of each machine operation, the shaft 139 and the arm 138 are restored counterclockwise, in the manner disclosed in the application Serial No. 341,633, now Patent No. 2,880,930, causing the outer surface on said arm 138 to engage a stud 140 in the link 132 and rock said link clockwise to shift the detent 130 downwardly against the action of the spring 135 to disengage the shoulder on the hook of said detent from the stud 129 of the depressed amount key 103, to free said key to the action of its spring 128, which immediately restores said key upwardly to undepressed position. The depressed amount key 103 may be released prior to machine operation by the manual operation of the key release lever 115 (FIGS. 9 and 17), which rocks the shaft 139 and the arm 138 counterclockwise a slight distance from their normal positions, as shown in FIG. 1, to release the depressed amount key, in the manner explained above.

The lower ends of the stems of the amount keys 103 (FIG. 1) are arranged to cooperate with a projection 145 on a corresponding primary differential member 146, which, with its associated secondary differential member 148, is rotatably supported in adjacent relationship on a shaft 147 journaled in the main frames of the machine. The primary and secondary differential members are actuated by a leading rod or bail 149 (FIG. 1) supported between two similar arms 150 (only one shown here) secured on the shaft 147, said rod passing through and coacting with a curved slot 151 in the primary member 146 and with a corresponding curved slot 152 in the secondary member 148. The rod 149 oscillates first clockwise and then back to normal position (FIG. 1) to actuate the differential mechanism during each cycle of machine operation.

The secondary differential member 148 (FIG. 1) has, on its periphery, gear teeth which mesh with corresponding teeth in an intermediate gear 153 free on a shaft 154 supported in the machine framework. The gear 153 meshes'with teeth in the periphery of a segmental transmission gear 155, having internal teeth which bear on the periphery of a disk 156 supported by a shaft 157 in turn supported by the main frames 100 and 101. The internal teeth of the segment 155 (FIG. 1) mesh with a pinion 158 mounted on a square shaft 159 rotatably supported by disks similar to the disk 156. Other pinions on the shaft 159 mesh with and drive segments similar to the segment 155, which segments in turn drive corresponding type wheels (not shown) for printing records on an issuing receipt, on an audit or detail strip, and, in some cases, upon an insertable slip. The transmission gearing comprising the internal-external segment 155, the pinion 158, the shaft 159, and corresponding pinions and segments driven by said shaft constitutes the Kreider type of transmission mechanism, which is well known in the art.

Large teeth 160 in the upper periphery of the segment 155 (FIG. 1) mesh with a corresponding pinion 161, integral with the corresponding front indicator 118, free on a shaft 162 supported by the indicator framework. The front indicator 118 is visible through an aperture in the front of the machine case or cabinet, while a companion back indicator (not shown) is visible through an aperture in the back of said cabinet and is positioned in unison with the corresponding front indicator by means of the pinion 158, the shaft 159, and corresponding pinions and segments (not shown) in the well-known and usual manner.

After the primary differential member 146 (FIG. 1) has been positioned under influence of the depressed amount key 103, and after the secondary member 148 has been restored to zero position, as will be explained presently, the two members are clutched together for unitary positioning movement by a clutch or coupling pinion 170, free on a rod 171 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3) supported by three parallel arms 172. Two of the arms 172 are fixedly secured to a sleeve 169 in turn free on a shaft 173 journaled in the machine framework, while the third arm 172 is free on a reduced portion of a sleeve 168 (FIG. 2), in turn free on the shaft 173. The central arm 172 (FIG. 3) has pivotally connected thereto the upper ends of two rrns 174 and 175. The upper surface of a notch 176 in the arm 174, and the lower surface of a notch 177 in the arm 175, are positioned to cooperate with the corresponding surfaces on a stud =178 mounted in a cam lever 179 (FIG. 2), free on a shaft 180 supported in the machine framework and carrying rollers 181 and 182, which coop erate with the peripheries of companion plate cams 183 and 184- secured on a main cam shaft 185 journaled in the machine framework and driven one clockwise revolution (FIG. 2) each machine operation. A second stud 186, fixed in the lever 179, cooperates with a notch 187 in the arm 174, to guide the movement of said arm. A spring 188 (FIG. 3) urges the arm 175 counter-clockwise to normally retain the lower surface of the notch 177 in coacting relationship with the lower surface of the stud 178. As previously explained, depression of one of the amount keys 103 moves the lower end of its stern into the path of the projection 145 of the primary differential member 146. After this, the machine may be released for operation by depression of the appropriate one of the control keys 104 to 113 inclusive (FIG. 9).

Using the Produce key 110 (FIGS. 9 and 18) as an example of all of the control keys, the pin 273 in said key 110 coacts with the corresponding one of several curved cam slots 1189 in a release control plate 1190 rockably supported in the control key framework by being pivotally connected to the inner ends of two similar links 1192, only one shown, the outer ends of said links being pivotally supported on stationary studs 1193 secured in the control key framework. A spring 1191 urges the control plate 1190 rearwardly or clockwise to maintain extensions, formed on the outer or left-hand well of the cam slots 1189, in yielding contact with the pins 273. An inward extension formed on the lower end of the control plate 1190 (FIG. 18) carries a stud 1194, which engages a slot in a release pawl 1195, rotatably supported on the shaft 173. A forward extension 1197 of the pawl 1195 coacts with a stud 1198 secured in the upper end of a release arm 1199 secured on the keylock and release shaft 139.

Depressing the Produce key 110 (FIG. 18) causes the stud 273, in cooperation with the cam slot 1189, to shift ment of the shaft 139, the arm 1199, and the stud 1193 moves said stud above and in the 'path of a curved surface 1200, formed on the upper edge of the extension 1197, to retain the pawl 1195 and the control plate 1190 in their counter-clockwise or released positions, whereupon the slot 1189, coacting with the stud 273 in the depressed key 110, retains said key in a depressed position against the action of its restoring spring 128 for the duration of machine operation.

Near the end of machine operation, the release shaft 139, the arm 1199, and the stud 1198 are restored counterclockwise from tripped position through home posilines in FIG. 18, to move said stud 1198 beyond the surface 1200 to free the pawl 1195 and the control plate 1190 for restoring movement, whereupon the spring 1191 restores said parts upwardly or clockwise to normal position, said spring 1191 being assisted by the spring 128, which at the same time restores the depressed key 110 upwardly to undepressed or normal position.

A rather simple mechanism, associated with the releasing mechanism, is provided for preventing unintentional repeat cycling of the machine. This mechanism includes a non-repeat pawl 1201 (FIG. 18) free on the shaft 173 and flexibly connected to the release pawl 1195 by a spring 1202, which urges said pawls toward each other to normally maintain a stud 1203, carried by said pawl 1201, in yielding engagement with the upper edge of said release pawl 1195. The outer end of the non-repeat pawl .tion to full restored position, indicated by dot-and-dash 1201 extends beyond the end of the release'pawl 1195 and overlies the stud 1198 in the arm 1199.

Downward lor counter-clockwise movement of the release pawl 1195, upon depression of one of the motorized control keysfor example, the Produce key 110- as explained before, carries the non-repeat pawl 1201 counter-clockwise in unison therewith until the outer end of said pawl 1201 comes to rest on top of the stud 1198 in the arm 1199, after which the outer end 1197 of said release pawl 1195 moves beyond said stud 1198 torelease the machine for operation in the manner explained before.

In case the control key 110 is retained depressed,

either unintentionally or otherwise, at the end of machine operation, the release controlplate 1190 and the release pawl 1195 are retained in their counter-clockwise or downward positions, and therefore cannot return upwardly or clockwise when the shaft 139 and the arm 1199 are restored counter-clockwise near the end of machine operation, as explained before. Full restoring movement counter-clockwise of the shaft 139 and the arm 1199 moves the stud 1198 beyond the outer end of the nonrepeat pawl 1201, whereupon the spring 1202 moves said pawl counter-clockwise into the path of said stud 1198 to obstruct releasing movement of the arm 1199 and the shaft 139, thereby preventing a repeat cycle of the machine.

When pressure is removed from the key 110, the control plate 1190 and the release pawl 1195 are springrestored upwardly in the manner explained before, during which restoration said pawl 1195 engages the stud 1199 are immediately spring-returned a slight distance clockwise from full restored position to their normal or home positions, as determined by said stud 1198'engaging the extension 1197 of the release pawl 1195.

At the beginning of machine operation, the cams 183 and 184, (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3) cause the lever 179 and the arm to rock the arms 172 and the rod 171 clockwise, to disengage the teeth of the clutch pinion 170 from the corresponding teeth of the primary and secondary diiferential members 146 and 148. Coincidentally with the disengagement of the pinion 170, the teeth of said pinion are engaged with a corresponding aligning'tooth 189 (FIG. 1) on an arm 190 secured on a shaft 191 supported by the machine framework, to maintain said teeth in alignment with the corresponding teeth of the diiferential members to eliminate any danger of theteeth clashing or stumbling on each other upon engaging movement of said pinion with said differential members.

Immediately after the clutch pinion 170 has been disengaged, the rod 149 (FIG. 1) starts its initial movement clockwise, and the primary differential member moves in unison therewith under influence of a comparatively strong spring 192, which normally maintains the rear end of the slot 151, in said primary member, in yieldingengagement with said rod 149. The rod 149 and the primary diiferential member 146 move clockwise in unison until the projection 145 strikes the inner end of the depressed amount key 103, thus terminating clockwise movement of said primary diiferential member and positioning it in accordance with the value of the depressed key. The leading rod 149 continues its initial clockwise movement independently of the primary differential member, during which movement it engages the forward end of the slot 152 in the secondary differential member 148 and carries said member and the mechanism connected thereto, including the corresponding indicators and type wheels, from their preset positions to a normal, or zero, position.

After the primary differential member has been positioned, and after the secondary differential member has been restored to normal, or zero, position, as explained above, the clutch pinion 170 (FIG. 1) is reengaged with the teeth in said primary and secondary members to conple said members together with unitary movement. In its counter-clockwise return movement, the rod 149 (FIG. 1) engages the rear end of the slot 151 in the primary differential member- 146 andcarries said member and, through the clutch pinion 170, the secondary difierential member 148 eounter-clockwise in unison therewith, to return said primary memberto normal, or zero, position, as shown in FIG. 1, and to position the secondary member 148 and the mechanism connected thereto in accordance with the value of the depressed amount key103.

When the machine is operatedwith. no amount key 103 depressed in the amount bank being described, a zero stop bar 193 (FIGS. 1 and 8) is automatically moved into the path of the projection 145 at the beginning of machine operation, and retains the primary differential member 146 in zero position, and said primary member in turn positions the secondary'differential member 148 and the corresponding indicators and type wheels in "zero position. Depression of an amount key 103 causes the zero stop bar 193 to be; latched in ineifective position, so that it will not be moved into the path of the projection 145; V f

The inner end of the zero stop bar 193 (FIGS. 1 and 8) is guided in a slotin the frame 125, while its outer end is slotted to embrace the stud 134 in said frame 125. A spring 194 urges the bar 193 inwardly to normally maintain a stud 195 (FIG. 8), carried thereby, inyieldin'g contact with an' upward extension of a zero stop bar control arm 196 free on the shaft 191 and having a'slot 197, which engages a stud 198 in the arm 138. Clockwise totalizer wheels 217 mounted thereon.

releasing movement of the shaft 139 and the arm 138 causes the stud 198 to move down into a clearance portion of the slot 197 to free the arm 196 and the zero stop bar 193 to the action of the spring 194, which immediately shifts said bar inwardly to the dot-and-dash-line position shown in FIG. 1, into the path of the projection 145 to hold the primary differential member 146 in zero position when no amount key 103 is depressed. The primary differential member then positions the secondary differential member 148 and the corresponding indicators and type wheels in accordance with the zero positioning of the primary member.

Depression of an amount key 103 (FIG. 1) causes the stud 129 therein, in cooperation with the corresponding camming lug on a control plate 199 rockably supported by an upper link 205 and a lower link 200 pivoted on the studs 133 and 134, respectively, to shift said plate 199 downwardly against the action of a spring 201.

' Downward movement of the plate 199 shifts the link 200 also downwardly, or clockwise, to latch a curved slot 202 in a hook-shaped rearward end thereof over a stud 203 (FIGS. 1 and 8) in the zero stop bar 193, to retain said bar in its ineffective position, so that the primary differential member 146 may be positioned by the depressed amount key 103. Counter-clockwise restoring movement of the arm 138, through the stud 198 coacting with the slot 197, causes the arm 196 to restore the zero stop bar 193 outwardly, against the action of the spring 194, to normal position, as shown here in full lines. In sub-totaltaking and total-taking operations, often referred to herein as reading and resetting operations, mechanism is provided for retaining all of the zero stop bars 193 for the amount banks in their outward, or ineffective, positions, so that the primary differential members 146 are free to be positioned under influence of the wheels of the selected totalizer as said wheels are reversely rotated to zero position by said primary differential members.

Totalizers As previously mentioned, the present machine is provided with two lines of interspersed totalizer wheels, including a No. l totalizer line 216 having four sets of totalizer wheels 215 (FIG. 1) mounted thereon, and a No. 2 totalizer line 218 having five sets of interspersed The No. l and No. 2- totalizer lines are shiftable longitudinally to aline the selected sets of totalizer wheels 215 and 217 with the primary members 146, and said lines are also shiftable inwardly and outwardly to engage and disengage the teeth of the selected totalizer wheels with and from the corresponding teeth in the periphery of said primary differential members, for actuation thereby. The construction and operation of the mechanisms for selecting the totalizers and for engaging and disengaging the selected totalizers are not described in the present application but are fully disclosed in the application Serial No. 412,464,

now Patent No. 2,962,209, to which reference may be had if a detailed description thereof is required.

Aliners for differential and indicator mechanisms Aliner mechanisms are provided for the segments 155 and for the corresponding indicators 118, to aline said parts after they have been positioned under influence of the corresponding keys in adding operations or under influence of the corresponding totalizer wheels in totalizing operations.

Thetransmission segment 155 for the amount differential mechanism, used here as representative of all the amount differentials, has aliner teeth 228 arranged to be engaged by an aliner bar 229 supported on three similar arms 230 (only one shown here) secured on a shaft 231 journaled in the machine framework. Also secured on the shaft 231 is a crank 232 pivotally connected by a link 233 to one arm of a bell crank 234 free on a rod 235 supported by the machine framework. The other arm 10 of the bell crank 234 is pivotally connected by a link 236 to a downward arm of a cam lever 237 free on the shaft 180 and carrying rollers 238 and 239, which coact, respectively, with the peripheries of companion plate cams 240 and 241 secured on the main cam shaft 185.

Operation of the cams 240 and 241 engages the aliner bar 229 with the teeth 228 of the segment 155, after said segment has been positioned under influence of the differential mechanism and prior to operation of the printing mechanism, to insure that said parts are held in set positions. After the printing mechanism has operated, and after the selected set of totalizer wheels has been disengaged from the primary differential member 146, the aliner bar 229, assisted by a spring 242, is disengaged from the teeth 228, said spring being tensioned between the link 233 and a stud in the back plate 119, which spring yieldingly maintains said bar in disengaged position at the end of machine operation.

The pinion 161 for the indicator 118 for the amount differential mechanism, shown in FIG. 1, is normally engaged by the tooth of an indicator alining pawl 243 secured on a shaft 244 journaled in the indicator framework. The shaft 244 is urged counter-clockwise by a spring 245 tensioned between a stationary stud (not shown) and an arm 246 secured on said shaft 244. Also secured on the shaft 244 is a crank 247 pivotally connected by a link 248 to a rearward arm of a bell crank 249 (FIG. 1) free on the rod 235. Movement of the bell crank 249 is operatively controlled by a plate cam (not shown) secured on the main cam shaft 185. As fully disclosed in the application Serial No. 341,633, now Patent No. 2,880,930, operation of said plate cam first causes the aliner pawl 243 to be rocked clockwise, against the action of the spring 245, out of engagement with the pinion 161 at the beginning of machine operation, to free the indicator 118 for positioning under influence of the differential mechanism, in the manner explained before. After the indicator 118 has been properly positioned, said cam permits the spring 245 (FIG. 1) to re-engage the tooth of the pawl 243 with the pinion 161 to aline and retain the indicator 118 in set position during the re mainder of the cycle of machine operation.

Repeat mechanism The present machine is provided with a novel mechanism for repeating the amount of a previous transaction without foreknowledge on the part of the operator that such amount is to be repeated. The amount of a previous transaction may be repeated in a subsequent transaction, snbject to the conditions that no amount key be depressed in said transaction, and that the proper control key be depressed to initiate a repeat operation. This type of repeat mechanism is particularly useful in connection with self-service or supermarket check-out systems, where the operator may be required to successively check a number of similar items of the same price, such as cartons of milk, canned goods, bars of soap, etc., by initiating successive repeat operations by depressing the proper transaction key for each repeat operation.

Obviously it is not the intention to limit the repeat mechanism to a check-out system, or to any particular business system, for that matter, for it is apparent that said repeat mechanism may be used to advantage in connection with many other business systems.

As stated previously, the coupling pinion (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3) is moved in and out of mesh with the primary and secondary differential members 146 and 148 'by the companion cams 183 and 184. Means is provided for disconnecting the members supporting the pinion 170 from the cam following lever 179, so that said pinion will remain engaged with the differential members at the beginning of machine operation. In this event, if no amount key is depressed, and the proper transaction or control key is depressed to initiate an amountrepeating operation, the primary differential member 146 Will move with and be positioned by the corresponding secondary differential member 148 as the latter is restored to normal or zero position by the leading rod 149 at the beginning of machine operation, and thus the setting of the primary differential member, under influence of the de pressed amount key in the previous non-repeat operation, will be duplicated, to repeat the amount in the succeeding operation.

The arm 175 (FIGS. 2 and 3) has a slot engaged by a stud 261 in the lower end of an arm 262 secured to one end of the sleeve 163, which, as previously explained, is free on the shaft 173. Secured on the other end of the sleeve 168, in fixed relation to the arm 262, is an arm 263 having a notch 264, which embraces a stud 265 secured to a lever 266 free on the shaft 147. A second stud 267 on the lever 266 is arranged to coact with a surface 268 formed by a cut-out portion in a detent 269 rockably mounted between the two rows of transaction keys, by a lever 316 pivoted between said detent and a stud 317, and by a slot in said detent, which engages a stud (not shown), said studs being secured in the machine framework. The detent269 (FIG. 2) is provided with a plurality of upstanding fingers 270, each finger having cam surfaces 271 and 272, arranged to coact withcorresponding studs 273 secured in the stems of the Row 2 transaction keys-109, 110, 111, and 112,

respectively, and in the Grocery key 106.

When any one of the above-mentioned transaction or control keys is depressed, without an amount key 103 having been previously depressed, the stud 27 3 in the stem of such key will coact with the cam surface 271 of the corresponding finger 270 to shift the detent 2'69 counterclockwise, or downward, as viewed in FIG. 2. This causes the surface 268 on the detent 269 to engage the stud 267 and shift the lever 266 counter-clockwise about the shaft 147, which in turn imparts a clockwise movement to the arms 263 and 262 about the shaft 173, thus rocking the arm 175 sufiiciently clockwise to move the lower surface of the notch 177 therein (FIGS. 2 and 3) out of operative relation with the stud 178 on the lever effective to disengage the coupling pinion 170 from the differential members 146 and 148, thus causing said members to remain clutched together for unitary movement, upon operation of the leading rod 149. Clockwise movement of the arm 175, as described above, moves a stud 274, carried thereby, into engagement with the curved upper edge of a retaining member 275 (FIG. 2) secured in the machine framework, to retain the arms 172 against movement, thus preventing accidental disengagement of the pinion 170 from the differential members 146 and 148, because of gravity or other factors, such as vibration or jarring of the machineg It will be recalled that at the end of machine operation the secondary differential member 148 (FIG. 1) is left standing in the position to which it was adjusted under control of the depressed amount key 103, and that the primary differential member 146 is always returned to its home or zero position. In repeat operations, the secondary differential member 148 is used for controlling the positioning of the primary differential member 146. As no amountkeys 103 are depressed in repeat operations, the primary differential member 146 will move clockwise under initial movement of the leading rod 149 and carry the secondary differential member 148 in unison therewith until stopped by means other than an amount key. This means consists of a stop surface 276 (FIG. 1), formed on the secondary differential member 148, which surface moves into engagement with the periphery of the gear 153 and thus stops said secondary differential member 148 in its zero or home position. In repeat operations, the arm 175 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is disconnected from the lever 179, and therefore, when the machine starts to operate, the coupling pinion 179 will not be disengaged from'the differential members 146 and 148, and

the stud 274, coacting with the retaining member 275,

will hold said pinion in positive engagement with said differential members. Therefore, restoration of the secondarydiiferential member 148 to its zero position will simultaneously position the primary differential member 146 according to the value standing on said secondary member at the end of the preceding operation, thereby setting up in said primary member the amount previously standing on'said secondary member 148. During the return movement of the rod 149, the coupling pinion 176 remains engaged with the primary and secondary differential members; therefore, member 146 will be returned to its home position, and member 148 will be returned to the position in whichit was standing at the beginning of the repeat operation.

It is to be understood that the differential mechanisms forall' the amount banks function in exactly the same manner as described above for the amount bank shown in FIG. 1, which is used as representative of all said amount banks.

During a repeat operation, the corresponding wheel of the selected totalizer is engaged with and disengaged from the primary differential member 146 in exactly the same timing as for any other adding operation, and therefore the amount previously standing on the secondary differential member 148 will. again be added into the corresponding totalizer wheel. Simultaneously, the indicators and the type carriers will be adjusted in the same manner as described before for an adding operation.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the arm'175 is connected to and operates only the coupling pinions for the amount banks and has no effect upon the coupling pinions for the Row 1 and Row 2 transaction or control keys and the row of Clerks keys 114. The coupling pinions 170 for the two control rows and the Clerks bank are rotatably supported on arms (not shown) secured to the shaft 173, and said shaft'is operatively connected to companion plate cams (not shown) secured on the main cam shaft 185. At the beginningof each cycle of machine operation, the coupling pinions 170 for the Clerks bank and the two control rows are disengaged from their corresponding primary and secondary differential members, re-engagement of said pinions being effected after proper positioning of said primary differential members. The differential mechanisms for the two transaction banks and for the Clerks bank are controlled in repeat operations in the same manner as in a regular or normal adding operation.

As previously explained, in a repeat operation, the primary differ'entialvmember 146 for the amount bank being described is moved under, control of its'corresponding secondary member 148, and for this reason it is necessary to retain the zero stop bar 193 forsaid bank out of effective position during repeat operations. In adding operations, depression of an amount key causes the associated zero stop bar 193 to beretained in ineffective position; however, in repeat operations, none of the amount keys are depressed, and therefore other means must be provided for retaining the zero stop bars'in ineffective position, so that the corresponding primary differential members are free to be positioned under control of the corresponding secondary differential members, to repeat the amount of the previous operation.

- It will be recalled, by referring to FIGS. 2 and 9, that depression of any one of the control keys 106, 10 9', 110, 111, or 112 for initiating a repeat operation shifts the detent 269 downward, thus rocking the lever 266 counterclockwise about the shaft 147. A forward extension 285 (FIGS. 2 and 5) of the lever 266coacts with a stud 2% fast in an arm 291-free on the shaft 139. The arm 29 1 is connected to a companion arm (not shown) also pivoted on the shaft 139 by rods 292. Counter-clockwise rocking of the lever 266, upon depression of one of the above-mentioned control keys, rocks the arm 291 also counterclockwise, to move the rearward rod 292 into the path of a shoulder 293 (see also FIG. 8) formed on the arms 196 for each amount bank. This obstructs clockwise movement of the arms 196 and thereby retains the zero stop bars 193 in their ineffective position, so that the primary differential members 146 are free to be positioned under the control of the secondary differential members 148 as said members 148 are being reversely rotated to zero in repeat operations. Similarly, the zero stop bars 193 are locked in ineffective position during read and reset operations by mechanism not shown here but fully disclosed in the previously-mentioned United States application Serial No. 341,633, now Patent No. 2,880,930.

. Also free on the shaft 139, and secured in fixed relationship to each other by the rods 292, are a series of arms 294 (FIG. 8), one for each amount bank, the upper ends of which arms 294 are arranged to cooperate with downward extensions 295 on the corresponding control plates 199 for each bank. A spring (not shown) urges the arms 291 and 294 clockwise about the shaft 139.

Depression of the appropriate control or transaction key rocks the arms 291 and 294 counter-clockwise about the shaft 139, in the same manner as previously explained, and thereby moves the upper ends of said arms 294 into the' paths of the corresponding extensions 295 to lock the amount keys 103 against depression'when no amount key 103 has previously been depressed. Likewise, de-

pression of an amount key 103 shifts the corresponding plate 199 (FIGS. 1 and 8) down to move the extensions 295 into the paths of the upper ends of the corresponding arms 294 to obstruct counter-clockwise movement of said arms 294 and 291.

It will thus be seen that, when the proper transaction key has been depressed to initiate a repeat operation, the control plates 199 in the amount banks will be locked against movement, and therefore no amount key can be depressed. It will also be understood that, when an amount key 103 has been depressed, the consequent movement ofthe extension 295 on the corresponding plate 199 will prevent counter-clockwise rotation of the farms 291 and 294 and will consequently, through the stud 290, prevent counter-clockwise rotation of the lever 266.

Repeat mechanism disabling means It is necessary that no amount keys 103 be depressed in repeat operations; therefore, mechanism is provided whereby depression of an amount key 103 renders the repeat mechanism inoperable.

Depression of an amount key 103 shifts the control plate 199 downward (FIG. 1), which in turn causes the link 205 to be rocked clockwise about the stud 133. An extension 300 (FIGS. 1 and 4) of the link 205 coacts with a rod 301, secured between two links 477 and 303 (FIGS. 4 and 5), each of which is pivotally mounted on a stud 304 secured in axial alinement in a correspondingplate 305, in turn secured on the shaft 157 and properly spaced apart, so that one of said plates 305 is adjacent the segment 155 for the first amount bank and the other is adjacent said segment 155 for the second amount bank. Clockwise rocking of the link 205, upon depression of an amount key, through the extension 300,

rocks the links 477 and 303 and the rod 301 counterclockwise (FIGS. 1 and 4) against the force of a spring 306, which is connected to said rod and to a member 307 i secured to a sleeve 308 free on a shaft 309 mounted in 14 connecting the link 315 to said arm 314. The arms 313 and 314 are urged clockwise (FIG. 4) by the spring 306.

The rocking of the link 303, upon depression of an amount key, moves the surface 311 out of engagement with the car 312 to free the arms 313 and 314 for clockwise rotation under influence of the spring 306. This movement is transmitted through the link 315 and the lever 316 (FIG. 2) to the transaction detent 269, to shift said detent upwardly, thus positioning the cam surfaces 272 in the path of movement of the studs 273 in the transaction keys 106, 109, 110, 111, and 112.

With the detent 269 in its upward position, depression of one of the above-recited transaction keys shifts said detent farther upwardly, in relation to the shaft 147, and retains it thus, to render said detent ineffective to shift the lever 266 (FIGS. 2 and 3), and therefore the lower surface ofthe notch 177 on the arm 175 will be retained in the path of the stud .178. The companion cams 183 and 184 will, therefore, remain effective to disengage the coupling pinions from the corresponding sets of primary and secondary differential members 146 and 148 at the beginning of each machine operation,- and a repeat operation will not be performed when an amount key is depressed.

Means are provided for disabling the repeat mechanism upon depression of any of the total-taking control keys 105, 107, or 108, and by depression of the Paid-Out key 104, as will now be explained.

As shown in FIG. 5, a detent 288, free on the shaft 147, has fingers 345 with cam surfaces 346 adapted to coact with the studs 273 in the transaction keys 105, 107, and 108. The detent 288 has, in its upper end, a notch 347 arranged to coact with a stud 348 secured in one arm of a lever 349 pivotally mounted on a stud 350 secured in the machine framework, and said lever 349 is urged counter-clockwise by a spring 351. A stopstud 352, secured in the machine framework, limits the counter-clockwise movement of the lever 349.

Depression of the Sub-Total, Tax Total, or Cash Total keys 105, 107, or 108, respectively, causes the stud 273 in such depressed key to coact with its corresponding cam surface 346, to shift the detent 288 counter-clockwise, or downwardly (FIG. 5), which in turn rocks the lever 349 clockwise. Clockwise movement of the lever 349 causes a surface 353 thereon to engage the rod 301 and rock said rod and the links 477 and 303 counter-clockwise (FIGS. 4

and 5) to disable the repeat mechanism in exactly the same manner as described above. Counter-clockwise shifting of the detent 288 causes a downward extension 289 to coact with the stud 290 to retain the zero stop bars 193 for the amount banks in ineffective position in the manner previously. described. As explained before, depression of an amount key 103 obstructs counter-clockwise movement of the arms 294 and 291 (FIGS. 5 and 8), which, through the stud 290, prevents counter-clockwise movement of the detent 288 to prevent depression of the keys 105, 107, or 108.

As shown in FIG. 6, the Paid-Out key 104 is provided with a separate detent 354 having a finger 355 with a cam surface 356, which coacts with the stud 273 in said key 104. The detent 354 also has a notch 357, which coacts with the stud 348 in the lever 349. This construction is necessary for the Paid-Out key 104, since this key, unlike the Sub-Total, Tax Total, and Cash Total keys, is used in clockwise, or to the left (FIG. 6), which in turn rocks the lever 349 clockwise to disable the repeat mechanism in exactly the same manner as explained for the keys 105, 107 and 108.

The total control lever 116 is provided with means for disabling the repeat mechanism when said lever is moved out of Register position.

to a shaft 361 journaled in they machine framework. Also pinned to the shaft 361 is an arm 363, provided with a control surface 364 having a low portion 365, said control surface arranged to coact'with a stud 367 in a lever 366 pivotally mounted on a stud 368 in a plate 369, similar to the plates 305, and fixed on the shaft 1-57. The lever 366 is provided with a slot through which the rod 301 extends with ample clearance to preclude interference between said rod and said lever. wardly-extending 'finger .1382, arranged to coact with a stud 383 in the repeat-mechanism-disabling lever 349. The spring 351 (FIG. 7) urges the lever 349 counterclockwise, causing the stud 383, coacting with the finger 1382, to urge the lever 366 clockwise, to normally maintain the stud 367 in yielding engagement with the controlsurface 364.-

When the total control lever 116 is in Register position,

relationship with the stud 367, and consequently the lever 366 is held in the position shown here, in which it does not affect the operation of the disabling lever 349. However, when the totalcontrol lever 116 is shifted in either direction out of Register position, a high portion of the control surface 364 coacts with the stud 367 to rock the lever 366 counter-clockwise, which in turn rocks the lever 349 clockwise to disable the repeat mechanism in the manner explained before.

Fast on the shaft 361 is an arm 362 (FIG. 2), carrying a stud 374 engageable with a curved extension of a link 375 free on a stud 376 secured to the machine framework and pivotally connected to one end of a detent 377, said detent connected at its other end to a. link 378 free on a stud 379 secured in the machine framework. The detent 377 is normally .urged in a rearward direction by a spring 380, and said detent has, near its lower end, a notch 381, engageable with a stud 382 secured to the zero stop bar 277 for the Row 1 control bank.

Moving the total control lever 116 (FIGS. 7 and 9) to either Read Row 2 or Reset Row 2 position rocks the shaft 361 and the arm 362 (FIG. 2) counter-clockwise, causing the stud 374, coacting with the curved extension of the link 375, to shift the detent 377 downward to engage the notch 381 with the stud 382 on the zero stop bar 277. This positively retains the zero stop bar 277 in inefiective position during a Read Row 2 or Reset Row 2 operation, thus permitting'the differential members (not shown) for Row 1 toposition other mechanism (not shown), so as to render inoperative a locking means (not shown) which would otherwise lock the total control lever 116 in Read Row 2 or Reset Row 2 position for succeeding machine operations. Inalike manner, depression of any Row 1 control key shifts the detent 377 downward to retain the Formed on the lever 366 is a for- 1 zero stop bar 277 for Row 1 in ineffective position, as

Mechanism is provided for resetting the repeat disabling means at the end of each cycle of machine operation.

Itwill be remembered that the sleeve 308, on which the repeat disabling arms 313 and 314 are secured, is freely supported on'the shaft 309. Also free on the shaft 309, between the sleeve 308 and the left frame 101, is a sleeve (not shown) having secured thereto an arm 392 (FIG. ,4) with-a surface 393 arranged to coact with a stud 394 fast in an arm 395 secured on the sleeve 308. A yieldable link 396 pivotally connects the arm 392 to a crank 397 free on a shaft 398 supported by the machine framework, said crank being normally urged counter-clockwise by a 9 spring 399. The yieldable link 396 comprises two members 400 and 401 slidably connected to each other by studs 40 2 and 403 carried thereby, in cooperation with slots in the. associated member, said studs having tensioned therebetween a spring '404, which normally maintains the link 396 at its maximum length. The crank 397 is pivotally connected by a link 405 to a restoring arm 406 free on a stud 407 fast in the machine framework. The arm 406 has a surface 408 arranged to coact with the shaft to limit downward movement of said arm. The. arm 408 has a cam surface 409. (FIG. 4), which coacts with a stud 410 carried by a drive gear 411 for the main cam shaft 185, said gear being connected to said shaft by a hub 412 thereon, which is pinned to said shaft. The gear 411 drives the main cam shaft through one full clockwise revolution, as viewed in FIG. 4, each cycle of operation, and near the end of each operation the stud 410 contacts the cam surface 409 on the arm 406 and rocks said arm clockwise about its pivot '407. This motion is transmitted, through the link 405, the crank 397, and the yieldable link 396, to the arm 392 and causes'said arm to rock counter-clockwise about the shaft 309.

It will be recalled, by referring to FIG. 4, that, in a non-repeat operation, depression of an amount key causes the link 303 to be rocked counter-clockwise about its pivot 304 to disengage the car 312 from the surface 311, thus permitting the arm 313, the sleeve 308, and the arm 395 to rock clockwise under influence of the spring 306, until such movement is terminated by the stud 394'coming into yielding contact with the. surface 393 on the arm 392. The counter-clockwise rocking movement imparted to the arm 392v by the stud 410, as explained above, is transmitted to the arm 395 by coaction of the surface 393 with the stud 394, because the spring 404 is stronger than the spring 306. Counterclockwise rocking of the arm 395, the sleeve 308, and the arm 313 will restore these parts to normal repeat position, as shown in FIG. 4, and the spring306 will then rock the link 303 clockwise a slight distance to engage the surface 311 with the ear 312 to retain said arms 313, 314, and 395 and the sleeve 308 in said restored position. During a repeat operation, the arms 313, 314, and 395 will be retained in the positions in which they are shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 by the surface 311 and the ear 312, and therefore the counter-clockwise rocking of the arm 392 will have no effect upon these parts. The yieldable construction of the link 396 prevents any possible jamming of the machine mechanism andpossible damage resulting therefrom, in case the arm 392 and connected mechanism are inadvertently held against restoring movement by the retention of a Row 2 control key in depressed condition at the end of a non-repeat operation. I 1

By reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be seen that if in a non-repeat operation the operator, through inadvertence, were to hold down one of thecontrol keys 106, 109, 110, 111, or 112 at the end of machine op- V eration, the detent 269 will be shifted to and held in a position to the right, or, rearwardly of the position in which itis shown in FIG. 2. This movement of the detent 269 acts through the lever 316 and the link 315 to shift the arms 313, 314, and 395 and the sleeve 308 clockwise to their non-repeat positions, and to hold said parts in such position. In this event, the arm 392 would be blocked from rocking counter-clockwise, as viewed in FIG; 4, as the stud 410 rocks the arm 406 clockwise near the end of machine operation. To preventstraining or breaking of the parts of the machine under the above circumstancemthe yieldable link 396 shortens, if necessary, against the. action of the spring 404, to absorb the action of the restoring mechanism.

Mechanism for preventing repeat of a totalizing-or paid-out operation a Mechanism is provided for latching the repeat disabling means in effective position to prevent a repeat operation from being performed immediately following a total-taking operation or a paid-out'operation.

Thedownwardly-extending arm of the repeat disabling lever 349 (FIG. has a flat surface 422 normally engaged by the nose of a hook 421 formed on a latch 420 pivoted on a stud secured in the machine framework. A spring 423 urges the latch 420 counter-clockwise (FIG. 5) to normally maintain the nose of the hook 421 in yielding engagement with the surface 422, as shown here. The latch 420 has a surface 424 arranged to cooperate with a stud 425 secured in the upper end of a lever 426 pivoted on a stud 427 in the detent 288. The extent of movement of the lever 426 is limited by a slot 428 therein, in cooperation with a stud 429 secured in the detent 288. The lever 426 has in its lower end a stud 430 engaged by a notch 431 in the end of an upward extension 432 (FIGS. 2 and 5) of the coupling pinion arm 333.

It will be recalled that, in Paid-Out, Sub-Total, Cash Total, or Tax Total operations, the movement of the detent 354 or 288 (FIGS. 5 and 6), upon depression of the appropriate control key, rocks the lever 349 clockwise to disable the repeat mechanism. This shifts the lower end of the lever 349 out of engagement with the nose of the hook 421, thus freeing the latch 420 to the action of the spring 423, which moves said hook 421 into the path of the downward extension of the lever 349 to obstruct counter-clockwise rotation of said lever out of repeat disabling position. Since the lever 349 is retained in repeat disabling position during the remainder of machine operation, the link 303 (FIG. 4) is also held in its repeat disabling position against restoring movement clockwise and therefore cannot engage the car 312 when the arm 313 is restored counter-clockwise by the repeat resetting mechanism, as explained above. There fore, since the arm 313 is not held in reset position, as shown in FIG. 4, the arm 314 (FIG. 2) is free to shift the detent 269 back to its non-repeat position,in which the cam surfaces 272 are in the path of movement of the studs 273 in the transaction keys. The lever 349 is held in its non-repeat position by the latch 420 during a portion of the next following machine operation until after the cams 183 and 184 (FIG. 2) have imparted counter-clockwise movement to the arm 179 for disengaging the amount clutch pinions 170 from the corresponding amount diiferential members 146 and 148. At the same time, the arm 333 and its extension 432, for the Row 2 clutch pinion 170, then receive clockwise movement, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, causing the lever 426 to rock counter-clockwise, whereupon the stud 425 engages the surface 424 to rock the latch 420 clockwise, against the force of the spring 423. This disengages the hook 421 from the downward extension of the lever 349 and frees said lever to the action of the spring 351, which immedaitely rocks said lever counterclockwise into engagement with the stop stud 352. When the lever 426 is later returned clockwise, the stud 425 moves idly in the enlarged or cut-out portion of the latch 420, adjacent the surface 424.

It should be noted that the disengagement of the latch 420 takes place prior to release of the depressed transaction key and the consequent freeing of the detent 288, Which occur near the end of machine operation.

It should, therefore, be evident that, if a Paid Out, Sub-Total, Tax Total, or Cash Total operation is performed, the repeat disabling lever 349 will be retained in its effective repeat disabling position by the notch 347 in the detent 288, or by the notch 357 in the detent 354 (FIGS. 5 and 6), and the latch 420 will, therefore, again engage the lever 349 to retain it in repeat disabling position upon being freed to the action of the spring 423 by return movement clockwise of the lever 426. On the other hand, if the operation being performed is not a Paid Out, Sub-Total, Tax Total, or Cash Total operation, the detents 288 and 354 will be in the positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and the lever 349 will be free to move under influence of the spring 351 into ineffective 18 or repeat enabling position, as shown here, upon being released by the latch 420.

The above-described repeat mechanism is fully disclosed and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,941,714, issued June 21, 1960, to Frank R. Werner and Louis E. Zurbuchen, inventors, to which patent reference may be had for a more detailed description of mechanism which is described herein in a general way.

Control mechanism for repeat mechanism It was believed at the time the above-described repeat mechanism was developed that the usual control mechanism operating between the Row 1 and Row 2 control keys, and the machine-releasing mechanism, and disclosed principally in FIG. 18 of this application and-in FIGS. 4 and 12 of the application Serial No. 341,633, now Patent No. 2,880,930, and the description in connection therewith, would provide adequate and safe control of the machine cycling functions in repeating and non-repeating operations.

However, upon further testing and extended use of the repeat mechanism, it was found that the usual control mechanism failed under severe conditions of operation, due principally to the closeness in timing between the operation of the releasing mechanism for the depressed Row 1 or Row 2 control key and the restoring of the key lock and release line 139 (FIG. 18) and the consequent restoring of the release pawl 1195 and the nonrepeat pawl 1201. This failure of the usual control mechanism resulted in serious mal-function of the repeat mechanism, and, toovercome this undesirable condition,

the control mechanism of the present application was developed as an adjunct operating in unison with, but independently of, the usual control mechanism, to prevent mal-operation of the machine in repeating and non-repeating operations. The control mechanism of the present application has proven to be an adequate and satisfactory solution to the problem of proper control of the machine cycling functions in repeat and non-repeat operations.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 10, and 12, the machine release and key lock line 139 has secured thereon an arm 450 carrying a stud 451, which engages and coacts with a notch in a downward extension of a lever 452 pivotally supported on a stud 453 secured in the main left frame. The lever 452 carries a stud 454 pivotally supporting an arm 455 with a bent-over sensing finger 456 arranged to sense a control surface comprising a high portion 458 and a low portion or notch 459 on the downward end of a control arm 460 free on a stud 461 secured in the main left frame. The arm 460 carries a stud 462, which extends into and cooperates with a cam slot 463 formed in a downward extension of a lever 464 rotatably mounted on a stud 465 securedin the main left frame. A link 466 pivotally connects the upper end of the lever 464 to an arm 467 secured on the sleeve 308 in fixed rela tionship to the arm 313, said sleeve being free on the shaft 309. 7

Further control is provided for releasing movement of the shaft 139 by mechanism which positions the finger 456 of the arm 455 in relation to the control surface on the arm 460 (FIGS. 10 and 11).

The finger 456 extends into and coacts with a slot 470 in a downward extension of an arm 471 free on the stud 461. The arm 471 carries a stud 472, which engages and coacts with a cam slot 473 in a lever 474 free on the stud 465'. The lever 474 is pivotally connected by a link 475 to an upward extension 476 of a link 477, rotatably supported on one of the axially-alined studs 304 carried by the plates 305, and engaging the shifting rod 301 for unitary movement with said rod, the link 303 and other parts connected to said rod. As previously explained, the machine is normally conditioned for an amount-repeating operation, and under these conditions the arm 460 (FIG. 10) is positioned, as shown here, by the arms 313 and 467, which are retained in clockwise of the shaft 139 and the arm 450, and therefore the machine is free for operation.

Depression of an amount key 103 (FIGS. 1, l0, and

l l) rocks the link 205 clockwise, causing its extension 300, in cooperation with the rod 301, to rock said rod and the links 303 and 477 counter-clockwise to disengage the surface 311 on the extension 310 from the car 312;, to

freethe arm 313, the arm 467, and the sleeve 308 for immediate clockwise movement under springtension, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. Clockwise movement of the arm 467 (FIG. 12), through the link 466, rocks the lever 464 counter-clockwise, causing the slot 463, cooperating with the stud 462, to rock the arm 460 counter-clockwise, from the position shown in FIG. to the position shown in FIG. 12. Likewise, counter-clockwise movement of the link 477, upon depression of an amount-key, as explained above, through the extension 476 and the link 475, rocks the lever 474 also counter-clockwise, causing the cam slot 473, coactingwith the stud 472, to impart counter-clockwise movement to the arm 471. This causes the slot 470 to move the finger 456 into alinement with the undercut portion 459 of the control surface on the arm 460, as shown in FIG. 12, so that releasing movement clockwise of the shaft 139 and the arm 450 is not obstructed, and the machine is free to operate when an amount key'is depressed as an incident to a non-repeat operation.

If a Row 2 control key 109 to 112 inclusive, or the Grocery key 106, is inadvertently or accidentally retained depressed at the end of a repeat operation, or is depressed prior to the end of'said repeat operation (FIGS. 1, 2, and 9), the stud 273, coacting with the corresponding surface 271 on the detent 269, will hold the arm 313 in untripped or restored position, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, at the end of such operation, and in this case depression of an amount key 103, as an incident to a non-repeat operation, will rock the link 303 and the arm 471 counterclockwise to move the finger 456 into the path of the obstructing surface 458 on the arm 460, to obstruct releasing movement of the shaft 139, so that under this condition and upon failure of the non-repeat pawl 1201 (FIG. 18) to function properly, the machine may not be released for operation unless and until the inadvertently-depressed control key is released and restored to *undepressed position, thusfreeing the arm 313 and connected parts for spring-actuated tripping movement to aline the notch 459 with the finger 456 (FIG; 12), so that a non-repeat (adding) operation. may be performed.

Likewise it is desirable that the machine be locked against operation of the Sub-Total key 105 is depressed to initiate a reading operation when one of the keys 109 to 112, or the key 106 is inadvertently retained partially de- 2a depressed and the non-repeat pawl 1201 (FIG, 18) fails to function properly. I

- In the above case, retention of the detent 269 i]: its repeat or counter-clockwise position causes the coupling pinions'170 (FIGS. 2 and 3) to remain engaged with theircorresponding primary and secondary differential members. This defeats. the purpose of a sub-'total-taking operation and would cause mal-operation of the machine and possible damage to the machine mechanism, as it is necessary that the coupling pinions 170 be disengaged at" the beginning of a sub-total operation, at which time the wheels of the totalizer being sub-totalized are engaged with the primary differential members and are reversely rotated by initial movement of said members until the long teeth on said wheels strike fixed stops, which locate said wheels in Zero position and .position the primary differential members accordingly. If" it were possible to.

operate the machine in sub-total or total-taking time with the coupling pinions170 engaged, the secondary differential members then become positive drivers for the corresponding primary differential members andwould drive said members and, in this case, the corresponding engaged totalizer wheels positively in a reverse direction.

If, during this positive driving movement of the totalizer wheels, the long teeth thereon would come into contact with the. zero stops, it is quite probable that said teeth would be broken off, or other mechanism of the machine, including the differential mechanism, strained or forced out of proper alinement, thus causing mal-functioning of the machine in subsequent operations. However, it is the a function of the repeat control mechanism, described above, to render improper operations such as this impossible, thereby protecting the machine against mal-operation and possible damage.

What has beenfsaid above concerning the Sub-Total key 105 applies equally as well to the Tax Total key 107 and the Cash Total key 108 (FIGS. 5 and 9) In non-repeat (adding) operations, tripping of the arm 313 (FIGS. 2 and 4), by depressionof an amount key,

.plained before, to non-repeat position.

If one of the Row 2 keys 109. to 112 inclusive, or the Grocery key 106, were retained depressed at the end of a non-repeat operation, or depressed just prior to the end of such operation, the detent 269 and connected mechanism, including the arm 313, would be'retained in their tripped or non-repeat positions, and operation of the re- Storing mechanism, shown in FIG. 4, would have no effect in restoring said parts to their untripped position,

due to the yieldable construction ofthe link 396, which,

pressed at the end of an immediately-precedingrepeat operation, or is partially-depressed prior to the-end of said repeat operation.

In this case, depression of the Sub-Total key 105 causes the stud 273 (FIG. 5) to rockthe Row l'detent 288 counter-clockwise,which, through the lever 349, rocks'the rod 301 and the links 303 and 477 counterclockwise (FIG. 15), which,through theextension 47.6

. the link 475', and the lever 474; causes thearm 471. to

move the finger 456 into the path of the obstructing 'surface 458 on the arm 460, as shown in FIG. 14, to prevent release of the machine for a sub-total-taking operation when one of the control keys mentioned above is partially V as explained before, operates to restore said mechanism to tion.

The obstruction of restoring movement of the arm 313 (FIGS. 12, .13, and 16) would, through the ear 312, in

untripped position near the end of each machine operacoop'er'ation with the extension 310 of the link 303, also l obstruct-restoring movement of said link, which, through.

the arm 471, would retain the finger 456 in alinement with the 'undercutfnotch 459 of the arm, 460, so that, upon. failure of the non-repeat pawl 1201 (FIG. 18) to function properly, the machine-releasing mechanism would be free to operate, unless otherwise prevented, and

a mal-operation would be the result. Retaining the arm 313 andconnected mechanism, including the lever 464,-in

tripped position, as explained above, causes a cam surface 479 (FIG. 'l6) on said lever 464, incooperation with a 'stud 480inthe upper end of a pawl 481 free on a stud 482 securedin the leftmain frame, to free'said pawl to a the action of'aspring 483, which is tensioned to rock said pawl clockwise. Extreme, or full, clockwise restoring movement of the lever 452 (FIG. 16), near the end of machine operation, moves a surface 485 on the inner end of said lever beneath a downward extension 484 of the pawl 481, whereupon the spring 483 immediately rocks said pawl clockwise into the path of said surface to retain said lever 452, arm 450, and shaft 139 in their normal or home positions, to prevent improper operation of the machine.

In some cases, due to accumulated tolerances or lost motion in the parts, the shaft 139 may move clockwise (FIG. 18) slightly beyond home position, thus permitting the stud 1198 to move over or above the surface 1200 sufficiently to block restoring movement of the plate 1190 and the depressed control key, upon release of pressure on said depressed key.

Before the machine can be operated again, it is necessary to restore the shaft 139 counter-clockwise and to simultaneously move the pawl 481 out of engagement with the surface 485', and this is accomplished by manipulation of the key release lever 115 (FIGS. 9, 16, and 17).

The key release lever 115 (FIGS. 17 and 19) is piv otally supported on a stud 486 secured in the machine framework. A spring 1490 urges said lever 115 clockwise to normally maintain a downward extension thereof in yielding engagement with a rubber bumper 1491 bonded to a bracket in turn secured to the total control lever 116 to form a shock-reducing stop for the control lever 115 and connected parts. A link 1492 (FIG. 19) pivotally connects the lever 115 to a restoring lever 1493 pivoted on a stud 1494 secured in the machine framework.

Moving the key release lever 115 counter-clockwise in a key-releasing direction, through the link 1492, rocks the lever 1493 clockwise, causing an arcuate cam surface 1495 thereon to engage a roller 1496 carried by an arm 1497 secured on the release shaft 139, to rock said arm and said shaft counter-clockwise from normal or home position to fully restored position, as indicated in dot-anddash lines in FIG. 19. Restoring movement counterclockwise of the shaft 139 and the arm 1199 frees the release pawl 1195 (FIG. 18) and the control plate 1190 for return movement to normal position, under influence of the spring 1191, which in turn frees the depressed control key for return movement upwardly to undepressed position, under influence of its spring 128. Counter-clockwise releasing movement of the release lever 115 (FIG. 19) and connected parts is limited by means of a finger 1498, formed on the upper end of the link 1492, in cooperation with a stop stud 1499, secured in said release lever 115. Tripping movement clockwise of the release shaft 139 and the arm 1497 causes the roller 1496 (FIG. 19) to move beneath an arcuate locking surface 1500, formed on the lever 1493, to secure said lever and the release lever 115 against operation while the machine is cycling.

' Moving the key release lever 115 counter-clockwise in key-releasing direction, as explained above, also causes a stud 487, carried by said lever, in cooperation with a slot in a forward extension of a lever 488 (FIG. 17) free on a stud 1489 secured in the left frame, to rock said lever 488 clockwise. Clockwise movement of the lever 488 causes a raised surface 489 thereon to engage the stud 480 and rock the pawl 481 counter-clockwise, against the action of the spring 483, to move the downward extension 484 of said pawl out of engagement with and out of the path of the surface 485 on the lever 452, whereupon said lever, the arm 450, and the shaft 139 are spring-returned a slight distance counter-clockwise and clockwise, respectively, to home or untripped position. upon return of the release lever 115 clockwise to normal position.

Release of the depressed Row 2 control key, as explained above, frees the detent 269, the arm 313 (FIG. 2), and connected parts for restoring movement under control of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4 and explained earlier herein, when it functions near the end of the next or succeeding machine operation. However, prior to operation of the machine, the detent 269, the arm 313, and connected parts (FIG. 2) will remain in non-repeat position, and it will be impossible to initiate a repeat operation of the machine, thus requiring that the amount of the transaction be set up on the amount keys 103 and that a non-repeat operation be performed.

Summarizing briefly, the mechanisms disclosed in FIGS. 10 to 17, inclusive, function in connection with the repeat mechanism to prevent mal-operation of the machine, with the resulting possible damage to the machine mechanism, when a Row 2 control key is retained depressed at the end of a repeat operation, or is prematurely depressed before the end of said operation, or when a Row 2 control key is retained depressed at the end of a non-repeat operation or is prematurely depressed prior to the end of said operation.

When a Row 2 control key 109, 110, 111, or 112 or the Grocery key 106 is retained depressed at the end of a repeat operation, the arm 460 (FIG. 14) is retained in the position shown here. If, in the immediately succeeding operation, an amount key 103 is depressed, the arm 471 is rocked to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 15

and in dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 14, to move the finger.

456 into alinement with the raised surface 458, thereby preventing releasing movement of the shaft 139, and thus preventing a mal-operation of the machine. Likewise, if one of the above-mentioned control keys is retained depressed at the end of a repeat operation, the arm 460 is retained in the position shown in FIG. 14, and if immediately thereafter a totalizing operation is attempted by depression of the Sub-Total key 105, the Taxable Total key 107, the Cash Total key 108, or a Paid-Out operation is attempted by depression of the Paid-Out key 104, the mechanism shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and explained earlier, rocks the arm 471 to the position shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, exactly the same as depressing an amount key, to cause the finger 456 to be moved into the path of the blocking surface 458 on said arm 460, to obstruct releasing movement of the shaft 139 and thereby prevent operation of the machine under these conditions.

If at the end of a non-repeat (adding) operation one of the Row 2 control keys 109 to 112 inclusive, or the Row 1 control key 106, is retained depressed, the pawl 481 (FIG. 16) becomes effective at the end of such operation to retain the lever 452, the arm 450, and the shaft 139 in restored position, and thus obstruct releasing movement of said parts in the immediately succeeding operation, until the key release lever 115 is operated to move said pawl to ineffective position, and to simultaneously release the depressed control key.

If one of the above-mentioned control keys is retained depressed at the end of a repeat operation, movement of the total control lever 116 away from Register position, in either direction, functions through the mechanism shown in FIG. 7, and explained earlier, to rock the arm 471 to the position shown'in FIGS. 14 and 15, in which the finger 456 is in the path of the obstructing surface 458, to prevent releasing movement of the shaft 139 under this condition.

Operation It is believed that a full understanding of the operation of the machine will have been obtained from a perusal of the preceding description. However, a brief description of the operation and the use of the machine may be helpful and will now be given.

The machine disclosed in the present application is suitable for the same general business applications as machines of a similar type described and illustrated in the previously-mentioned United States application Serial No. 412,464, now Patent No. 2,962,209, except that the present machine is enhanced in value and utility by the inclusion of a novel repeat mechanism which makes it possible for the operator to repeat the amount of an -the item totalizer.

23 item Without knowing at the time that said amount is to be repeated. l

During a multiple-item transation, if the operatornotes from the amount indicators that the amount of the last preceding item is the, same as'the amount of the present item to be entered into the machine, all'that is necessary is to depress the appropriate transaction or control key for the next item, and the amount of the last preceding item will be automatically repeated and entered intothe machine totals and indicated and recorded, without the necessity of setting up said item on the amount keys.

It is not necessary thatthis repeat item be in the same category or class as the preceding item in order to effect a repeat operation. All that is necessary is that the amount of the items be the same. For example, let it be assumed that the preceding item-was a package of meat priced at $1.50, which is entered into the machine by depressing the appropriate amount keys 103, and then depressing theMetal transaction key 109 (FIG. 9), which initiates a machine operation during which the amount of the meat item, $1.50, is indicated and recorded and simultaneously accumulated in the meat totalizer and in Then let it be assumedthat the next item is a Grocery item, also priced at $1.50. To enter this second item, the operator depresses the Grocery transaction key 106, which initiates a machine operation during which the Grocery item of $1.50 is indicated and recorded and is simultaneously accumulated in the Grocery totalizer and in the item totalizer. The operator may continue to repeat this amount for subsequent item entries so long as the amount of the item is the same as that of the preceding item.

It will be recalled that depression of an amount key during its preceding operation.., Similarly, depression of the Paid-Out key 104 disables the repeat mechanism, so

i I that a repeat operation cannot be initiated by depression of said Paid-Out key. As has been stated, a Paid-Out operation differs from a total-taking operation in that an amount is entered into the machine by use of the appropriateamount keys 103 in conjunction with the use of the Paid-Out key 104.

Furthermore, depression of any of the control . keys 104, 105, 107, or 108, or movement of the total control lever 116 out of Register position, causes the repeat disabling means tobe latched in repeat disabling position, so that the succeeding operation is prevented from being a repeat operation. Therefore, it will be seen that the machine has been so constructed and arranged as to permit the use of the repeat mechanism only for repeating previously-entered item amounts in multiple-item transactions.

. Repeat control mechanism is provided for preventing operation of the machine in case one of the Row 2 conone ofthe above-mentioned control keys is retained depressed at the end of a repeat operation, to prevent the initiation of a subsequent sub-total or totaloperation.

by use of the Rowl control keys 105, 107, or 108. This prevents mal-operation of the machine and the danger ofdamage to the wheels of the selected totalizers, caused lay-forcefully rotating them in a reverse direction beyond zero position, which would result in damage caused to 24 the long zero teeth on said wheels or damage to the associated differential mechanism.

The repeat control mechanism also functions, when one of the Row 2 control keys 109-112 inclusive or the Grocery key 106 is retained depressed at the end of moving the total control lever 116 out of Register posi-' tion operates through the mechanismshown in FIGS. 7 and 15 to move the finger 456 into the path of the obs'tructing surface 458, to preventloperation of the machine until this erroneous condition is remedied.

. Whilethe form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primari- -ly stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form or embodiment disclosed herein, for it is susceptible of embodiment in various other forms, all coming within the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, constructed and arranged to perform amount repeating and amount nonrepeating operations, and having amount keys to set up amounts, the combination of a plurality of control keys to initiate amount repeating. and amount nonrepeating operations; and means controlled jointly by the amount keys and the control keys, to prevent operation of the machine when one of said control keysis retained depressed at the endof an amount repeating'operation, and

"an amount-key is subsequently operated to condition the machine for an amount non-repeating operation.

' 2. In a machine of the class described, capable of conditioning means and thus to condition the machine for a non-repeat operation; depressible control keys to initiate repeat and non-repeat operations; and means operations, and having amount keys to set up amounts, the

combination of depressible control keys to initiate repeat and non-repeat operations; means operated by the control'keys to release the machine for operation; a sensing member on the releasing means;.a control member constructed and arranged to coactwith the sensing member to control operation of the releasing means; and means rendered efiective when a control key is retained depressed at the end of a repeat'operation, and an amount key is subsequently depressed to condition the machine for a non-repeat operation, to move the sensing member relatively tothe control member to obstruct operation of the releasing means to prevent mal-operation of the machine.

4. In a machine. of the class described, capable of amount repeating and amount non-repeating operations, and having depressible amount keysto set up amounts, the combination of operable means to release the machine for an operating cycle, said releasing'means constructed and arranged to be automatically restored to unoperated condition near the end of each operating cycle; depressible control keys to operate the releasing means; means normally effective to condition the machine for a repeat operation; means operable by depression of an amount key to render the repeat conditioning means ineffective, and thus to condition the machine for a non-repeat operation; means including a part rendered effective by the repeat conditioning means when a control key is retained depressed at the end of a non-repeat operation to obstruct operation of the releasing means to prevent mal-operartion of the machine; and manually-operable means to move the part out of obstructing relationship with the releasing means to free said releasing means for operation.

5. In a machine of the class described, capable of performing amount repeating and amount non-repeating operations, and having depressible amount keys to set up amounts to be repeated, the combination of means to release the machine for an operating cycle; depressible control keys to operate the releasing means; a sensing finger on the releasing means; a control member constructed and arranged to coact with the sensing finger, said sensing finger and said control member positionable in relation to each other to control the operation of the releasing means; means effective when the machine is properly conditioned for either a repeat operation or an non-repeat operation to position the control member and the finger in proper relationship with each other, so that the releasing means is free to operate; and means whereby retaining a control key depressed at the end of a repeating operation, and depressing an amount key to condition the machine for a non-repeat operation moves the finger out of proper relationship with the control member to prevent operation of the machine-releasing means.

6. In a machine of the class described, capable of amount-entering operations and amount-repeating operations; and having depressible amount keys to set up amounts to be entered, the combination of means effective upon being operated to release the machine for an operating cycle, said releasing means constructed and arranged to be automatically restored to unoperated condition near the end of each machine operating cycle; means including depressible control keys to operate the releasing means; repeat and non-repeat conditioning means, positionable in repeat and non-repeat positions, said means norm-ally in repeat position and when in repeat position operable by depression of a control key to cause the machine to perform a repeat operation; means operable by depression of an amount key to move the repeat and non-repeat conditioning means from repeat position to non-repeat position, whereupon depression of a control key causes the machine to perform a non-repeat operation; non-positive restoring means eflective when no control key is retained depressed at the end of a non-repeat operation to restore the repeat and non-repeat conditioning means from non-repeat to repeat position near the end of said non-repeat operation; means including a part rendered effective by the repeat and non-repeat conditioning means when retained in non-repeat position by a depressed control key, and by the releasing means when restored to unoperated condition, to hold said releasing means in said unoperated condition to prevent mal-operation of the machine; and manually-operable means to move the part to ineffective position to free the releasing means for operation.

7. In a machine of the class described, capable of amount-entering operations and amount-repeating operations, and having depressible amount keys to set up amounts to be entered, the combination of means effective upon being operated to release the machine for an operating cycle, said releasing means constructed and arranged to be restored to unoperated condition at the end of each operating cycle; depressible control keys to operate the releasing means; means actuated by depression of a control key to condition the machine for amountrepeating operations; means actuated by depression of an amount key to alter the coacting relationship between the repeat-conditioning means and the control keys to cause said conditioning means to condition the machine for an amount-entering operation; non-positive means effective near the end of each opeuating cycle to restore the repeatconditioning means from altered condition to repeat condition, said restoring means ineffective to restore said repeat-conditioning means when a control key is retained depressed at the end of an amount-entering operation; means including a part rendered effective by the repeatconditioning means when said repeat-conditioning means is retained against restoring, and by the releasing means when restored to unoperated condition to obstruct operation of said releasing means to prevent mal-operation of the machine; and manually-operable means to move the part out of obstructing relationship with the releasing means to free said releasing means for operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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