Improvements in connection with Telephones for Recording the Number and Duration of Telephonic Conversations.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with Telephones for Recording the
Number and Duration of Telephonic Conversations.
I, JOSEF FRANK, of 6, Sandweg, Frankfort-on-Main, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The object of this invention is to provide improved means or mechanism for
recording the number and duration of telephonic conversations.
6
This instrument differs from contrivances, which have hitherto been devised
for the same purpose, in that it is operated solely by the usual telephonic manipu-
lations that is to say, by the removal and replacement of the receiver and the
" and
ringing up," "ringing off" ringing back" operations.
The mechanism according to this invention comprises a series or
system" of
levers and slides, which are caused by the telephone operations, to open and
close circuits, and in so doing, set certain counting and recording mechanisms
in and out of gear.
66
Let it be supposed that a subscriber (say A) rings up the exchange, the attendant
there, removes his receiver from its suspension hook whereupon a lever which is
connected to the receiver hook, relases a weighted lever and an arresting lever;
the latter following the movement of the lever connected to the receiver hook, upon
which lever the free end of the arresting lever rests. By the same movement of
the receiver hook a bell crank lever connected to the receiver hook closes the
call" wire contact, and opens the contact in connection with the conversation
wire, so that, for the time being, no conversation can be carried on; and
furthermore, two slides arranged one in line with the other, and which are
normally retained in position by the said bell crank lever, are now set free, and
can, if necessary, be moved by the armatures of an electro magnet.
The subscriber (A) now turns the crank of his induction coil thereby passing
a current through the line to the exchange; while on the other hand, in the
apparatus of the aforesaid subscriber (A), the current passes through an electro-
magnet and thence into one of the two slides before referred to, to earth. The
electro-magnet thus excited by the passing current, actuates its armature; so
as to shift the slide, until it reaches a point where an insulated portion thereof
closes the contact in the conversation wire, thereby enabling the caller (A) to
communicate with the exchange attendant who makes the desired connection
between the two subscribers.
After the caller (A), by turning the handle of his inductor, has attracted the
attention of the subscriber (B) with whom he wishes to speak, the latter rings
back to (A) to signify his willingness to respond. By removing his receiver
from its hook and turning his inductor-handle, the said subscriber (B) brings
about the same changes in his apparatus as those described as having taken
place in the instrument of the subscriber (A) when he rang up the exchange.
The current now passes from the instrument of the subscriber (B) through the
exchange, to the instrument of the subscriber (A) the current flowing through

page_text: the suspension hook of subscriber (A) and a conductor to the receiver and there-
from to an electro-magnet, which it excites, and lastly to earth. The electro-
magnet thus excited actuates its armature, which moves the slide in connection
therewith into contact with an insulated portion of the other slide and moves the
said slides so as to cause contacts to be made, whereby the current passing through
the call wire, is interrupted, while connection with the earth is made through
the conversation wire; so that, during the conversation, the current need no
longer pass through the electro-magnet. By the movement of the slides a lever
which engages one of the slides is so operated that a locking-spring or "brake
is caused to release the escapement of a counting mechanism, in connection with
clockwork so that now this mechanism comes into operation.
"
During the conversation, the current in the instrument of the subscriber (A)
starting, passes through the inductor wire, the receiver hook, through the receiver,
and thence through one of the slides to earth. From the instrument of subscriber
(B), the current passes through the induction coil, the receiver hook, and the
receiver, to an electro-magnet, and thence to carth.
Should the clockwork run down in the course, of the conversation, a descending
weighted lever opens a contact, whereby the circuit through the conversation wire
is broken, compelling the subscribers to start their conversation afresh.
When the conversation is at an end, the subscriber B rings off. The sub-
scriber (A) cannot ring off as his call" connection is interrupted. Both
subscribers now replace their receivers on their hooks, by which the levers in
connection therewith are actuated, with the result, firstly, that in the instruments
of both subscribers, the "call" connection is once more interrupted, the slides
are moved back to their inoperative position; and secondly, that the depressed
arresting lever is raised again.
In the case of the instrument of subscriber (A) the weighted lever, which has
operated the counting mechanism during the conversation, is, at the same time
as the arresting lever, restored to its position of rest, and further, the slides in
his instrument are also moved to their normal position, whereby the lever which
moves with one of the slides, is caused to arrest the escapement of the counting
mechanism, by a spring, thus stopping the said gearing, while the current
through the receiver is also once more interrupted, and the connection with cärth
made.
The operation of the counting mechanism, during the conversation is two-fold,
the weighted lever herein before referred to is provided at one end with a toothed
segment which gears with a toothed wheel of a clockwork: the index hands of
which clockwork, by the usual process of transmission of motion, is made to record
and total up, the minutes and hours taken up by the conversation; while another
index mechanism; which counts the number of conversations held, is operated
by means of a pawl, gearing with a ratchet wheel, which forms part of the
clockwork, and follow the movements of such ratchet wheel, until the lever carry-
ing the pawls is arrested in its downward movement by a stop-pin. At the same
time as this downward movement takes place, the pawl of the ratchet wheel in
connection with the counting mechanism for counting up the number of conversa-
tions, is caused to move the ratchet wheel one tooth further thus indicating one
conversation. This ratchet wheel belongs to an index train of gearing of a
counter to indicate the successive conversations, or parts thereof.
When a conversation is finished and the lever connected to the receiver hook
is set in motion, the arresting lever, and then the weighted lever are engaged
and held up in a raised position. The arresting lever when rising lifts the lever
which carries the pawls of the counting mechanism. By the rising movement
of the weighted, the clockwork is wound up.
Dated the 23rd day of T.Ì.. 1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX.
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in connection with Telephones for Recording the
Number and Duration of Telephonic Conversations.
I, JOSEF FRANK, of 6, Sandweg, Frankfort-on-Main, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer. 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 improved means or mechanism for
recording the number and duration of telephonic conversations.
This instrument differs from contrivances which have hitherto been devised
for the same purpose, in that it is operated solely by the usual telephonic manipu-
lations that is to say by the removal and replacement of the receiver, and the
'ringing up," "ringing back," and "ringing off" operations.
66
The mechanism according to this invention comprises a series or
system" of
levers and slides, which are caused by the telephone operations, to open and close
circuits, and, in so doing, set certain counting and recording mechanisms in and
out of gear.
The invention will be clearly understood from the following description with
reference to the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 illustrates diagram-
matically the connections of a subscriber's telephone with the improved indicator,
when the ear trumpet or receiver is suspended on its hook. Figure 2 similarly
illustrates the connections when the ear trumpet or receiver is removed from
its hook.
Figure 3 shews the mechanism in the position it occupies while. the subscriber
is calling up the exchange and the person with whom he desires to converse, it also
shews the position of the mechanism in connection with the receiver of the person
called, when the latter indicates by ringing back, his readiness to enter into
communication with the caller:
Figure 4 represents the mechanism in connection with the caller's apparatus in
the position to which it has been moved by the person called, when he has
indicated by ringing back his readiness to converse; and
Figure 5 shews the counting mechanism.
Suppose a subscriber who I will refer to as A rings up the exchange, the
attendant there removes the receiver from the suspension hook of his instrument
whereupon a lever S¹, which is connected to the receiver hook, by a rod S moves
from the position shewn in Figure 1 into the position shewn in Figure 2 thereby
releasing a weighted lever 71 and an arresting lever Z2; the latter following
the movement of the lever S1 upon the end of which the free end of the said
lever 72 rests. By the upward movement of the receiver hook, when the receiver
is removed therefrom, a bell crank S2 which is connected by a rod S to the
lever S¹ is caused to rock on its pivot so as to close the contact of the "call"
wire 1, and open the contact in connection with the conversation wire 2, so
that, for the time being, no conversation can be carried on; and, furthermore,
two slides K and M, arranged one in line with the other, and which were until
now retained in position by the bell crank lever $2, are set free and can, when
necessary, be moved by the armatures e and g of the electro-magnets & and f.
The subscriber (A) now removes his receiver from its hook and turns the crank
of his inductor J, the resulting current passing through the line 5 to the exchange;
while on the other hand, in the apparatus of the aforesaid subscriber A, the
current follows the line 1; passes through the contact, electro-magnet and
contact n 1; then at m 2, into the slide M and lastly, through the guiding sleeve

page_text: or bearing m 3, to earth. The electro-magnet d, which has been excited by the
passing current, attracts its armature e; which armature, by its fork-shaped
end, shifts the slide K to the left, until it reaches the point where an insulated
portion K2 thereof closes the contact 7 in the conversation wire 2, thereby enabling
the caller (A) to communicate with the exchange attendant who then makes the
desired connection between the two subscribers say A and B.
After the caller A, by once more turning the handle J of his inductor, has
attracted the attention of the subscriber B, the latter rings back to A to signify
his willingness to respond. By removing his ear-trumpet or receiver from the
hook and turning his inductor handle, the said subscriber B brings about the
same changes in his apparatus as those described with reference to subscriber A
when he rang up the exchange (Figures 2 and 3). The current through the
conductor 5 now passes from the instrument of the subscriber B, through the
exchange, to the instrument of the subscriber A (see Figure 3), the said current
flowing through the conductor 3 and the suspension hook into the conductor 2,
in following which, it passes through the ear-trumpet or receiver and through
the contact then through the contact 7 and the electro-magnet f. (which it
excites), and lastly to earth. The electro-magnet thus excited actuates its arma-
ture, which, with its fork-shaped end, moves the slide M to the left until the
end of such slide meets the insulated portion K 4 of the slide K. By this move-
ment of the slide M, the projection m 2 thereon is shifted from the contact n 1.
to the contact n 2. whereby the current passing through 1, along the call wire 1,
is interrupted, and connection is made through 2, along the conversation wire 2,
with earth so that, during the conversation, the current need no longer pass
through the electro-magnet f. By the movement of the slide M, the lever p.
which engages the slide M is also operated, so that a locking-spring or "brake"
connected therewith is caused to release the escapement of clockwork in connection
with the counting mechanism, thereby bringing this counting mechanism into
operation.
During the conversation, the current from the instrument of the subscriber A,
starting from the conductor 5, (Figure 4), passes through the inductor wire 3.
the receiver hook, the wire 2,-through the receiver and the contacts V and 1,
then, through n2 and m 2, into the slide M, and lastly, through wire 1 to earth.
From the instrument of subscriber B the current passes from the conductor 5
(Figure 3) through the inductor J, the wire 3 and the receiver hook, into the
wire 2, through the receiver to the contact V and then to contact 7, to the electro-
magnet f, and thence to earth.
Should the clockwork run down in the course of the conversation, the descend-
ing weighted lever Z1 presses upon the contact V as shewn in dotted lines in
Figure
and opens the same, whereby the circuit through the conductor 2 (or
conversation wire) is broken, compelling the subscribers to start their conversation
afresh.
When the conversation is at an end, the subscriber B rings off. The sub-
scriber A cannot ring off as his "call" connection between n 1 and the slide M
is interrupted at m2. Both subscribers now replace their receivers on their
hooks by which the levers $1 $2 are actuated, with the result, first, that in cach
subscriber's instrument, the "call" connection is once more interrupted by S2.
at t, as shewn in Figure 1 the slide K being moved back to its inoperative position:
and secondly, that the depressed arresting lever Z2 is, by the lever S, raised
again. In the case of the instrument of subscriber A, the weighted lever Z¹
which operated the counting mechanism during the conversation, is, at the same
time restored to its position of rest, by the arresting lever Z2; and further.
the slide K, in receding, has moved the slide M, also, back to its position of
rest, whereby the lever 2, which must participate in this movement, is caused
to arrest the clockwork of the counting mechanism, thus stopping the said
counter, while the circuit through wire 2 is also once more interrupted at n²,
and the connection with earth made through 1 at n¹.

page_text: The operation of the counting mechanism (which is illustrated on a large
scale in Figure 5,) is, during the conversation, two-fold. The weighted lever Z¹
is provided at its rear end with a toothed segment which gears with a toothed
wheel Z of the clockwork. The index-hands of the clockwork, by the usual
process of transmission of motion, are caused to record and total up, the minutes
and hours occupied by the conversation; while another index-mechanism, is
caused to indicate the number of conversations held. This latter indicating index
is operated by means of a pawl carried on a lever 76 and engaging the teeth of
a ratchet wheel, which forms part of the clockwork, the said pawl and lever
following the movements of such ratchet wheel, until the lever meets with and
is arrested in its downward movement by a stop-pin %7. While this downward
movement of the lever Z is taking place, another pawl 78 carried by the lever *
imparts rotation to a ratchet wheel Z9, so as to move the said ratchet wheel to
the extent of one tooth, and so indicate on a dial one conversation. The ratchet
wheel Z9 is by a train of gearing with any suitable construction of counter to
indicate the successive conversations, or interrupted conversations.
When a conversation is finished and the receiver is placed on its hook
whereby the lever S1 is operated, and the arresting lever together with the
weighted lever Z are raised, the lever Z being held in its raised position by
the lever . The arresting lever 72 when rising lifts the lever Z and, with it,
the two pawls 78 and 7. By the rising movement of the weighted lever Z¹ the
clockwork is wound up, and the ratchet wheel Z10, which is connected to the
toothed wheel Z is rotated, a detent carried by the wheel Z" of the clockwork
engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel Z to connect the said wheel Z to the
segment 73 as in ordinary clock-work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A counting and recording instrument for telephones, wherein by the unhook-
ing and replacing of the ear-trumpet, or receiver and the ringing up, ringing off
(or ringing back), a system of levers and slides is so operated that it establishes
the requisite electrical connections and at the same time throws a counting and
recording mechanism in or out of gear (as the case may be) substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2. In apparatus for the purpose described the combination of the ear-trumpet
suspension-hook with a bell-crank lever such as S2, which when the ear-trumpet
or receiver is hung on its hook, keeps the conversation circuit closed and the call
circuit open, while when the said ear-trumpet or receiver is removed from its
hook the conversation circuit is broken and the " call" circuit completed sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In apparatus for the purpose described an arrangement wherein by the
removal of the ear trumpet or receiver from its hook the release of mechanisın
for indicating or registering each conversation is effected substantially as herein-
before described.
4. In apparatus for the purpose described an arrangement wherein by suspending
the receiver on its hook, mechanism for recording the time occupied by a con-
versation is wound up substantially as hereinbefore described.
5. In apparatus for the purpose described the combination with a time recorder
or indicator of controlling mechanism so arranged that the operation of ringing
back by the person called effects the release of the recorder or indicator and the
replacing of the ear-trumpet or receiver on its hook, effects the stoppage of the
recorder or indicator substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. In combination with the subject matter of Claim 4 of an electric contact
adapted to be broken, by the clockwork at a predetermined time substantially
as hereinbefore described.
7. In apparatus such as claimed by Claim 1 the combination with an electrio

page_text: magnet in the conversation circuit, of means. for switching the electro-magnet
out of the said circuit and connecting it to earth and at the same time breaking
the connection of the call circuit with earth substantially as hereinbefore
described.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting apparatus, for
recording the number and duration of telephonic conversations substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of April 1899.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C:, 'Agents.