Improvements in or Connected with Telephones for Indicating and Recording the Number of Times that a Telephonic Instrument is Used, for Ascertaining Payments Due, or for other Purpose.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1887
Complete Left, 1st Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th Apr., 1888
Improvements in or Connected with Telephones for Indicating and
Recording the Number of Times that a Telephonic Instrument
is Used, for Ascertaining Payments Due, or for other Purpose.
We DAVID JOHNSTONE SMITH of 149 West George Street Glasgow in the County
of Lanark North Britain Gentleman and HUBERT FIELDEN JACKSON of 11 Queen
Victoria Street in the City of London Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of
this Invention to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention has for its object to provide telephones with an arrangement whereby
a record is made of the number of times that a telephonic apparatus has been used
whilst at the same time giving to the operator at the exchange or other station an
indication, or signal, that the telephones are in use and which of them is or are so in
use By this means an accurate account of the number of times each instrument is
used is kept at each subscribers station somewhat after the manner of an ordinary
meter used for gas and water consumption and therefore it can be ascertained readily
how many times each set of instruments has been used and consequently what
payments are due.
With this object we provide each set of telephonic instruments with a counter and
we provide a button or device with a rod stem or part which each time the said button
or device is operated moves the counter on one unit-The said button or device will
also by a preconcerted signal indicate to the operator at the Exchange or other place
that the instrument has been used-This is effected by causing the rod, or device, in
connection with the button or the like to make and break contact between springs, or
contacts forming part of the primary circuit of a transmitter or otherwise (which may
be a special transmitter or the one usually provided in the set of instruments). Or the
indication to the operator may be made by a vibrating piece or wheel released by the
movement of the calling button, or the like.

page_text: It will be evident that the details may be considerably varied without departing
from the nature of our Invention which consists essentially in the combination with
telephonic instruments of a counting device operated by the calling button, or other
equivalent device and an arrangement as herein before described by which, when the
said button or equivalent device is moved, an indication is given to the operator at
the exchange or other place, that the instruments have been used simultaneously with
the making by the counter of a record of such use for future reference.
Dated this 1st day of June 1887.

page_text: Improvements in or Connected with Telephones for Indicating and
Recording the Number of Times that a Telephonic Instrument
is Used, for Ascertaining Payments Due, or for other Purposes.
We DAVID JOHNSTONE SMITH of 149 West George Street Glasgow in the County
of Lanark North Britain and HUBERT FEILDEN JACKSON of 11 Queen Victoria
Street in the City of London Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this Invention is to provide means by which a subscriber to a telephone
exchange may indicate to the operator at the Central Station that the consideration for
the use of the telephone has been recorded.
We will particularly describe our invention with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
At the subscribers station the apparatus shown in Figure 1 is placed. This consists
of two dials divided so as to record say '00 movements of the needles or pointers x x².
These needles or pointers are geared onto or mounted on the spindles of toothed
wheels working below the dials and which are actuated by the movement of the press
button y provided with a spring at back for returning it to its normal position. The
instrument is so connected that when the button y is pressed the pointer moves one
space (which will answer to 3d. or any other prearranged sum) and at the same time
a signal is given to the operator that this has been done.
Figure 2 shows the working parts of the instrument.
y
A and B are two wheels whose spindles a b carry the pointers xx³ Figure 1.
CD and E are three springs engaging with the ratchet teeth on the periphery of the
wheels A B as shown. The spring is fixed to rod P which carries the press button
and works in the studs 3 and 4. The extremity p consists of ebonite, ivory or other
insulating material. G is a piece of brass mounted on a centre pin q and having a
roughened or toothed edge q. M is a spring which presses against a projection
carried by the piece G to keep it contiguous to the end p. N is a spring which makes
contact with the roughened points or teeth q when the piece G is actuated by pressure
on the button y. GM and N are insulated from the base which may be of metal.
R and S are two springs insulated from one another and from the base at T, but
normally in contact at the point f. O is a spring connected to the base at Z.
Lis a point carried by the rod P and so arranged that when the button y is pressed,
it comes into contact with the spring S and carries it away from the spring R until it
touches the spring O.
A' is a point fixed on the wheel A so that every time the wheel A has made a
complete revolution it comes into contact with a tooth of the wheel B and turns it to
the extent of one division. If A has say fifty teeth and B has say ten teeth, the
register will then count up to 500 movements of P.

page_text: T shows the ordinary set of subscribers speaking instrument-Q' and Quare the
primary and secondary circuits of the induction coil. The primary circuit Qu is
completed in the usual way but is first carried into the recording instrument so that
springs R and S form a portion of its circuit.
The working is as follows:-A subscriber rings up the exchange in the ordinary
way and asks for the desired connections to be made. The operator sees if this can
be given and if so requests the subscriber to press the button y. This action moves
the pointer to the extent of one division-divides the springs R and S-connects
the springs S and O-actuates G which makes and breaks contact with spring N-,
R and S being divided the usual transmitter circuit is broken and on S and O coming
into contact this circuit is again completed through the base of the recorder and
terminals 1 and 2-spring N, points q¹ of G and spring M. It is thus seen that the
vibrating parts N and G have been thrown into a battery circuit by the movement of
the button y which battery circuit contains the primary wire of the subscriber's
transmitter. It is thus evident that every time the button y is pressed a signal is
given to the operator by means of the makes and breaks caused by the movement of
parts G and M. This shows that a due record has been made on the recording dials.
Figure 2 shows what we consider the most simple method of connecting the
recording instrument to the subscribers instrument and the line wire but we do not
limit ourselves to these as there are of course many other ways in which this can
be done.
The apparatus in the switchroom need be in no way different from that in ordinary
use.
We do not limit ourselves to the precise details described and shown as it will be
evident that they can be varied without departing from the nature of our Invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In telephonic circuits the recording dials operated substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
2. In telephonic circuits the switch rod actuated by a push button and operating
on pointers substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In telephone circuits a switch for cutting out the ordinary battery circuit and
completing the latter through the recording instrument substantially as hereinbefore
described.
4. In telephone circuits the arrangement of vibrating parts to acquaint the operator
that the instrument has been used substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. The combination of parts arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of March 1888.