Cash Register

Hello there. You might know me by my sound. Ka-ching. That’s me. I am the cash register. Before I came along, shopkeepers had a big, big problem. My creator, a man named James Ritty who owned a little shop in Dayton, Ohio, was always very worried. He didn't know how to keep track of all the money that came into his store. He would scratch his head and wonder, 'Where did all the money go?'. He knew he needed a helper, a machine that could be trusted to count every single penny and dollar. He needed someone like me to make sure everything was fair and honest, but I hadn't been invented yet.

One day, James Ritty took a trip on a big steamboat. As the giant paddles turned in the water, he noticed a clever little machine on the wall. Click, click, click. It was counting every single time the boat's propeller turned around. Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into his head like a flash of light. He thought, 'If a machine can count propeller turns, maybe a machine can count money.'. He was so excited. He rushed home and told his brother, John, all about his wonderful idea. Together, they got to work, and on November 4th, 1879, I was born. They called me the 'Incorruptible Cashier' because I could not tell a lie. At first, I didn't have a drawer for money, but I had a very important job. When a shopkeeper typed in a price, my numbers would pop up for everyone to see, and a loud bell would ring—DING. That sound meant a sale was made and everyone knew it.

I was a little clumsy at first, but I was trying my best. Then, another very smart man named John H. Patterson saw me and knew I could be even more helpful. He bought me and my family's company and decided to give me some amazing upgrades. He gave me a special drawer that popped open to keep all the coins and bills safe and sound. No more messy piles of money. He also gave me a roll of paper so I could print out a little note, called a receipt, for every customer. This receipt showed them exactly what they bought and how much it cost. Shopkeepers everywhere loved me. I was their new best friend. I made their jobs easier and helped make shopping fair for everyone who came into their stores.

My story started a long, long time ago with a loud DING and a ka-ching, but my family is still around today. Have you seen my grandchildren in the stores? They are the sleek, modern cash registers that go 'beep' when they scan your groceries. Some of them even have touch screens like a tablet. It makes me so proud to see them. I started as just one man's idea to solve a tricky problem, and now, my family and I get to help people buy their favorite toys, yummy food, and important medicine all over the world, every single day.