GB1058253A - Improvements in or relating to telephone answering machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,058,253. Telephone answering machines. SHIPTON ELECTRONICS Ltd. Oct. 15, 1963 [Oct. 15, 1962], No. 38933/62. Heading H4K. [Also in Division G5] In a telephone answering machine a magnetic tape or wire pre-recorded with an answer to an incoming telephone call is contained in a cassette which is readily removable from the machine, and incoming messages may be recorded on a separate magnetic tape in a separate cassette 7, Fig. 1 (not shown). Fig. 2 shows the part of the machine which receives the cassette (not shown). The cassette contains an endless tape which unwinds from the centre of a spool and rewinds on the periphery of the spool; the tape emerges from the cassette in two loops, one adapted to pass over the capstan 17 and the other adapted to contact the playback heads 18 and 19 under the influence of sprung felt pads mounted on the cassette. When the cassette is inserted, a recess in the cassette engages a pin 26 thereby pivoting a plate 21 and moving a pinch roller 20 mounted on the plate nearer to the tape and the capstan 17 which rotates continuously when the machine is switched on. When the machine detects an incoming call a solenoid 40 is energized and causes an arm 42 to pivot and engage plate 21, thereby moving the pinch roller 20 to engage the tape against the capstan 17. The tape may contain two tracks, one containing a pre-recorded answer and the other containing control signals. When the answer message finishes, the solenoid 40 is automatically de-energized and the tape drive stopped. If there is no cassette in the machine, the plate 21 is in the position shown and the arm 42 fails to engage it if the solenoid 40 is energized; also, with the plate in this position, a micro-switch 49 is closed so that if the machine is switched on a warning signal is given.