US3628452A

US3628452A - Invoice and tape printing machine

Info

Publication number: US3628452A
Application number: US74777A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles A Shaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-09-23
Filing date: 1970-09-23
Publication date: 1971-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 1988-12-21

Abstract

A multiple sales transaction recording method and device in which a visually readable invoice for the individual customer is prepared simultaneously with the preparation of a cumulative machine-readable record retained in the device for use by the salesman. In a first embodiment, the products involved are identified by one of a number number of strips inserted in grooves on the upper surface of a housing and the quantity of that product is indicated by individually adjustable printing heads of a register associated with each groove. In a second embodiment, the product strips are positioned on the upper surface of the housing and the quantity of the product indicated by individually adjustable printing heads of a register selectively associated with each product. In both embodiments a credit card may be placed on the upper surface of the housing and a tape advanced from feed and takeup reels mounted for rotation within the housing in printing relation to the register(s), a product identifying code on the strips and a portion of the credit card. An invoice placed in overlying relationship to the strips and the tape is printed in a visually readable font simultaneously with the printing of the machine readable tape.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Charles A. Shaw 7 Coronet Drive, Columbia, S.C. 29206 [21] Appl. No. 74,777 [22] Filed Sept. 23, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 21, 1971 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 741,101,.lune 28, 1968, now abandoned. This application Sept. 23, 1970, Ser. No. 74,777

[54] INVOICE AND TAPE PRINTING MACHINE 22 Claims, 28 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 101/90, 101/94,101/269, 10l/66, 101/45 [51] Int.Cl B411 19/00, B4lf 3/22 [50] Field ofSearch 101/269, 274, 45,90, 94, 95, 96,

l

13, 93 R, 66

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,281,577 5/1942 Haynes 101/94 2,346,145 4/1944 Bliss 101/94 2,534,364 12/1950 Moll 101/93 2,582,187 1/1952 Wolowitz.. 101/90 2,691,938 10/1954 Bliss 101/94 3,051,079 8/1962 Platzman 101/1 9 Primary ExaminerWilliam B. Penn AttorneyBurns, Doane, Swecker & Mathis ABSTRACT: A multiple sales transaction recording method and device in which a visually readable invoice for the individual customer is prepared simultaneously with the preparation ofa cumulative machine-readable record retained in the device for use by the salesman. [n a first embodiment, the products involved are identified by one of a number number of strips inserted in grooves on the upper surface of a housing and the quantity of that product is indicated by individually adjustable printing heads of a register associated with each groove. In a second embodiment, the product strips are positioned on the upper surface of the housing and the quantity of the product indicated by individually adjustable printing heads of a register selectively associated with each product. In both embodiments a credit card may be placed on the upper surface of the housing and! a tape advanced from feed and takeup reels mounted for rotation within the housing in printing relation to the register(s) a product identifying code on the strips and a portion of the credit card. An invoice placed in overlying ielationship to the strips and the tape is printed in a visually readable font simultaneously with the printing ofthe machine readable tape.

all-328.452

PATENTEB M21 :911

SHEET UlUF 1O INVENTOR CHARLES A. SHAW ATTORN YS PATENTED [M21 1971 3,628,452

SHEET cu. [1F 10 PATENIEU BEBZI I97! SHEET USUF 10 FIGII aiszmsz PATENTEU 051:2 1 [an SHEET UBUF i0 PATENIED DEC?! 1971 SHEET 07 [1F 10 FIG. I?)

HG. 14A

PATENTED um] um 3,628,452 SHEET 08 0F 10 FIGI6 PATENTED 051221 I97! 3628 452 sum 09 or 10 FIG. [8 FIGZO I?6 [9 MILK @QT. .30 256] In QE/SEQ'TT H626 MIDWAY VA. 00000 9 9 237546 J FIG. 25

PATENTEU BEBE] I971 SHEET lOUF 1O XYZ GEN.STORE I23 MAIN ST. MIDWAY, VA. 00000 I370 570/ PRODUCT UNIT g3}; c005 QTY. PRICE l3? i; MILK oQT. .50 256 L80 m CREAM 0 PT; 3.00

INVOICE AND TAPE PRINTING MACHINE RELATED APPLICATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The development of mechanical apparatus for reducing the administrative burden of preparing monthly billings and the like has been eagerly anticipated and various forms of this apparatus are now widely accepted my many sectors of industry. Billing apparatus of this type conventionally includes a manually operated keyboard in which the data taken from the individual invoices collected over the month is inserted into the machine for processing.

Coupled with the rapidly increasing utilization of the newly available statement-preparing equipment has been the phenomenal growth in the use of embossed credit cards which identify the customer and establish his credit. These cards are conventionally utilized in printing devices which simultane ously print multiple copies of an invoice with indicia in both machine-readable and a visually readable font. In these devices, the grand total may be indicated by the manual adjustment of a plurality of embossed printing heads mounted for rotation within the device.

The invoices employed with these printing devices customarily comprise one or more onionskin or quite thin sheets and a more rigid vendor retained copy. The vendor's copies of each invoice are uniform in size and are configured for insertion into the mechanical statement-preparing apparatus for the accumulation of the grand totals of each transaction at the end of the billing period.

Conventional systems of this type have been limited in that the customer must retain or be furnished a copy of each of the individual invoices to ascertain the nature of the individual products or services represented by each transaction. Indeed, the vendor must also resort to the individual invoices and a manually operated keyboard to utilize the apparatus in the maintenance of inventories and product accounting. Moreover. the physical size of the billing apparatus must be sufficient to accommodate large numbers of the individual invoices, each of which is substantially larger than the space upon which the machine-readable indicia is printed. An example of this type of printing device is that disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,138,091 toJ. A. Maul.

Attempts have also been made to reduce the administration burden of door-to-door salesmen or collectors by providing a device having a web of paper or the like concurrently imprinted along with a customer retained receipt. While these webs or tapes have been imprinted with data relating to a plurality of transactions, they have been limited to collection of a predetermined, fixed sum such as the use with a single item, repetitive transaction insurance premium, rents, or other installment payments. Prior art systems of this type have not heretofore been machine readable and are exemplified by those U.S. Pat. No. 2,281,577 to J. E. Haynes, and Nos. 2,346,145 and 2,691,938 H. N. Bliss.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to remedy the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a novel method and printing device for simultaneously printing a visually readable customer-retained invoice while preparing a machine-readable web or tape for retention by the vendor for use in automatic statement-preparing apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multiple transaction printing device which produces a machinereadable tape containing data not only as to the grand total of the transaction, but as to the product or service provided and the respective quantities thereof together with a machinereadable, manually calculated grand total as well.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a printing device which produces sufficient data as to the subtotals of the individual items so that the grand total of the transaction calculated by the salesman may be automatically calculated and corrected if in error.

Yet another object is to provide a multiple transaction recording device in which the recorded data is adapted for direct mechanical insertion into conventional statementpreparing apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention may readily ascertained from: the claims when read in conjunction with the following detailed description and appended drawings.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention with the printing assembly omitted;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view of a product-identifying strip adapted for insertion into the printing surface of a housing of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of the printing registers of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with the printing surface removed from the housing;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of an individual printing head of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an end elevation of the printing head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the housing of FIG. 1 with an invoice positioned thereon and the printing assembly removed;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation in section taken through lines 7-7 of FIG. 6 showing the tape and its associated feed and takeup reels;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation in section taken through lines 88 of FIGS. 1 and 6 with the printing assembly mounted thereon; and

FIG. 9 is a view of a portion of the machine-readable tape showing the data visually printed thereon.

FIG. 10 is a pictorial view of a second embodiment of the present invention with the top in an open position;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 10 with the top removed and with customer identification card, product strips, and journal tape in place thereon;

FIG. 12 is a section in elevation taken through lines l2l2 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a section in elevation taken through lines 13-13 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14A is a section in elevation taken through lines 114- 14 of FIG. 11 showing the print head assembly with the print wheels, the printing lever and the printing anvil in a neutral or nonprinting position;

FIG. 14B is a section in elevation taken through lines 14- 14 of FIG. 11 showing the print head assembly with the print wheels, printing lever and the printing anvil in the printing position;

FIG. 15 is a section in elevation taken through lines 15-15 of FIG. 11 showing the relationship of the segments, print wheels, pawls, printing lever, and reset plunger key;

FIG. 16 is a top plan view of one of the print wheels of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a section in elevation taken through lines 17-17 of FIG. 15 showing the relationship of the print anvil to the print wheels;

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the print roller assembly with a portion of the handle cut away and the latch in its neutral position;

FIG. 19 is a section in elevation taken through lines l9-19 OF FIG. 18 showing the print roller in its neutral or rest position;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of the print roller assembly with a portion of the handle broken away and the latch unlocked;

FIG. 21 is a section in elevation taken through lines 2121 of FIG. 20 showing the position of the print roller as the assembly travels upwardly over the deck when not locked into the neutral position illustrated in FIG. 19';

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the print roller assembly with a portion of the handle cut away and the latch in the printing position;

FIG. 23 is a section in elevation taken through lines 14-14 of FIG. 22 showing the print roller in its printing position;

FIG. 24 is a pictorial view of the strips of the second embodiment;

FIG. 25 is a pictorial view of the credit card of the second embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a section taken through lines 2626 of FIG. 11; and,

FIG. 27 is a top plan view of a portion of the device with a portion of the invoice and tape cut away to show the operating relationship therebetween.

TI-IE DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9 and more specifically to FIGS. 1 and 9, a generally rectangular housing is provided the housing having upstanding side and end walls 12-18, and substantially planar upper surface or deck 20. A plurality of spaced parallel grooves 22 are cut transver sely across the major portion of the upper surface of the housing 10, the upper surface 20 being undercut along the length of the grooves 22 to receive the flanges 24 of one of a plurality of elongated printing strips 26.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, each of the strips 26 may be substantially rigid in its construction and may be configured in cross section substantially in the shape of an inverted U. The surface 28 is located above the flanges 24 by a distance such that the visually readable indicia 30 embossed thereon extends above the upper surface 20 of the housing 10 when the strips 26 are inserted in the grooves 22.

The indicia 32 embossed on the extreme right end of the strips 26 as shown in FIG. 2 may be a product-identifying code which corresponds to the visually readable indicia 30 embossed or otherwise provided elsewhere on the upper surface 28 of the strip 26.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the, upper surface 20 of the housing 10 has a group of six apertures 33 at the upper end thereof. Aligned with the right hand three of these apertures 33 are groups of apertures 34 also aligned with the axis of each of the grooves 22.

Referring now also to FIG. 3, a register or print wheel set 35 is mounted within the housing 10 in association with each of the grooves 22. With the exception of register 37 which has six, each of the registers 35 has three printing heads 36. These printing heads 36 extend in part through the apertures 34 above the upper surface 20 of the housing 10.

As indicated in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, each printing head 36 may be a regular 12 sided polygon in cross section. Eleven of the sides 38 are shown with indicia 40 as numerical embossments in a font both visually and machine readable. The twelfth side 41 is blank for the conservation of tape, as will be later described.

Each of the six printing heads 36 of the register 37 and the three printing heads 35 are rigidly attached to a cylindrical shaft 42 for rotation therewith about a common coaxial transverse shaft 44. The shaft 44 may be nonrotatively secured at its ends 46 to the sidewalls I4 and 18 of the housing 10. Each of the cylindrical shafts 42 may be adapted to engage the individual links ofa conventional ball chain 48.

A plurality of dials 50 may be mounted for rotation on the sidewall 18 directly beneath the

registers

37 and 35. The dials 50 may be individually mounted upon a corresponding number of concentric shafts 52 which extend through the sidewall 18 of the housing 10. As shown in FIG. 4, the ends 54 of the concentric shafts 52 may also be adapted to engage the individual links of the ball chain 48. Each of the printing heads 36 may thus be individually rotated to change the indicia 40 which are located to be positioned above the upper surface 20 of the housing 10. Each of the manually rotatable dials 50 may also have 12 sides. Each of the sides may bear indicia to indicate whichof the embossed indicia 40 is uppermost in the

apertures

33 and 34.

For a reason to be later explained in connection with the operation of the device, it has been found expedient to equip the topmost of the registers 37 with six of the printing heads 36 and remaining ones of the registers 35 with only three. The number of printing heads may, of course, be varied to expand or reduce the capacity of the registers as necessary for a particular application of the invention. It may also be expedient to offset slightly the dials 50 of successive registers 35 to reduce the overall size of the device.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper surface 20 of the housing 10 may be configured to receive a record member such as a convention charge plate or credit card 56 having both visually readable customer-identifying indicia 57 and indicia 58 in a machine-readable font embossed thereon. A pair of taps 60 and a triangular projection 62 may be utilized to position the record credit card 56 with respect to the upper surface 20 of the housing 10 so that the machine-readable, customer-identifying indicia 58 located to the right of the visually readable indicia 57 is substantially aligned with the registers 35 associated with the grooves 22. The customer-identifying indicia 58 may be conveniently embossed downwardly so that the card 56 is placed in an overlying relation to the printing ribbon as will be explained. The positioning means and record member may, of course, consist of an adjustable register.

The upper surface 20 of the housing 10 is also provided at its upper and lower extremities with a pair of transversely elongated

apertures

64 and 66 and aligned with the registers 35 associated with each of the grooves 22. As may be seen more clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, the

slits

64 and 66 are located respectively at opposite ends of the housing 10 and are adapted for the passage of a tape 68 from a feed reel 70 to a takeup reel 72 mounted for rotation within the housing 10. An idler wheel 74 may be provided as indicated in FIG. 7 to facilitate the movement of the tape 68 from the feed reel 70, through the lower aperture 64, over the registers 35 and the product codes 32 of the strips 26, under the customer-identifying indicia 58 of the credit card 46 and through the aperture 66 to the takeup reel 72.

Conventional means for advancing the tape 68 from the feed reel 70 to the takeup reel 72 are provided and may include a key 76 attached to an extension 78 of the shaft of the takeup reel 72 which extends through the left hand sidewall 18 of the housing 10 (see FIG. 1).

With continued reference to FIG. 1, invoice-locating means, e.g., a pair of posts 80, are provided at the extreme upper end of the upper surface 20 of the housing 10. The invoice 82 is shown in place on the upper surface 20 of the housing 10 in FIG. 6 and conforms substantially in size to the upper surface 20 of the housing 10. A pair of apertures 83 are provided at the top thereof for cooperating with the posts 80 in positioning the invoice 82 on the housing 10.

The invoice 82 may be of the conventional double-sided carbon, pressure-sensitive-type known in the trade as snap out forms. The original or top copy may be of the transparent type in which the indicia is printed on the reverse side thereof by the underlying carbon and viewed through the invoice 82. The second copy may be printed on its upper surface by the lower side of the double-sided carbon. Additional copies may, of course, be obtained by the use of additional single-sided carbon as desired.

The last copy of the invoice 82 may be supplied with spot carbon so that the tape 68 is imprinted with indicia in a machine-readable font. The ink utilized may be magnetic or merely opaque, depending upon the type of machine-reading apparatus to be employed. If a magnetic-inked ribbon is to be employed, suitable feed and takeup reels (not shown) synchronized with the feed reel 70 and the takeup reel 72 of the tape 68 should be provided.

Each of the invoices 82 may be separate items or may alternatively be part of a web selectively advanced into position from a suitable storage reel (not shown) by conventional apparatus.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 8, a printing assembly comprising a frame 84, track 86, engaging means 88, a pressure roller 90, and a handle 92 for operating the printing assembly are all located on the housing as illustrated. As indicated in FIG. 1, the track 86 may be continuous and may provide for separate printing and out-of-engagement return paths of the roller 90. A resting place or retaining loop 94 in the tracks 90 may optionally be provided as may a latch 96 to restrict the movement of the roller 90 to a single direction along the lower or printing portion of the track 86.

The method of utilizing the device may more easily be explained in connection with FIGS. 6 and 9 and an example in which the vendor, such as a store-to-store salesman, has installed the device in his route truck for delivering dairy products. A previously prepared customer-identifying credit card 46 is positioned with respect to the tabs 60 and projection 62 upon the upper surface upon the arrival of the vendor at the store of a regular customer such as a supermarket. The appropriate product-identifying strips 26 are then inserted in the grooves 22 beginning with the uppermost one. The dials 50 may then be utilized to rotate the appropriate quantity-indicating indicia 40 of the printing heads 36 into the apertures 34 associated with each of the respective grooves Since it is anticipated that a given customer will not purchase each item carried in stock on the route truck, only those strips 26 corresponding to the particular products being purchased will be inserted in the grooves 22 and the dials 50 rotated to position the appropriate quantity indicia of the registers 35 in the corresponding apertures 34.

The uppermost of the dials 50 is associated with one of the two grand totals areas of the invoice 82 and is used to initially rotate the printing heads 36 of the register 37 out of printing relationship, i.e., blank sides 41 uppermost. The printing heads 36 of the register 35 associated with the uppermost groove into which no strip 26 has been inserted are rotated to position an indication of the end of the transaction into the apertures 34, e.g. indicia 98 in FIG. 4. An indication of the end of transaction is shown in FIG. 9 as a number of X's but 0's may be utilized thereby reducing the number of sides of the printing heads 36, The printing heads 36 of the remaining ones of the registers 35 may then be rotated into nonprinting or blank side 41 uppermost position.

An invoice 82 may then be positioned in overlying relationship to the upper surface 20 of the housing 10 including the invoice 82. Manual operation of the roller 90 from its rest position along the lower or printing track 86 for the length of the housing 10 by means of the handle 92 causes the roller 90 to traverse the invoice 82 in pressural relationship to the indicia embossed on the card 56, the strips 26, and the printing heads 36 of the registers 35. The invoice 82 is thus printed by the applied pressure simultaneously with the printing of the tape 68 with the ink from the band of carbon or ink on the underside ofthe last copy of the invoice 82.

The salesman may then, in the column 96 provided on the extreme right hand side of the invoice, by pencil or other appropriate marking instrument, indicate the subtotal or price for the quantity of each item purchased in the space provided to the right of the register 35 associated with the grooves 22. These subtotals may be summed by the salesman in the space 98 provided at the bottom of the right-hand column 96.

The dials 50 of the uppermost of the registers 37 may then be utilized to position the printing heads 36 to indicate the cash or credit nature of the transaction and the grand total as calculated by the salesman in the space 100. A third indication, that of error, may be made in lieu of the cash or credit indication. Should an error be inadvertently made, the salesman has but to rotate the appropriate dial 50 of the register 37 to so indicate and then to reprint the transaction.

The subsequent operation of the printing assembly serves to print the grand total onto the tape 68 (see FIG. 9) and on the invoice 82 (see FIG. 6) in the space 100 between the marks of the customer-identifying indicia 58 of the credit card 56 and the list of strip 26 carried product code indicia 32 and associated quantity indications of the registers 35.

Since the invoice 82 remains in its position on the upper surface 20 of the housing 10 by virtue of the apertures 03 and posts relationship, the second printing operation by the roller effects only a reprint and does not obscure the first printing of the invoice 82.

The invoice 82, which contains visually readable indicia, may then be removed for retention by the customer. The copy may be retained by the salesman as protection against the subsequent loss or destruction of the tape 66. The tape 60 which contains the machine-readable indicia is then advanced by means of the key 76 sufficiently for the end of the transaction indication to pass through the slit 66 into the housing 10. Thereafter, the device is ready to record the next transaction. In this manner only the length of the tape 68 necessary to record useful data is utilized in each transaction.

As indicated in FIG. 9, the tape 68 is imprinted with the customer-identifying indicia 58 of the credit card 56. Immediately below on the tape 68 will appear an indication of the nature of the transaction, e.g., cash or credit, and the grand total dollar amount thereof. Appearing successively beneath the grand total will be a printing of the product code indicia 32 of the strips 26 and the quantity-indicating indicia 40 of the printing heads 36 of the registers 35 associated with each groove 22. The indication of the end of the transaction may appear as shown as a number of X's in the right-hand three columns of the tape 58. The end of transaction indication may, of course, be alternatively inserted by means of a strip 26. In this case, the printing heads 36 of the associated register 35 may be positioned being blank side up and the need for the twelfth side on the printing heads 36 would be eliminated.

The tape 68 may be removed from the device at the end of the day by the salesman for insertion into conventional, commercially available apparatus utilized in the preparing of monthly statements. The information as to the customer, the cash or credit nature of the transaction, and the grand total of the transaction is thus readily available for billing purposes without the requirement for insertion into the billing apparatus by means of the conventional manually operated keyboard. Not only are substantial savings realized in the time and expense of introducing the data into the billing apparatus, but an opportunity for error is eliminated, i.e., the error of the keyboard operator.

A second major advantage may be achieved mechanically by the billing apparatus in that the product-identifying code and the quantity indication associated therewith may be used by the apparatus to calculate the grand total for comparison with the grand total entered on the invoice by the salesman. Errors in the manual addition performed by the salesman in preparing the invoice may thus be corrected by the billing apparatus.

A SECOND EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 10-26, and more specifically to FIG. 10, A generally rectangular attache-type case is provided having an upper housing 107 which includes sidewalls 101 and 103, end Walls 106 and 104i and a top 105; and a lower housing 116 which includes sidewalls 117 and 119, end walls and 120 and a bottom 121. The upper housing 107 and lower housing 116 may be connected at their

respective end walls

106 and 120 by means ofsuitable conventional hinges 113.

With the print head and print roller assembly generally in dicated by the numeral 123 in the position shown in FIG. 10, the upper housing 107 may be rotated clockwise to a closed position with respect to the lower housing 116. A convention catch affixed in the deck 122 and the end wall 118 of the lower housing 116 is provided and engages a slot 183 in the end wall 104 of the upper housing 107 to secure the upper housing 107 in the closed position. The device is thus quite compact and may be carried by the handle 177 secured to the sidewall 117 of the lower housing 116. The upper housing 107 is held in an upright position at an obtuse angle to the lower housing 116 by an arm support 114 when the device is in the open position shown in FIG. 10 and ready for operation. The arm support 114 retracts into the lower housing 116 when the upper housing 107 is in the closed position.

As shown in FIG. 10 and more clearly shown in FIG. 11 in a top plan view, the lower housing 116 has a substantially planar upper surface forming a deck 122. A plurality of upwardly protruding studs 137 are provided in two columns. The studs 137 are evenly spaced and arranged in pairs. One additional stud 139 is provided in the right-hand column and the first two studs 137a in the columns are utilized to position and hold in place the customer identification card 111 on the deck 122. The remainder of the studs 137 below the position of the customer identification card 111 are utilized to position and hold in place a plurality of product strips 136 on the deck 122.

The customer identification card 111 may be of the type illustrated in FIG. 25 and the product strips 136 may be of the type illustrated in FIG. 25. Both the customer identification card 111 and the product strips 136 are further secured in position on the deck 122 by a thin rigid strip 138 under which they extend. The strip 138 is secured in an overlaying relationship to the deck 122 in the approximate center thereof. The strip 138 may be spring-loaded downwardly to permit the insertion thereunder of the ends of the customer identification card 111 and product strips 136. As shown in FIG. 26, the strip 138 may be S-shaped in cross section to provide a guide for the tape 140.

A depression 147 in the deck 122, shown more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 3, may be provided immediately to the right of aperture 133 to make the left-hand ends of the customer identification card 111 and product strips 136 more readily accessible for removal.

Referring again to FIG. '11, longitudinally extending and

elongated apertures

133 and 134 are provided one on each side of the deck 122 adjacent the transverse edge thereof. These

apertures

133 and 134 serve as tracks which guide the print head and print roller assembly 123 in passing over the deck 122.

As shown in FIG. 12, the print head and print roller assembly 123 slides on shafts 15 1 and 152 which are mounted below the deck 122 of the

end walls

118 and 120 parallel to the

sidewalls

117 and 119 of the lower housing 116. These

shafts

151 and 152 are generally square in cross section.

With continued reference to FIG. 12, the print head and print roller assembly 123 consists of two major subassemblies, the print roller assembly 123a and the print head assembly 123b, both of which are mounted in one assembly between

brackets

130 and 131. The

brackets

130 and 131 are tracked on the shafts I51 and 152, respectively, to pennit the longitudinal movement of the assembly 123 over the deck 122 out of contact therewith but in sufficient proximity to permit printing on the invoice 185 and paper tape 140 subsequently to be described by the print roller 153 and the print wheels 154.

The print roller assembly 123a comprises a handle 129, a sectional pressure print roller 153 and a roller engaging latch 132 described in connection with FIGS. 18-23. Depression of the latch 132 with the thumb causes the roller 153 to drop from the position of FIG. 18 into pressural contact with the deck 122. The print head and print roller assembly 123 may then be pulled downwardly by the handle 129 as a single unit the length of the deck 122 to print the invoice. The machinereadable customer-identifying indicia is also printed on the tape 140. The assembly is thereafter returned to selected positions in alignment with the indicia of various printing strips as printed on the invoice.

The print head assembly 123b, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 15, includes: six print wheels 154; six print wheel positioning thumb wheels 143; six pivotably mounted pawls 163; a press printing lever 145; a reset plunger key 144; a printing anvil 155; and a printing bail 176. The number of print wheels 154 and the associated elements may, of course, be increased or decreased according to the desired capacity of the device. The print head assembly 123b is encased in a rectangular housing having

upstanding end walls

125 and 127,

sidewalls

126 and 128 and a cover plate 124.

With continued reference to FIG. 15 the print wheels 154 may be a l2-sided polygon in cross section having indicia 164 embossed on I I of its sides in a font both visually and machine readable. The print wheels 154 may have a toothed gear 169 on one side thereof and be mounted on a shaft 175 for rotation thereabout. The thumb wheels 143, as shown in FIG. 16, are provided with a knurled top surface and numerical embossment thereon corresponding to the indicia 164 embossed on the print wheels 154. The thumb wheels 143 are also provided with a plurality of teeth 183 on their lower surface for engaging the toothed gears 169 on the side of the print wheels 154.

By individually rotating the thumb wheels 143 about the shaft 186, the print wheels 154 may be adjusted to their desired position for printing with the corresponding numerical positions of each print wheel 154 being registered on top of the thumb wheels 143 in view of the operator. The pawls 163 have a toothed configuration on their lower side to engage the toothed gears 169 on the side of the print wheels 154 and to hold the print wheels 154 in the desired position for printing. The pawls 163 are held in a downward position by a spring 167.

With an invoice 185 and the paper tape in position on the device and the print wheels 154 set at their desired positions, printing is accomplished by depressing the print lever 145. As shown in FIGS. 14a and 14b, the print lever 145 pivots on a stud 172 to raise the leg 177 to which a bail 176 containing a print anvil of FIG. 15 is attached. Through the squeezing action of the print wheels 154 and the print anvil 155 on the invoice and on the paper tape 140, an impression of the selected indicia 164 embossed on the print wheels 154 is made simultaneously on the invoice 185 and tape 140 by means of carbon and/or printing ribbon. The print wheels 154 and print anvil 155 in their nonprinting and printing positions are shown respectively in FIGS. 14a and 14b.

With reference again to FIG. 15, the depression of the reset plunger key 144 simultaneously disengages the pawls 163 from the toothed gears 169 of the print wheels 154. A spring 166 located on the side of each thumb wheel 143 causes the thumb wheels 143 to rotate in a clockwise direction to their home or blank position. By disengaging the latch 132 with the thumb at the onset of the downward movement and by pulling the print head and print roller assembly 123 from the home position illustrated in FIG. 10 to over the deck 122 toward the end 118 of the device with the handle 129, the print roller 153 drops from the rest position shown in FIG. 18 and contacts the deck 122. The roller 153 remains in the rolling contact with the deck 122. (see FIG. 23) as the printing head and print roller assembly is moved longitudinally over the length of the deck 122 in a downward movement. At the onset of the reverse movement of the printing head and print roller 123 upward toward the home position illustrated in FIG. 10, the print roller 153 swings up and out of contact with the deck 122 (see FIG. 21), to again engage the latch 132 in the notch 132a which engagement will hold the print roller 153 in its neutral or rest position as shown in FIG. 19.

Referring now to FIG. 17, a detent mechanism 168 is mounted on the side of bracket 131. A plurality of sockets 184 are provided underneath the deck 122 along one side thereof to horizontally align the print head assembly 123b with one of the pairs of studs 137 on the deck 122. As the print head and print roller assembly 123 is moved longitudinally over the deck 122, the detent mechanism 168, being spring loaded into an upward position, is pushed into one of the sockets 184. Thus, the print head assembly 123 can be positioned to print, on both the invoice 185 and paper tape 140, the indicia 164 associated with the information previously printed by means of the print roller 153 on that line of the invoice 185 with which the print head is aligned.

As may be seen in FIG 13, a pair of transversely elongated

apertures

141 and 142 are located respectively at opposite ends of the deck 122 and are adapted for the passage of conventional journal paper tape 140 from a supply reel 182 to a takeup reel 181 journaled in a conventional manner for rotation within the lower housing 116. A roll of paper tape 140 can be affixed to the supply reel 182 through the door 178 in the bottom 121 of the lower housing 116 and the tape 140 threaded around the idler wheels 187 and 188 to facilitate tape movement and provide necessary tension on the tape 140. The tape 140 is passed upward through aperture 142, over the surface of the deck 122, and downwardly through aperture 141 where it is affixed to the takeup reel 181. The door 179 in the bottom 121 of the lower housing assembly 116 is provided'for access to the takeup reel 181. By turning the knob 115 (see FIGS. 10 and 12 in a clockwise direction, the paper tape 140 may be transferred from the supply reel 182 to the takeup reel 181. A clutch spring 162 may be utilized, as shown in FIG. 12, on the drive shaft 158 of the takeup reel to prevent the counterclockwise movement of the drive shaft 158 and thus movement of the paper tape 140 so as to overprint.

As earlier stated, a primary objective of this device is to record in printed form on invoices or other documents various products or services having different monetary values included in a transaction involving the sale, production, receipt, etc., of goods and services. As a byproduct of preparing the invoice or other type of document, certain indicia related to each transaction, e.g., customer identification number, product code numbers and the quantity of each product, is imprinted on a journal tape in a font both visually and machine readable. Thus tape can be used as the input medium into automatic data-processing equipment. The data on the tape can be optically scanned by means of commercial journal tape readers on the market and transferred to magnetic tape, punched cards, etc., or read directly into a properly programmed computer.

To illustrate the method of utilizing the described second embodiment and with reference to FIG. 27, assume a sales transaction between a dairy route salesman and a customer to whom dairy products are sold. With the paper tape 140 installed in the device in the manner previously described, a previously prepared customer identification card 111 having the customers name, address and identification number embossed thereon may be placed on the deck 122 and held in position by the

appropriate studs

137a and 139. The card 111 extends under the strip 138 with the customer-identifying number under the paper tape 140. A product strip 136 having the product name, the unit thereof, the unit price, and a product code number embossed thereon is taken from the storage rack 108 in the upper housing 100 and is positioned on the deck 122. This strip 136 is held in position by the pair of studs 137 for each product involved in the sale. The product strip 136 extends under strip 138 and is held thereby with the product code number under the paper tape 140 substantially in horizontal alignment with the customer identification number.

A multipart invoice (depending on the desired number of copies), may be used having double-faced carbon between the original and first copy, single-faced carbon with the carbon side down) between the subsequent copies and spot carbon the the reverse side of the last copy in the area overlaying the paper tape 140. The invoice is positioned on the deck 122 and held in place by the three studs 135.

The print roller and print head assembly 123, moved longitudinally over the deck 122 by the handle 129 after disengagement of the latch 132 causes the indicia embossed on the customer identification card 111 and the product strips 136 to be imprinted on the invoice by means of pressure from the print roller 153. Simultaneously, the customer identification number and the product code number, embossed on that end of customer identification card 111 and product strips 136 which extend under the paper tape 140, are imprinted on the tape 140.

The print roller and print head assembly 123 is then returned to the first printed line on the invoice 185 where the quantity of the product units purchased is simultaneously imprinted on the invoice 185 and the paper tape 140, by means of the print wheels 154. The quantity to be imprinted with the print wheels 154 is selected dialing each thumb wheel 143 to the desired position and then depressing the printing lever 145. The squeezing action between the print wheels 154i and the print anvil 155 causes the selected indicia 164 to be simul taneously imprinted on the invoice 185 and on the paper tape 140. The print roller and print head assembly 123 is then advanced by means of handle 129 to the next position as in dicated by the detent mechanism 168 and is thus laterally aligned with the next product previously imprinted on the invoice 185. In turn, the quantity of the second product appearing on the invoice 185 can be imprinted in the same manner as previously described. The same procedure can be continued until the quantity of each product unit purchased has been recorded in the manner described.

The print roller and print head assembly is then returned to a semihome position as determined by a suitable interlock mechanism (not shown). The salesman may then extend the value of each product purchased by multiplying the quantity by the unit price and then determining the total of the extended values and recording the total thereof by pencil or by other means in the space provided on the invoice 185. The value so determined may then be dialed into the print wheels 154 by means of the thumb wheels 143. An appropriate symbol, embossed on the print wheel 154 to the extreme left of the print head assembly 123b, may be used to indicate the type of transaction, e.g., cash, charge, etc., and is included as a prefix to the grand total of the transaction. The grand total may then be imprinted on the invoice 185 and at the same time, on the paper tape by depressing the printing lever 145. Depression of the print lever with the print roller and print head assembly 123 in its semihome position may release the interlock provided at that position to permit the assembly 123 to be moved to its home position and ready for operation in recording the next transaction.

With the print roller and print head assembly 123 in its home position, the invoice can be removed from the device. The required copies are given to the customer and the remainder retained by the salesman. As a byproduct of preparing the invoice, pertinent data, i.e., customer identification number, product code number, quantity purchased and type of transaction (credit, cash, etc.) has been imprinted on the paper tape 140 in a font that can be read by optical character recognition equipment. The paper tape 140 can then be advanced from the supply reel 182 to the takeup reel 181 a sufficient distance (as visually determined by the operator) to clear or prepare the tape for the next transaction by turning the knob 115 in a clockwise direction. The next transaction is recorded in the same manner as that previously described. At the end of the day (or any predetermined period of time) all of the transactions are sequentially recorded on the tape and the tape is ready for introduction into the appropriate journal tape reader.

The transaction code appearing on the tape 140 which prefixes the grand total of each transaction may also serve as a code or indicator to the data-processing equipment as the beginning of a new transaction and that all information appearing on the tape 140 immediately below a grand total (and before another grand total appears) is related to the immediately preceding customer identification number.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A vendor's device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape, said device comprising:

a housing having end and sidewalls and a substantially planar upper surface; a plurality of elongated printing strips each having visually and machine-readable item-identifying indicia thereon;

.first positioning means carried by said housing for selectively positioning at least one of said plurality of printing strips on said surface in one of a plurality of predetermined positions with the longitudinal axis of the positioned strips extending generally transversely across said surface from side to side;

selectively adjustable quantity-indicating means for indicating in visually and machine-readable indicia, in transverse alignment with each of said plurality of printing strips positioned on said surface, the quantity of the item identified by each of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips;

a record member having both visually and machine-readable customer-identifying indicia thereon;

second positioning means carried by said housing for positioning said record member on said surface in a predetermined position thereon;

a tape feed reel and a takeup reel carried by said housing adjacent opposite ends thereof;

a tape carried by said feed reel and said takeup reel;

means for advancing said tape from said feed reel to said takeup reel over said surface in printing relation to the machine-readable indicia of said quantity-printing means and said record member;

third positioning means carried by said housing for positioning an invoice in printing relation to the visually readable indicia of said record member, the plurality of said print ing strips positioned on said surface, and said quantity printing means; and,

printing means for causing the visually readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantity-indicating means to be printed on said invoice and causing the machine-readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantity-indicating means to be printed on said tape to thereby provide both a visually readable invoice of each multiple item transaction for each individual customer as well as a continuous machine-readable record of the multiple item transaction on said tape.

2. The device of claim I wherein said upper surface includes a plurality of spaced grooves;

wherein said plurality of printing strips are adapted to be inserted in one of said grooves; and,

wherein said quantity-indicating means includes a plurality of selectively adjustable print wheel sets, one of said print wheel sets being carried by said housing in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of each of said grooves.

3. The device of claim 2 including a further print wheel set relating to the total of the invoice, said print wheel set having machine-readable printing means aligned with said first mentioned print wheel sets, and,

wherein the indicia of said printing strips is embossed thereon and includes a machine-readable product-identifying code adjacent said print wheel sets.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the machine-readable indicia of said strips and said record member is embossed thereon, and wherein said quantity-indicating means include regular l2-sided polygons having embossed indicia located on only 1 1 of said sides.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the indicia of said quantity-indicating means is embossed thereon in type both visually and machine readable.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein said quantity-indicating means adjustment means includes a plurality of concentric shafts, each connected to one of said quantity-indicating means; and, r

wherein track printing means comprises a roller, track means for positioning said roller into and out of printing relation with said embossed indicia, said tape and said invoice, and handle means for moving said roller along said track means.

7. The device of claim 3 wherein the indicia of said quantity-indicating means is embossed thereon in type both visually and machine readable.

8. The device of claim 6, including a further print wheel set relating to the total of the invoice, said print wheel set having machine-readable printing means aligned with said first mentioned print wheel sets; and,

wherein the indicia of said printing strips is embossed thereon and includes a machine-readable product-identifying code adjacent said print wheel sets. 9. The device of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable indicia of said record member is embossed thereon;

wherein said quantity-indicating means include regular 12- sided polygons having embossed indicia located on only I l of said sides; and,

wherein the indicia of said quantity-indicating means is embossed thereon in type both visually and machine readable.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said quantity-indicating means includes a print wheel set having a plurality of individually adjustable print wheels, said print wheel set being selectively positionable in transverse alignment with each of said plurality of printing strips positioned on said surface.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said first and second positioning means includes a plurality of studs extending upwardly from said surface; and,

wherein each of said plurality of printing strips and said record member is apertured to mate with at least two of said studs.

12. The device of claim 10 including tape guide means extending generally end to end across said surface and means for biasing said guide means toward said surface,

said guide means being separable from said surface sufficiently to permit the positioning of said plurality of printing strips between said guide means and said surface.

13. The device of claim 10 including a cover pivotably secured to said housing at one end thereof and means for limiting the pivotable freedom of said cover,

said cover having and and sidewalls corresponding to the end and sidewalls of said housing to protect said surface with said cover in a cloud position relative to said housing; and,

wherein said housing includes handle means secured to one of the sidewalls thereof for carrying said device.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said cover includes means for storing said plurality of printing strips and said record member.

15. The device of claim 10 wherein said printing means includes means for causing the quantity of each item identified by the positioned ones of said printing strips to be simultaneously printed on said invoice and said tape on an item by item selective basis.

16. The device of claim 10 wherein said printing means includes roller means for printing the visually readable customer-identifying indicia of said record member and the visually readable item-identifying indicia of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips on said invoice, while simultaneously printing the machine-readable customeridentifying indicia of said record member and the machinereadable item identifying indicia of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips on said tape.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein said printing means further includes means causing the quantity of each item identified by the positioned ones of said printing strips to be simultaneously printed on said invoice and said tape on an item by item selective basis.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said quantity printing means and said identifying printing means are mechanically interlocked to move as a single unit over said surface from end to end.

19. The device of claim 18 including means for selectively removing said roller means from a printing relation to said invoice during movement of said single unit over said surface.

20. A vendor's device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape, said device comprising:

a housing having a substantially planar surface;

a plurality of customer-identifying means;

means for selectively positioning any one of said plurality of customer-identifying means in a predetermined position on said surface;

a plurality of individual item-identifying means;

means for selective positioning at least two of said plurality of items identifying in predetermined positions on said surface;

print wheel set means including a plurality of individually adjustable print wheels for selectively indicating the quantity of each item identified by a positioned one of said plurality of item-identifying means;

means carried by said housing for selectively advancing a tape to a printing relationship with said plurality of print wheels and a portion of said customer and item-identifying means;

an invoice overlying said tape in printing relationship to said customer-identifying means, said item-identifying means, and said plurality of print wheels; and,

printing means for causing the identify of the customer, the

item and the quantity of the item to be printed on said invoice in visually readable indicia and on said tape in machine-readable indicia.

21. A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine readable tape comprising the steps of:

a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and a plurality of adjustable registers;

b. supporting a portion of a tape in a predetermined location on the surface overlying the adjustable registers;

c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine readable customeridentifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape;

d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the supported strips underlying the tape;

e. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register aligned with each of the supported strips to identify in a visually and machine-readable font the quantity of the item identified by the aligned strip;

f. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips; and,

g. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape.

22. A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transaction on a machinereadable tape comprising the steps of:

a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and an adjustable register selectively positionable thereover;

c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine-readable customeridentifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape;

d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the sup ported strips underlying the tape;

e. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips;

f. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with one of the supported strips;

g. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the item identified;

h. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape;

i. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with a different one of the supported strips;

j. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the :item identified;

k. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape; and,

l. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape with the customer-identifying and item-identifying indicia.

Claims

1. A vendor''s device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machinereadable tape, said device comprising: a housing having end and sidewalls and a substantially planar upper surface; a plurality of elongated printing strips each having visually and machine-readable item-identifying indicia thereon; first positioning means carried by said housing for selectively positioning at least one of said plurality of printing strips on said surface in one of a plurality of predetermined positions with the longitudinal axis of the positioned strips extending generally transversely across said surface from sIde to side; selectively adjustable quantity-indicating means for indicating in visually and machine-readable indicia, in transverse alignment with each of said plurality of printing strips positioned on said surface, the quantity of the item identified by each of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips; a record member having both visually and machine-readable customer-identifying indicia thereon; second positioning means carried by said housing for positioning said record member on said surface in a predetermined position thereon; a tape feed reel and a takeup reel carried by said housing adjacent opposite ends thereof; a tape carried by said feed reel and said takeup reel; means for advancing said tape from said feed reel to said takeup reel over said surface in printing relation to the machinereadable indicia of said quantity-printing means and said record member; third positioning means carried by said housing for positioning an invoice in printing relation to the visually readable indicia of said record member, the plurality of said printing strips positioned on said surface, and said quantity printing means; and, printing means for causing the visually readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantityindicating means to be printed on said invoice and causing the machine-readable indicia of said record member, of said printing strips, and of said quantity-indicating means to be printed on said tape to thereby provide both a visually readable invoice of each multiple item transaction for each individual customer as well as a continuous machine-readable record of the multiple item transaction on said tape.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said upper surface includes a plurality of spaced grooves; wherein said plurality of printing strips are adapted to be inserted in one of said grooves; and, wherein said quantity-indicating means includes a plurality of selectively adjustable print wheel sets, one of said print wheel sets being carried by said housing in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of each of said grooves.

3. The device of claim 2 including a further print wheel set relating to the total of the invoice, said print wheel set having machine-readable printing means aligned with said first mentioned print wheel sets, and, wherein the indicia of said printing strips is embossed thereon and includes a machine-readable product-identifying code adjacent said print wheel sets.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the machine-readable indicia of said strips and said record member is embossed thereon, and wherein said quantity-indicating means include regular 12-sided polygons having embossed indicia located on only 11 of said sides.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein said quantity-indicating means adjustment means includes a plurality of concentric shafts, each connected to one of said quantity-indicating means; and, wherein track printing means comprises a roller, track means for positioning said roller into and out of printing relation with said embossed indicia, said tape and said invoice, and handle means for moving said roller along said track means.

8. The device of claim 6, including a further print wheel set relating to the total of the invoice, said print wheel set having machine-readable printing means aligned with said first mentioned print wheel sets; and, wherein the indicia of said printing strips is embossed thereon and includes a machine-readable product-identifying code adjacent said print wheel sets.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable indicia of said record member is embossed thereon; wherein said quantity-indicating means include regular 12-sided polygons having embossed indicia located on only 11 of said sides; and, wherein the indicia of said quantity-indicating means is embossed thereon in type both visually and machine readable.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said first and second positioning means includes a plurality of studs extending upwardly from said surface; and, wherein each of said plurality of printing strips and said record member is apertured to mate with at least two of said studs.

12. The device of claim 10 including tape guide means extending generally end to end across said surface and means for biasing said guide means toward said surface, said guide means being separable from said surface sufficiently to permit the positioning of said plurality of printing strips between said guide means and said surface.

13. The device of claim 10 including a cover pivotably secured to said housing at one end thereof and means for limiting the pivotable freedom of said cover, said cover having and and sidewalls corresponding to the end and sidewalls of said housing to protect said surface with said cover in a cloud position relative to said housing; and, wherein said housing includes handle means secured to one of the sidewalls thereof for carrying said device.

16. The device of claim 10 wherein said printing means includes roller means for printing the visually readable customer-identifying indicia of said record member and the visually readable item-identifying indicia of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips on said invoice, while simultaneously printing the machine-readable customer-identifying indicia of said record member and the machine-readable item identifying indicia of the positioned ones of said plurality of printing strips on said tape.

20. A vendor''s device for printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape, said device comprising: a housing having a substantially planar surface; a plurality of customer-identifying means; means for selectively positioning any one of said plurality of customer-identifying means in a predetermined position on said surface; a plurality of individual item-identifying means; means for selective positioning at least two of said plurality of items identifying in predetermined positions on said surface; print wheel set means including a plurality of individually adjustable print wheels for selectively indicating the quantity of each item identified by a positioned One of said plurality of item-identifying means; means carried by said housing for selectively advancing a tape to a printing relationship with said plurality of print wheels and a portion of said customer and item-identifying means; an invoice overlying said tape in printing relationship to said customer-identifying means, said item-identifying means, and said plurality of print wheels; and, printing means for causing the identify of the customer, the item and the quantity of the item to be printed on said invoice in visually readable indicia and on said tape in machine-readable indicia.

21. A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of a succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transactions on a machine-readable tape comprising the steps of: a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and a plurality of adjustable registers; b. supporting a portion of a tape in a predetermined location on the surface overlying the adjustable registers; c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine readable customer-identifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape; d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the supported strips underlying the tape; e. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register aligned with each of the supported strips to identify in a visually and machine-readable font the quantity of the item identified by the aligned strip; f. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips; and, g. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape.

22. A method of printing an individual customer invoice for each of succession of multiple item transactions while simultaneously recording each of the transaction on a machine-readable tape comprising the steps of: a. providing a housing having a supporting surface and an adjustable register selectively positionable thereover; b. supporting a portion of a tape in a predetermined location on the surface overlying the adjustable registers; c. supporting a selected one of a plurality of record members having visually and machine-readable customer-identifying indicia thereon in a predetermined position on the surface with a portion of the supported record member underlying the tape; d. supporting a selected plurality of a greater plurality of elongated strips having item-identifying visually and machine-readable indicia thereon in predetermined positions on the surface with a portion of each of the supported strips underlying the tape; e. supporting an invoice in an overlying relationship to the tape and the printing strips; f. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with one of the supported strips; g. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the item identified; h. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape; i. selectively positioning the adjustable register in alignment with a different one of the supported strips; j. selectively positioning the individual print wheels of the adjustable register to place in a printing position the indicia related to the quantity of the item identified; k. causing the quantity indicia to be simultaneously printed on the invoice and the tape; and, l. causing the simultaneous printing of the invoice and the tape with the customer-identifying and item-identifying indicia.