US1838236A - Automatic telephone dial illuminator - Google Patents

Description

1931- c. P. SPRINGFIELD AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE DIAL ILLUMINATOR Filed Jan. 7, 1931 Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE GARLAND P, SPRING-FIELD, F EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF 1'0 O. N. ELLIATT, 0F VANDERBUBGH COUNTY, INDIANA.

AUTOIATIC DELETE ONE DIAL ILLUMINATOB Application filed January 7, 1881. Serial No. 507,223.

Users of telephones, particularly public normal position of-the partsiand dotted lines telephones, experience difiiculty in reading the letters and numerals on the dial of a dial system telephone, when the telephone is in a booth or unlighted location.

My object is to provide a simple and inexpensive attachment for a subscribers telephone which may be readily attached to the column of the telephone and will be adapted to co operate with the hook of the telephone in such manner that when the receiver is removed from the hook, the device will be automatically conditioned to illuminate the dial and when the receiver is restored on the hook, the illuminating device will be extinguished.

With this object in view, the invention eontemplates the provision of means carried by a subscribers dial telephone whichis adapted to co-operate with the receiver-suspending hook, and movable dial illuminating means co-operating therewith, whereby the dial illuminating means is latched in retracted position and the electric light carried thereby is extinguished when the receiver is on the hook but, on theother hand, when the receiver is. taken off of the hook, the dial illuminating means will be released and will automatically position itself to establish an electric circuit to the lamp it carries so that the lamp will illuminate the dial.

The invention is susceptible of modification and I do not, therefore, limit myself to the details of construction, nor to the particular dial illuminating movable device, hereinafter set fortlnand which is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a subscribers dial telephone equipped with my improvements, full lines showing the normal position oftne parts, and dotted lines their position. when the receiver is removed from the hook and the dial is beingilluminated;

' (Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device by itself, certain parts being in section;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device Fig. 4 is a side elevation thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of the device, partly in section, full lines showing the the dial-illuminating position thereof.

An ordinary subscribers telephone is shown at 1 as having the receiver-holding hook 2, which appears in section, and the dial 3 by which the subscriber calls the central office of exchange.

There is a clamping band 4 having sections hinged at 5 and-whose parts are secured together at 6, said band carrying the operative parts of the present invention.

Extending outwardly from the band 4 are arms 7 to one of which is pivoted at 8, a latch 9 which has a cam head 10 adapted to co-operate with the hook 2 in the manner indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. The latch 9 has a tooth 11. A spring 12 which co-operates with the latch and with the lug 13 on the band or clamp 4, rocks the latch 9 to cause the cam head 10 to overlie the hook 2 when the receiver is on the hook, as shown in Fig. 1 but said spring yields when the receiver is removed from the hook 2 so that the said hook 2 cams the head 10 to one side, as'shown in Fig. 2. This operation of the latch 9 determines the operation and use of the illuminating device which is shown, generally, at 14.

The illuminating device 14 comprises a small frame which is hinged to the arms 7. at 15; an electric bulb 16 carried by the frame; switch or contact members 17 which are in circuit with the bulb 16, as shown at 18; and ratchet teeth 19 which are adapted to be engaged by the hook 11.

A spring 20 which co-operates with lugs 21 and 22, respectively, on the clamp 4 and the frame 14, tends to hold the frame in.horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2, with the steps 23 and 24 on the arms 7 and frame 14 in abutment with each other and the switch member 17 in electrical contact with a companion switch member 25 carried by one of the arms 7 However, when the frame 14: is pressed downwardly, as shown in Fig. 1, if the receiver hook 2 is down, as when it is holding the receiver, one of the teeth 19 engages the hook 11 and is held thereby because the cam head 10 then overlies the hook 2.

When the receiver is removed from its book 2, it cams back the head 10 against the action of spring 12, disengaging the hook 11 from the tooth 19, whereupon the spring 20 snaps the illuminating device 14: to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2. This brings the electric contacts 17 and 25 into engagement so that current from any suitable source such as an electric lamp socket or a battery, enterin from the wires 26, causes the lamp 16 t0 ecome illuminated and the rays therefrom pass down through the light. opening 27 in the bottom of the frame 14,

brilliantly illuminating the dial 3.

A card holder 28 may be provided on the end of the frame 14, if desired.

When the receiver is restored to the hook 2, the latch 9 is freed from the hook 2, whereupon the spring 12 brings the latch to the position shown in Fig. 1. The subscriber may then swing down the frame 14 which will break contact between the swinging members 17 and 25 and extinguish the lamp 16. The teeth 19 ride over the hook 11 and said hook prevents the spring 20 from again elevatin the frame 14 until the receiver is again ta 'en off of the hook 2.

What I-claim is:

1. The combination with a subscribers dial telephone, of a spring-actuated dial illuminator movably mounted on said telephone and adapted to automatically shift from illuminating to non-illuminating position when released, and means controlled by the receiver hook of the telephone which co-operates with the dial illuminator to hold it in retracted,

. non-illuminating position when the hook is depressed and to release it when the hook is free, thereby enabling the dial illuminator to automatically shift to illuminating position.

2. The combination with a subscribers dial telephone, of a clamp engaged vdth the column thereof, a dial illuminator hinged to the clamp and adapted to swing from ineffective to efiective position, an electric bulb carried by said dial illuminator, ratchet teeth carried by the dial illuminator, a spring for swinging the dial illuminator into effective position when said dial illuminator is released, electric switch members carried by the clamp and by the dial illuminator adapted to establish electrical connection to the clamp when the dial illuminator is in efi'ective position and to break said connection when it is in ineffective position, a spring-actuated latch having a hook adapted to co-operate with the ratchet teeth to hold the dial illuminator in ineffective position and having a cam-head adapted to co-operate with the receiver hook of the telephone, and spring means for shifting the dial illuminator to effective position when the said hook is disengaged from said ratchet teeth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GARLAND P. SPRINGFIELD.

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