US1883549A - Telephone register - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 18,- 1932. v D A Y 1,883,549

TELEPHONE REGISTER Filed May 31. 1930 15 Sheets-Sheet l Zhwentor Own/x0 M Ca r/ Gttoxneg Oct. 18, 1932. D. M. CARR 1,883,549

TELEPHONE REGISTER I Filed May :51, 1950 a Sheets-Sheet 2 (Incl-neg Oct. 18, 1932. D. M. CARR TELEPHONE REGISTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed. May 31, 1930 Dar o M.

Patented Oct. 18, 1932 uNrrEo STATES PATIENT OFFICE DAVID M. calm, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK TELEPHONE REGISTER Application filed May 31, 1930. SerialNo. 458,277.

This invention is particularly useful in connection with telephone message rate service for which the subscriber is billed for the number of calls made during a'certain period of time, but its use is not restricted to this purpose as it may be used as a reminder and register for other purposes.

The record of calls made from message rate. telephones was originally'a manually .wrltten' 1O record by the operator making the connections. As the number of calls increased and the operators time became more valuable an electrically operated meter was substituted for the paper tickets originally used. The

operator merel pushed a button to record each call. To ay in modern telephone exchanges the method is automatic and the meter isoperated by closing a local contacton a relay. v

All these methods are subject to error, but

the telephone companies have prevented the use of check registers on the subscribers in exceeding the number of calls allowed in a certain period or'is not using the number which the subscriber pays for during that period, whether they are used or not.

This device is not attached to the telephones, but is really a holder for the standard desk telephone and the so called French set 40 which uses a combination transmitter and receiver normallyresting on the switch cradle instead of a receiver normally hanging-on a a switch hook. I Y n V The message reminder and registeris so designed for these two sets that they can be easily slipped into a receptacle formed by the body of the device and secured in their correct operating position} by means which i will be fully described. For the wall set the device, is secured independentlyof the telephone instrument in a position in which it will co-operate with'theswitch hook of the telephone. i p

The basic'princ'iple of this invention is a movable guard, held normally by spring ten sion and gravity in a position which prevents,

or makes difficult, the removal of the receiver or combination transmitter and receiver from its position on the switch hook or cradle and also makes it ditficult to movethe switch hook no 'or' cradle" when the receiver or combination receiver and transmitter has been removed without first moving the movable guard.

In its most simple form it is a reminder to the person using the telephone to record any calls made so that the telephone companys bill maybe checked before payment. .With a manuallyoperated registeror counter attached to the device, this record is made by pushing the button which actuates the reg- 7 ister, once forvevery completed call. If no mechanical counter is used the record is made on paper with a pen or pencil. p

With an automatic register the guard is so arranged or constructed that if moved in 15 one way it automatically advances the-register one point but if it is moved inanother way, the register'is not operated. This permitsthe removal of the receiver or combination' receiver and transmitter to answer a call and its replacement after answering without registerlng a message.

When it is desired to make a call, the guard is moved in the same way and if the call is not completed, the telephone is replaced without 35 registering-a call. If however, thecall was completed the guard is moved in such a way, when the phone is replaced on its hook or cradle, that it registers a call. I

- If after completing one call, it is desired to make another call without restoring the phone to its hook and the subscriber attempts to move the switch hook tordis'connect the. first call, he would have to move the guard and in that case he would'move it so that it 05 would register the call he had already com-- pleted. I Y a If desired two registering trains maybe installed on every message register and reminder, one of which cannot be reset without taking it apart and which will continue to register from O to its highest number and then repeat, to be used as a record of the total number of calls made and a periodic register which is easily reset and designed to remind the subscribed that he has used a certain number of calls during the period since it was last reset. This register may be constructed to register in a reverse order from 900 to so that at the beginning of each month it could be set at the number of calls for which the subscriber has contracted for that month. With the reverse register the subscriber is constantly reminded that he is entitled to make so many more calls that month without extra charge. If he is exceeding his quota he will be induced to eliminate unnecessary calls and if heis not making his contracted number of calls he will be able to take advantage of that fact and get what he is paying for during that period.

With these and other objects in view as will hereinafter appear, this invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in the. appended claims, and il-' lustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 7 V

Fig. 1 shows a front elevational view of my telephone register with the position to which the guard may be moved shown in dotted lines, V

Fig. 2 shows a plan view with certain parts shown in cross, section,

-Fig.- 3 shows-a partial front elevational view with the guard raised in registering position, 7

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of a wall telephone attachment,

Fig. 5 shows a front elevational view of a V attachment adapted to so called French type of receiver,

Fig. 6 1s a partlal cross sectional vlew taken Fig. 7 is a partial back elevational view of the modification shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of amodification,

Fig. 9 is a rear. view of a further modification,

I Fig. 10 is a rear view of a further modification, and

Fig. 11 is apartial elevational view of a modified slot construction.

In the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the drawings, 5 indicates the standard supporting the transmitter of the ordinary telephone desk set having a base 6. A frame 7 is provided with arms 8 which clasp the base 6 tightly so as to maintain the frame 7 in upright position. An arm with a square slot is provided into which theiparallel sides at one end '14 projects which is secured fixedly to the rod 15 designed to actuate the registering element 16 having an actuating push button 17.

The rod 15 passes through a sleeve 18 havingdisposed upon opposite sides thereof springs 19 in order to maintain the rod 15 in adjust .d position. The rod 15 is provided thereof *ith an actuating button 20 whereby the pin 14 may be moved into either the branch 21 of the slot 22 or into the branch 23 of said slot. If the pin 14 is moved by the push button 20 into the sl t 21 to permit the guard 9 being moved clownwardly so as to raise the element 11 away from the receiving instrument 12, the rod 15 will cause the register 16 to operate and register a call. If the rod 15 is moved to the right so that the pin 14 willbe lodged in the branch 23 of the slot 22 then theactuating end 24 of the rod 15will be maintained away from the actuating end 17 of the register and in such case the register will not be operated.

iVith the construction set. forth above it will be noted that the actuation of the register is dependent upon the subscriber to the telephone and that every call over the telephone may be registered while every call received over the instrument will not be registered. The transmitting mouth piece is indicated at 25.

In the instrument shown in Figure 4 the rectangular element 11 registers directly in the register 16 due to the manual operation of the rod 15 located at one side of the wall. The construction in this case is exactly similar to the construction above described except that it is adapted to the ordinary wall telephone.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification wherein my invention is modified so as to be adapted to the ordinary French telephone set. In

this case the receiving and transmitting elements of a telephone rest in a cradle and in order to remove the instrument from such cradle it is necessary to raise the spring actuated member which is pivotally but nonslidably secured to the rod 32. The member 30 is forced downwardly so as to be disposed directly over the telephone instrument by means of the spring 31. The spring 31 can be wound around the rod 32 which is similar in construction to the rod 15 previously deis pivoted at 38 scribed and the rod 32 is provided with springs 33 and 34 to maintain it in adjusted position. A register 16 is provided having disposed at either extremity thereof soas to either operate theregister 16 or fail to op: erate the same whenever the arm 30 is raised by the userof the telephone to make a call or to receive a call. This form operatesupon exactly the same principle as the others eX- cept that the pinprojects back through a slot in the frame and cannot move downwardly except in the branch slots at each end.

In Fig. 8a further modification is shown in'which the arm 36 is raised by the user so as to operate the register 16 or to fail to operate the register 16 depending upon the position in which the rod 32 is'maintained. This is a slightly simplified form of arrangement. The rod 32 and its supporting frameare rigidly secured to the main frame of the de-- vice and the guard 36 is movable in a slot formed in the main frame.

In Fig. 9 a further modified form of construction is shown in which the leversr37 or 38 must be swung in one or the otherdirection in order to actuate the register 16 through means of a ratchet or other arrangement. In this construction which is adapted for the French set, the levers 87 and 38 and the frame 37 to which they are attached are rigidly secured toa guard similar to that shown in Fig. 52 at 36. This movable group In Fig. 10 a slightly modified form of construction is shown in which the guard 10 is pivoted at the lower end back of the register 16 and is free to swing to the left because the pin 14 is in line with slot 41 without moving the rod 45. If the rod is depressed the pin 14 will be free to pass to the right in slot 43 and in this case the register 16 will be operated. If the rod 45 is pulled up the pin 14 will be free to pass to the right in slot 42 and the register will not be operated. The guard extends at right angles at the top over the combination receiver and transmitter of a French style telephone and then is extended down at a degree angle to prevent the removal of the receiver and transmitter until the guard is moved out of the way. The general construction of this movable guard is the same as the one shown in Fig. 8 at 36. Springs are utilized also inthis form to maintain the rod 45 in adjusted position.

In Fig. 11 a diiferent'iorm of slot shown so as to allow the guard member to be swung either into the branch or into the branch 5-1 of the slots shown inordertoactuate the register or to allow the register to be undisturbed so as not to register when a person is answering a telephone call. One way is locked until the registering rod is depressed while theother is always open.

a In the various forms shown it is apparent that various locking means may be employed so as to prevent the telephone from being used. One embodiment of such a construction is shown in the apertured lugs in which a lock .61 is adapted to be secured.

It shouldbe clearly understood that any locking device is intended only to make it difficult to use the locked telephone. In no case will the telephone switch hookbe locked,

. but the telephone receiver or combination receiver ortransmitter will beheld in a very awkward or difiicult position for use. The receiver may be lifted and held up from the switch hook, which will permit of answering a call but no one would attempt to make a call on a phone so locked unless in desperate need.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the invention above set forth, without departing from the real purpose and spirit thereof, and it is the in-' tention to cover by the following claims, any modified forms of structure or use of equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim: V

1. A movable guard to prevent easy manual movement of the telephone switch when said receiver or combination transmitter and receiver is off its hook or cradle of any suitable material normally secured in a position which will prevent the removal from its switch hook or cradle, of, the receiver or combination transmitter and receiver of a telephone in- .strument without first moving the guard.

2. A movable guard of any s'uitablemate rial securedin a position which will prevent the removal from its switch hook or cradle of the receiver or combination receiver and transmitter of a telephone instrument without first moving the guard and automatic means] for returning it immediately to its guarding position.

' 3. A movable guard of-any suitable material secured in a position which will prevent theremoval from its switch hook or cradle of the receiver or combination transmitter and receiver of a telephone instrument without guard.

1. The combination as set forth in claim 3 and a manually operated register secured to the guard to record the number of calls made from that telephone.

5. The combination as set forth in claim and a manually operated register secured to the frame of the guard to record the number of calls made from that telephone.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 3 and a period register which may be easily reset at any desired time to show the number of calls made from that phone during any desired period.

7. The combination of a movable guard secured in a position which will prevent the removal of the receiver or combination reeiver and transmitter of a telephone instrument from its switch hook or cradle and a lock to secure th guard in this position so that the instrument cannot be used without unlocking the loci; and moving the guard.

' 8. The combination of a supporting frame and a movable guard attached to said frame, which in its one normal position will prevent the removal of the receiver or combination transmitter and receiver of a telephone instrument from its switch hoolr or cradle and prevent easy manual operation of the telephone switch when said telephone receiver or combination transmitter and receiver is oh? its hook or cradle and in another position will not interfere with said removal.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 8 and means for returning said guard to its normal guarding position.

10. The combination of a supporting frame on which is secured a movable shaft or pin, springs to normally hold said pin in one position and return it to that position if it is moved, movable guard pivoted to said frame, said guard embodying or forming a slot to receive the movable pin or stud which is secured to the frame, said slot being so shaped that when the pin or stud is in its normall position, it will prevent the guard from being moved, a register which will record the number of times the pin is moved in one way, so that the guard may be moved from its guarding position, said slot in the guard havin g another branch so that if the locking pin is moved in that branch, the guard may be moved from its guarding position without crating the register and means to return said guard to its guarding position.

11. The combination of a supporting frame on which is secured a movable shaft or pin, springs to normally hold said pin in one position and return it to that position if it is moved, a movable guard pivoted to said frame, said frame having a slot there in to receive said movable pin or stud, said slot being so shaped that when the pin or stud s in its normal position it will prevent the guard from being moved, a register which will record the number of times the pin is moved in one way, so that the guard may be moved from its guarding position, said slot in the frame having another branch so that if the locking pin is moved in that branch, the guard may be moved from its guarding position without operating the register and means to return said guard to its guarding position.

12. The combination as claimed in claim 10 with a slot to permit moving guard in opposite direction without 'moving pin and operating register.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 11 with a slot to permit moving guard in opposite direction without operating register.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 10 with a period register operated by a ratchet pawl.

15. The combination as claimed in claim 10 with a period register connected to the total register.

16. The combination as claimed in claim 11 with a period register operated by a ratchet pawl.

17. The combination. as claimed in claim 11 with a period register connected to the total register.

1S. The combination as claimed in claim 3 with a manually operated period register connected to the total register.

19. The combination as claimed in claim 8 with an automatic pawl operated register and means for returning the guard to its guarding position.

20. The combination of a guard and supporting frame which will receive a telephone desk set means to hold said frame in proper alignment for operation of check register and reminder and permit its removal'at any time without tools and without difiiculty.

' DAVID hf. CARR.

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