US437293A - Coin-operated telephone attachment - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

T H. F. DUGAN.

GOIN OPERATBD TELEPHONE ATTACHMENT.

No. 437,293. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

Y, UNITED VSTATES,

PATENT OFFICE..

HERBERT F. DUGAN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COlNfOPERATVED TELEPHONE`ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,293, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed .Tune 6, 1890. Serial No, 354,462. (No model.) I l To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT F. DUGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Telephone Attachments; and I do declare the following to be a full, cleanand exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letter's of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention is an improved device for preventing the use of a telephone without the payment of the proper toll; and it consists in a coin-controlled lock adapted to be applied to the magneto-bell or transmitter in such a manner that the party desiring to use the instrument must pay the toll before the vmessage can be sent.

The particular nature of the invention will be hereinafter first fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, which fully illustrate my invention, Figure l is afront elevation of a telephone-instrument, showing my improved device applied to the bell thereof. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the lock on the line a: a: of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4: are sectional elevations showing the operation of the device.

The telephone-instrumentis of the usual or any preferred construction, and forms no part of my invention.

On the side of the magneto-bell case or on the front of the transmitter I form a laterally-projecting hook A, and the casing B of my lock is hinged to the magneto-bell case or the transmitter and provided with `a slot C to permit the said projecting hook A to enter the lock.

In the top of the casing, near the rear end of the same, I form the slot D, through which the proper coin to pay the toll is inserted.

Within the casing I provide on the side thereof the horizontal ribs or guides E, be-

tween which the slide F and the bolt G are mounted and play. The slide F is provided with a handle H, which projects through the slot I in the side of the casing and forms a means of operating said slide. The bolt G is provided at its front end with a beveled edge J 'and an engaging shoulder K, which is adapted to engage the hook A on the bell or transmitter, as shown most. clearly in Fig. 2.

At the rear end of the bolt I form the slot L, into which the coin drops after being inserted through the slot D in the casing, and the bolt and the slide are normally thrown toward the front end of the casing by springs M, secured to the casing and the slide and bolt, respectively. The rear end of the lower guide or rib E is extended slightly beyond the slide, so as to form a rest J for the coin, as will be readily understood upon reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

In practice the lock is secured to the magneto-bell case so as to cover the crank thereof or to the transmitter so as to extend over the diaphragm, with the bolt engaging the hook. The casing will be thus prevented from swinging from the magneto-bell case or the transmitter, and consequently the instrument cannot be used. In order to use the instrument, the speaker must drop acoin through the slot C, and said coin will then fall upon the projecting end of the lower rib or guide with its upper edge engaging the slot in the bolt, thus forming a connection between the slide and the bolt, so that when the slide is pushed `backward the bolt will be withdrawn from engagement with the hook A, and the casing consequently be free to swing outward and permit the instrument to be used. Should the handle H be manipulated before a coinis inserted into the casing, the slide will move backward without aecting the bolt. It will thus be seen that it is necessary to insert the coin before the instrument can be used. When the slide is pushed backward, the coin will be shoved from the rib or guide E and will drop to the bottom of the casing, where the several coins will collect until they are removed by the custodian of the device. After the coin has dropped to the bottom of the casing` the bolt will be automatically drawn forward to the front end of the casing and into engagement with the hook by the spring M, as will be readily understood.

In order to facilitate the removal of the coins, I provide the casing with a swinging bottom N, which forms a money-box, and is secured the said hook and adapted to receive a coin, the spring adapted to hold the said bolt in engagement with the hook, and a slide arranged below the bolt and adapted to be con nected therewith by a coin, as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of the bolt having a slot in its end to receive a coin, the slide supporting the bolt, and a rib supporting the slide and extending beyond the same to maintain the coin in the path of the slide, as set forth.

3. The combination, with the magneto-bell case having a lat-eral projection on its side, of the casing hinged to the magneto-bell case and adapted to iit over said projection, and a bolt mounted within the casing and normally engaging the said projection and adapted to be released therefrom through the aid of a coin, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT F. DUGAN.

Witnesses:

FELIX DEUTSCHE, WALLACE A. WISE.

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