US619868A - Coin controlled and registering telephone apparatus - Google Patents

Description

N0. M95868. Patented'Feh 2|, I899. R. D. CRANSTO N & S. MLWILLIAMS.

OOIN CONTROLLED AND REGISTERING TELEPHONE APPARATUS.

[Application filed Nov. 11, 1697.} '(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet I.

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No. 6l9,868.. Patented Feb. 2|, I899. n. n. OBANSTON & s. u. WILLIAMS. COIN CONTROLLED AND REGISTERING TELEPHONE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Nov. 11, 1697.)

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No 6l9,868. Patented Feb. 2], I899. R. D. CRANSTDN & S. M. WILLIAMS.

COIN CONTROLLED AND REGISTERING TELEPHONE APPARATUS. [Application filed Nov. 11, 1897.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT D. CRANSTON AND SYLVESTER M. WILLIAMS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COIN CONTROLLED AND REGISTERING TELEPHONE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 619,868, dated February 21, 1899.

Application filed November 11, 1897- Serial No. 658,113. (No model.]

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT D. ORANSTON and SYLVESTER M. WILLIAMS, citizens of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Coin Controlled and Registering Telephone Apparatus; and we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to a coin-controlled registering apparatus which may be employed in conjunction with any device where such an apparatus is applicable. In the present case we have shown it employed in conjunction with a telephone transmitting and receiving box.

It consists of the parts and the constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a front exterior view. Fig. 2 is a view with the front of the box removed. Fig. 3 is a view showing the parts in the rear of the box. Fig. 4 is a view of the electromagnet push-bar and connected mechanism situated behind the coin-disk. Fig. 5 is a side view of the interior mechanism of the whole box. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the indicator-locking mechanism. Fig. 7 is an interior view of the coin-box looking toward the front. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the pawl J and its attachments.

The object of our invention is to provide a more efficient operation of coin-controlled apparatus of the class described.

A is the case in which the mechanism is contained, and B the fulcrumed lever-hook upon which the receiver of the telephone is normally hung, said lever having a head B.

C is a lever within the box having the contact-points C C through which electrical connection is made. This lever is here shown fulcrumed upon the head B of the hook-lever B, from which the receiver is suspended, and capable of independent movement, as will be hereinafter described. A slot D is made in the upper part of the box adapted to receive a coin. In line beneath this slot and journaled between front and rear plates e is a disk E, having peripheral segmental spaces E cut out, these spaces being of such diameter that a coin dropped into the opening at D will pass directly into one of these pockets or spaces E.

Glazed openings to are made in the front of the box or case, through which a coin may be seen after it is introduced. The disk is then rotated by pressing downwardly upon a push-bar F, which projects above the top of the box conveniently for the purpose. This push-bar carries spring-pressed pawls G G, Fig. 2, one of which engages the teeth of a ratchet-wheel H above its center, the number of teeth in which correspond with the pockets of the disk E, and the other engages the teeth below the center, so that when the pushbar is forced down the lowermost pawl en gages the teeth of the ratchet, so as to turn it a part of a revolution. The upper pawl acts to return the disk to a position where one of the pockets is in line with the coinchute if the push-bar has not been pressed down to entirely complete a movement of the parts.

The pawls G G are mounted upon a common axis, which is loosely located at a recess f in the push-bar F, and reaching over the face of wheel H is a guide-plate g. This plate raises the pawl G from its engagement when F is pressed down; otherwise the pawl would follow in the space between the same two teeth, and when the bar F is released would bring the same teeth back again and with it the corresponding pocket'with the same coin in it; but as plate g lifts the pawl clear out of its engagement and lets it travel over its guide face while the succeeding tooth is moved a full space underneath the pawl G will while returning drop behind plate 9 into the next space, thus bringing a new pocket into line with slot D. If the bar F has not been pushed down its full travel, the same tooth-space will present itself again to pawl G and allow it to drop into its former place after having left guide-plate g, as shown in Fig. 2. As the ratchet-wheel is fixed upon the shaft of the disk E, it will be seen that the disk will be turned each time when the push-bar is pressed down to the full extent.

A spring-pressed retaining-pawl I is so fulcrumed in a recess as to prevent the return of the disk after it has once been moved forward, and its rotation is thus continued in one direction. J is another spring-pressed pawl so fulcrumed with relation to the disk that when pressed down it will prevent the turning of the disk. The pawl J has a pinj projecting to one side of it, upon which its spring presses. Secured 011 the inside of the box is a small lock so arranged that when, by means of a key and through a keyhole a on the face of the box, its bolt is is pushed out it will suspend the pawl J and not allow it to drop into the pockets. In this position the device can be operated without a coin; but when the bolt is withdrawn the spring will act upon the pawl, and if no coin has been dropped into the succeeding pocket to hold the pawl up the latter will drop into the next pocket and lock it, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. This will then prevent the bar F being pushed down far enough to register and compel any one in order to operate it to first drop a coin. As the disk keeps on moving the coins will gradually reach the outlet Land drop through a short coin-passage Z into the receiving-box Z, Fig. 5. This box Z is adapted to slip into the lower part of the outer box or case A whenever the front has been removed, and when it is thus pushed in the rear edge is engaged by a spring M, which prevents the box from being again withdrawn until this spring is pushed out of engagement with the box.

The front of the box has a hole N made through it, and a plate 0, having a similar hole made coincident with the hole N, is fitted against the inside of the front face of the box. This plate is normally held locked against the front of the box by a button 0. The object of these plates is to allow a thin destructible sheet at, such as a sheet of paper, to be clamped between the two plates, and thus close the hole or opening N. It is only possible to disengage the spring M, which looks the box in place, by breaking or tearing this destructible sheet, and this is done when the inspector comes around to periodically collect the coins from the box. He then simply breaks the sheet, pushing his finger in through the opening and pressing the holding-spring upward, so that the box can be removed. Another sheet is placed over the opening before the box is again returned, and this sheet is of such a character that it could not be readily imitated. Therefore any tampering with the box would be easily detected. The lower end of the push-bar F carries a punch-point f, which is adapted to perforate a traveling strip of paper P, which is carried beneath the line of travel of the punch by the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism Q, operated by a rod Q, which is directly connected with the bar F, so that when the latter is pushed down the punch will pass through the paper, making a hole and indicating that the machine has been used. The pawl is at the same time carried along so as to engage a new tooth in the ratchet, and when the push-bar is relieved and allowed to again rise by the action of the spring p the pawl will rotate the ratchetwheel and with ita drum upon which the paper is coiled, so as to continually advance the paper with each movement of the ratchet.

R is an indicator which contains instructions for the user of the instrument and which is adapted to be thrown upwardly in a closed glazed space R above the box by having its stem R connected with an angle-lever R This lever is pushed down in unison with the downward movement of the push-bar F by means of an arm F, projecting from the pushbar and engaging this lever R, so that when the push-bar is pressed down until the punch has perforated the paper the arm F will have pushed the lever downward, thus retracting the indicator-plate into the box.

The lever R is essentially a bell-crank lever fulcrumed at W, and the lower end 1' is held by a spring-catch X after it has been pushed down, as previously described, and thus remains in this condition with the indicator retracted until it is released from the catch by an operation to be hereinafter described, when a spring R pressing upon the lever, will return it to its first position and throw the indicator up into view again.

A guide-rod r is connected with the lever R at T the receiver-hook B resting on top of it. Adjacent to this lever is located the electromagnet T, having its wires conducted to the contact-plates t, the left-hand plate making contact with the arm t, Fig. 3. A spring-arm 25 extends from underneath the arm t and is connected with the line-wire, while the return-wire is connected with the ground. tion bent upwardly, carrying on its upper portion an insulated block i having its upper face beveled.

Attached to the receiver-hook B on the inside of the box is a crescent-shaped piece of metal 1), its lower horn adapted to press the block i down and outwardly, thereby breaking the contact of the spring-arm i with the arm 25'. From this description it will be Seen that when the receiver is lifted from its suspending hook the block i is released and the spring-arm 6 contacts with the arm t, and the current passes from the line wire 20 through the wire 21, connecting with the spring-arm t and thence through the said arm and the arm t, the plate 25, and magnet T, and finally returns to ground through the wire 22 and closes the circuit at this end. Vhen the receiver is again placed on its hook, the block i is depressed to break the contact of spring-arm 25 with arm t, which opens the circuit on this side.

The parts just specified are used with the usual bell of old boxes in order to cut the magnet-circuit out; but when new boxes are made and the bell of is used this construction will be omitted, as the magnet-circuit has to be kept closed all the time to ring the bell o U is a bar suitably guided to slide up and The spring-arm has its outer perby a former operation.

down, being actuated by a spring u press-' ing on a stud M, which has a tendency to press it down, but is stopped by a shoulder a on its inner side pressing against a flat spring 2%. On its upper end it has a lug or pin a, and this lug 11, engages the forked end of lever C, which forms the switch for the circuit of the instrument, Fig. 3. Now by taking off the receiver the book will rise and give the alarm at the central in the usual manner, but the switch 0 will be left unmoved and held down by stud u. The spring a has been previously disengagedby a pin r projecting from the side of lever R when the latter had been forced down and locked This release allowed the spring a to act and force bar U down until its stud a strikes the connection r", thus limiting its downward movement, and this is its normal position.

The armatureVof magnet T has connected with it a rod 12, carrying on its outer end a hammer o, from which extends another rod o across and through the side of box A, having a clapper on its outer end, the latter swinging in a bell v Aplate W, hinged to the frame at its corner w,extends inwardly to within reach of a spring-stop X, the latter being pivoted at 0a, which holds the end 7' of lever B down against its spring R Another spring-arm Y has its outer end in contact with plate W, the latter being placed at right angles to the spring X. This spring-arm Y is for the purpose of preventing the retraction and locking of the indicator without fully registering, as the spring comes in front of the end 0" of lever R thus preventing that end a" from passing be-' low the bottom of spring X and be thereby locked. Now after the receiver has been removed and the alarm given at the central and the necessary information given as to the desired connection the operator at the central will close the magnet-circuit at that end,- causing the armature V to be attracted, and the hammer n will come down on back edge of the plate W and will at the same time ring the bell '0 The, plate W will be forced against the spring-arm X, pushing it off the top of end r and releasing lever B to be pushed upward by its spring R and thus allow the indicator to be thrown up within notice of the caller. Connection r will also force bar U upward by its stud U2 and with it the switch 0 to signal that the connection has been made. As before stated, the pawl J may be in a locked condition, whereby no coin is needed, or if not a coin will now be dropped and the push-rod F pressed down until the indicator has disappeared, which fact insures the correct registration. By

pushing the bar F down its extension F has carried the lever R back again, has pressed the spring Y out of the way of lever end r, and the latter is now locked again by the spring X, the stud T has depressed the spring u, and so allowed bar U to pass down again to its normal position.

If the pawl J is locked and no coin put in, the pawl will stop the disk E, and conse quently prevent push-rod F from registering or moving spring Y enough out of the way to lock lever R again, and this will prevent the release of bar U to signal at the central that registering has taken place. The operation will then be as follows: If the telephone user desires'to communicate, he removes the receiver from the suspending lever-arm B, and this allows the latter to rise by the action of a spring in the usual manner. The lever C is not moved up with B, and a contact is thus made through the point 0, which connects the box with the central, the contact at C being simultaneously broken. The operator at central station gives the desired information and at the same time produces a current through the electromagnet Twithin the local box A. This operates a vibrating armature V, which carries the hammer '0. This hammer acts upon a lever W, and this leverarm disengages the springcatch X, by which the bell-crank lever B was previously held, thus allowing the leverarm to be thrown up and with it the indicator. At the same time the arm U, actuated by the upwardly-moving parts, moves the lever 0, makes a contact at O and places the box in its operative conditionthat is,with the usual bell in circuitthe current passingfrom the line through the wire 10, the lever B and its head B, the contact 0 the wire 12, and the usual bell to ground. The person using the telephone now puts in a coin and presses down upon the push-bar F, and when it has been pushed far enough to register and the latch X has engaged the end of the lever R the arm U will be retracted, moving the lever C with it. This restores the contact at O and breaks that at C the current passing from the line-wire through the wire 10, the arm B and itshead B, the contact C, and through wires to the instruments and induction-coils in any suitable manner. The indicator is thrown down out of sight by the movements of the push-bar. The coin having been previously placed in the opening D will pass into the coincident pocket of the disk and will be carried around, and by its diameter it contacts with the pawl J and pushes the latter upward, so as to allow the disk E'to be rotated. If no coin has been placed in the slot, this pawl J prevents the rotation of the disk E and thus prevents the operation of the machine unless the arm J is held up out of engagement by the movement of the lock-bolt when the key is turned.

An important feature of the construction here shown is the ability of the operator at the central station to place the parts of the telephone in their normal condition, so that the current can be transmitted independent of the instrument in case the receiver should have been carelessly left off the hook, as by means of the mechanism previously described this action can be effected.

In some cases it is desirable to place the telephone in condition for use by the proprietor, so that it can be operated without the coin. In this case it is only necessary to introduce and turn the key within the keyhole K to hold up the pawl J out of contact with the disk E. The parts are then in operative condition without the use of the coin.

\Vhen the disk has been locked by withdrawing the bolt and allowing the pawl J to engage the disk, it prevents any suliicient movement of the disk and connected parts to allow the lever-arm R to engage with the latching-catch, and it also prevents the punch from passing through the paper or the ratchetwheel from being revolved, the whole apparatus in this condition being inoperative. lVhen unlocked, the parts are in condition to be used.

The strip or tape P, upon which the punch registers, is made in suitable lengths rolled upon centers which are adapted to fit the delivery-roller, and the free end of the tape is then connected with the receiving drum or roller, which is actuated by the ratchet m echanism to gradually transfer the tape as the punches are made. In order to save time in counting the punch-marks at the end of the month or other term and to insure accuracy, we mark the tape transversely at each ten punch-marks and also number them, so that it is only necessary to inspect the last number upon the tape. A space is also left for the signature of the subscriber, and the tape is returned to the office as a voucher. As the tape moves over a greater space by the continued increase in the size of the roll upon the receiving-drum, it is found necessary to place the space-marks a gradually-increasing distance apart, so as to compensate for this gradual increase and the corresponding increase of distance between the punch-marks, and this insures the accurate register of the punchmarks with the subdividing-lines.

The spring Y prevents the instrument being connected up by the suspending-lever, so that communication could be established by that means. It does this by acting as a stop to prevent the arm R from being tilted sutficiently to be engaged and held by the spring X by the act of hanging the receiver upon its hook. The spring Y can only be moved out of the way either by pushing down the bar F until it registers, when the conditions are right for communication, or, if the indicator be left up, by energizing the electromagnet of the instrument after the receiver has been hung up.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus, including a normally locked mechanism, means whereby it is released by a current from a central station to open a circuit, and coincontrolled means for restoring the broken circuit.

2. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus including a normally locked mechanism, means whereby it is released by a current from a central station to open a circuit, and coincontrolled means whereby a line circuit broken by central is restored by the user to place the telephone in condition for use with a subscriber.

3. The combination with a box or case, a normally-locked rotatable disk having chambers for the reception of coins, a pawl lying in the path of movement of the disk and normally locking the latter against movement, said disk being tripped to release the disk by the contact of a coin carried by the latter, a push-bar and means whereby it operates the disk, an indicator and lever mechanism connected with and operated by the push-bar, means whereby said mechanism is locked and the parts held depressed, and means whereby said mechanism is released and rendered operative by a current from a central station.

4. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus including a receiver-suspending arm, a lever fulcrumed thereon and contacts controlled by said lever one of which is maintained when the receiver is removed from said arm to enable the user to communicate with the central station, a normally-locked mechanism and means whereby it is released by a current from central, said contact-lever being in the path of and actuated by the released mechanism to break the first-named contact and establish a second one, and coin-controlled means for restoring the circuit broken from the central station.

5. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus including a containing-case; a lever mechanism and means whereby it is held in a locked condition, means whereby a release of the locked mechanism is effected from a central station; coin-controlled means for restoring a circuit broken from the central station; a registering mechanism; and a coin-box and means whereby it is locked within the conraining-case.

6. In a telephone, a receiver-suspending arm movable when the receiver is removed to notify the central station, a second lever turnable upon the same fulcrum, a normallylocked mechanism by which said lever is retained in position when the receiver is removed, contacts controlled by said lever, one of which is maintained and the other broken when the receiver is removed, an electromagnet, the circuit through which is controlled from the central oiiice, disengaging mechanism actuated by said magnet whereby the lever is released and turned to break the first-named contact and complete the second, a push-bar by which the parts are returned to their original position and looked, a coincontrolled carrying device and mechanism intermediate between the carrier and the pushbar whereby the latter is movable only when a coin is within the carrier.

7. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus comprising a rotary disk having peripheral chambers which are successively brought into line with the coin-chute and adapted to receive and hold a coin, a mechanism by which the disk is rotated consisting of a push-bar, a ratchet fixed upon the disk-shaft and pawls actuated by the push-bar whenever the latter is depressed, a lever-arm also movable by the push-bar, a latching device by which the lever is retained after having been pushed down, a magnet, a means actuated by said magnet whereby the latching device is released and the push-bar allowed to return to its normal position.

8. The combination in a telephone of a push-bar, a mechanism actuated by said bar whereby the telephone is placed in communication with the central office, a coin-carrier revoluble in unison with the movements of the push-bar and a pawl mechanism whereby the coin-carrier is normally locked to prevent its rotation, said pawl mechanism being disengaged to allow the movement of the pushbar when the coin has been placed in the carrier.

9. In combination with a telephone, a receiver, a suspending-arm therefor and contacts which make a connection with the central office when the receiver has been removed, a mechanism whereby the user places it in condition for communication, a push-bar by which said mechanism is actuated, a coin-carrier with which the push-bar is connected, a pawl mechanism by which said carrier and bar are locked when no coin is in the carrier, said pawl being disengaged so as to allow the movement of the carrier and push-bar when the coin has been placed therein.

10. The combination with a telephone of a rotatable coin-carrier with peripheral pockets, a chute through which the coins are delivered successively into said pockets when they arrive in line therewith, a check-pawl to prevent backward rotation, a spring-pressed lever lying in the path of the passing coins contained in the pockets, capable of being lifted by the pressure of said coin to allow the carrier to advance, a receiver and suspendingarm therefor, contacts whereby the removal of the receiver makes connection with the central office, a mechanism connected with the telephone whereby the user places it in condition for communication, a push-bar by which said mechanism is actuated, the movements of said push-bar being controlled by the movements of the coin-carrier and its locking-lever.

11. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus comprising a rotary disk having peripheral chambers which are successively brought into line with the coin-chute and adapted to receive and hold the coin, a mechanism by which the disk is rotated consisting of a push-bar, a ratchet fixed upon the disk-shaft and pawls actuated by the push-bar whenever the latter is depressed, alever-arm also movable by the depression of the push-bar, a latching device by which the lever is retained after having been pushed down, an electromagnet fixed within the box, connections with the central office whereby a current may be established through a magnet, a means for disengaging the latch through the operation of the magnet when said current is established and a contact-lever'with means whereby it is actuated to return it to a position indicating that the box is in readiness for use.

12. The combination in a telephone of a receiver-suspending arm, electrical connections and contacts which are made when the receiver is removed from the arm, whereby communication is made with the central office, an electromagnet within the local box and under the control of the central office, and mechanism actuated thereby to restore the box to its normal condition when connection has been made, a coin-controlled mechanism and a carrier with a device by which the carrier is locked when no coin is within it, and a pushbar whereby the coin-carrier and the mechanism of the telephone are actuated.

13. The combination of a revoluble coincarrier having peripheral chambers adapted to be successively brought into line with the coin-passage, mechanism by which the telephone is placed in communication with the central office, a registering mechanism and a push-rod and pawl-and-ratchet mechanism by which the carrier is revolved and the telephone placed in communication.

14. The combination in a coin-controlled telephone apparatus of a revoluble coin-carrier, a mechanism by which the telephone is placed in communication with the central office, a visible indicator movable in unison therewith, and a push -rod by which said mechanisms are actuated.

15. The combination in a coin-controlled telephone apparatus of a coin-carrier, a mechanism by which the telephone is placed in communication with the central office and a visible indicator to show when communication has been established, and a device by which the apparatus is placed in condition for communication after the instruments are connected,said device also actuating the coincarrier, and being locked thereby when no coin has been introduced.

16. The combination of a coin-controlled telephone apparatus of a push-bar by which the coin-carrier is advanced and the telephone placed in communication, and locking and releasing devices whereby the telephone may be placed in condition for use only when a coin is introduced, or independently thereof.

17. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus comprising a coin receiver and carrier, mechanism by which the telephone is placed in communication first with the central oflice and afterward with a subscriber, and means for actuating the carrier dependent upon the deposit of a coin, a plate upon which said mechanism is carried, a telephone-box for which said plate forms a closure, a receiversuspending lever, contact-plates, and a de;

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vice by which the contacts are made or out ofi secured within the box, and devices by which the plate is removably secured to the box,and its mechanism connected with that ofthe box.

18. The combination witha coin-controlled telephone apparatus, of a revoluble coin-carrier, a push-bar by which the coin-carrier is advanced and the telephone placed in communication, a coin-chute into which the revoluble carrier delivers the coin, and a receiving-box into which the coin is delivered with mechanisnr for locking said box in position within the case'and sealing it therein.

19. A coin-controlled telephone apparatus comprising a revoluble coin receiver and carrier, mechanism by which the telephone is placed in communication first with the central ofiice and afterward with the subscriber,

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