GB1202391A - Business machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1,202,391. Cash registers. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. 21 May, 1968 [9 May, 1967], No. 21510/67. Heading G4T. [Also in Division H4] A business machine comprises a cathode-ray display tube the screen of which is divided into discrete areas each specific to a particular item identified by name together with digit generating means for each area and positioning means for causing the generated digit to be displayed in its associated area. The machine, which functions as a cash register, is provided with a keyboard 24 (Fig. 1) and a cathode-ray display tube 20 (which may be positioned at a remote location from the keyboard). The tube screen carries a mask divided into discrete areas 101 to 150 (see Fig. 2) each of which contains the name of a particular item (e.g. food items offered on a menu) and adjacent each name two apertures are provided, A, B, in each of which a single digit traced by the tube beam may be displayed. Further apertures A, B, 151 .to 159 are provided in discrete areas 30, 38, 40 at the lower portion of the screen. In operation, when an item is ordered (selected) the number, if in excess of one, is first entered in aperture 151B (in area 30)-and in 151A and 151B if in excess of nine-by pressing an appropriate number or amount key on the keyboard. The item key appropriate to the item selected is then depressed and such number is then automatically transferred to the B (and if necessary B and A apertures) in the area 101 to 105 indicative of the particular item and the number in area 30 is automatically cleared. During ordering the price of each item is obtained from a linked computer and displayed in area 38 in the form of a running total by depression of an appropriate function key. The area 38 is also utilized to display the cost entered manually by the operator in area 30 of sundry items not identified by name in the main items display and when the transaction is completed depression of the appropriate key causes the total cost to be displayed in area 40. Facilities are also provided to allow deletion and other alterations to be effected before the complete order is entered in the computer. On completion, the amount of money tendered to pay for the order is entered in area 30 and the computer, by depression of the appropriate function key performs various operations to indicate tax payable and the amount of change required panels 32, 34, 36 being selectively illuminated to indicate the mode of operation. A printed record of the transaction may also be produced. The beam of the display tube is deflected according to the scheme shown in Fig. 8 between each aperture AB in the mask and at each aperture position is constrained to execute the closed "figure 8" shown in Fig. 7 and the digits required to be displayed (if any) are produced by selective blanking of one or more of the strokes forming the figure, the "double" central horizontal stroke 46 always being blanked to ensure even illumination of the trace. A number, e.g. four, units of the kind shown in Fig. 1 may be linked via a multiplexer with a common station control means (see Fig. 6) including computer means. When operated in this manner the deflection scheme shown in Fig. 8, the "macro-positioning", is effected for two of the tubes at a time whilst the digit tracing, the "micro-positioning", is being effected for the other pair of tubes to improve efficiency since the "macro-positioning" requires a significant time for its execution. The complete sequence of operation for the various operating cycles is given.