James Ritty

American tavern owner

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

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James Ritty was an American tavern owner who invented the cash register in 1879. His invention was a machine designed to record sales transactions, typically featuring a money drawer. The early cash registers used keys, levers, and gears to display the transaction amount and print receipts.12

John Henry Patterson recognized the potential of Ritty's invention and bought him out, renaming the company the National Cash Register Company (NCR). Patterson significantly popularized the cash register through innovative sales techniques, including exclusive sales territories, a dedicated sales training school, and direct-mail advertising. He also made improvements to the machine itself and enhanced working conditions for his employees.1

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John Henry Patterson
…by a Dayton tavern owner, James Ritty. The store eventually showed a profit, and Patterson bought Ritty out and renamed the firm the National Cash Register Company, later to be known familiarly as NCR.
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…by a Dayton tavern owner, James Ritty. The store eventually showed a profit, and Patterson bought Ritty out and renamed the firm the National Cash Register Company, later to be known familiarly as NCR.
Read More