U.S. patent number 3,682,407 [Application Number 05/015,978] was granted by the patent office on 1972-08-08 for tape cartridge for machines.
Invention is credited to Harold Lichtenstein, Edward Robbins.
United States Patent |
3,682,407 |
Lichtenstein , et
al. |
August 8, 1972 |
TAPE CARTRIDGE FOR MACHINES
Abstract
An instant load cartridge for use in any machine utilizing tape,
ribbon, film or other such web-like material transported from a
supply spool to a take-up spool and passing over or over and under
a plurality of spools, guides or the like already existing in the
machine including a sealed casing having a supply spool with the
web-like material thereon, guide means for the web-like material,
and means to retain the web-like material adjacent to an existing
take-up reel on the machine so that the web-like material may be
quickly connected to the take-up reel by use of an existing
retaining key whereby the cartridge may be instantly loaded into
the machine thereby eliminating the necessity of manually threading
the web-like material through the existing machine for reducing the
time required to replenish the supply of the web-like material in
the machine.
Inventors: |
Lichtenstein; Harold (Atlanta,
GA), Robbins; Edward (Atlanta, GA) |
Family
ID: |
21774660 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/015,978 |
Filed: |
March 3, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
242/532.5; 235/2;
400/207; 400/619; 242/538.3; 242/586.2; 242/586.4; 242/912;
400/613 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B41J
11/58 (20130101); G06C 11/10 (20130101); Y10S
242/912 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B41J
11/58 (20060101); G06C 11/00 (20060101); G06C
11/10 (20060101); B65h 017/02 (); B41j 015/02 ();
B41j 015/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;242/192,199,200,67.3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mautz; George F.
Assistant Examiner: McCarthy; Edward J.
Claims
What is claimed as new is as follows:
1. A tape cartridge for use in a machine of the type utilizing a
flexible tape transported from a supply spool to a take-up spool or
reel over or over and under a plurality of guide members comprising
a housing having a peripheral wall including an inner wall having
open areas incorporated therein for enabling positioning of the
housing onto the supply spool and take-up spool or reel as well as
the guide members on the machine and an outer wall having an
opening therein for access to the take-up spool or reel, a supply
roll of tape, ribbon, film or other material mounted in said
housing, an anchor for the free end of the tape in spaced relation
to the supply roll, guide means for the tape, ribbon, film or other
material for retaining the tape, ribbon, film or other material in
predetermined relation to the openings, said guide means
cooperatively aligned with said anchor to maintain the anchored end
of the tape, ribbon, film or other material adjacent to the take-up
spool or reel whereby a retaining key provided to be associated
with the take-up spool or reel of the machine inserted through the
opening in the outer wall of the cartridge will anchor the tape,
ribbon, film or other material to the take-up spool or reel and
retain the cartridge in position.
2. The structure as defined in claim 1 together with an
identification code number interiorly of the cartridge oriented in
a manner to prevent knowledge of the code number without
destruction of the housing, and a removable indicating means on the
exterior of the housing having the same code number thereon for
removal after the code number has been recorded, and a sequence
number receiving space on the exterior of the housing to enable a
plurality of cartridges to be numbered in a sequence.
3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said anchor includes
a slotted member extending transversely of the housing and
frictionally and detachably securing the tape thereto for winding
on the take-up spool or reel.
4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said guide means
includes a plurality of transversely extending ribs terminating
adjacent to the periphery of the housing for retaining said tape in
position in relation to the guide members on the machine.
5. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is of
sealed, enclosed construction whereby access to the flexible tape
disposed interiorly thereof is prevented without destruction of the
housing.
6. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing, tape
anchor and guide means are of unitary structure thus enabling the
tape cartridge to perform its function without utilizing any
mechanical, electrical, electro-mechanical or moving parts.
7. The method of providing a record of a multiple of business
transactions on a machine involving transfer of monies, comprising
the steps of:
a. enclosing a supply roll of tape in a housing adapted to preclude
access thereto when sealed, except access by a recording apparatus
on the machine, without destruction of the housing;
b. positioning a portion of the tape in the housing for engagement
with a take-up spool or reel on the machine;
c. sealing said housing;
d. removably installing said housing in the machine;
e. retaining said housing in the machine by inserting a retaining
key of the machine into an opening in said housing and into
association with the take-up spool of the machine, thereby
anchoring the tape to the take-up spool; and
f. operating the machine whereby the transfer of monies is recorded
by the recording apparatus on the tape.
Description
The use of various types of web-like materials such as tape,
ribbon, film and the like is quite prevalent in numerous machines
with the tape, ribbon, film and the like normally being provided on
a supply reel, spindle, spool, roller or the like and extending
over, around or under guides in the form of reels, spindles,
spools, rollers or the like and being ultimately wound upon a
take-up reel, spindle, spool, roller or the like. When the supply
of tape becomes exhausted, it is necessary for an operator to
remove the tape from the take-up reel or in some instances to
remove the entire take-up reel and tape wound thereon, replace the
tape on the supply spool, or in some instances to replace the
entire supply spool with tape thereon and thread the tape over,
around or under the various guides incorporated into the machine
and ultimately attach the free end of the tape to the take-up reel.
This operation requires the expenditure of considerable time
depending upon the manual dexterity of the person performing this
operation and the particular orientation of the various components
with which the tape must be associated.
One example of such a tape is in cash registers employed in various
retail establishments. In supermarkets, grocery stores and other
business establishments that have heavy customer traffic, there is
usually provided a plurality of check-out counters each of which is
equipped with a cash register. After the individual purchases of
the customer has been rung up and totalled, the customer makes
payment for his purchases and receives a receipt in the form of a
segment of tape having the purchases itemized thereon and totalled.
This tape is torn from a customer receipt tape which is printed by
the cash register in a known manner. Also, at the same time, the
cash register prints at least the same information on a detail tape
which stays in the cash register. It is quite annoying to customers
for the check-out counter operator to have to delay the check-out
operation while the detail tape is being replaced inasmuch as this
requires considerable time and in actual practice, the particular
check-out counter is closed to customers when the detail tape is
being replaced.
In one particular cash register presently available and employed in
many stores, the detail tape must be threaded over, around and
under six rollers from the supply spool and then connected to the
take-up reel by the use of a retaining key.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape
cartridge for instantly loading a detail tape into a cash register
thus eliminating the necessity of the cash register operator to
expend considerable time re-threading the detail tape through the
guide rollers of the cash register with it only being necessary for
the operator to remove the retaining key, remove the cartridge with
the exhausted tape therein, insert a new cartridge, then insert the
retaining key in place and rotate the retaining key approximately
two turns in a clockwise direction to secure the detail tape to the
detail tape take-up reel. This materially increases the efficiency
of operation of the cash register and reduces inconvenience to the
customers of a business establishment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tape
cartridge constructed to enable employment with existing cash
register structures without modification thereof.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a tape
cartridge which includes a sealed housing to prevent the cash
register operator from tampering with the tape, with the cartridge
also including identifying indicia such as a code number or the
like to enable foolproof security check on the operation of the
cash register.
Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide
a tape cartridge which is constructed of relatively inexpensive
material and is quite simple in construction and operation and will
increase efficiency of cash register operations which in turn will
improve customer relations as well as improve the working
conditions of the cash register operator.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and
in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of an existing cash register
structure illustrating the customer receipt tape and detail tape.
In this view the marking assembly, hereinafter referred to as
numeral 78, has been omitted for added clarity.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tape cartridge of the
present invention which will be utilized for the detail tape
without modifying the cash register structure of FIG. 1 except that
the tape roller support plate, referred to as numeral 8, is removed
and disposed of.
FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a
plane passing along section line 3--3 of FIG. 2. This view
illustrates the structural details of the tape cartridge.
FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a
plane passing along section line 4--4 of FIG. 2 illustrating
further structural details of the tape cartridge.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the tape cartridge
illustrating an indentifying code number thereon.
FIG. 6 is a detailed plan sectional view taken substantially upon a
plane passing along section line 6--6 of FIG. 2. This view
illustrates further structural details of the tape cartridge and a
concealed identifying code number therein.
FIG. 7 is a detailed sectional view, on an enlarged scale,
illustrating the manner in which the end of the tape is attached to
the take-up reel by employing the retaining key presently used on
cash registers.
FIG. 8 is a detailed sectional view, on an enlarged scale,
illustrating the tape passing over and under certain of the rollers
or spindles on the cash register.
While the tape cartridge of the present invention is particularly
adapted for use in a cash register and the invention has been
disclosed specifically in conjunction with a cash register, it is
pointed out that it is within the scope of this invention to
utilize the concepts incorporated into the tape cartridge in
conjunction with various other business machines employing a
web-like tape or the like therein. Referring specifically to the
drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically the structure which
confronts a cash register operator when the door which covers the
tape receiving area is opened. A supply roll of customer receipt
tape 10 is provided and extends over guide rollers and extends
forwardly through a slot in the cash register for enabling the cash
register operator to grasp the free end thereof and tear it off and
present it to the customer as a receipt. As illustrated, the
customer receipt tape is laterally accessible and the supply
thereof can be replenished by the cash register operator without
any substantial difficulty. However, the conventional detail tape
12 is not discharged from the machine but is retained as a
permanent record of the transactions of the cash register and is
employed when the transactions are checked against the money in the
cash register drawer. The arrangement of the detail tape varies but
in one typical cash register, the detail tape 12 is provided on a
roll which is mounted on a stud 14 and the tape is then pulled off
the top of the roll forward over studs 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26.
The detail tape 12 is then brought under the take-up reel 28 and
the retaining key 30 is then inserted to secure the detail tape 12
to the take-up reel 28. The retaining key 30 is then rotated
approximately two turns to start the detail tape 12 on the take-up
reel 28. The entire assembly is covered by a door 32 generally in
the form of a cover plate which may be hingedly connected in any
suitable manner with the door being retained in place by a lock
structure 34 which prevents unauthorized personnel from normally
gaining access to the detail tape. However it frequently occurs
that unauthorized personnel have, through devious means, obtained
keys to operate the lock 34.
To remove the used portion of the detail tape from the cash
register, it is of course first necessary to unlock the lock 34 and
open the door 32. There is always a small portion of the used
detail tape that is not wound on the tape take-up reel 28. The
detail tape must be manually torn between the used and the unused
portion and the used portion must be wound, manually, onto the
take-up reel 28. The used detail tape is then removed from the cash
register. The take-up reel 28, being an integral part of the cash
register, remains in the cash register. The unused detail tape,
remaining in the cash register, is then reconnected to the detail
tape take-up reel 28 as described in the preceding paragraph.
The tape cartridge of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS.
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and is generally designated by reference
numeral 40 and includes a casing or housing 42 having an outer side
wall 44, an inner side wall 46 and a peripheral wall 48 extending
between the side walls 44 and 46. The housing 42 may be constructed
of plastic material and is preferably of unitary one-piece
construction. Disposed in one portion of the housing 42 is a supply
of detail tape 50. The detail tape 50 is wound into a spiral roll
having a hollow interior for receiving the supply spool spindle or
stud 14 of the cash register which is also received through a
suitable opening in the inner wall 46 of the housing 42. The detail
tape 50 then extends over guide member 52 which extends between the
walls 44 and 46 and orients the detail tape 50 so that it will pass
appropriately over the stud or roller 16 on the cash register.
Additional guide members 54, 56, 58 and 60 are provided interiorly
of the housing 42 and each of these guides extend transversely
between the inner surfaces of the walls 44 and 46 and are provided
with rounded outer edges. The end of the tape 50 is attached to an
anchor member 62 which is in the form of a slotted rod with the
terminal end of the detail tape 50 extending through the slot 64
and being anchored therein such as by a frictional gripping action.
The detail tape 50 is retained in a straight line condition so that
it will be in engagement with and generally tangential to the
take-up reel 28 so that one of the prongs 66 of the retaining key
30 will anchor the detail tape 50 to the take-up reel 28 by urging
the detail tape 50 into one of the grooves 68 in the flat opposed
side surfaces 70 of the take-up reel 28. The retaining key 30 is
conventional in construction and includes a handle 72 and a plate
74 with two parallel prongs 66 affixed thereon. One of the prongs
is shorter than the other but both of them extend over a major
portion of the length of the take-up reel 28 and secure the detail
tape 50 in position in the same manner as the conventional tape 12
is secured to the take-up reel. The take-up reel 28 and the
retaining key 30 are presently employed in cash register
structures. Before a new tape cartridge 40 is inserted into a cash
register, the retaining key 30 is removed. This is followed by the
removal of the old tape cartridge. When the new cartridge is
inserted, it is only necessary to insert the retaining key 30 and
turn it for approximately two revolutions which will disconnect the
detail tape 50 from the anchor member 62 and start the detail tape
50 on the take-up reel 28.
The peripheral wall 48 of the housing 42 is provided with an
appropriately located aperture 76 therein for enabling printing on
the detail tape 50 by the pivoting marking assembly 78 which pivots
about shaft or stud 80 in a direction towards the aperture 76.
After operation, the marking assembly 78 returns to its original
position. This position of "rest" being determined by the stop
roller 82. The marking assembly 78, an existing part of the cash
register, includes an inked ribbon which remains outside and
tangent to the top of the tape cartridge 40. The inner wall 46 of
the tape cartridge 40 having open areas for receiving the ribbon
marking assembly 78.
FIG. 4 illustrates a typical construction of one of the studs or
rollers provided on the cash register such as the roller or stud 26
which projects through an opening 84 in the inner wall 46 and which
has a reduced axial outer end 86 that is normally received through
the outer wall of the cash register structure which is in the form
of a plate-like structure interiorly of the door 32 which
interconnects the ends of the various rollers and studs. This
plate-like structure is referenced as numeral 8 of FIG. 1. As
disclosed earlier, this support plate 8 is removed and disposed of
when the tape cartridge 40 of this invention is utilized. The outer
wall 44 is provided with a cylindrical projection 88 which
telescopically receives the shouldered end 86 of the roller 26 to
provide stability and support for the roller 26 during the
operation of the cash register. Also, the cylindrical projection 88
defines a guide for the detail tape 50 to retain the tape in
position for positioning over the roller 26 when the tape cartridge
40 is inserted into the machine.
The top surface of the peripheral wall 48 is provided with a
tear-off tab 90 which has an identification code or number 94
thereon. An identical identification code or number 96 is formed on
the interior of the cartridge such as on the inner surface of the
peripheral wall 48 adjacent to the roller or stud 26. This code
number 96 identifies the cartridge and the user cannot determine
the code inside of the cartridge without mutilating or destroying
the cartridge. When the cartridges are given to a user, the
tear-off tab 90 is removed to provide a record of those cartridges
that were provided a particular user for subsequent check of
receipts as explained in more detail hereinafter. Also space is
provided on the upper surface of the cartridge wall 48 adjacent to
the tear-off tab 90, as designated by the numeral 98, for providing
an area on which indicia may be written such as sequence numbers
for use in the security check as described in more detail
hereinafter.
FIG. 8 illustrates a structure similar to that of FIG. 2 but in
this arrangement the detail tape 50 extends under the roller 80
rather than over it and guide ribs 100 are provided on the inner
surface of the peripheral wall 48 to guide the detail tape 50.
FIG. 8 illustrates one of many variations in the orientation of the
detail tape, ribbon, film or other web-like material so that it may
be employed with various cash registers, business machines and any
other machines employing material of this type.
In some installations, it may be necessary to adapt existing
machines in a limited manner but primarily, the tape cartridge is
to be employed with existing machines such as cash registers
without any modification or alteration thereof to the existing
mechanical mechanism thus increasing the speed and convenience with
which the machine can be loaded. In many instances this loading can
be accomplished in a matter of seconds. Also, the tape cartridge
provides additional security against pilferage to the owner of a
business who employs the cartridge in a machine where money or
securities or other items of cash value are placed or in which
incoming monies are tabulated.
There has been a continuing problem of pilferage of monies or
securities that have been "rung up" or processed in a cash
register. Recognizing this problem, most manufacturers of cash
registers incorporate an optional feature in their machines
generally referred to as "accumulative total." This "accumulative
total" feature supposedly provides a fool-proof method which
enables the owner of the cash register to determine that monies
that have been "rung up" or processed through the cash register
have been reported. A new cash register having this feature will
reflect an accumulative total of zero. All sales processed through
this cash register continue to add to the accumulative total so
that at any instance the total of the detail tapes submitted to the
owner, plus the total on the detail tape at the time of a check of
the cash register should be in accord with the amount reflected by
the accumulative total reading of the cash register. However, this
feature is not foolproof inasmuch as the cash register company
builds into each of the cash registers the capability of resetting
the accumulative total. While it is true that special tools are
required for resetting the accumulative total, there is a distinct
possibility that such special tools can and do get into the hands
of persons that have no qualms about resetting an accumulative
total. For example, if an owner of a store adds the total of the
detail tapes from any cash register and checks the accumulative
total reading on that cash register and they agree, then the owner
would normally assume that no pilferage has occurred. However,
someone employing special tools could easily reset the accumulative
total of the cash register. While the cash register company assures
that the special tools are available only to mechanics employed by
the cash register company, from a practical standpoint, there is a
distinct possibility that such tools can be obtained and the
accumulative total reset thus rendering this security feature on
existing cash registers unreliable.
In view of this problem, some cash register companies provide the
accumulative total feature in a unit protected by a lead seal. The
seal that is used is similar to the seal used on a postage meter or
watthour meter. The seal must be broken in order to gain access to
the mechanism of any of these devices. Here again, the special
tools and seals required to reseal the accumulative total unit
compartment are available, supposedly, only to certain cash
register company employees. It is still possible for a dishonest
cash register company employee to secure the necessary tools and
seals and this employee would be able to reset the accumulative
total and reseal the unit. So here again the accumulative total
feature does not solve the problem of pilferage from cash
registers. Of course, the cash register operator would have to
provide a detail tape registering the lower total that would be
reflected on the accumulative total which has been reset. This is a
quite simple matter for the user of the cash register since he may
employ a cash register exactly like those used in the store at some
outside location and merely run a detail tape reflecting a lower
total so that there would be the same total on the accumulative
total and on the totals of the detail tapes from any given cash
register. Whenever a cash register is checked, the accumulative
total shown in the cash register should equal the total of all of
the detail tapes processed through that cash register plus the
total shown on the detail tape being employed at the time of
checking.
Even an inventory check may not uncover pilferage. For example: The
owner of a jewelry business will average two times mark-up on cost.
That is to say, merchandise that cost $1.00 will be sold for $2.00.
What will the shortage of $120,000.00, pilfered in cash by the
jewelry store manager, reflect in inventory? By pilfering
$120,000.00 in cash from the business the jewelry store manager has
actually pilfered $60,000.00 in inventory and he has actually
pilfered $60,000.00 in profits! A physical inventory can only
reflect the inventory shortage of $60,000.00. It cannot reflect the
$60,000.00 in profits pilfered by the jewelry store manager. But a
physical inventory will not necessarily reflect any shortage and/or
pilferage! Why is this? The jewelry store manager is smart and
knows that an inventory check could reveal an inventory shortage of
$60,000.00 and consequently result in an investigation of his
operation. To avoid this the jewelry store manager has taken
$60,000.00 cash of the pilfered $120,000.00 cash and has replaced
the missing inventory. Now, a physical inventory will not reveal an
inventory shortage. The detail tape totals check with the
accumulative totals of each of the cash registers employed in the
jewelry store. The owner of the jewelry store is satisfied that no
shortage, either inventory or cash, exists. The jewelry store
manager has just pilfered the jewelry store owner of
$60,000.00!
In addition to offering a convenience feature and reducing the time
necessary to reload the cash registers, the tape cartridge of this
invention introduces an additional security feature. For example,
when the tape cartridge 40 is delivered to a store such as a branch
store of a chain of stores, the identification code 94 on the
tear-off tab 90 identifies this cartridge. Since the tear-off tab
90 is removed before the cartridge is delivered to the store, there
is no method, short of destroying the cartridge by which the user
can determine the identification code 96 inside the cartridge.
Thus, the owner of the business would make a record by copying down
the identification code 94 and then removing the tab 90 before the
cartridge is delivered to the store. Thus, the owner of the
business would have a record of all detail tape cartridges sent to
a particular store. Thus, when the detail tapes which are returned
to the owner from the store are received and opened, the owner of
the store can be certain that the detail tapes were detail tapes
actually processed in one of his cash registers; as will be shown
later; during the course of a business day and is not a detail tape
omitting or altering sales as was the case in the previous
discussion of the accumulative total feature type cash registers.
The owner of the store will know this because the detail tape has a
customer sequence number printed on it and when checking the detail
tape, it is quite easy to determine that all customer sales or
numbers are sequential. In other words, if a customer number and
sale was rung up when the cartridge was removed from the cash
register, the customer number for that particular sale would not
appear on the detail tape in the cartridge which would readily be
detected by the owner of the store. However, the cartridge of the
present invention is constructed so it is virtually impossible to
remove it and then reinstall it notwithstanding, even if the
cartridge was reinstalled, there would be a break or hiatus in the
customer sequence number unless someone knowledgeable having the
proper tools immediately reset the cash register to produce the
correct customer number prior to processing the next sale. In this
event, the removal and reinstallation of the cartridge would be
detected by a spring-loaded device 102 which applies tension on the
detail tape 50 as it accumulates on the take-up reel 28. A marking
pen could be provided on the tension member 102 to imprint a
continuous line spaced inwardly from the edge of the detail tape 50
and would provide evidence as to how many times the sealed
cartridge 40 has been removed from and installed in the cash
register.
In an effort to pilfer by providing a bogus detail tape in an
authorized tape cartridge, the user of the cash register would
obtain an additional cash register of exactly the same type as
those being used in the store. He would place an unauthorized
detail tape in the cash register in the store and place the
authorized tape cartridge in the unauthorized cash register. The
unauthorized cash register would have its customer number set to
correspond with the customer number of the authorized cash register
being employed in the store. At the end of the business day the
operator of the cash register would have to reset the accumulative
total of the authorized cash register in the store to reflect the
lower total that would appear on the authorized tape cartridge in
the unauthorized cash register. However, such procedures would not
be successful without being detected inasmuch as the owner of the
business would instruct the operator of the store which sequence of
cartridge to use as determined by the sequence numbers 98. Then,
without notice and without any schedule known to the store
operator, a security service employed by the business owner will
visit the store, produce proper identification and remove the
sealed tape cartridges then in use in the authorized cash registers
and exchange them for additional tape cartridges which have been
brought by the security service and whose identification codes have
been recorded by the store owner. Thus, under the circumstances,
the authorized cash register in the store from which money was
being pilfered would not contain the correctly numbered sealed tape
cartridge 40 and, in fact, would not contain any of the tape
cartridges sent to the store by the business owner thus preventing
this manner of undetected pilfering.
In large establishments such as supermarkets or the like there may
be more than twenty or thirty cash registers. An additional cash
register can be brought in by the manager and used and not be
detected by the store owners since there is no check on the detail
tapes. That is to say, the store manager does not have to produce a
detail tape from this additional unauthorized cash register; which
he is using for pilfering; because the owners are unaware that this
register exists!
The tape cartridge of this invention with the code number and
sequence number thereon will clearly preclude the introduction of
an additional cash register into a store having a multiple of cash
registers for this reason: Let us assume a supermarket opens for
business using thirty cash registers. Detail tapes bearing the
sequence numbers 1 through 30 are the first tapes to be utilized.
The security service, employed by the supermarket owner, visits the
supermarket on the first day of operation and removes the detail
tapes then in use which would be detail tapes with the sequence
numbers 1 through 30. The security service asks the manager to
install new detail tapes in all thirty cash registers. These detail
tapes would bear the sequence numbers 31 through 60. If an
unauthorized cash register is being employed by the store manager,
one of these tapes (a tape bearing the sequence number of 31
through 60) is being utilized in the unauthorized cash register and
the supermarket manager cannot produce that detail tape unused to
the security service and his pilfering is immediately detected.
The identification code may be composed of letters, numbers or any
combination thereof and may additionally employ a fingerprint which
will provide an even better security check since this absolutely
precludes reproduction of the tape cartridge, including the
identification code 96 therein, itself. In any event, the
identification code 96 is molded as part of the cartridge and
because of this there is no possible way to remove the
identification code from one cartridge and place it in another
cartridge. The location of the identification code 96 is, as shown
in FIG. 2, completely concealed. The identification code 96 is in a
cavity enclosed by tape cartridge sides 44 and 46, tape cartridge
peripheral wall 48 and tape cartridge guide members 58 and 60.
There is no possible way, short of destroying the tape cartridge
40, to learn the identification code 96.
Any suitable indicating means may be provided on the detail tape to
indicate that the end of the tape is being approached. This
indication would be visible through a window 104 in the tape
cartridge 40. The detail tape 50 becomes visible to the cash
register operator as it passes by window 104.
Other features that could be incorporated into a cash register and
associated with a cartridge of this type include:
A print-out clock which would record the time a sale was processed
through a cash register.
A locking device that would prevent removal of the detail tape
cartridge 40 from the cash register when the electrical power has
been disconnected from the cash register. This locking device, or
solenoid, would prevent a person from disconnecting the cash
register from a source of electrical power in an effort to remove
the detail tape cartridge 40 and defeat the continuous marking
device discussed in other portions of this disclosure.
A continuous marking device affixed to tension member 102 (as
described earlier in this disclosure) which would leave a tell-tale
mark on the detail tape 50 indicating how many times the detail
tape cartridge 40 had been removed from the cash register.
In addition to the features just described, the structure of the
detail tape cartridge 40 itself is such that removal and
reinstallation of the detail tape cartridge 40 is almost
impossible! The aperture in the inner wall of the detail tape
cartridge 40 closely receives the take-up reel 28 when the detail
tape cartridge 40 is installed in the cash register. Any
convolutions of the detail tape 50 on the take-up reel 28 would
preclude removal of the detail tape cartridge 40 without also
removing the detail tape 50 from the take-up reel 28. This is true
because the combined diameters of the take-up reel 28 plus the
detail tape 50 now exceed the diameter, which initially only
accepted the take-up reel 28, in the inner wall of the detail tape
cartridge 40. Once the detail tape cartridge 40, and the detail
tape 50 therein, have been removed from the take-up reel 28, it is
virtually impossible to reinstall the detail tape cartridge 40 and
the detail tape 50 in such a manner as to associate the detail tape
50 with the take-up reel 28.
While the cash register has been used as being illustrative of a
machine in which the advantages of the present invention are
effective, the concept of this invention may also be incorporated
into any machine utilizing tape, ribbon, film or other material
that is moved from a supply reel in a linear manner onto a take-up
reel over or over and under various guide structures such as reels,
spindles, spools, rollers or other structures. These structures are
used to facilitate the loading of the tape, ribbon, film or other
material and to provide a security for the material in the
cartridge.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and
equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention as claimed.
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