US660826A - Telephone-call recorder. - Google Patents

Description

No. 660,826. Patented 0G1. 30,1900.

H. 0. STRUUD. TELEPHONE CALL RECORDER.

(A umion filed Feb. 23, 1900.

' 2 Shaets$hoet 4 H10 Modal.)

THE NORRIS PETERS cc. \vAsmuarom-m'c.

-- v UNITED STATES" HAROLD DUDLEY OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIcnoR or ONE-HIIAILFL T JAMES E. 'PLEW, ,OF SAME PLACE. it

PATENT OFF E. e g:

.. TELKPHONECALL m-zcionosa 1' r SPECIFICATION rmin part of Letters Patent No. 660,826, dated October so, 1900. 1 Application filed Febrnsry 53 1906- Serial No. 6,229. (No mndelt I l To allwhom it -mcy'cortcern:

. Be it known that I, HAROLD DUDLEY STROUD, of Chicago, Illinois, have'invented,

certain new and useful Improvement-sinTelephone-Call Recorders, of'which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in telephone-call recorders; and it has among its objects to provide a register or tallying IO mechanism whereby each call of a subscriber is-automatically registered, to provide means whereby the subscriber mayascertain by in 'spection how many calls have been made, to provide lneans whereby the calls-registered, s upon any oneinstrument may be automatic ally recorded at a given reading-station as, for'exalnple,,at central--to provide means whereby the register or tallying device may be automatically reset from said readjug-station or from a given point on the system remote from the subscribers station and at the same time a permanent record of the calls made since the last resetting of the in- .strumeut recorded, to provide an apparatus which may be readily adaptedto most of the telephone systems now in common use, and

in general to provide'a simple, reliable, andinexpensive mechanism of thechar'acter referred to. J l I v 29 The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and more particularly pointedont in the appended claims, and will be readily understood from the following description, reference being had to'the accom- 5 pauying drawings, in whi ch.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a telephone system equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is,a front plan view 'of the register mechanism, parts being brokenaway to ex- 0 pose certain features of mechanism contained within or located'inflrear of he Parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a side'elevatioii of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to said drawings, Fig. l, a desighates as a whole any usual switchboard located-at central; b, the subscribers instru- 4 went, connected with central. by means of the conductors l 2, respectively; 0, the printing mechanism conveniently located at cen- 5o tral and bymeans of which a permanent record of the number of calls is printed; d,-

, said ratchet-wheel, one end of said. lever besends corresponding impulses to the printing instrument-as the register mechauism' is l returned to zero, and an-electromagnet-o, by 6 -means of which the register mechanism. is releasedjandfallow'ed to-return to zero under the influence of a spring or motor 7. v

Describing the register mechanism more particularly, '3 designatesa ratchet-wheel mounted rigidly upon a suitableshaft 8', jour-. nal'ed in bearings inthe front and rear-frame members 9 10, respectively, (see Fig. 3,) of

the register. At the front .of the register is mounted a dialll, provided with a circumferential series of graduati'ons corresponding to the n umber of. notches of the ratchetwheel 3, in thevprc'sent instance running from O to' 100, and themain shaft 8 is'extended at its forward end through the center of the died and provided with an indicator 12 HP.

ranged to sweep over the dial in the usual manner;

In order to step the ratchet-wheel forward a notch at a time each time the subscriber calls for a connection, a contact-lever 13 is pivotally mounted between its ends, as at 14, upon the front-frame member 9, adjacent to ing provided with a suitable handle or finger hold, wh'ereby'it' "lay be pulled downwardly, and theopposite'end being provided with a; push-pawl 15, which is normally out of 11-- gagemeut of the ratchet-wheel, but is brought into engagement therewith and-causedto push it forward one notch each time the lever is pulled down far enough loclosea circuit in a manner hereinafter described, Said push-pawl is pivotally mounted upon the end of the contact-lever', as indicated at 16, so as to permit itto follow the movement of the I ratchet-wheel, and is held yieldably in position to engage the ratchet-wheel properly by. means of a stop 17 upon' the lever 13, which engages one side of the pawl,.and a spring 18, arranged'at the opposite side of the pawl and acting to hold the latter yieldingly in engagement with said stopexcept when carried away from the latter by its movement in following the ratchet-wheel.

19-20 designate two contact-terminals conveniently mounted in a block of insulating material 2L or otherwise suitably supported upon the frame-plate 9, adjacent to and besufficiently rigid to serve as a stop to'lirnit the. downward movement of the lever, so as to prevent the ratchet-wheel frombeing turned too far at asin'gle movement, while the movement of the contact-lever in the opposite direction is limited, conveniently, by means of a stop 24, located upon the frame- .plate 9 above said lever. In order to. return said ratchet-wheel to zero in the manner to bra-hereinafter described, a coiled .wa'tchspring 7 is mounted upon the frame-plate 10, concentrically with the ratchet-wheel 8, one end of said spring being engaged with the shaft, while its opposite end is made rigid with the frame-plate insuch manner that the spring willbe wound up or tensioned as the ratchet-wheel is stepped forward. In order to hold the ratchet.- wheel from backward movement as it is stepped forward, a detent 25 is mounted upon the frame-plate 9 in position to engage said ratchet-wheel and is held yieldingly in contact with the latter by means of a spring 26.

"Inasmuch as it is desirable to provide for recording'a greater number of calls than could be conveniently indicated on the periphery of a single dial, a second recording wheel is provided, so interconnected withthe primary ratchet-Wheel as to record the number of complete revolutions of thelatter. Desirably and as shown herein the said secondary wheel consists of a spur-gear 26,- mounted upon the insideof the dial-plate 11 an arrangedto intermesh itsperiphery with a pinion 27, mounted rigidly upon the ratchetwheel shaft 8, the numberof teeth of said pinion bearing a fixed relation-to the number of teeth of the spur-gear-as, for example and as shown herein, as one to'twelveso'that each time the ratchet-wheel performs one revolution the gear-wheel will be rotated onetwelfth of'a revolution; 'lhe's'tub-shaft upon which the spur-gear is mounted'is extended out through the dial-plate and is provided with an indicator 28, arrangedtosweep over a smaller dial 29, divided into a number of divisions corresponding to the number of revolutions of the driving-pinion required to impart a complete revolution to the spurgear. a In order that the mechanism may become automatically locked against further move-- ment whenever a number of calls have been made equal to theifull number the apparatus is designed to register without resetting, the spur-gear or secondary register-wheel 26 is provvide'df'at its periphery with a stop-lug or blanlr tooth 30, which when brought into en= gagement with the pinion 27 will positively lock'the mechanism 'against further move-- ment,-thereby preventing the contact-lever from beingdrawn down far enough to close the calling-circuit.

[Means areprovided for resettingthe regis ter to zero and at the same time recording at the reading-station a printed record of the number-of calls, which means are constructed and arranged as follows: 6' designates an electromagnet operated by a circuit controlled hy the inspector at the reading-station and comprising the usual coil 3l,conveniently mounted upon a bracket'32 upon the frameplate 9 at a point vertically beneath the ratchet-wheel shaft, and an armature-33,

yieldingly supported above the coil 31 and normally held remote from the latter and in engagement with an electrical back contact 34 by means of a coiled spring 35; With thefree or vibrating end of the armature 33 is connected a rod 36, by means of which the detent25 is withdrawn from the ratchetwheel when the armature-is drawn downwardly by the energizing of the magnet, this.

point it is provided with a right-angled ax tension 37, which extends through a suitable vertical slot in the plate Q'and engages the upper side of said tail end of thedetent in such positiortas to pull the latter down wardly,

' and thus lift the detent out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel when the magnet is energized. In the diagrammatic view the construction .is shown as slightly modified in order to render the diagram more clear, the

rod 36' being shown therein as connectedwith one arm of a hell-crank38, theopposite arm of which is connected byineans of a link 39'with a rocking cam 40, which serves to. lift the detent out of engagement with the ratchetwheehwhen the cam is oscillated by the pulling down of the armature.

In order that the ratchet-whe'el may be re tarded inits unwinding movement and at the same time a circ'uit which controls the printing-register alternately opened and closed a number of times'equal to the number of ratchet-notches'ofthe.primary ratchet-wheel which pass by a given point in the resettimt,

loosely upon the main shaft 8 andprovidedat ofthe mechanisaman escapement is provided; l The subscribers telephone set b may be of any preferred and suitable construction, thatillustrated in the diagram being of a usual with the verge or vibrating member of which isconuected a con tact devicearrangedto open and close such cont rolling-circuit, saidmechanism being desirably, and as herein shown, constructed and arranged as follows:

4-1 designates an escapement mounted its peripherywitha number of notches42 I vibrated positively by'the verge.

vIn order that the escapement-wheel may 're-' 'latter in a familiar manner.

per portion of the verge is rigidly con nected equal to one-half the number ofratchetnotches upon the main ratchet-wheel 3.

5 designatesa verge mount-ed upon an oscillatory shaft 43,.arranged to extend between i suitable bearings l4 and 45 uponrthe front and rear frame-plates 9 and 10, respectively, said verge being supported in such relation to the escapement-wheel as to be oscillated positively by the un winding movement ofthe With the upa contact-armflii, which-extends upwardly some distance and is then deflected rearwardly and arranged to extend at its rear end of the verge, the latter is provided with a pend ulu m-arm 4:9,- wlii'ch is made rigid therewithand extends downwardly some distance within the frame and is provided at itslower end. with an adjustable pendulum-weight 50.

Springs mounted at each side of the vi-.

brating arm 46, serve to hold the latter from co'ntact with the arms 47 and 47- except when main stationary'during the forward movement of the ratchet-wheel, so as not to ribrate the verge during such movement, it is mounted loosely on the 'mainsh'aft, but is arranged to be driven positively in the reverse movement of said shaft by means of a ratchet-'- wheel 51, mounted rigidly upon the shaft ad" jacent to the escapemeut and engaged by a pawl 52,mounted upon the escapement-wh-eel and held yieldingly in contact withthe ratchet bymeans of a spring v I A featureo't' the present invention consists in giving a signal'to the operator at central each time a subscriber asks for and secures a connectiomand means for giving such sig-. nal audibly is' provided in the present in stance by means of a buzzer oi-vibrator 5t, whichis of the'usual well-known construction, its coils 55 and armature 56 being in circuit with one conductor 57 of the signaling-circuit, while its back-stop contact 58, against which the armature or vibrating member 56 normally rests, is in circuit with the other conductor 59 of thesignaling-circuit, so that whenever the contact-lover is pulled downit-o close the circuit between the contacts 1S) and 20 the buzzer is thrown into action and an audible signal thus given to the operator at central. r

type and comprising primary and secondary coils-(5Q 61, respectively, transmitting and reitery GLmagueto 65, a subscribers bell 66, and an automatic switch-lever 67, by means of which, the circuit is automatically closed whenever the ear-phone is lifted from its hook 67, forming'a part of saidlever. A substan- Y tiallysimilar telephone set is provided for the operator who takes the readings of the register, which, as herei-ubcfore meutioned,-wi1l preferably be located at central, as indicated at d. At the'reading-station willalso lie-located a printing-recorder c, which will be operated by the alternate making and breaking of the circuit by the vibrator of the I escapement as the register is returned to zero. In the diagram shown herein this printing instrument is representedas consisting of an ordinary tape-printer, which will automatically'feed forward a strip of'tape 68 and print or puncture a dot thereon each time the citcuit is closed, this instrument being in com men use for other purposes and ot' well-nnderstood construction. Obviously any other suitable analogous tallying mechanism may be used for-this purpose. Iu'order to operate said printer 0 and also tooperate the magnet'6 of the subscriber-7s register, a'battery will be interposed in the circuit, as indicated at 69; circuit through the mprinter may be completed to ground and anotherswitch 71, by means of which the-inspector may place his telephone set in circuit at'will, this latter switch A switch 70 is provided. by which thebeing desirably so arranged that theoperatends through the magnet 6 of the subscribers' register is'open, so that said instrument is unafiected by thenormal working of the other instruments on the line, and in order that this portion of the circuit may be closed when it is desired-to take a reading a circuit-closing mechanismis provided,ronveniently consisting of a push-button 74, seated in the dialplatell and engaging at its inner end a spring contact-strip 75, which isiadapted'to he forced inwardly into contact with a second contact strip or arm 76, also' mounted upon the dial-plate the said contact-strips 7 being insulated from the'plate 11 and respec- In order that the magnet 6 may be kepten- 3 crgized and its armature held down until the thecontact-button 7 t beforethe register has ceased its return movement,a branch conductor 78 is extended from the conductor 77, which passes through the magnet-coils 31 to a contact 78, with which thearmatnre engages when the magnet is energized, so that when said magnet has once been energized and the armature closed with the said contact 78' acircuit will be completed from main conductor 1 through the armature-lever, conductor 78, and the magnet to ground, thus holding the armature independently of that portion of the circuit controlled by the pushbutton.

The operation of the apparatus and the several circuits brought into operation by the use thereof may be described as fol lows Normally the main circuit may be traced from the subscribers telephone set through the main conductor 1 to the switchboard, through the latter and back by conductor 2 to the automatic switch-lever 67, at which point the circuit will normally be broken, the said.lever being held down by the ear-phone in contact with the back-stop 79 andaway from the contacts 80 and 81. When the switch-lever is closed, this part of the main circuit will extend through the ear-phone 63, thence through the secondary coil 61 to the armature 33 of the magnet 6, and through the latter to con doctor 1, thus completing a circuit. From a point 82 on theconductor' 2a branch conductor 83 leads through the primary coil 60,

thence through the local battery 64 'to the .transmitter 62, from whence one branch 84 leads to the contact 80 and a secorrdconductor 57 leads to and through the buzzer 54. Fromthe back-stop 58 of the buzzer a conductor 59 extends to the contact 20, at which point the circuit is normally open. From the cooperating'contact 19 aconductor 86 leads back .to the transmitter. A conductor 87, extending between the conductors 2 and 81, includes in its circuit the subscribers bell 66, thus en-" abling the operator at central to call the subscriber at will.-

The circuits and portions of circuits thus far described are those which are only concerned in the normal working of the teleihone, the operation of which. maybe briefly.

described as follows: When the subscriber wishes a connection, he first operates his magneto, which operates a drop upon the switchboard, thus notifying the operator at central which subscriber is calling, whereupon central connects her instrument with thesubscriher, ascertains whatconnection is wanted, and directs'him to register his call by pulling down the lever of his register, it be-. ng understood that the subscriber places his ear-phone to his ear as soon as he has opcrated hismagneto. As the subscriber pulls dou thelcontactdever to give his signal to central thev ratchet-wheel of the register will be stepped forward one notch, thus re duotor 91.

cording the call, and this same operation brings into action the buzzer 54, and thus signals central thatthe call has been registered,after which central makes the proper connection, it being understood that the resistance in the transmitter is sufficiently greater than that in the buzzer to insure such action.

Describing now the circuits by means of which the registering and printing mechanisms are controlled, it will be seen that from main conductor 1 a conductor 78 extendsto the contact 76, which is normally open, that from the cooperating strip another conduct-or 77 leads to and through the coil of the magnet, and from the latter a conductor 77 extends to ground, so that when the contacts 75 and 76 are brought together a circuit is completed from said main line conductor 1 through the magnet to ground. When the armature 33 is drawn down into bearing with the contact 78, a second circuit may then be traced from the main conductor l through the armature 33 to said contact 78' to that part of the conductor 77 which extends through said coils and thence by way of conductor 77 to ground, so that when said coils have once been energized and the armature drawn down this latter circuit to ground will hold the armature closed. The opposite end of the circuit, located at the reading-station and which includes the batter 69, by means of which the magnet 6 is operated, comprises a conductor 90, which extends from the switch 73 to and through the coil-switch 71, thence to battary 69 and to ground through con- The circuit, the impulses or alternate opening and closing of which caused by the vibrator of the escapement operates the printing instrument,comprises at the subscribers end a conductor 93, which extends from the main conductor 2 to the-vibrator 46, and a return conductor 94, connected with each of the contacts 47 and 47' and extending thence to and connecting with conductor 77,

whence the circuit may be traced through conductor 78, the armature33, and back by way of main conductor 1 to the printing in strument, thence through the battery and main conductor 2 to the conductor 93 or the point of starting. Inasmuch as the drag of the detent 52 upon the ratchetwheel 51 of the main shaft will tend to carry the escapement-wheel forwardly in the movement of the shaft I provide means for holding the vibrator at yieldably against being carried into contact with the arms 47 47' during such 7 forward movement of the shaft. This is conveniently accomplished, as herein shown, by means of springs 50', mounted upon the front frame-plate 9 and arranged to embrace the opposite sides of the vibrating arm 46.

The operation of restoring the register or taking a reading is as follows: After the subscriber has registered a desired number of calls upon his register it may either be determined by the inspectors taking regular peri- .odical. readings or by allowing the register to accumulate calls until it becomes automatically locked against further operation and the subscriber notifies central that he can no longer operate this register. The inspecter will firstcht out The main switchboard at central by shifting the switches 72 73 to throw the reading-station into circuit, after which he will shift the switch 71 to place his own-telephone set iircircnit with the subscribers and will call up the latter by means of his calling-magneto. When the subscriber answers, the inspector will notify him that a readiim is to be taken and request him to hang up his ear-phone and press the contact-button 74 to close the circuit through the magnet of his register.

As soon as the inspector has thus notified the subscriber he will shift the switch 71 back into circuit with the battery 69 and will also close the switch 71, so that a circuit will be formed to ground through the conductor 91 After theseoperations have been performed the closing of the circuit by pressing the contact-button 74 will pull down the armature of the magnet 6, thus lifting the detent 25 free from the ratchet-wheel of the register, whereupon its spring will at once begin to return it to zero. The rotation of the main shaft 8 in this direction will impart a positive rotation of the escapement-wheel 41, which will vibrate ,the contact device 46, thus making and breaking the circuit each time the vibrator strikes either contact-arm 47 or47. These alternating makes and breaks of the circuit will operate. the registering or printing in- Strument at the inspectors station, thus mak-- ing an impression upon the recording-strip of the latter foreach closing of the circuit, andthrough the magnet of his register the saidmagnet will be kept energized, and the detent thereby held free f rotn the ratchet-wheel by the circuit which extends from the mainline conductor 1 through the armature of the magnet and conductor 78 to ground. After the circuit has once been closed, so as to permitthe register to begin its return movement, the remainder of the reading operation or the transfer of the calls from thesubscribers instrument to the inspectors recording instrument will be automatic and will only cease when the register is mechanically arrested; After the reading has been taken the inspector will simplyrestorethe switches, placing .cerned.

stood as limiting my invention to the details of construction or arrangement shown, ex-

the s ubscri bers linein circuit-with the switchboard ns before. Obviously the subscriber may makea note of the reading of his register at the time he is notified that it is to be restored, thus enabling him-to keep an exact record of the number of calls heshould be charged with while thefinspector may take 0% the number-of calls registered by the print in}: instrum'entat any time he sees fit and in any suitable manner, audit is to be noted in this connection that the operation" of taking a reading or transferringjhe calls from the subscribers register in tlie inspectors station will the interruption to the subscribers line-isreduced to a minimum. p

While I have herein shown and described what I deem to be a-preferred embodiment of my invention, yet it will be .understood that system could be. readily adapted to a tele-' .occup'y but a very few moments time, so that phone system very materially different from .that indicated herein, since the particular arrangement-ofthe telephone system proper is only concerned incidentally in the use of myapparatus. Itwill'be furtherobviousthat both the'subscribers register and the register at the reading-station may be of modified construction so far as the broad invention is con- 1 do not therefore wish to be undercept as theynmy be made the subject of specific claims. 4

I claim as my invention 1. A telephone-cali-recordingsystem,comprisin-g. in' combination with a subscribers telephones'et, a register instrument located at the subscribers station, a mechanism for recording a call upon said register each time the subscriber asks for a connection, a sec- 0nd registering instrument located at astation remote from the subscribers station, and electrical connections extendingbetween said registering instruments whereby a series of accumulated calls recorded by the register at the subscribers station may be automatically transferred and registered a't'the said station remote therefrom.

2. In combination with'a subscribers telephone set and the electrical connections leading from said set to the central station, a telephone-call-recorder system comprising a registeri ng instrument located at the subscribers staticn, mechanism for recordinga callupon said register each time the subscriber asks for a connection,'asecond registering instrument located in electrical connection with the mainlines of the telephone system, at astation remote from the subscribers station, and

impulse mechanism electrically Y connected with them'ain lines, and an actuatingdevice cooperating with the subscribers register to i operate the impulse mechanism a number n? times corresponding to, and determined by, the accumulated series of calls In combination with asnbscribers tele" phoneset. and thevlectrical connections lendmote from the snl'iscribers'station, adapted to be actuated synchronously with the subscribcrs register to make a record 01- the calls registered by said latter instrument nod,

means for cutting the central. telephone-sta- ,iion out of circuitwith the subscribers line during the time the calls registered \upon the subscribers register are being transferred to the register of the station remote therefrom.

A telephone-call-recorder system, comprising in combination with a subscribers -t-elephone set, a registering instrument 10-.

rated at the subscribers station, mechanism for recording a call upon said register each time the subscriber asks for a connection, a eecond registering instrument located at a reading-station remote from the subscribers station, elec ;:ical connections extending between said registers and means whereby a plurality of calls registered at intervals apart upon the subscribers register may he automatically transmitted to the register ofthe reading-station during the restoring of the subscribers register to its'initial starting po sition; y I 7 5. A telephone-call-recorder system comprising in combination with a subscribers telephone set, a registeringflinstrument locat-ed at the subscribers station,- mechanism for recording a call :upon said register each time the subscriber asks for a connection, a

' second registering instrumentlocated at a reading-station remote from the subscribers station, electrical-connections extending between said registers and means whereby a; plurality of calls registered at intervals apart upon the subscribers register may be automatically transmitted to the register of the reading-station during the restoring oi the subscribers register to its initial starting positiou, comprising an electrical make-andbreak mechanism adapted to form an elect-rical impulse for each step of the register mechanism correspondiugto a call thereon, in its restoring movement, substantially as described. Y

6. A telephone-call-recorder system coma prising in combination with a subscribers telephone set, a registering instrument located at the subscribers station, mechanism for recording a call upon said register each station, electrical connections extend-niche tween said registers and means whereby a pluralityot' calls registered at intervals apart upon the subscribers register may be onto matlcolly transmitted to the register of the reading-station during the restoring of the subscribers register to its initial starting posit-ion, comprising an electrical make-andbreak mechanism adapted to form an electrical impulse for each'step of the register mechanism corresponding'ioa call thereon n its restoring movement, said register at the reading-station comprising an electromagnet operated by the alternate opening and closing'ot the circuit and printing and paperfeeding mechanisms operated by said electromaguet whereby a mark is printed for each alternating opening and closing of the circuit, substantially as described.

7. A telephone call-recorder system, comprising in combination with a subscribers telephone set, iii-registering instrument located at the subscrihefs station, mechanism for recording a call upon said register each time the subscriber asks for s connect-ion, and mechanism electrically connected with the main circuit of'the subscriberstelephone, whereby the subscribers register may be restored to its initial starting position from a station remote therefrom. g I

8. A telephone-call-recorder system, com pricing, in combination with a subscribers telephone set a registering instrument locntcd at the subscribers station, comprisinga register-wheel adapted to he stepped forward a etepat a time each time acallis registered thereon, a motor acting upon said registerwheel and tending to normally return it to its initial recording position, a detent' acting to normally prevent therestoratiou of the reg ister'wheel to its initial position under the influence of the motor, electrical connections connecting said register with the su bscribexs main telephone-circuit and means controllable th rough said circuit for releasing said detent to permit the register to return to its initial position, operable from a station remote from thesubscribers stat-ion, substantially as described.

9. A telephone-call-recorder1system, com prising in combination with a. subscribers telephone set, a registering instrument lo noted at the subscribers station, comprising a register-whoel adapted to he stepped forward a step at a time each time a call i's registered i no i l thereon, a motor acting upon said registcr--- ,wheeland tending to normally return it; to its contact device interposed in the electrical cirf cuit extending between the main telephonecircnit and the register'at the subscrihefls station, adapted to be closed when .it is desired to restore the register, substantially as described.

10. A telephone-call-recorder system, com-' prising in' combination with: a subscribers telephone set a registering instrument lu-' cated at'the subscrihersstation, com prising aregisterrw'heel adapted to be stepped forward a step at a time each tiineacallis registered.

thereon, a motor. acting upon said register-.

- wheel and tending to normally return it to its initial recording position, a detent' acting to normally prevent the restoration of the. reg- 'ister-wheel'to its initial position under the influence of the motor, electrical connections couuectingsaid register with the-subscribers main telephone-circuit, means controllable through said circuit for releasiugs'aid detent to permit the register to return to its initial position, operable from a stat-ion remote from the subscribers station, a normally open contact device interposed in theelctrical circuit extendinghet-ween the main telephone-circuit and the register at the sub'scribers station,

adapted to be closed When-it is desired to re.- store the register, anelectromagnet included in that partof the circuit extending between the register and main telephone-circuit-and a branch circuit normally openandadapted to be closedt-hrough said magnet when the latter is energized whereby, the circuit from the station-remote from the subscribers'station may be maintained and the. restoring movementof'the register controlled independently -ot' the said. contact device after thecircuit has been once established, substan- L ally as described.

' I Y. In a registerfor'telephone calls and the like, the combination with an electric circuit and source of electricity of a registering member adapted to be moved forward step by step,'mea ns. for returningsaid register member 10 its initial position, and a circuit-break ing'devic'eiucluded'in said electric circuit beiyadnptedto be movedforward step by is and operatively connected with the register member, said circuiHn-eaking device beingconstructed and operated to break the circuit a number of times proportionate to, ordependent'upon, the number of steps the register member is stepped forward from its ini tial position.

12. In a register for telephone-calls and the like, thecoinbiuation with an electric circuit and source of electricity of ai-egister memstep, means for returning said register member to i s initial position, and a circuit-break tug device iu'cluded in said electric circuit .and operatively connected 'withthe register member, said circuit-breaking device being constructed and operated to break the circuit a number of times proportionate to, or dependent upon, the number of steps the register member is stepped forward from its inimember-to its'initi-al position, a circuit-break;- .jng device included in said electric circuit, operatively connected with the registering member and operating-to break; the circuit a number of times proportionate to, or dependout upon, tl'lt-illllll'l lltcl' of stepsth'e registering member is stepped to ward from itsim- 'tial. position and a retarding device acting upon said registering member to insure agradual return movement. 1 I

I4. In a register for telephone-calls and the like, the combination withan electric circuit and source of eiectricity of a ratchctwheel adapted. tobe moved forward stepby step, a motor acting upon said ratchetwheel and tending to return it to its initial: positioin-an escapement mechanism operatively' connected withsaid'rat-chetwheel and a' circuitbreaking device operatively connected with a vibrating part of the escapement, substatitially as and for the purpose described. l

15. Inja register for telephone-calls and the like,"the combination with an electric circuit and" source of electricity of. a, registering I ratchet-wheel adapted to be moved forward step by step, a motor acting upon said 'ratchetwheel and tending to return it to its initial position, a detent arranged to normally prevent the return movement of the ratchet'- wheel, andau electromagnet included in said electric circuit, and acting to withdraw the d'etent from the ratchet-wheel when ener- 16. In like, the-combination with an electric circuit and source of electricity of a'registering a register for telephoneicalls and the ratchet-wheel adapted to be-moved forward step by step, a motor acting upon saidratchetwheel and tending to return it to its initial position, a detent arranged to normally :pre- .venturereturn movement of the ratchet-' its I wheel, and an'electro'magnet includedin said v electric circuit, acting to withdraw the 'detent from theratchet-wheel when energized, an esoapement-wheel operatively connected to move'withthe ratchet-wheel, a verge mounted to. cooperate with said escapementwheel, and a circuit-breaking device connected to and moving with said verge, said operative connections between the ratchet- Whel and escapement- 'wheel comprising a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism whereby the escapem cut-wheel is-moved positively with the ratchet-wheel in the return movement of the latter. but is free to remain stationary during the forward movement of the ratchet. wheel.

17. In a register for telephone-calls and-the like',.t.he combination of a main shaft, a dialplate arranged concentric therewitli ,an-in-Q ceases dicator upon the shaft arranged to sweep wheel and a signaling device included in said hold the ratchet-Wheel against return moveover said dial, a ratchet-wheel rigidly mounted upon the shaft, a inanually-operable contact-lever provided with a pushpawl adapted to step said ratchet-wheel .forward when the contact-lever-is oscillated, a motor acting on said shaft and tending to] return it to its ini-' tial position, a detent arranged to normally hold the ratchet-wheel against return move ment, at fixed contact and a movable contact into bearing with the fixed contact by the movement of the lever to shift the ratchetelectrie circuitand adapted to be operated by the closing of-the said contacts, substantially as described.

18; In a register for telephone-calls and the .like, the combination of a main shaft, a dialplate arranged concentric therewith, an indicator upon the shaft arranged to sweep over said dial, a ratchet-wheel rigidly m onnted upon the shaft, a manually-operable contact-lever provided with a push-pawl adapted to step said ratchet vheel forward when the contact-lever is oscillated, a motor acting on.

said shaft and tending to return it to its ini-' tial position, a detent arranged to normally Inent, a fixed contact and a movable contact cooperating therewith, adapted to bebrought into bearing with'the fixed contact by the movement of the lever to shift the ratchetwheel, a signaling device included in said electric cirouitand adapted to be operated by the closing of the said contact,- an escapement operatively conuectedto move with said ratchet-wheel during its return movement,

a vibrating contact device operative-1y connected with said escapement and operating to break an electric circuit each time the es cupement is oscillated and means for withdrawing and holding thedetent free from the ratchet-Wheel during the return movement of the latter. 7

19. A telephone-cali recording system comprising in combination with a subscribers telephone set and the main telephone-circuit thereof, of a registering instrument located at the subscribers station, comprising a tallyins; mechanism adapted to be operated manbranch circuit each timethetallying mechanism is operated manually and a buzzer included i said branch circuit, adapted to be thrown into operation when said circuit is closed, substantially as described.

20. A telephonecall-recorder system coinprising in combination with a subscribers telephone setand the main telephone-circuit thereof, a ina-nu'allybperable tallying mechanism located at the subscrib ers station, a normally open branch electric circuit connected with the inain telephone-circuit, a movable device adapted to be moved to close said branch circuit when the tallyingmechanis n is operated manuaily buzzer included in saidljranch circuit, a motor tending to return the tallying mechanism to its initial starting-point, an escapenient arranged to-' control the return movement of the tallyingmechanism, a contact make-and-breah mech- 'anism connected with the vibrating member "of the escapement, a second branch circuit connected with the main line circuit and adapted tobe alternately closed and opened by the escapexhent-operatod contact device, .a branch-circuit portion located at a readingstation remote from the subscribers station and including an electrically-operatedregister, means for at will shiftingthe main telephone-circuit from the centralswitchboard to said branch-circuit portion located at the read ing-station, an-electromagnet connected with the subscribers register and acting to release the tallying mechanism. to permit it to-return to its initial or. starting position under the influence of the motoraizd a branch circuit connected with the main telephone-circuit and extending through said electromagnet, whereby the latter may be operated from the reading-station, substantially as described.

. HAROLD DUDLEY STROUD. Witnesses:

ALBERT H. GRAVES,

FREDERICK O. GooDWIrL

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