a cash drawer movably mounted in a housing between open and closed positions and yieldingly urged toward its open position by resilient rods adjustably mounted in the housing . a latch hook releasably holds the drawer in its closed position , and a power operated device is used alternatively with a manually operated mechanism to move the latch hook in a direction to release the drawer for opening movements . the manually operated mechanism includes a latch hook engaging portion for positively locking the latch hook against drawer releasing movement , when desired . drawer supporting slide rails are tilted to a degree which provides for substantially constant velocity of opening movement of the drawer , and a yielding friction element engages the drawer to stop opening movement of the drawer at a given position of said opening movement .