Coin Freed Telephonic System.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 22nd June, 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Coin Freed Telephonic System.
We, JOSEF WRATITSCH Director in Graz Styria, Eggenbergerstrasse No. 1
and STEFAN GERGACSEVICS Engineer in Gratz, Styria, Karl Ludwig Ring No. 9
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In order to establish a telephonic system resembling the post office and to
allow people to communicate together for a small outlay, it would be necessary to
provide means similar to the pillar boxes now erected in every street of the largest
towns for the interchange of written communications, whereby verbal communica-
tions may be likewise carried on in the different parts of one or more towns, placed
in telephonic communication with one another, and as the expenditure incurred in
collecting and delivering the written communications in the post office is paid for
by the purchase of a stamp, so could that of the telephonic communications be
paid for by means of a coin or token.
Whereas in the post office the reduction in the expenditure has caused the
exchange of written communications to make unexpected strides, the same will
hold good with telephonic communication which is now limited in scope owing
to its prohibitory cost and to the consequent paucity of its subscribers. By
establishing under these circumstances a large number of public telephonic stations
in every part of a town, people of small means will be able to make use of the
telephone.
The telephonic stations open at the present time, are very limited in number
and yet in consequence of the high working expeuses and cost of maintenance,
they could not at present be multiplied to any great extent.
This invention has for its object to considerably reduce the cost of working as
well as the staff in charge of telephonic apparatus, by erecting public telephonic
stations, and to further enable every one to use these stations at any time during
the day and night without requiring extraneous help and without being possessed
of special knowledge, the station operating automatically.
The apparatus can be set up in any suitable locality either in a place specially
rented for the purpose, in the porter's lodge of private dwelling houses, in hotels,
tobacconists and places of amusements and requires neither supervision nor control.
The best method would undoubtedly be to use telephonic kiosks which may be
erected in the most important thoroughfares and be accessible to the public by day
as well as by night while being used at the same time for advertising purposes, so as
to cover the greatest part of the expenses incurred for ground rent and lighting.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide a kiosk in which is placed the
automatic telephone contained in a casing or shell resting upon a pedestal and
constructed in such a manner that it cannot be easily damaged. Below a slot
formed in the shell aforesaid is arranged a box of horn or other non conducting
material, provided with two spring contacts, and designed to receive the token or
coin inserted in the said slot and falling upon a spring lever secured to a rod
arranged under the said box. Close to this lever are arranged two electro-magnets
which attract the latter to one side immediately the token or coin falls down.
spring brings the said lever back to its former position when no current passes
through the electro-magnet.
A
In front of the kiosk is placed a mouth piece as well as a bell.
In the uppe
part of the shell is arranged the telephonic apparatus which is of ordinary
construction, while the lower part of the same, that is to say the pedestal part
serves as a receptacle for the inserted tokens or coins which act as a key and open
the kiosk.

page_text: If some person desires to use the telephone, a token must be first obtained
wherewith to open the door of the kiosk in which it will be retained.
When the door is automatically closed after an entrance has been effected in
the kiosk there appears on the outside thereof the sign "engaged" which is
produced by pushing a bolt from inside. The mechanism whereby the shooting
of a bolt in an opening of the door causes the word "engaged
to appear therein
whereas the word "free" is exhibited when the said bolt is shot back, may be of
any suitable construction.,
دو
The token is inserted in the slot formed in the automatic telephone and effects
a metallic connection between the two contact springs of the box whereby the
battery circuit in the central office is closed. This closing forms the call indicating
at the latter office by means of a suitable device and of a signal which is the kiosk
where a person desires to speak.
As soon as the required telephonic connections has been established at the
central office a conversation can take place with a subscriber which has his own
installation, or with any other person which happens to be waiting at the same time
in another telephonic kiosk.
The duration of conversation can be easily determined, and is controlled by the
central office. When such conversation is ended that is to say when the time
allowed for speaking has elapsed the battery of the telephonic station is closed by
depressing a key at the central office, whereby the token which was hitherto carried
by the lever underneath the box, is allowed to drop owing to this lever being
tripped by the electro-magnets aforesaid; the metallic connection is broken and
further conversation is stopped. This stoppage is indicated at the time of its
occurrence to the occupant of the kiosk by means of the bell above mentioned
which is intercalated in the same circuit leading to the electro-magnet.
Should it be desired to prolong the conversation a further token can be inserted
in the slot as soon as the bell rings so that the connection may remain unchanged.
When the conversation is concluded the door bolt previously shot forward, is shot
back and the sign "free" appears on the outside of the door. The latter can be
opened from inside and is automatically locked again immediately the person has
issued from the kiosk.
Dated this 19th day of September 1891.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Automatic Coin Freed Telephonic System.
We, JOSEF WRATITSCH, Director in Graz, Styria, Eggenbergerstrasse No. 1,
and STEFAN GERGACSEVICS, Engineer in Gratz, Styria, Karl Ludwig Ring No. 9,
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 :-
In order to establish a telephonic system resembling the post office and to allow
any persons to communicate at a small expense, it would be necessary to arrange
that, like the pillar boxes for interchange of written communications, means
should be provided for effecting verbal communications in different parts of a town
or of several towns, which are in telephonic communication with one another.
Also, as the expenditure incurred by the post office in collecting and delivering
written communications is paid for by stamps, so telephonic communication may
be paid for by a coin or token.
As the reduction of postage has caused enormous increase of written communica-
tion, so telephonic communication which, owing to its cost, is now limited to few
subscribers, may be greatly extended when, by reducing the cost and establishing

page_text: public telephonic stations, persons of small meaus may be able to make use of the
telephone.
The telephonic stations now open are too limited in number and yet, in
consequence of the great expense of working and maintenance, they cannot be
multiplied to any great extent.
The present invention has for its object to save the cost of management and of
the staff in charge of telephonic apparatus, by erecting public telephonic stations
which any one can use by day or night, without requiring any extraneous help or
any special knowledge, the station being arranged so as to operate automatically.
The apparatus which require neither supervision nor control can be set up in
any suitable locality, in places specially hired for the purpose, or in porter's lodges,
hotels, tobacconists' shops or places of amusement.
The method preferred is to use telephonic kiosks, such as those designed by the
inventors, which may be erected in the principal thoroughfares accessible to the
public both by day and night, and which also may be used for advertising purposes
so as to cover rent, lighting and other expenses.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is an elevation of such a telephone kiosk available for advertising
purposes.
Fig. 1 is a detail of the locking mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the telephonic
apparatus which may be arranged within the kiosk or elsewhere.
Fig. 4 shows the token box with the electrical contacts.
Fig. 5 represents a detail of the token box.
Fig. 6 shews the indicator and
Fig. 7 the dial with contact knob or key.
Fig. 8 shews diagrammatically the connection of a telephonic station with the
central station.
A is kiosk in which is placed the automatic telephone contained in a strong
casing B.
Below a slot i is arranged a box of horn or other non conducting material
provided with two spring contacts a a, and adapted to receive the check or token h
which being inserted in the slot i falls upon a spring armature lever / pivotted at C.
Close to this lover is arranged an electro magnet m m which attracts the lever
to one side when the token is to descend. A spring (not shewn) brings the lever b
back to its former position when no current passes through the coils of the electro
magnet. In front of the casing there is a mouth piece d, for speaking and also for
hearing, and a signal bell e.
In the upper part of the casing B is arranged the telephonic apparatus g which
is of any known construction; the lower part of the casing serves as receptacle for
the inserted tokens.
The metal token represented in Fig. 5 is a substitute for the money paid and
may be used also as a key for opening the telephonic kiosk.
When a person desires to use the telephone he first obtains a token to open the
door of the kiosk containing the telephone.
When the door is automatically closed after a person has entered the kiosk, the
word "engaged" instead of "free" is made to appear outside by pushing an
inside bolt u; any suitable known construction of bolt can be used.
As shewn in Fig. 1, both words may be marked on the face of a bolt or bar, or,
as shewn in Fig. 1A, they may be marked on a pinion t¹ turned by a rack t.
The token when inserted in the slot i effects a metallic connection between the
two contact springs a a of the box f, whereby the battery circuit in the central
office is closed, as will be hereafter explained.
This closing of circuit forms the call indicating at the central office by the
indicator & Fig. 6 and signal apparatus (Fig. 8) which is the kiosk calling.
When the required telephonic connection has been established at the central

page_text: office, a conversation may then be held with a subscriber who has his own telephone,
or with a person who may be waiting in another telephonic kiosk.
The duration of the conversation can be controlled by the central office. When
the conversation is ended, or when the time allowed for speaking has elapsed, the
circuit of a batteryo at the kiosk is closed by depressing a key n Fig. 7 at the
eentral office, and thus the electro magnet m m is excited so as to draw aside
the lever b, whereupon the token h which was supported by the lever b is allowed
to drop, and, the metallic connection being thus broken, no further conversation
can be carried on.
This stoppage of communication is indicated to the occupant of the kiosk by
the belle which is in the circuit of the electro-magnet m m.
Should it be desired to prolong the conversation, another token is inserted in
the slot when the bell rings, and the connection remains as it was. When the
conversation is concluded, the door bolt is shot back shewing the word "free"
outside. The door, which can be opened from the inside, becomes automatically
locked again when the person comes out of the kiosk.
In the central office there are a lightning guard or arrester p, a switch q, an
indicator with signal apparatus l, index key n, a hearing and speaking tube T and
a Lattery o'. When by the insertion of a token at the kiosk the spring contacts a a
are connected closing the circuit of the battery o¹ at the central office, then the
current passes from the + pole to the mouth-piece r, to the signal-apparatus and
indicator k, thence through switch q, lightning guard p and line to the token and
earth.
While this connection subsists continued conversation can be carried on.
When after the predetermined time the key n in the central office is depressed,
the local battery o is introduced into the circuit and the current passes through
the coil of the electro magnet m m to earth, through earth to the index key n,
to the switch g, lightning guard or arrester p and line to the signal bell e and
thence to the pole of o. Thus, as above described, the token is allowed to drop
and farther conversation cannot be carried on.
-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
An automatic telephone apparatus consisting of spring contacts a a provided in
a box of non-conducting material; a casing B having a slot i for the insertion
of a metallic token whereby a circuit is closed so long as the token rests upon a
lever b, which, after the time allowed for conversation, is attracted by an electro
màguet m m allowing the token to fall into a receptacle and thus opening the
circuit.
Dated this 18th day of June 1899
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.