A cash register, sometimes called a till, is a mechanical or electronic device used to register and calculate transactions at a point of sale, typically including a drawer for cash and, in modern versions, a printer for receipts. An early mechanical cash register was invented after the American Civil War by James Ritty, a saloon owner in Dayton, Ohio, together with his brother John, who built the machine to stop employees from pocketing sales revenue after Ritty was inspired by a device on a steamship that counted the ship's propeller revolutions; Ritty patented his Model I in 1879, and the National Cash Register Company later improved the design with paper roll receipts and internal record-keeping.
Facts
Patent or First-Use DateSourced to the subject's own accountOnly the year of the patent is given in the source; the exact day is not stated. YearSourced to the subject's own account SignificanceSourced to the subject's own accountJames Ritty, a saloon owner in Dayton, Ohio, invented the cash register after suspecting his employees were pocketing cash from customers; the machine recorded each transaction so its daily total could be checked against the money actually in the till. 1 Connections
In Field
Source Cash Register (Wikipedia)
Invented By
Source Charles F. Kettering (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Cash Register (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory section, opening invention paragraph
James Ritty invented and patented his first machine, the Ritty Model I (also known as the Ritty Dial) in 1879.
History section, Ritty Model I sentence
James Ritty invented and patented his first machine, the Ritty Model I (also known as the Ritty Dial) in 1879.
History section, opening paragraph
His solution was a machine that would record each sales transaction, producing a total at the close of the business day that could be compared to the amount of money in the till and the amount left over from the previous day, to determine if any was missing.
In Field: Mechanical Engineering, Lead section
A cash register, sometimes called a till or automated money handling system, is a mechanical or electronic device for registering and calculating transactions at a point of sale.
View the Source Charles F. Kettering (Wikipedia)
Invented By: Charles Kettering, Article bodyQuote, Invented By: Charles Kettering, Article body
Kettering invented an easy credit approval system, a precursor to today's credit cards, and the electric cash register in 1906, which made ringing up sales physically much easier for sales clerks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the cash register invented?
To stop employees pocketing sales revenue; James Ritty patented his first model in 1879.
James Ritty, a saloon owner in Dayton, Ohio, invented it after suspecting his employees were pocketing cash from customers. His solution was a machine that would record each sales transaction, and he patented his first machine, the Ritty Model I, in 1879. The National Cash Register Company later improved the design with paper roll receipts and internal record-keeping.
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