GB2187610A - Lockable covers for telephones - Google Patents

Abstract

A lockable cover 1 for selectively preventing access to operating keys of a push button telephone includes a cover member 3 connectable by a hinge mechanism to a telephone casing 2 and comprises a face panel dimensioned to overlie a selected number of the operating keys. The cover includes downwardly projecting side walls 4 which, in use of the cover member, cooperate with a telephone housing to provide support for the face panel, preventing access to the covered operating keys. At least one opening 6 is formed in the panel member, it being positioned to overlie one or a selected few operating keys. The opening is bounded by downwardly projecting side walls which provide additional support for the face panel and prevent access to adjacent operating keys. Locking means 14 are provided selectively to lock the cover member onto the telephone casing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lockable Covers for Telephones This invention relates to lockable covers adapted to be mounted on and above the keyboard of a telephone.

Barrel locks are known for preventing unauthorised use of telephones which include dials to transmit sighal pulses to automatic processing equipment of a telephone exchange. Such telephones are operated by a user inserting a finger orthe like into one of a series of holes formed in a dialling plate and rotating the plate away from a fingerstop against a spring system sequentially to operate a pulse contact unit to designate the telephone number to be cailed. For telephones in which numbers are selected by means of a keyboard having a series of numerated and/or lettered keys comprising buttons or touch pads, conventional barrel locks which effectively lock the conventional dialling plate against rotation, cannot be employed to prevent unauthorised use of a telephone.Barrel locking devices also inherently suffer from the disadvantage that, when in place, even emergency calls cannot be made.

The present invention sets out to provide a device for selectively preventing unauthorised use of a telephone of the type which includes a keyboard (hereinafter called "push-button telephones") which is structurally sound and which enables emergency telephone connections to be made even when the device is positioned to prevent unauthorised use of a telephone.

According to the present invention in one aspect, there is provided a lockable cover for selectively preventing access to operating keys of a push button telephone, including a cover member connectable by a hinge mechanism to a telephone casing and comprising a face panel dimensioned to overlie a selected number of the operating keys and including downwardly projecting side walls which, in use of the cover member, co-operate with a telephone housing to provide support for the face panel and to prevent access to the covered operating keys, at least one opening formed in the panel member positioned to overlie one or a selected few operating keys and bounded by downwardly projecting side walls which provide additional supportfortheface panel and prevent access to adjacent operating keys, and locking means operable selectively to lockthe cover member onto the telephone casing.

Preferably, the face panel and side walls are constructed of a plastics material and are formed integrally one with the other.

One or more rib members may project downwardly from the internal surface of the face panel to provide additional structural support therefor.

The cover may include a base adapted to be secured by to the telephone housing and comprising a frame which conforms generally to the dimensions of the cover member such that, in use, the periphery of the cover member lies in contact with the upper surface of the frame. The base preferably includes an upstanding catch for cooperating with a locking mechanism carried by the cover member and a pair of upstanding apertured arms to receive hinge pins carried by the cover member.

According to the present invention in another aspect, there is provided in combination with a push button telephone, a lockable cover including a face panel and side walls which can selectively be secured to a telephone housing to prevent operation of selected operating keys of the telephone with the side wall peripheries in contact with the housing of the telephone, the face panel including at least one aperture to provide access to one or a selected few operating keys, and support means projecting downwardly from the under-surface of the face panel which make contact with the telephone casing when the cover member is in its locked position to provide additional support for the face panel.

The cover member may be connected to a monitor for calculating and displaying information concerning the cost of a call being made.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a telephone receiver including a cover device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a view from above of a frame member forming part of the cover device illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of the illustrated device in its raised position; and Figure 4 is a plan view from below of the cover device.

Figure 1 illustrates a lockable cover 1 in accordance with the invention mounted on a pushbutton telephone receiver 2. When positioned as illustrated in Figure 1, the lockable cover 1 prevents unauthorised use of the keyboard of the telephone receiver. The cover 1 comprises a plastics housing formed with a clear, opaque or coloured face panel 3 and downwardly extending side walls 4 which, in the locked position of the cover, make edge contact with the casing of the telephone to prevent access to the keyboard and to provide structural support for the cover itself.

The face panel 3 of the housing 2 is provided with an aperture 6 positioned to overlie the push button by which telephone connection can be made with emergency services. Thus, even when the cover device is in place, emergency calls may be made.

The aperture 6 is bounded by downwardly extending walls 7 which, in addition to providing further security against unauthorised use of the telephone, structurally assist in supporting the face panel 3. As will be seen from Figure 4 of the drawings, further supporting ribs 8 project from the inner surface of the face panel 3 and are positioned to pass between adjacent rows of operating keys.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, the cover device includes a base 5 which frames the keyboard of the telephone. The base 5 is secured to the telephone housing by, for example, glueing and is dimensioned to conform to the peripheral dimensions of the cover housing 1 such that, when the housing is in the position shown in Figure 1, its periphery lies in contact with the base 5. The base includes at one end an upstanding apertured plate 11 positioned to co-operate with a lock 12 carried by the housing 2. At its other end, the base includes upstanding flanges 13 including apertures positioned to receive hinge pins extending inwardly from the side walls of the housing. In use, the base 5 provides a seating capable of accurately receiving the hinge pins and lock carried by the cover housing.

The base 5 may be secured to the telephone casing by means of, for example, double-sided adhesive tape or self-tapping screws. Alternatively, the base 5 forms an integral part of a moulded receiver casing.

As will be seen from Figure 1, the end of the housing 2 remote from the flanges 13 includes a key slot 14 through which the lock 12 carried by the cover housing 1 can be operated to lock the cover device in place. Alternatively, a locking mechanism may be secured to the receiver casing by means of, for example, doubled-sided adhesive tape or selftapping screws the slot 14 merely providing access to the casing mounted lock.

The cover housing or plate need not overlie all of the push buttons; in some cases it may be sufficient that a majority or a selected number of individual push buttons are covered.

As will bs seen from Figure 1, a monitor 16 for calculating the cost of a telephone call may be used in combination with the lockable cover device described above. In one arrangement, the monitor is connected via an extendabie lead to a suitable connection point positioned on the receiver casing and below the cover housing 1. The monitor can be activated by keying in the appropriate call rate and causing a timing device to be operated thereby enabling a visual readout of call cost to be displayed by the monitor.

It is to be understood that the cover device may be employed on all telephone receivers in which calls are made by depressing or touching keys located on the surface of either the cradle casing or the handheld receiver piece. The cover device may be mounted on, for example, wall mounted or table top receivers.

Claims (7)

1. A lockable cover for selectively preventing access to operating keys of a push button telephone, including a cover member connectable by a hinge mechanism to a telephone casing and comprising a face panel dimensioned to overlie a selected number of the operating keys and including downwardly projecting side walls which, in use of the cover member, co-operate with a telephone housing to provide support for the face panel and to prevent access to the covered operating keys, at least one opening formed in the panel member positioned to overlie one or a selected few operating keys and bounded by downwardly projecting side walls which provide additional support for the face panel and prevent access to adjacent operating keys, and locking means operable selectively to lock the cover member onto the telephone casing.

2. A cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein the face panel and side walls are constructed of a plastics material and are formed integrally one with the other.

3. A cover as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein one or more rib members may project downwardly from the internal surface of the face panel to provide additional structural supporttherefor.

4. A cover as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprising a base adapted to be secured by to the telephone housing and comprising a frame which conforms generally to the dimensions of the cover member such that, in use, the periphery of the cover member lies in contact with the upper surface of the frame.

5. A cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein the base includes an upstanding catch for co-operating with a locking mechanism carried by the cover member and a pair of upstanding apertured arms to receive hinge pins carried by the cover member.

6. In combination with a push button telephone, a lockable cover including a face panel and side walls which can selectively be secured to a telephone housing to prevent operation of selected operating keys of the telephone with the side wall peripheries in contact with the housing of the telephone, the face panel including at least one aperture to provide access to one or a selected few operating keys, and support means projecting downwardly from the under-surface of the face panel which make contact with the telephone casing when the cover member is in its locked position to provide additional support for the face panel.

7. A lockable cover for a telephone substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.