GB1042535A - Time-out system for telephone answering apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,042,535. Telephone answering machines. ROBOSONICS Inc. Jan. 31, 1964, No. 4259/64. Heading H4K. A telephone answering machine for automatically answering the telephone, playing out a recorded message, and recording an incoming message comprises a first sound carrier in the form of an endless loop having pre-recording thereon a message to a calling party the loop including actuating means which, at a predetermined point in the answering cycle, switches the machine to record a message from the calling party on a second sound carrier, the actuating means effecting the return of the apparatus into its original stand-by condition when the loop reaches its initial position. Replay loop mechanism, Fig. 2, comprises a tape loop 66 fed from a storage device 191 the loop being driven via a capstan C1 from a motor B1. The information on the tape is reproduced by replay head H1 and the tape is provided with two conductive strips 66a and 66b which co-operate with electrical contacts 68a, 68b and 68c, at the appropriate portion of the replay cycle. Caller's message store, Fig. 3 (not shown). comprises a tape 89 driven via a capstan C2 from a motor B2 the information being stored and retrieved by the record replay head H2. Machine operation, Fig. 4.-On reception of a ringing signal from the subset 1 a ringing detector 2 operates and closes contacts 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 in the machine start control 3. Closing of contacts 1 and 2 operates relay KM which self holds over its contacts KM3 and 4 and connects the transformer T1 to the line over contacts KM1 and KM2 to provide a D.C. loop over the line to simulate the answering of the telephone. Simultaneously contacts 3 and 4 in the start control 3 operate relay KA, which self holds over the normally closed contacts 1 and 2 of relay KT contacts 8 and 9 of KA, and over contacts 1 to 7 arranges the apparatus so that the announcement previously recorded on the tape loop is reproduced, via amplifier 33 and transformer T1, over the telephone line. At the end of the announcement a tone is recorded on the tape loop and when this tone is reproduced by amplifier 33 it is selected by tuned circuit 40 and, via amplifier 41, operates relay KT. The operation of relay KT opens, on contacts KT1 and KT2, the self hold circuit of relay KA which therefore releases and, on contacts KA1 to KA7 puts the apparatus into the condition for recording the caller's message. After a suitable lapse of time the conductive strip 66a on the tape loop 66, Fig. 2, bridges the contacts 68a and 68b and re-energizes relay KA and thus puts the equipment back in the condition to reproduce the tone signal from the tape loop which is transmitted to the line as a warning that the time allowed for the caller's message is nearly expired. The reception of the tone by the tuned circuit 40 again operates relay KT to release relay KA and put the apparatus in the record mode. After a further interval of time the conductive strip 66b, Fig. 2 on the tape loop shorts out contacts 68b and 68c, and thus the coil of relay KM, which releases, cutting off the supply to the tape drive motors B1 and B2 and, over contacts KM1 and KM2, removing the answering condition from the line.