US2301824A - Guard for coin gauges - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 10, 1942.

GUARD FOR com GAUGES Filed Feb. 20. 1941 D0 NOT DEPOSIT COIN BEFORE DIALING TO CALL A LOCAL NUMBER 1. Liltuu for dill tom. 2, Dial number want- 7 3. Whm call-d number-Inner: av will hnr dill *anl againan dcpalit coin cm H TO MAKE ANY OTHER CALL I. Llltan for All! ion: 2. Oh! "O" (Operator)- ,6 3. Do I 00 c) 0 8 ya mvzmog .Szm son ATTORNEY R. s. s|MsoN I 2,301,824'

Patented Nov. 10, 1942 GUARD FOR COIN GAUGES Robie Seymour Simson, Quincy, Mass., assignor to American Telephone and Telegraph Company, a corporation of New York Application February 20, 1941, Serial No. 379,799

- 2 Claims.

This invention relates to coin collecting mechanism and, more particularly, to guards for the coin gauges of such mechanism.

It has been found in connection with the use of coin collecting mechanisms, and particularly telephone coin collecting mechanisms, that users or subscribers sometimes deposit coins at the improper time. This is particularly true in cases where patrons or subscribers are accustomed to prepay service and visit sections where postpay service is used. This practice is often the cause of improper service and other undesirable complications.

It is an object of this invention to overcome these objectionable features by providing a simple and inexpensive device which will serve as a guard over the slots of the collecting mechanism and also serve to definitely draw patrons or subscribers attention to a direction card carried by the coin collector and upon which instructions are inscribed for properly using the coin collector.

These and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view, partly broken away, and showing the improved device attached to a coin collector of the dial service yp Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing the device attached to a coin collector of the manual service type, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved device detached from the coin collector.

Referring to the drawing, the reference 5 is applied to a casing or upper housing of a wellknown type of telephone coin collector. In Figs. 1 and 2 this collector is shown equipped for dial service of the postpayment type. In Fig. 3 the collector is shown equipped for manual service of the postpayment type.

A coin gauge 6 is mounted on the top of the casing or housing 5 and ,is provided with the usual coin slots into which various coins may be inserted in accordance with the charge which is to be made for the telephone call. In Figs. 1 and 2 a holder plate I is shown mounted on a ledge of the casing above the coin gauge 6, and in Fig. 3 this holder 1 is shown attached to the casing 5 in a position beneath the coin gauge. This holder includes a frame which is shown as having a rectangular plate attached thereto.

This plate clamps a pane of transparent material and also a card in position in a well-known manner. Directions are inscribed on the card which set forth when and how coins should be deposited to properly operate the coin collector. These coins are deposited at the proper time in the slots 8, bearing the numerals 5, 10 and 25 of the coin gauge 6 in accordance with the amount of money required.

An assembly including a frame 9 may be mounted in position on the casing illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, or on the casing illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The frame 9 is provided with a rectangular portion I0 having openings II through which screws may be inserted to attach the assembly to the top or ledge of the casing 5 of the telephone coin collector, as indicated in Fig. 2. The frame 9 is bent to form an upwardly extending portion I2 which lies in angular relation to the portion I9. A strip I3 is bent forwardly from the inclined portion I2 and forms a shoulder which rests on the top of the coin gauge 6. This forwardly extending portion or shoulder I3 is cut away and a strip I4 is bent in a substantially vertical direction therefrom. The strip l4 forms a stop for the transparent plate I5 and limits its rearward travel. The extensions from the strip I3 at each end of the stop I4 are formed. into hinges l6, IS in which the ends of a pin II are pivoted. The plate is made of suitable rugged transparent material and plastics or plastic material have been successfully used for this purpose. The material of the plate l5 may be molded about the pin I1 leaving the ends of said pin free to engage in the hinges I 5, I6.

The plate I5 is shown as being of substantially semi-circular form and the pin II which provides a pivot therefor, extends through its upper edge. The downwardly extending portion of the plate I5 substantially covers the slots 8 of the coin gauge 6 and in its normal position forms a guard to prevent the insertion of coins in the slots of the coin collector. This transparent plate or guard I5 has to be raised in order to permit coins to be deposited in the slots. The plate I5 automatically returns to its normal position upon being released from its raised or operated position. In Figs. 1 and 2 the lowermost portion of the plate l5 rests against the top of the dial wheel I8, while in Fig. 3 this portion of the plate rests against the forward portion of the top or ledge of the casing 5. The transparent plate I5 is so designed and inscribed on the front or rear as to definitely call attention to the directions for using the coin collector, such directions appearing in the holder 1 illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing.

While the arrangements of this invention have been described and illustrated as applied to telephone coin collectors, it will be understood that they are adapted and capable of application to coin collectors of other types.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telephone coin collector, a device to be operated by the user to perform certain functions in the establishment of a telephone connection, coin controlled equipment having a slot for receiving a coin, the operation of said equipment by a coin also taking part in the establishment of said telephone connection, said, device and said coin controlled equipment being required to be operated in a certain order with respect to each other to establish said telephone connection, a movable guard plate for said slot. designed to reveal the location of said slot but to prevent insertion of a coin therein until the guard plate is displaced from its normal position by theuser, and designations on the guard plate to positively direct the attention of the user before he attempts to insert a coin, to the order in which said device and said coin controlled equipment are to be operated.

2. In a telephone coin collector, a device to be operated by the user to perform certain functions in the establishment of a telephone connection, coin controlled equipment having a slot for receiving a coin, the operation of said equipment by a coin also taking part in the establishment of said telephone connection, said device and said coin controlled equipment being required to be operated in a certain order with respect to each other to establish said telephone connection, a movable guard plate for said slot designed to reveal the. location of said slot but to prevent insertion ofa coin therein until the guard plate is displaced from its normal position by the user, and designations on the guard plate to positively direct the attention of the user, before he attempts to insert a coin, to the order in which said device and said coin controlled equipment are to be operated, said guard plate being mounted to automatically return to normal position when released.

ROBIE S; SIMSON.

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