9205. Furnival, J. M. April 19. Hiring telephones; coin action, thrust and multiple - coin. - In a coin - freed sub - station apparatus for use in automatic or manual exchange systems, a pivoted coin-shoot q is arranged to be brought into gear with the aperture n by the removal of the. telephone receiver, which rocks the arm v so as to act on the shoot through the stud s. The coin, as it is inserted, pushes out the stud m, Fig. 5, so as to release the ratchet-wheel h of a finger-dial impulse transmitter, and moves an arm 18 outwards, so as to open the contact 19, Fig. 14, forming. a shunt to the impulse transmitter springs 29, p, and to move an indicator disk 15. During its movement away from its rest position, the finger dial b closes the coin-insertion aperture n. The coin is held in the shoot by the projection 2 on the armature 3, the coin being pressed against the side of the shoot by the hair-spring 6. When the required connexion cannot be made, and the subscriber hailgs up his receiver, the shoot rocks back to the position shown in Fig. 3, and the coin is returned to the user through the shoot y. When the connexion is made and the called subscriber replies, an impulse is sent from the exchange to energize the magnet 4, thus removing the stop 2, and allowing the coin to fall down the shoot 5 into the cash box. The armature 2 is provided with an extension which retains the arm 18 in its abnormal position so long as the magnet 4 is energized, thus holding the short-circuiting springs 19 open, and retaining the indicator 15 in the undisplayed position. A timing-device is provided at the exchange to break the circuit at the end of a certain period of time, thus de-energizing the magnet 4. The armature 3 releases the arm 18, and. the short-circuiting springs 19 are thus closed until another coin is inserted. The indicator 15 now moves to indicating position. The magnet 4 may be polarized and energized by a reversal of current in the line, or may be arranged to be energized bv a strong current and then to short-circuit part of its windings over the contact 10 to enable it to remain energized with the ordinary line current. When it is not desired to charge for an incoming call, the impulse springs 29 only are short-circuited by the contact 19, Fig. 14. The number impulses are usually sent over the line 32, but when the line is not connected up till the connexion is completed, the impulses are sent over the C line by a connexion through the lead 32<a> to earth at 73, this connexion being broken when the magnet 4 is energized. The magnet 4 is shunted for conversation currents by the condenser 28. When it is desired to charge two or more coins for a call, the coin shoot is arranged as shown in Fig. 4. Two or more coins must be inserted in order that the top coin may actuate the arms m and 18. In the case of a junction call, a separate coin is used for each extension of the call. The first coin is held by the armature of the magnet 4, Fig. 4, as in the ordinary case, and when an impulse is received consequent on an idle junction line having been found, this coin is dropped to rest on the armature of the magnet 24. Each extention of the call is obtained by a separate coin, and when a prolonged release impulse is received, consequent on the call subscriber replying, the slow-acting magnet 24 is energized, and all the coins are deposited in the cash-box through the shoot A. If the called subscriber does not reply, the coins are returned to the user through the shoot B. Otherwise a separate coin is used for each extension of a call, the coins being dropped into the cash-box as the extensions are made, but the last coin being returned to the user if the called subscriber does not answer. In another modification, two impulses are sent back when a connexion is completed, the first impulse allowing a first coin to fall into the cash-box, and a second coin then being inserted to remove the shunt on the instruments. The - indicator 15 may be replaced by a lamp or buzzer in series with the contacts 19. The roller m is carried on an arm j, and a similar balancing-roller and arm j<1> are provided on the other side of the shoot. The springs a<1>, a<2> can be adjusted by the lever o. The construction of the timing-device at the exchange is shown in Figs. 9 and 11, and the arrangement of the contact-springs controlled by it is shown in Fig. 16. The magnet 49 rotates, the ratchetwheel 44 step-by-step, and the magnet 52 controls a holding-pawl 56 for the ratchet-wheel. When the called subscriber replies, the contact 66 is connected to earth, thus energizing the magnet 52 by a current from the battery 65. The magnet 52 closes the contact-springs 58, thus connecting the magnet 48 to an interrupted earth circuit at 71, and causing the magnet to rotate the ratchet-wheel 44 and arm 49. When the time for which the device is set is nearly over, the arm 49 actuates the contacts 64, thus connecting a tone circuit 72 to line to warn the users. The next step of the arm 48 depresses the spring 60, and causes the spring 51 to catch beneath the spring 62.. The closing of contacts 60, 61 short-circuits the .line, thus de-energizing the sub-station magnet 4, and short-circuiting the telephone instruments, while the opening of contacts 51, 63 de-energizes the magnet 52, which in turn de-energizes the magnet 48 and releases the wheel 44 from its pawls. The wheel returns under its spring, and, when again in initial position, it releases the spring 51 from the spring 62, thus enabling the magnets 52 and 48 to be re-energized and the timing operation to be started again. In manual exchange systems, the operator is supplied with a special key or with special. cord circuits whereby the special current impulses may be sent to the coin-freed apparatus. In a modified form of coin shoot, the removal of the receiver moves a stop under the shoot, and the energization of the magnet 4 rotates the shoot so as to allow the coin to drop into the cash-box. Fraud, preventing.-A spring-controlled stud 8 projects into the coin shoot and prevents withdrawal of the inserted coin.