US1242731A - Supporting and locking device. - Google Patents

Description

F. SMITH.

SUPPORTING AND LOCKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYI6, I916.

Patented oat. 9,1917

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- F. SMITH.

SUPPORTING AND LOCKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION mu) MAY 16. I9I6.

Patented 0011.9,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 snow Wow wizbmewo 6mm, I

FREDERICK SMITH, or DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUPPORTING AND LOCKING nnvrcn'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oat. e, 1917'.

Application filed MaylG, 1916. Serial No. 9 2,970.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Darby, in the countyof Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Supporting and Looking Devices, of which the following ,is a specification.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a device for supporting and locking an element in position to prevent use of the latter until a toll for the use ofthe element has been registered or paid.

The invention is particularly adaptedto the receivers of telephones in instances where the proprietor of a store, or the like is put to the trouble and expense of notifying a neighbor that he or she is desired-at the telephoneof the proprietor to answer a phone call by another party,.who being unable to communicate direct with the neighbor, telephones to the .store nearest the, neighbors home or in the immediate vicinity. In a situation of this character, where there is no lock or other device provided for retaining the telephone or a part thereof in an inoperative position until the store keeper is compensated for the time of his clerk in calling the party to the phone, it has been found that the act of the proprietor or storekeeper is regarded in the nature of a favor and even despite notices'conspicuously posted, regarding a toll for this char acter of service, the proprietor receives no compensation for the services of his clerk, store and phone placed to the use and in terest of the person called to the instrument to answer the call.

With this in mind I provide a device that can be conveniently attached to a wall, bracket orto a table or other surface and with which the receiver of the telephone is associated and looked after the proprietor has answered the summons to the phone and has been asked to send his clerk to a neigh-; boring house to summon the desired personto the phone. Now when the party wanted"v reaches the phone it will be necessary for the former to deposit a coin in the device in order to work the unlocking'of the receiver so that the phone can be used. Thus the proprietor of the store isvas'sured of the toll specified by him as being suflicient to pay for the trouble and expense he has been put to inorder to bring, the desired party to his telephone,

In the further disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting apart of th'iss'pecifi cation in which similar characters of refer encedenote corresponding parts. in; all the views,;and in whichv v 1 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device showingthe same in use, V 1 Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the device, v

v Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4: is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 2, and

. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of mechanism removed from its casing. v

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the invention, showing the sameinuse; y 7

Fig. 7 is a vertical section;

I Fig.v 8 is a perspective, view of'the lockingdevice removed from the casing; and

, Fig; 9 is a'planv view of the locking device assembled.

Referring more particularly to the views,

I disclose .a casing, 10 of a substantially cylindrical formation, the inner end of the casing being formed to fit over the circular flange 11 of a back 12, suitably secured to a wall 13. A locking barflt is mounted to turn in bearings 15 in the casing and has a reduced portion 16' received in a bayonet slot 17 of a projection 18011 the back12, when the locking bar is. turned sothat the reduced portion can readily pass into 1 the A subsequent,

narrow portion of the slot. quarter turn of the locking bar, when the reduced portion lies in theflarge portion of the bayonet slot, tends to lock the locking bar relative to the projection 18 as shown in Fig. 2 thus locking the casing. 10 tothe back 12 as will be readily perceived. The turning of the locking bar 14 can be-readily accomplished from the exterior of the casing by insertinga key'(not shown) in an open ing 1 9 communicating with one of the bear- I ings 15, and which for this purpose is tubular throughout, thus enabling the key to be engaged with an end of the locking bar to turn thesame as desired.

The casing 10 is provided near its front end with a wall 20 having an opening 21, the wall being spaced from the front edge of thecasing and in fact forming two cham bers, 22, 23, the former being for the reception of the mechanism and also constituting a coin box while the latter chamber 23, receives the head end 24 of a telephone receiver 25. It will be noted that a shield or guard 26 is provided immediately adjacent the front end of the casing, said shield forming a wall portion for one end of the chamber 23 and constituting a holding means for the telephone receiver as will hereinafter more clearly appear.

The wall 20 supports, on its inner face, a segmental element or frame 28 having lugs 29- projecting rearward from the frame to swingingly support a locking element 30, in the nature of an arm, and formed at its front end into a gripping member 31 and a somewhat curved or hooked handle 32, the front end of the casing 10 at its top being provided with a longitudinal slot 33 in which the locking element operates and a cross slot 34 for the reception of a coin. An escutcheon 35 is soldered or otherwise secured to the casing and has slots 36, 37 registering with the slots 33, 34, thus facili tating the guiding of the locking element 30', in its movement. The rear end of the locking element 30 is formed to provide a depending coin chute 38, normally in registration with the slot 34. The coin chute 38 is arranged in superposition to a latch 39 pivoted on the frame 28, the latch having a depending balancing tail 40 at its rear end and terminating at its front end in an extension or handle 41 projecting into the opening 21 in the wall 20, a tongue 42 formed with the latch being arranged to extend r'earwardly beyond the pivotal mounting of the latch and into an opening 43in the coin chute 38.. V

In the use of the device described I will assume that a. person has phoned to a store having a telephone and the structure described and that it is desired that the pro? pri'etor'of the store send out for the party wanted at the phone, the proprietor in such an instance being entitled to charge a toll for the service rendered. The proprietor therefore places the head end of the receiver 25 in the chamber 23 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and then pulls downwardly on the locking element 30, causing the member 31 to project over the edge of the head and with the ledge or shield 26,,hold the receiver from falling. As the element 30 is pulled down the tail 40 tending to swing the latch 39 will cause the tongue 42 to project. into the opening 43' and as the tongue will thus tend to engage the wall of that opening or in other words, a part of the coin chute 38, when an attempt is made to pull the locking element upwardly, the point of engagement of. the tongue with the coin chute beingbeyond the pivotal mounting of the latch will result in the element 30 being locked against an upward movement, thusholding thereceiver against removal from the ichambel 23. It will be clearly seen that if an obstruction were placed in the path of movement of the tongue 42, projecting through the opening 43, that this would result in a swinging of thelatch to move the tongue out of the vertical plane of the coin chute, when an upward movement is imparted to the locking element 30. Therefore until an obstruction is provided the receiver will be locked and in the position shown in Fig. 1.

The obstruction to be PlOViClECl, however, is the com 44-, and when the same is dropped into the slot 37, by the party called to the telephone, the coin, dropping into the coin chute and held therein by having an ec ge resting against the latch and by guideways 45 on the chute, will constitute the desired obstruction, and being now engaged by the tongue 42', whencthe element 30 is pulled upwardly, the resultant swinging of the latch will permit of swinging the element 30 out of engagement with the telephone receiver so that the latter can be removed from its formerly locked position and used in the usuat manner, the coin in the meantime dropping into the chamber 22, forming a coin receptacle as mentioned heretofore.

Thus the proprietor of the store is paid for the services rendered in calling the person to the phone. and for each call and service so rendered receives his just compensa tion, deposited in my device in order that the receiver can be removed therefrom and placed to the ear of" the summoned party. Should the coin mechanism for any reason fail to worken account of an over abundance of coins in the coin bOX,,tl1 proprietor can, with his'key, unlock and remove the casing fromv the back so that the former can be placed to' the ear and constitute a supplementary receiver, this, however, being only necessary and practical when it is desired to bring the receiver quickly into use after it has been. locked and the mechanism, for thementioned or other reasons, fails to operate. I

Should malicious persons or children tamper with the element 30,.when the device is not in use, and perchance pull downwardly upon the former thus locking it so thatthe receiver cannot subsequently be placed with its head in the chamber 23, itv will be clear that it is only necessary to insert the finger through the opening 21 to press down. on the handle 41 and, move the latch so that the element 30 will be unlocked and. canbe raised to permit of inserting the head of the receiver into the chamber 23'.

In the modified form. ofv the invention,

sists of a metallic box like structurehaving 130 which has been illustrated in Figs. 6 and 9 a removable pivoted top 53, secured thereto,

said top being normally-locked in'the'casing by the lock mechanism 54, but may be readily removed from said casing so that the interior of the latter will be readily accessible. A plate is secured to the top 53 and is employed as a seat for the reception of the telephone receiver 56,;when the latter is positioned upon the casing for'the above specified purposes. I

Secured to the under face of the top 53, and normally lying Within the interior of the casing 50, is'a frame 57, to which is pivotally connected a receiver locking element 58, the latter comprising a collar shaped gripping member59 which is employed to surround the lower end of the receiver, as shown in Fig. 7 when in an active position. The element 58 also embodies a depending arm 59, which extends into thecasing 50 through a slot 60, formed in the top 53 and is rigidly or integrally formed with the collar shaped gripping member 59. A stud 61, projecting outwardly from the frame 57, forms a support and a fulcrum for the locking element 58, and the latter is provided with an offset locking lug 62 which codperates with the upper extremity of a locking latch 62, pivoted as at 63 to the frame 57 when the receiver 56 is locked in engagement with the casing.

A coin chute 64 is rigidly secured to the locking element 58 and the upper coin receiving extremity 65 thereof is positioned in alinement with a coin receiving slot 66 formed in the top 53, when the element 58 is in a locked position. The lower extremity of the chute 64 terminates contiguously to a slot 67 formed in the lower end of the arm 59. The latch 62 is provided with a tongue 68, which, when the latch is in a lockingposition, extends across the upper portion of the slot 67,. so as to be engaged by a suitable coin to effect the release of the receiver, in a manner to be presently set forth. A coiled spring 69 is wound about the stud 61 and normally exerts a pressure upon the element 58 so that the latter will be maintained in an elevated or inactive position, when said element is permitted to operate independently of the latch 62.

Briefly stated, the operation of the modi fied form is substantially as follows: The receiver 56 is locked within the collarshaped gripping member 59 by inserting the lower end of said receiver within the chamber of said collar. The element 58 is then lowered until the receiver rests upon the plate 55, which permits the latch 62' to gravitate into locking engagement with the lug 62 of the arm 59, thus preventing the collar from moving upwardly and thereby retaining the receiver in a locked condition.

engagement therewith, said collar may be readily'unlocked by operating-a lever 71, rigidly secured to the latch 62". This action is accomplished by providin'gan opening 7 2 in the plate 55, whereby the lever 71 may be readilyactuated without removing the top or cover 53. After the coins have fulfilled their function in unlockingthe receiver, the same will drop into the bottom of the easing 50, and maybe readily collected by operating thelocking mechanism 54 so that the top or cover 53 may be removed from the casing. V f

-Having described my invention, Iclaim '1. A device for telephone receivers comprising a casing for the reception of the receiver, a frame in the casing, a locking element pivoted on the frame, and having engagement with the receiver to secure the same in the casing, a latch for holding the locking element against movement, a support, and means for looking the casing to said support.

2. A supporting and locking device for telephone receivers embodying a back, a casing removably connected with the back, and having a chamber therein for the reception of the receiver, means for locking the casing to the back, a locking element for holding the receiver in said chamber, and means cotiperatlng with the locklng element to secure the locklng element against move-, ment.

telephone receivers'embodying a casing adapted to have the receiver connected therewith, means for locking the receiver to the casing, a back, and means for locking the casing to said back.

4. A supporting and locking device for a body comprising a casing, an apertured partition therein, a-locking element, a pivoted member arranged adjacent theaperture in the partition to be manually operated when the body is not connected with the casing and adapted to cotiperate with said locking element for locking the body to said cas- 1ng.

5. A supporting and locking device for a body comprising a casing for supporting the body and formed to provide a passage for gaining access to'the interior of the casing when the body is disconnected from said casing, a locking element insaid casing, a latch adapted to cotiperate with the locking ele- 3. A supporting and locking device for ment and accessible by way of said passage,

said body when connected with the casing obstructing the passage to prevent access to said. latch.

6. A supporting and locking device for telephone receivers comprising a casing for the reception of the receiver and adapted to form a continuation thereof to provide an ear piece and means for looking the receiver and easing relative disengagement.

7. A device for telephone receivers enihodying a casing for the reception of the re ceiver, a pivoted lockingelement operable for securing the receiver to said casing, 21- l-atch co-acting with the locking element for retaining the latter in locked position, means to mod on latch with which a coin engages for causing an automatic release of the same from the locking element, and means carried hy said latch for permittingof a manual release of the latch from said. locking element substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. A device for telephone receivers em" hodying a, casing for the reception of the mas-332i receiver, a locking element for securing the receiver locked to said casing, a coin chute on said element, a latch forholding the locking element in locked position, and a tongue formed integral with said latch and arranged to project into the coin chute substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. A device for telephone receivers comprising a casing for thereception of a receiver and having an opening, a pivoted op erating element operable for securing tr receiver to said casing, means preventing the operation of the locking element previous to the deposit of a coin, and means disposed in juxtaposition with the opening of said casingfor permitting of a manual release of the former mentioned m ans from the looking element.

In testimony whereof I Eti'fiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK siviirrr.

Witnesses (l. Ci-ins'rnn CRAIG, MATTHEW G. SIMON,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents;

Washington, I). 0.

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