US644304A - Cash-register. - Google Patents

Description

No. 644,304. Patented Feb. 27, I900.

L. .S. SCOTT.

CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed Feb. 3, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets$heet l,

WITNESSES: HWENTOR 7 w m & WN EY THE cams PETERS co. PNOTG-LITHO., wnnmcrom n. c.

No. 644,304. Patented Feb. 27, I900. L. s. SCOTT.

- CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed Feb. 3, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: a INVENTOR, W M ffafdzjzw THE NCRRIS PETERS co. PuoTouTna, WASHINGTON, n. c.

Patented Feb. 27, 1900.

L. s. SCOTT.

CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed. Feb. 3, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

INVENTORQ WITNESSES:

BY i x ATTOR EY No. 644,304. Patented Feb. 27, I900.

L. S. SCOTT.

CASH REGISTER.

(Application filed. Feb. 3, 1899.)

4 $heats-$heet 4.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR, f ezzjf/dzz BY 7, x xfwzz za ATTORNEY THE Nonms PETERS o0, PHDTO-LITHO wnsmum'ow. n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT EEIcEZ.

LAFAYETTE S. SCOTT, OF NEN YORK, N. Y.

CASH-REGISTER).

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,304, dated February 27, 1900. Application filed February 3, 1899. Serial No. 704,354. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAFAYETTE S. Scor'r, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York,in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cash-Registers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cash-registers, and particularly to that class of cash-registers wherein vertical rows or banks of keys are arranged, being adapted to be pressed so as to set in motion the indicating mechanism.

The object of the invention is to so construct a machine of this nature that when a key is pressed the indicating mechanism will be directly set in motion without the manual actuation of an auxiliary part and in which the single depression of but one key in each row or bank will eifect the actuation of the indicating device which it controls, so as to present the desired matter of indication immediately.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, my inventionis fully illustrated, corresponding letters of referen ce being employed to designate like parts.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of a cash-register constructed after the principles of my invention, certain parts being broken away and others removed to clearly show portions of the internal mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side view of the register, certain parts thereof being removed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, in side elevation, of a part of the indicating mechanism and of a certain star-wheel for actuating the same. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the frame and of a certain crank and system of gearing connected therewith for resetting the register. Fig. 5 is also a view in side elevation, somewhat enlarged, of a certain mechanism for setting the star-wheel in motion, for predeterminately limiting the extent of its rotation, and for resetting the same, and also one of the keys for actuating said mech anism; and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are side views of the several segments of the set of segments above referred to.

In cash-registers of the class to which my invention relates the matter of indication is presented upon the peripheries of several revolving drums or wheels disposed in several sets properly connected and preferably driven by springs when released by means of certain escapement mechanisms consisting, essentially, of levers that have an escapement, con nection with one of the above-mentioned sets of drums or wheels. It should be remarked that the several wheels or drums in each set are considered collectivelyin reading the matter of indication which they present.

I propose to provide a register of the character above described with rows or banks of keys, each row or bank being adapted to control a series of drums or wheels made up of one of each set of the latter and to interpose between each bank or row of keys and the corresponding lever for actuating this series of drums or wheels automatic mechanism controlled by said bank or row of keys and controlling s'aid lever to a predetermined extent,

according as the one or the otherot' the keys in said bank or row is depressed.

Since the several sets of indicating drums or wheels, the means for operatively connectin g them, and the escapement mechanism for setting them in motion to which my invention is applied are old and well known in this art, as seen, for instance, in the patent to Hess and Stoughton, No. 597,676, of January 18, 1898, I will only generally hereinafter refer to the same.

In the drawings, a designates several large indicating drums or wheels adapted especially for the convenience of the purchaser, which are journaled upon a suitable shaft 70, and p are several smaller indicating drums or wheels revolubly mounted upon a suitable shaft, corresponding wheels in the two series being operatively connected through the medium of toothed segments A, mounted on a shaft B. It should be remarked that the drums at each inclose a spiral spring, (not shown,) whereby said drum and the parts above mentioned as being connected therewith are driven.

D denotes a revoluble shaft carrying arms D provided with rollers D, said shaft being adapted to be revolved, as hereinafter described, and, with its roller-bearing arms, to act against downwardly-proj ecting fingers d rigidly connected to the segments,so as to rotate the latter in the operation of resetting the several indicating drums or wheels. The

arms (1 are disposed spirally about the shaft, as shown, mainly so that they can act to suecessively reset the segments, and thus obviate an objectionable jar that would otherwise result if said arms were so arranged as to effect a synchronous resetting of the segments.

e is the resetting-crank. This crank is dis posed outside of the frame and also the case of the machine and is secured to a revoluble shaft a carrying a pinion which meshes with other suitably-journaled pinions e and i which are in turn in mesh with other pinions e and 2' the pinion 2' being mounted on the shaft D and the pinion a being mounted on a shaft 6 Said shaft c carries a ratchetwheelf having a radially-extending lugf on one of its faces and engaged by a pawl, (not shown,) which prevents its backward rotation. When the crank e is rotated, power is therefore transmitted to the shafts D and c and said shafts are thus also rotated. It should be remarked that the shaft 6& is the shaft upon which the set of wheels or drums p are journaled, and that when it is rotated by the crank c it acts, through the pinion which it carries, the pinions 2' and t the shaft D, the roller-bearing arms D carried by said shaft, and the segments A, controlled by said roller-bearing arms, to reset the said drums or wheels pthat is to say, such of this set of drums or wheels as are adapted to be resetand also the drums or wheels Ct.

Z) designates a blind or shutter fulcrumed upon the shaft 7:; and controlled by spring-actuated shutter-levers m suitably fulcrumed in the rear of the frame on a shaft 71; and operatively connected to said shutter bya pair of rods 20 It is the tendency of the shutterlevers m to move upwardly when released by a bell-crank lever a that is fulcrumed upon a shaft 01 and one of Whose arms proj ects downwardly, its free end m being adapted to bear against the top side of said shutter-lever near the free end thereof, while the other arm of said bell-crank lever is provided near its free end with a laterally-projecting pin n e is a lever which is fulcru med on the shaft K and whose hook portion 72 is adapted when said lever is depressed to engage the pin a on the bell-crank lever a so as to move the latter and trip the shutter-lever m To actuate the lever 6 I provide a press-key 0, whose inner end is adapted to bear against the beveled free end of said lever 6 0 is a spring-actuated buffer that is carried by the lever m and is adapted to be engaged by the lug f of the ratchet-wheel f in resetting said lever, as hereinafter described in explaining the operation of the machine.

Z denotes a series of spring-actuated escapement-levers that are suitably fulcrumed below the sets of drums or wheels p and permit the rotation of the latter, and also of the wheels or drums CL when they are actuated.

Each escapement-lever Z is provided at its free or outer end with an upwardly-projecting overhanging hook-shaped arm 15 and at the base of said arm with a spring-actuated pawl 0, whose point is free to move in an upward direction, but is limited against downward movement, and projects slightly beyond the end of the escapement-lever.

3/ designates a drum or disk which is journaled upon a revoluble shaft 92. Upon one side of said drum or disk is fixed a star-wheel m, the points S of which are adapted to strike against the pawl 0 on the escapement-leverl, so as to depress said lever. As the lever is depressed by a point of the star-wheel, the extremity of its overhanging arm takes a position between two of the points of said starwheel and prevents further rotation of the latter until the lever has made a full upward or return movement.

H denotes agraduated stop that is also rigidly fiXed to the drum or disk 3 between it and the star-wheel. The steps a of the stop H are disposed at relatively-varying distances from the center of the latter.

cl denotes a lever that is suitably fulcrumed at a point approximately beneath the stop 11* (upon a shaft g, hereinafter particularly mentioned) and which is provided with a hook at its free end that extends between the starwheel and the disk and is adapted to engage the several steps of the stop H The starwheel, the graduated stop, and the disk are driven by a coiled spring WV, one of whose ends is suitably connected to the disk and the other of whose ends is secured to a pawl w fulcrunied upon a shaft 20', that is disposed beneath the shaft 02.

To one side of the stop H and the lever 61, which engages said stop,is suitably fulcrumed a set of three segments f, g, and h. These segments are spring-actuated, and tend to move upwardly. The springs for these segments are designated by the reference character a The peripheries of these segments are formed with notches. The notches u of the segment h are in the form of straight slots. Those 1'' of the segment g have outlines conforming to the outlines of the hooked teeth 4", interposed in alternate arrangement between said notches, and those a a of the segmentf have shapes similar to the notches u of the segment h, but are differentially arranged. The segment h appears in dotted lines in Fig. 5 to facilitate identification of the three segments.

It should be remarked that for each of the series of drums or wheels (composed, as hereinbefore mentioned, of a drum or wheel from each set of them) there is an escapement-lever Z, a star-wheel m, and its accessory parts, controlling said escapement-lever, and a series of segments f, g, and h.

d designates vertically-disposed banks or series of actuatingkeys that are suitably mounted in sleeves G, which project through the front of the case and a portion of the frame of the machine. Each key d carries a laterally-projecting pin j, which works in a corresponding notch it 7" or a a of the segments h, g,,and f, respectively. When akey cl is depressed, therefore, the three segments which it controls are moved downwardly about their fulcrums, the segments h and g to their full extent, while the segment f is only moved to a greater or less extent, according to which of the keys d is selected. It should be remarked that the differential disposition of the slots at a of the segment f is with reference to the direction of the longitudinal movements of the respective keys cl. In the lower portion of the segment f is formed an inclined slot 1), with which engages a pin 0, that is carried by the lever d. By virtueof this connection with the segment f the po sition of the lever d relatively to the stop II is determined when the segment f is forced downwardly by one of the keys d,and the drum y is permitted to rotate to a greater or less extent, according as one or the other of the steps a of said stop happens to be the one in the path of which the hook of the lever 01 takes position. The segment h is adapted to trip the drum or disk y and permit its spring to rotate it, and for this purpose it is provided with a laterally-projecting pin c, which acts against one end of a double-pointed pawl to that is suitably pivoted, so as to throw the other end of said pawl out of engagement with a notch B vformed in the periphery of said drum 'y. The third segment g, which is the one that is provided with the peripheral hooks,is adapted to hold down the key d when the same has been pushed in to its full extent, so that its pin can engage the coincident hook.

In view of the foregoing description in connection with the segments and the adjoining mechanism it will be seen that when a key d is pushed in the depression of the segment 71. effects a release of the drum or disk 1 and the accessory parts, while in the coincident depression of the segment f is determined the extent to which said drum can rotate. The depression of the other segment effects the locking of the key (1, and consequently of the two segmen ts h andf. The springW tends to drive the disk, graduated stop, and the starwheel in the direction of the arrow B. In order to return these parts to their original positions after having been rotated by its spring, I provide an arm 9 which is secured upon and adapted to rotate with the shaft n and which carries a spring-actuated pawl {13, one of whose ends is normally maintained in contact with the periphery of the drum or disk 3 The shaft n has but one direction of rotation-thatindicated by the arrow T in Fig. 5'- and it is driven by a system of gearing comprising pinions e 0 c, 0 and c", the pinion a being in mesh with the pinion on the shaft of the crank 6, while the pinion c is mounted upon the shaft 12'. The free or projecting point of the pawl 51: is adapted to be engaged when the arm 8 makes a complete rotation by a shoulder on the pawl 10, so as to throw its wiping-point out of contact with the periphery of drum or disk y, as hereinafter more particularly set forth in describing the operation of the machine. The arm 53 carries a laterally-projecting pin 5 adapted to engage a lug si formed on the inner edge of the segment g, so as to depress said segment sufliciently to permit the release of the pin from the one of the hooks 0 which it engages, and permit the resetting of the press-key.

q is a rock-shaft that has bearings in the forward part of the frame of the machine below the sets of segments, and it carries a lever 10, that projects rearwardly alongside of one of the shutter-levers and in proximity to the ratchet-wheel f Said lever is adapted to rock the shaft q, and for this purpose it carries a pin q, against which the lever m is adapted to take in order to raise it, and said lever w is adapted to be depressed bya pin f on the ratcl1et-wheelf ,which wipes against a concave edge f formed near the free end of said lever. Said shaft (1 carries a series of pawls g each of which is normally held forwardly by a spiral spring g engaging the pawl and shaft in an obvious manner. From said shaft projects a series of pins, each of which extends into a recess g in the sleeve (1 of each pawl, so as to somewhat confine the movement of the latter.

There is one of the above-mentioned pawls for each of the sets of segments except the extreme right-hand set, and from the segment h and through an opening q in the segment g of each of these sets projects a pin T, which is adapted to take against the top of the adjoining pawl (1 or to prevent its forward movement when the shaft q is rocked, according to the position of the segment h, under conditions that will be hereinafter fully set forth in the description of the operation of the machine.

In order to operate the machine, one of the keys dis first pushed in, whereupon the three segmentsf, g, and h will be actuated, the segment h effecting the disengagement of the pawl w from the drum or disk y and the consequent release of said drum or disk and the graduated stop and star wheel connected therewith, which three elements will then be free to revolve in the direction of the arrow B. The movement of the segmentfthrows the lever 61 inwardly to an extent thatis predetermined in the selection of an operatingkey, and thereupon the hook of said lever will engage a step of the graduated stop H and.

check the movement of said stop, and the segment Q will engage with one of its hooked teeth 0 the pin of the push-key, so as to lock the latter in its depressed position. In revolving the points of the star-wheel strike the pawl 0 on the escapement-lever Z, causing the vibration of the latter and a consequent step-by-step movement of the drums at andp. Having effected a registration, the press-key C is pushed in, its pin acting against the inclined edge of the lever 6 so as to depress the latter and through it to move the lever n whereupon the shutter-levers m will be tripped and effect the removal of the shutter or blind Z) from in front of the indicating drums or wheels (1. As the shutter-levers move upwardly the one of them which adjoins the lever 20 strikes the pin g on the latter. Thereupon said lever to is elevated, causing the shaft 1 to rock and throwing forwardly such of the pawls g as are not detained by the pins 1 it being remembered that some of these pins have moved downwardly with the segments into the path of the pawls. Those pawls which move forwardly beneath the pin (1 therefore act to prevent the actuations of the segments that have not been operated before the press-key O was manipulated. In other words, the machine is practically thrown out of operation until the lever w has been depressed to retract the pawls. This is effected, as hereinbefore indicated, by rotating the crank e, whereupon in a manner hereinbefore described the drums a and 19 will be reset, and through the medium of the system of gearing comprising the pinion on the crank-shaft a and the several pinions c c c and c the shaft 72/ will be rotated, carrying the arm 3 with it. In the rotation of said arm the point of the pawl 00 will wipe upon the periphery of the drum or disk y until it engages the notch in said drum or disk, whereupon the latter will be caused to rotate with the arm until its notch is engaged by the point of the pawl 10, which is likewise wiping against the periphery of the disk or drum under actuation of the spring W. Then the free or projecting end of the pawl w engages the shoulder on the pawl 10 in such manner that its acting point is thrown out of the notch in the drum or disk. Thereupon the pin .9 strikes the lug s on the segment g, so as to depress the latter sufficiently to effect the disengagement therefrom of the actuating-key d and so as to permit the three segments to return to their original positions. In doing so the retracted pawls are of course permitted to snap forwardly under actuation of their springs The rotation of the crank 6 also effects a rotation of the ratchet-wheel f and as the latter completes its rotation its radially-extending lugf strikes the buffer 0', that is disposed above the top of the shutterlever m depressing said buffer, and consequently said shutter-lever. Thereupon the bell-crank lever 02 is permitted under actuation of a spiral spring (not shown) to reassume its former position and hold down the shutter-lever. At the same time the pin f on the ratchet-wheel f engages the concave edgef formed on the lever w, thereby depressing the latter, and consequently retracting the pawls g Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combinatiomwith a frame, suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and escapement devices controlling said mechanism, of a series of press-keys, a suitably-driven revoluble element adapted to actuate said escapement devices, and means, operatively disposed between said press-keys and said element, for controlling the movement of the latter, said element being movable independently thereof, substantially as described.

2. The combination, \vitha frame, suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and escapement devices controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, suitably-driven starwheels controlling said escapement devices, and means, disposed between said press-keys and said star-wheels, for controlling the movements of the latter, said element being movable independently thereof, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a frame, suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and an escapement device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, an automatically=driven star-wheel controlling said escapement device and a series of segments having operative connection with each of said keys and with said star-wheel,and controlling the movements of the latter, said element being movable independently thereof, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a frame, suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and an escapement device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, asuitably-driven starwheel controlling said escapement device, a segment having a graduated operative connection with each of said keys, and means, controlled by said segment and operatively connected to the same and said star-wheel,

for stopping the latter at a predetermined limit, said element being movable independently thereof, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a frame, suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and an escapement device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, an automatically-driven star-wheel controlling said escapement device, a series of segments having operative connection .with each of said keys, the operative connection between one of said segments and said keys being graduated, means, controlled by said segment and operatively connected to the same and said star-wheel, for stopping the latter at a predetermined limit, and locking means, for said star-wheel, operatively disposed between the same and another of said segments, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a frame, suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and an escapement device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of"press-keys, an automatically-driven star-wheel controlling said escapement (levice, a graduated stop connected to said starwheel and revoluble therewith, a series of segments having operative connection with each of said keys, the operative connection between one of said segments and said keys being graduated, a lever controlled by said segment and operatively arranged relatively to said stop, and locking means for said starwheel, operatively disposed between the same and another of said segments, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with aframe, suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and an escapement device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, an automatically-driven star-wheel controlling said escapement device, a graduated stop connected to said starwheel and revoluble therewith, a series of segments having operative connection with each of said keys, the operative connection between one of' said segments and said keys being graduated, a lever controlled by said segment and operatively arranged relatively to said stop, and locking means for said starwheel, operatively disposed between the same and another of said segments, another of said segments having hooked teeth adapted to lock or engage said keys, substantially as described.

8. In a cash-register, the combination,with the frame, and devices to be actuated arranged therein, of a suitably driven starwhecl, a drum havinga peripheral notch and carried by and movable with said star-wheel, a series of movable segments, a series of keys controlling said segments, a suitably fulcrumed pawl adapted to engage the notch in said drum and to be actuated by one of said segments, an arm movable concentrically relatively to said drum and the star-wheel, and another pawl carried by said arm and adapted to engage said notch and to be disengaged therefrom by the other of said pawls, substantially as described.

9. In a cash-register, the combination, with the frame, and devices to be actuated arranged therein, of a suitably-driven starwheel, a graduated stop carried by and movable with said star-wheel, a drum having a peripheral notch and also carried by and movable with said star-wheel, aseries of movable segments, a series of keys controlling said segments, a suitably-fulcrumed pawl adapted to engage the notch in said drum and to be actuated by one of said segments, an arm movable concentrically with said .drum and the star-wheel, another pawl carried by said arm and adapted to engage said notch and to be disengaged therefrom by the other of said pawls, and a lever operatively arranged relatively to said stop, one of said segments having an operative connection with said lever and a graduated operative connection with the keys,substantially as described.

10. In a cash-register, the combinatiomwith the frame, and devices to be actuated arranged therein, of a suitably-driven starwheel, a graduated stop carried by and mov- 7o able with said star-wheel, a drum having a peripheral notch and also carried by and movable with said star-wheel, a series of movable segments, a series of keys controlling said segments, a suitably-fulcrumed pawl adapted to engage the notch in said drum and to be actu ated by one of said segments, an arm movable concentrically with reference to said drum and the star-wheel, another pawl carried by said arm and adapted to engage said notch and to be disengaged therefrom by the other of said pawls, a lever operatively arranged relatively to said stop, another of said se,., ments having an operative connection with said lever and a graduated operative connecgaged by said pin, substantially as described.

11. In a cash-register, the combination of a series of movable spring-actuated segments having peripheral notches, a series of presskeys provided with pins working in said notches, the notches in one of said segments being differentially disposed and in another of said segments forming hook-shaped teeth adapted to engage the pins of, and lock down, the press-keys, a revoluble graduated stop, a

suitably-fulcrumed lever operatively con- Ioo nected with said firstnamed segment and movable relatively to said stop,operative driving or actuating means for said segments and said stop, and means, movable with said stop,

adapted to operatively engage said secondnamed segment to eitect 'a disengagement of said pins from the teeth thereof, substantially as described.

12. The combination,with a frame,suitablyactuated indicating mechanism operatively no arranged therein, and an escapement device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, an automatically-driven star-wheel controlling said escapement device, a graduated stop connected to said star- I I 5 wheel and revoluble therewith, a series of segments having operative connection with each of said keys, the operative connection between one of said segments and said keys bement and operatively arranged relatively to said stop, locking means for said star-wheel, operatively disposed between the same and another of said segments, a resetting-crank,

and operative connecting means between said 1 25 crank and the star-wheel, substantially as de scribed.

13. The combination, with a frame, suitably-actuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and an escapement 1 o device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, an automaticallydriven star-wheel controllingsa'id escapement device, a graduated stop connected to said 1ng graduated, a lever controlled by said seg- 12o star-wheel and revoluble therewith, a series of movable spring-actuated segments having peripheral notches engaged by said keys, the notches in one of said segments being difierentially disposed and in another of said segments forming hook-shaped teeth, a hooked lever controlled by said first-named segment and adapted to engage said stop, locking means for said star-wheel operatively disposed between the same and another segment, a resetting-crank, and operative connecting means between said crankand the star-wheel, the hook-shaped teeth of said second-named segment being adapted to engage said keys, and means for disengaging the keys from said second-named segment, substantially as described.

lt. The combination, with a frame, suitably-actuated indicating mechanism operatively arranged therein, and an esoapelnent device controlling said indicating mechanism, of a series of press-keys, an automaticallydriven star-wheel controlling said escapement device, a graduated stop connected to said star-wheel and revoluble therewith, a disk or drum having a peripheral notch and also connected to and revoiuble with said star-wheel, a series of movable springactuated segments having peripheral notches engaged by said keys, the notches in one of said segments being differentially disposed and in another of said segments forming hook-shaped teeth, a hook-shaped lever controlled by said firstnamed segment and adapted to engage said stop, a locking-pawl adapted to engage the notch of said disk or drum and be engaged by another of said segments, an arm movable concentrically with said star-wheel and the disk or drum and the stop, a pawl carried by said arm and also adapted to engage the notch in said disk or drum and be engaged by the other of said pawls, a resetting-crank, operative connecting means between said crank and the arm, the hook-shaped teeth of said secondnamed segment being adapted to lock down said keys, and said segment being provided with a lug, and a pin carried by said arm and adapted to engage said lug, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing specification I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of January, 1899.

LAFAYETTE S. SCOTT.

In presence of W. L. MURRAY, E. W. PERRY.

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