US1216357A - Telephone pay-station. - Google Patents

Description

C. E. PRATT.

TELEPHONE PAY STATION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 1914.

1,216,357. Patented Feb. 20,1917.

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H llllllllll C. E. PRATT.

TELEPHONE PAY STATION. APPLICATION FILED MAY 4, 19:4.

1 ,21 6,357. Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

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c. E. PRATT.

TELEPHONE PAY STATION.

APPLICAIION FILED MAY 4, 1914.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

'ItIIIlI/Ill/I/IIA C. E. PRATT.

TELEPHONE PAY STATION.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. I914.

Patented Feb. 20, 1917.

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c. E. PRATT. TELEPHONEPAY STATION. ArPLlcinou FILED MAY 4. I914.

Patented Feb. 20, 1-917.

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TELEPHONE PAY STATION.

APPLICATION men MAY 4. 19M.

Patented Feb. 20,1917.

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CHARLES E. PRATT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TELEPHONE PAY Original application filed October 25, 1912, Serial No. 727,662.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-STATIO1\T.

Patented Feb. 20, 191 *7.

Divided and this application filed May 4,

1914. Serial No. 836,212.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, CIIARLES E. PRATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Telephone Pay-Stations, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanism designed, more particularly, for use as a telephone pay-station, but possessing features rendering it useful in other connections, as will be manifest to those skilled in the arts; this application being a division of my pending application Serial No. 727,662, filed October 25, 1912.

My more particular objects, generally stated, are to provide improvements in coincontrolled mechanism whereby the number of operations thereof will be automatically registered; to provide a novel, compact and comparatively simple construction of mechanism for use as a telephone pay-station, which shall operate to automatically restrict the use of the telephone in connection with which it is installed, to a predetermined period of time, upon each insertion into the apparatus of a coin of predetermined denomination, or other suitable token; will permit of its operation to return the coin, or other token, to the user should the desired connection by the central operator not be made; will permit the user by depositing a second coin, or other token, into the appa ratus, before the first predetermined period of use has expired, to maintain the connection without interruption for a succeeding like period of time; will. operate to register all calls made over the telephone, but only when the coins are not returned to the user; will permit the user, after obtaining one connection, and thereafter depositing another coin, or other suitable token into the apparatus, to obtain another connection before the period of time during which he is entitled to use the phone when the first conuection was made, has expired, and effect operation of the mechanism for resetting the timing-device to time the use of the telephone when the new connection is made; will operate to sound an alarm for apprising the user of the nearness of the expiration of the period during which he is entitled to use the telephone, and other ob jects, the production of which from the following description will be manifest to those skilled in the art.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved mechanism embodied in a telephone pay-station. Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1, the casing inclosing the operative parts of the mechanism bein shown in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the construction disclosed in Fig. 1, the said casing being shown in section. Fig. 4.- is a section taken at the line 4 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a section taken at the line 5 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a section taken at the line 6 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 7 is a section taken at the line 7 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 8 is a view like Fig. 6 with certain parts omitted and one of the side plates of the clock-mechanism broken away to disclose interior details of the latter. Fig. 9 is'a section taken at the line 9 on Fig. 7 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 10 is a section taken at the line 10 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow, this view showing a coin deposited in the apparatus, and through the medium of which the operation of the latter is controlled, all of the above referred to views showing the mechanism in normal position. Fig. 11 is a view like Fig. 10 showing the parts in the position they assume during a certain stage in the operation of the mechanism. Fig. 12 is a broken section taken at the line 12 on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; the parts therein illustrated being shown innormal position. Fig.13 is a view like Fig. 12 showing the positions the parts therein illustrated assume during a stage in the operation of the mechanism when the parts illustrated in Fig. 11 assume the positions therein shown. Fig. 14. is a view like Fig. 7 with certain parts broken away illustrating the positions assumed by the parts in Fig. 7 when the mechanism is operated to set it, this view corresponding to the positions assumed by the parts in Fig. 11. Fig. 15 is a broken view in side elevation of the mechanism disclosed in the preceding figures, the casing therefor being shown in section, and the parts illustrated being represented in a position correspondin lira ing to that disclosed of the parts in Fig. 11. Fig. 16 is an. enlarged section taken at the line 16 on l and viewed in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 17 is a perspecti ve view of the clock-mechanism controlled electric switclrdevice and a portion of the actuating means therefor.

The casing of the apparatus which houses the operating parts hereinafter described, is illustrated at 20 and is formed with a removable cover-plate 21 releasably locked in place, the rear wall of the casing extending below the bottom 23 thereof, on which rear wall a coin-receptacle represented at 24 and communicating at its upper open'end with a coin-slot 25 in an upwardly ofi-set section 26 of the casing-bottom 23, is hinged at its lower rear edge, as indicated at 27 (Fig. i).

Secured to the sides of the section 26 of the casing-bottom 23 are spaced vertically disposed plates 23 and 29, which form journal-supports for alining stub- shafts 30 and 31 carried by disks 32 and 33, respectively, s )aced apart but rigidly connected together by pins 34;, 35, and 36 to operate with said siiafts as a unit, the disk 33 being provided peripherally with a coin-receiving pocket 3'? which, in the normal position of the apparatus, is at the upper edge of the disk 33 and registers with a coin-slot 38 in the cas- 20. The disk 32 carries a pin 39 which, in the normal position of the parts described (Fig. 10) bears against stop-pin 40 on t 1e inner side of the plate 28, under the action of a coiled spring 41 which surrounds the shaft 30 and engages at one end with the pin 4:0, and at its opposite end with a pin 4-1 on the disk 33, indicated in Fig. 15. The shaft 31, beyond the plate 29 carries a dish 4-2 provided about its periphery with two sets of teethA -B and i l and equipped with a laterallyextending striker-pin 41 .5 having its upper end partly cut away, as indicated at 4.6, this pin serving in the operation of the apparatus, after a coin, or.

at li', into said pocket, turns the shafts 30 and 31 and the dislrs 32, 33, and 4C2 to the left in Figs. 1 and i, or in other words to the right in Fig. 10, to the position illustrated in Figs. 11, 14 and 15, by means of a handle 43 fixed. on the shaft 30 exterior of the 0 'ng 20, through a partial revolution against the resistance of the spring ll, and to a position in which a. pin 49 on the disk engages a stop-pin 50 extending laterally from the inner side of the plate 29, in

which position, the teeth ll are engaged by a paw 51 provided as the horizontal arm of a bell-crank lever 52 fixed on a rock-shaft 53 journaled at its opposite ends in the plates 28 and 29, the pawl 51 hearing yieldingly downwardly at its free end a ainst the periphery of the disk 42, by spring means hereinafter described, and serving to re leasably hold the said disks and shafts connected therewith in the position to which they were moved by rid operation, a spring pawl 5-l pivoted to the plate 29, as indicated at 55, serving, by engaging with the teeth on the dis I --2, in the movement of the latter, as hereinbefore described, prevent retroactive movement thereof during the movement of the disk 42, to the position in which it is engaged at its teeth 4:4: by the pawl 51, as hereinbefore stated.

In the operation of the apparatus as de scribed, the coin-pocket 37 is inverted and carried into registration with the coin-slot 25 in the bottom of the casing 20 (Fig. 11), the coin 47, however, being temporarily retained in said pocket, by engaging with the end of a horizontallydisposed lever 56 fulcrumed on the deflected section 26 of the casing, as represented at 57. The lever 56, with which cooperates a spring 53 tending to swing it at its free end across the slot 25 is, in the normal position of the apparatus, releasably held in a position in opposition to the spring 58, in which its free end does not extend across the'slot 25 (Fig. 9), but before the pocket 37 has been inver ed into registration with the slot 25, the means, hereinafter described, holding said. lever 56 in such position, has been operated to permit the spring 58 to act and move the lever 56 to a coin-arresting position.

The timing mechanism hereinbefore referred to and actuated by the pin 45 on the disk a2, consists, generally stated, of clock mechanism adapted to be wound up by rotating the shafts 30 and 31, and disks 32, 33, and 42, as hereinbefore described, and thereafter automatically released, and a cir cuit-controlling device operated through the medium of said clock-mechanism and serving as a means of apprising the telephone operator of the expiration of the period of time during which the user of the telephone is entitled to its use.

Any suitable clock-mechanism may be provided for this purpose. lin the clockmechanism illustrated the winding shaft is represented at 61 and supports a sleeveequipped driving-gear 59 loose on said shaft. lhe shaft 61- adjacent to the gear 59 carries a depending arm 61 provided with upwardly-extending spring-pressed pawls 31 so arranged that when one of the pawls 61* engages a cog of the gear 59 the other will be out of engagement therewith. A. coiled spring 60 surrounds the shaft 61 and en gages at opposite ends, respectively, with pins (32 and 63 on the casing (34L of the clockniechanism and the arm 61, the spring tending to swing the arm 61 to the right in Fig. 8. The shaft 61 is also equipped with an arm (35 rigid therewith, and located externally of the casing 64,, the arm 65 carrya pin 66 against which the lower end of a lever (37 fulcrumed on the shaft 61 bears under the action of a spring 68, whereby said shaft is adapted to be turned to the right in Figs. e, 6, and 8 against the resistance of the spring 60 when the lever 67 is swung to the right in said fi ures, the above described connection between the lever 67 and the arm 65 permitting said lever to yield to the left in said figures without actuating the Shaft 51.

The clock mechanism described is represented in normal position in Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8, in which position the upper end of the lever 6'? e tends into the path of movement of the pin on the disk l2, when the latter is actuated, as hereinbefore described, to the position illustrated in Fig. 14L, and thus when the disk 42 is thus actuated, the lever 67 is swung to the right in Fig. 6, and by turning the shaft 61 swings the arm 61 to the left in Fig. 8 against the resistance of the spring 50, the pawls 61 passing idly over the teeth of the gear 59. In the final movement of the pin 45, the latter wipes the upper end of the lever 67 thereby freeing the latter, whereupon one of the pawls 61." immediately engages with a tooth of the gear 59 thus clutching the latter to t 3 arm 61 and causing it to turn in the di r ction of the arrow in Fig. 8 during the return movement of the arm 61* under the action of the spring 60, for driving the train of lfivoted on the casing (Bl, as indicated at (39. is a bell-crank lever 70, one arm 71 of which carries a pointer 7 2 cooperating with a scale 73 provided with markings, repre .mtcd at Tl, to designate minutes, and exposed to view through an opening 75 in the lasing 20, the other arm 76 of the bell-crank 70 being beveled at its upper end at opposite lges thereof, represented at 77. The oell-crank '70 is pivotally connected at its arm 76, as indicated at 78, with a jointedlercr '79, which is rigidly connected at its lower end with the shaft 61, the connection 79 between the shaft 61 and the bell-crank 70 serving to produce actuation of said bellcranl' when the clock-mechanism is running under the a ,tion of the spring 60, after hei wound up and released, as hereinbefore des ibw the parts just described being arranged and proportioned as to cause the pointer 72 to have movement corresponding to the minute graduations on the scale 73. She arm 76 of the bell-crank 70 cooperates with a circuit-controlling switch 81, which,

in practice, would preferably be interposed in theunain circuit of the telephone system and in series with the contacts controlled by the receiver-hook of the telephone, the switch 81 in the construction illustrated being formed of a contact 82 secured to a block of insulating material 83, and connected with a binding-post 81-, and a springcontact 85 lined at one end at a bindingpost 86 to the block 83 and equipped with an upwardly-extenoing lug 87 provided with a laterally-extending pin 88, the contact 85 being so constructed that it is normally in engagement with the contact 82,but is adapted to be disengaged therefrom through the medium of the arm 7 6, which latter, at the expiration of the period of time curing which the user of the telephone is entitled to use it, is moved by the action of the clock-work to a position in which it wipes across the pin 88, raising the latter and with it the contact 85 (Fig. 17), and thus, by breaking the circuit at this point, apprises the central operator of such fact, whereupon the central operator disconnects the telephone, the arm 76 in continuing its movement to the right in Figs. 5 and 17 disengaging from the pin 88, whereupon the contact 85 springs. into engagement with the contact 82 to cause these contacts to assume normal closed position (Figs. 2, 3, 6, and 7).

My improved mechanism is adapted to be actuated to release the coin from the coinpocket 3'? and permit it to drop into the receptacle 27!: by swinging the lever 56, against the action of its spring 58, to a position in which its free end is withdrawn from across the slot and disengage the pawl 51 from the teeth Tl to permit the spring 41 to return the disks 82, 33, and 4:2, and shafts carried thereby, to normal position, either automatically during the period which the user of the telephone is entitled to use it, or manually, as for etample when the user wishes to secure another connection before said period has expiret the following being a description of the mechanisms provided for these nn-poses: Pivoted between its ends near its upper end, to the plate 29, as indicated at 89, is a lever 90, provided at its up per end with a laterally-extending pin 91 adapted to beheld, by the tendency of the lever to swing to vertical position, in engagement with the depending arm 92 of the bell-crank 52, and to rock said bell-crank at its lower end to the right from the position illustratec in Fig. 1 1-. for disengaging the pawl 51 from the teeth es when the lever 90 is rocked to the left at its lower end from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 1:, as here inafter explained, this lever being also provided at its lower end with pins 93 and 94, the pin 93 engaging with a pin 95 on the coin-arresting lever 56, arranged eccentric of the pivot 57 of the latter, and serving when the lever is in normal position (Figs. 7 and 9') to hold the lever 56 in the position illustrated in Fig. 9, and when swung at its lower end to the left in Fig. 14, as hereinafter described, to the position illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9 to rock the lever 56 against the action of the spring 58, and withdraw the finger from the coin-arresting position, and the pin 94 extending into the path of movement of the inner end of a spring-retracted plunger 96, which projects at its opposite end through an opening 97 in the casing front 21, wh reby it may be operated by the user of the telephone, and is guidedly confined in the casing by means of a headed pin 98 secured to the plate 29, and extending into a longitudinally extending slot 99 in said plunger.

As hereinbefore stated, the bell-crank 52- cooperates with spring means tending to swing it to the right in Fig. 14, and hold its pawl 51 under tension in engagement with one of the teeth 44 when said disks and shafts connected therewith have been rotated to the left in Fig. 4 to the position indicated in Fig. 14, as hereinbefore described, and the lever 90 is preferably so fulcrumed, and the pins 93 and 94 so disposed as to cause the lever 56 to be operated for withdrawing it from engagement with the coin 47 before the lever 90 swings its pin 91 sufhciently far to disengage the pawl 51 from the teeth 44. Thus in the normal operation of the apparatus the coin 47 will be released and dropped into the receptacle 24 before said shafts and disks are returned, under the action of the spring 41, to normal condition.

The lever 90 is adapted to be actuated for releasing the coin 47 and pawl 51 as described, not only manually by pressing in the plunger 96, but automatically by the action of the clock-mechanism, and to this end I so position the pin 60 on the arm 65 that, during the swinging of said arm to the right from the position shown in Fig. 6 in the unwinding operation of the clock-mechanism, it engages the forward edge of the lower end of the lever 90, as shown in the last referred to figure, and swings it at its lower end to the left from the position shown in Fig. 14 to the position shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9 to release the coin 47 and pawl 51, as hereinbefore stated, the pin 66 being preferably so disposed that it will swing the lever 90 sufficiently far to effect the release of the coin 47 and thereafter the pawl 51, a relatively short time before the circuit is broken at the contacts 82 and 85 by the lifting-action of the arm 76 on the pin 88.

In my improved apparatus, as preferably constructed, provision is made for apprising the central operator of the depositing of the coin 47 in the apparatus, and for returning the coin to the user in case the desired connection is not obtained, the following being a description of the mechanism provided for these purposes: Secured to the bottom of the casing 20 is a pair of contacts 100 and 101 adapted to be connected with the terminals of an electric circuit, not shown, which would contain a signaling device located at the central station, as commonly provided in connection with apparatus of this general type, the contact 100 bestationarily mounted on a block 102 of insulating material, and the other contact 101 being movable into and out of engagement with the contact 100, as by forming it of spring metal. The contact 101 is normally out of engagement with the contact 100 and is adapted to be moved into engagement therewith by means of an arm 103, pivoted, as indicated at 104, to one side of its center of gravity, on the plate 28, and formed of a section 105 of insulating material bearing against the upper surface of the contact 101, and an upwardly-extending section 106 recessed along its forward edge, as indicated at 107, and formed with a forwardly projecting extension 108 having a pin-engaging surface 109. The arm 103 tends to swing to the right from the position represented in Fig. 4, but its weight is insutiicient to force the contact 101 against the contact 100, and thus the circuit at this point is normally broken.

Pivoted on the pin 35 and extending adjacent to a face of the disk 33, is a lever 110 provided with a laterally-extending pin 111 which projects through an elongated slot 112 in the disk 32, a coiled spring 113 tending to swing this lever to the left from the position illustrated in Fig. 4, the engagement of the pin 111 with the upper end of the slot 112' (Fig. 4) serving as a stop for this lever in the normal position of the apparatus. The lever 110 is provided with a pin 114 which extends into an opening 115 in the adjacent wall of the coin-pocket 37, and is so positioned that when a coin, r other token, 47, is introduced into the pocket 37, the coin, in resting upon the pin 114, will be elevated above the periphery of the disk 33 (Fig. 10), and thus when the shafts and disks are rotated to the left in Fig. 4, as hereinbefore described, the coin, in traveling against a cam-finger 116 secured to the casing-bottom 26, and extending close to the periphery of the disk 33, will be forced into the pocket toward the center of said disk, thus forcing the pin 114 forwardly, with the result of rocking the lever 110 against the action of the spring 113 to the left from the position illustrated in. Fig. 12, the pin 111 moving inwardly in the slot 112. W hen the coin 47, in the actuation of the shafts and disks from normal position as described, passes beyond the base of the cam-finger 116, it engages the stop lever 56 and is thereby temporarily arrested, this lever being so positioned that the coin will be retained in the pocket in about the same position as When the coin engaging the cam-linger 116, and thus so long as the coin is held in the pocket, the lever 110 is held, by the coin, in substantially the name position to which it was shifted, relatively to the dish carrying it, by the engageu nt of the coin with the cam-linger. The nsion 1i on the arm 106 is so disposed as to cause it to extend at its surface 109 into the path of movement of the pin 111, and be rocked thereby to the right from the position represented in Fig. 1 to the position represented in ig. 15, for forcing the contact 101 into engagement with the contact 0, when a coin is inserted into the pocket and the shafts and disks are rotated as ore described to wind up and then e ciockanechanism, the pin 111 roin the shifted position stated and in engage with the arm 106, and the contac s and 101 thus held together, until the lever 56 is withdrawn from under the coin 17, hereinbefore explained, whereupon the lev r 110, under the action of its spring 113, resumes normal position relative to the disk 32, its pin 111 being thus projected to the position represented by dotted 15, wherein it extends into the the arm 106, which frees this d thus permits the contact 101 to engagement with the contact ring the circuit controlled .H ,2 P c 100 and 101 is an electro-magnet nature 118 of which is connected 119 on the rock-shaft 53 carry in ll-crank 52, and coo 'ierating with the ipruig 120 which tends to rock t I to the ri 'ht in F1 11 and con hereinbofore described springsaid lJQlbCldlllI. By energizing th electro niagnet 113 sufficiently to cause the 1 to be depressed against the e resistance of ne spring 120, which latter should be such tension as to require for the depressing of the armature a greater urrent through the circuit controlled by the contacts 100 and 101 than is required for operating the signaling device therein at the central office, and which energization, when the circuit is closed at the contacts 100 and 101, may be accomplished by the central operator in accordance with well-known practice, as by switching onto said circuit a greater current than that normally supplled thereto for operating the signaling device, the shaft 53 rocked to the left in Fig. 14, thus withdrawing the pawl 51 from engagement with the teeth 44, whereupon the disks and shafts connected therewith return, under the action of the spring 411, to normal position, the coin 17 returning therewith and being discharged from the pocket 37 through the slot 38 by the action of the spring 113, as soon as the pocket is carried into registration with said slot.

In connection with the spring-controlled arm 110, I provide means for preventing the actuation of the shafts and fiiSkS, as hcreinbefore described, until a coin has been deposited in the slot 38, these means compris ing a lever 121 fulcrumed on the pin 36 and provided at one end with a recess 122 into which a pin 123, provided on the lever 110 eccentric of its pivot, extends, the lever 121 being so arranged relative to a pin 121 on the plate 28 that the free end of this lever will engage the pin 121 in the initial rotation of the shafts and disks, if no coin has been placed in slot 38, and thus will prevent the rotation of said disks and shafts sufiiciently far to actuate the clock movement, but when a coin has been placed in said slot, the hereinbefore described movement of the lever 110 will operate to swin the lever 121 to a position in which it wil clear the pin 121 and permit the shafts a disks to be operated as stated.

In order that the number of calls made over the telephone shall be automatically registered, I provide means for this purpose, of which the following is a description:

Mounted on the bottom plate 23 of the casing is a register 124:, which may be of any suitable construction and which, in the apparatus illustrated, is of well-known form comprising, generally stated, a plurality of gearequipped disks 125, 126, 127, and 128, rcpresenting units, tens, hundreds and thousands, respectively, rotatably mounted on a shaft 129, gear mechanism 130 cooperating with the gears on said registering disks for producing the proper actuation of said re spective disks for registration purposes, the unit-disk 125 being equipped with a ratchet 131, and a springpawl 132 pivoted as indicated at 133 on an arm 134; journaled on the shaft 129, and adapted to rotate the unitdisk 125 one-tenth of a revolution each time the arm 131 is swung to the left from the position illustrated in Figs. 41 and 15, A spring 135 surrounding the shaft 129 operates to normally hold the arm 13-1 in the position represented in Figs. 1 and 15, this arm being so disposed that when in normal position its free end will be engaged by the pin 111, and the arm rocked to actuate the register-disks when the disks and shafts connected with the handle 18 turn from the position illustrated in Fig. to normal condition, provided the coin 17 has, in the meantime, dropped from the pocket 37 into the receptacle 24:, but so disposed that if the disks and shafts operated by the handle 18 turn the contacts 82 and 85 being contacts 100 and 101 bem back to normal position before the coin has dropped from the pocket, the free end of the arm 13% will not be engaged by the pin 111 in the return movement of said handle-op erated disks and shafts to norn al condition, and thus it the central operator operates the electro-magnet 117, as hereinbe'l'ore stated, to return the said shafts and disks to normal condition, and thus return the coin to the user of the telephone, the arm 13 1 of the register will not be operated and no registration will take place.

My improved apparatus may be installed in a telephone system in the same manner as the commonly used coin-returned paystations are installed. Thus the contacts 82 and 85 will be arranged in the main tele phone circuit in series with the contacts, no shown, controlled by the receiver-hook, and the contacts 100 and 101 and the electron'iagnet 117 will be arranged in series in the circuit, not shown, the clo.-ing of which is controlled by the depositing o the apparatus, and the actuatio dle-operated disks and shafts, fore stated. I

The normal positions. 0'? the parts of the apparatus are those illustr-"teo. i s 3,41, 5 6 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, and 10, the circ i closed and at the which breaks the circuit controlled J latter and in which the contacts 8:?

are interposed, thus signaling the opeii'ator. After the operator inakcs sired connection with the other telephone,

' is user C re s a *oin if 'i to one slot to. and 10 1 p Q Ll[11 l\!1 men rns V .1a .o 4 iw: rdl ill in th l n 18 1p 1 the left in Fig. 1, until the pm 19 the )in 50. Thus actuating the he.

. L3 causes the pin. to on the disk 33 to v with the upper end of. the lever 04, and more the latter to the right from the position illusain 1 6 and thus wmdun the sorin t1 ted 1* g A i g ic m ve .io oer 72 oooosite to the (i0 anl 0 ti e pom U zero mark on the scale 73, the pin e in the final move nent of the handle-operated disks and shafts, as stated, moving out of engage ment with thelevor 07, whereupon the spring starts to drive the clock-mechanism. 1n

- the movement of the lever 67 as described before the pocket 37 is brought into registration with said slot, and the shaft 53 to turn to the right in Fig. 7 to lower the pawl 51 into a position to engage with the end tooth 1-4 of the series thereof in the final position of the hereinbei'ore described movement oi the disks and shatts connected therewith tor releasably holding said disks and shafts in the position to which they were moved by such movement, and cause the armature 118 to be raised (Fig. 1 1). By reason or" the fact that the coin 1 7 is in the pocket during the operation of the handle, as described, the pin 111 on the arm 110, in the final move ment of the handle 1-8, strikes the arn 106 moving it to the right from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to the position illus trated in Fig. 15, thus forcing the contact 101 into engagement with the contact 100, which closes the circuit controlled thereby, and operates a signal, not shown, at the central otlice, thus apprising the central operator of the depositing of the coin into the apparatus, and the starting of the hereinbefore described timing mechanism.

As the clock movement continues its operation the arm is swung to the right in Fig. 6, and by engaging with the lever swings the latter at its lower end to the left in Fig. 14, with the result of swinging the lever 56 out of coin-arresting position, thus permitting the coin L7 to fall into the receptacle which may by prearrangement of the parts,be effected at any time desired durin j the period of operation of the clockmechanism, and which, in the construction illustrated, which is timed for five minute periods, is effected after the expiration of about two and a half minutes. The dropping of the coin from the pocket 8? permits the lever 110to move, under the action of its spring, to a position in which its pin 111 disengages from the extension 108 and extem s into the recessed portion 107 of the arm as respresented by dotted lines in Fig. 15, thus freeing the arm 103 and permitting the contact 101 to spring out of engagement with the contact 100 and breaking the circuit. The continued movement of the arm 65, in the direction stated, under the con tinuing action of the clockmechanism, swings the lever 90 still farther to the left at its lower end in Fig. 1 1, and at a predetermined time, the pawl 51 is raised, thus permitting the handle-operated disks and shafts to return to normal position unoer the action of the spring 11, during which action the pin 111 actuates the arm 134 for op erating the register, as hereinbefore described. The release of the pawl 51 may be timed as desired, but it is preferred that it take place about half a minute before the fiveuninute period has expired, in order that the user may have his attention called to the nearness of the expiration of the period, and

may deposit another coin for continuing the connection, without interruption, as hereinafter described.

As hereinbefore described, the arm 76 moves with the pointer 72 and is carried into engagement with the pin 88 on the contact 85, for lifting the latter out of engagement with the contact 82 upon the expiration of the predetermined period of use of the telephone, namely, in the arrangement illustrated, five minutes, thus breaking the main circuit in which the telephone and said apparatus is interposed, and automatically notifying the central operator of the expiration of the period during which the user was entitled to use the telephone, whereupon the operator disconnects the latter. Further movement of the clock-mechanism, under the action of its driving spring 60, causes the arm 76 to pass beyond and out of engagement with the pin 88, whereupon the contact 85 again springs against the contact 82 and closes the circuit at this point, the clock-mechanism continuing to run until automatically stopped, as by the engagement of the pointer 72 with a stop 136 provided on the scale.

If, after the coin 47 is deposited in the slot 38, the user fails to get the desired connection, the coin may be returned to him and the handle-operated disks and shafts be returned to normal position without actuating the register 124, as hereinbefore described, by the central operator energizing the magnet 117.

Should the user of the telephone wish to continue the connection longer than the predetermined period to which he was entitled upon the depositing of the first coin into the apparatus, he deposits another similar coin into the pocket 37 after the handle-operated disks and shafts have been automatically returned to the normal position shortly before the five-minute period has expired, as hercinbefore described, and thereupon again turns the handle 48 upwardly and to the left in 1, which resets the clock-mechanism and pointer 7 2, moving the latter to the zero mark on the scale without affecting the circuit at the contacts 82 and 85, the mechanism after being reset and beginning its automatic operation, as hereinbefore described, operating in the same manner as it does when initially operated, as hereinbefore stated, it being manifest that the user may continue the connection for as long a time as desired, upon depositing the proper coins successively into the apparatus, the registering mechanism properly registering each insertion of a coin into the apparatus provided the latter is operated, as hereinbefore described, to permit the coins to drop into the receptacle 24.

Should the user of the telephone wish to obtain another connection before the predetermined period, at the end of which the circuit is broken at the contacts 82 and 83, has expired, this may be accomplished by pushing in the plunger 96, which latter, in moving inwardly, swings the arm at its lower end to the left from the position illustrated in Fig. 14, with the result of withdrawing the arm 56 from the coin-arresting position and disengaging the pawl 51 from the teeth 14, whereupon the handle-actuated disks and shafts return to normal position, and in doing so operates the register. The user then signals the central operator by operating the hook of the telephone and upon the desired connection being made deposits another coin into the pocket 37, and thereupon swings the handle 48 to the left and upwardly in Fig 1, with the result of closing the circuit at the contacts and 101, thus apprising the central operator of the depositing of the coin and the actuating of the mechanism, and resetting the clock-mechanism to cause its pointer 7 2 to register with the zero mark on the scale, and the arm 76 to be correspondingly moved regardless of the position to which these last referred to parts had been moved under the action of the clock-mechanism, following the depositing of the preceding coin into the apparatus.

hile I have illustrated and described my improved mechanism as applied to a paystation, for which use it was more particularly devised, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it to the particular mechanism illustrated, or to use as a tele-.

phone pay-station, or to a use wherein all the elements thereof are employed in the combination illustrated, as certain features thereof have utility, as will be manifest to those skilled in the arts when applied to uses other than as a telephone paystation, it being my intention to claim not only all the uses to which my improi'ed mechanism, as illustrated, may be put, but also any and all variations therein which are within the actual intention made by me, when considered in the light of the prior art, and all of the novel combinations and subcombinations, regardless of the particular use or uses to which they are put.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of clock mechanism, an oscillatory arm connected with the power shaft of said mechanism, and means, operating, when actuated, to engage said arm and rock the latter to wind up said mechanism and thereafter disengage from said arm to release said mechanism for operation.

2. The combination of clock mechanism, cl0ck-winding means, releasable means for preventing said clock-winding means from being returned to normal position, and means actuated by said clock mechanism for releasing said releasable means to permit means for releasably locking said clock.

winding means against return movement, and means actuated by said clock mechanism for releasing said locking means to permit said clock-winding means to be returned to normal position.

t. The combination of clock mechanism, cloclrvinding n cans, means for returning said clock-winding means to normal position, means for releasably locking said cloclewinding means against return movement, and means actuated by said clock mechanism for releasing said locking means to 1 ermit said cloclnwinding means to return to normal position.

5. The combination of clock mechanism, clock-winding means, means for returning .aid clock-winding means to normal position, an electric circuit-controlling device operated by said clock-winding means, and means actuated by said clock mechanism for releasably holding said clock-winding means in a position to which it is moved in the cloclnwinding operation.

6. The combination of clock mechanism, clock-winding means, means tending to return said clock-winding means to normal position, means for releasably holding said clock-winding means in the position to which it is moved in winding the clock, and electrically operated means for releasing said last-named means.

7. The combination of clock mechanism, rotatable clock-winding means, releasable means for preventing said cloclewinding means from being returned to normal position, and means actuated by said clock mechanism for actuating said releasable me; he to permit said clock-winding means to return to normal position.

8. The combination of clock mechanism, rotatable clock-winding means, releasable IHHHS for preventing said clockavinding means from being returned to normal posiion, and a rocking device adapted to be operated by said clock mechanism for actuating said releasable means to permit said clock-winding means to return to normal position.

9. The combination of clock mechanism, circuit-controlling means actuated by said mechanism, clock-winding means, and a circuit-controlling device actuated by said clock-winding means.

10. The combination of clock mechanism, circuit-controlling means actuated by said mechanism, clock-winding means, an electric oircuit-controlling device actuated by said clock-winding means, releasable means for preventing said clock-winding means from returnin to normal posit-ion, and means actuated by said clock mechanism for actuating said releasable means, for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination of clock mechanism, clock-winding mechanism including a shouldered member, means cooperating with said saouldered member when said clock-winding means are actuated, to releasably hold said last-referred to means against return move ment, and means actuated by said clock mechanism at the conclusion of a predetermined period of operation of tie latter, for disengaging said last-named means from said shouldered member, for the purpose set forth.

12. The combination of clock mechanism provided with an arm through the medium 01" which the clock mechanism is adapted to be wound, clock-winding mechanism including a shouldered member and adapted to engage said arm for winding "he clock, means for engaging with said shoulder when said clock-winding means is actuated, for releasably holding the latter against return movement, and means extending into the path of movement of said arm during the unwinding of said clock mechanism for re-. leasing said first-named means from engagement with said shoulder whereby at the con clusion of a predetermined period of operation 01" said clock mechanism said clockwinding mechanism is released, for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES E. PRATT. In presence of L. HEIsLAu, D. C. TnonsnN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing he Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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