Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 25th Feb., 1887.
I, CHARLES WITTENBERG of Indianapolis in the County of Marion, State of
Indiana United States of America, Merchant 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:—
My invention relates to an improved attachment to be applied to telephones for the
purpose of receiving tolls for the use of the telephone.
The objects of my improvement are, to lock the switch-lever which acts as a support
for the receiver, and which operates when the receiver is removed therefrom to put the
telephone apparatus into electrical connection with an exchange system to unlock said
switch-lever by means of a coin deposited in a suitable chute; and to discharge said
coin into a suitable receptacle by the act of hanging up the receiver, or to return the
coin to the depositor in case the desired connection with a distant station cannot be
made, all as hereinafter fully described.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation having a portion of the case broken away.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4 represent vertical sections on the line a
positions of the coin discharging mechanism.
Fig. 1, showing different
Figs. 5 and 6 represent different positions of the locking mechanism.
Fig. 7 represents a front elevation of the upper part of a "Bell" telephone case
with my attachment, illustrating the manner of working the switch-lever indepen-
dently of the coin discharging mechanism, as when it becomes necessary to ring a
second time to call the exchange.
I will first describe the device for locking the switch-lever. A is a flat metallic case
adapted to be secured to one side of the telephone case B. Said case is notched at /
so as to permit the necessary. movement of the switch-lever D. C is a flat bar
arranged to slide within the case A, and having a slotted opening at the upper end
through which the switch-lever passes; the upper end of the slot resting on the upper
edge of the switch-lever. Said slotted opening is of sufficient length to permit the
necessary independent movement of the switch-lever as hereinafter described.
E is a thin, flat plate, arranged to slide along bar C, within case A, and having a
PQ71

page_text: notch at 2, which closely engages the upper and under edges of the switch-lever, the
purpose being to cover the opening in bar C.
1, is a forked bracket hinged to the exterior of bar C, and adapted to embrace the
upper end of the telephone receiver shown in dotted lines; Fig. 5.
Said bracket is arranged to register with, and lie along the top of, the forked
projecting end of the switch-lever, which forms a support in the well known manner
for the receiver.
G is a chute formed on the outside of the case A, said chute is open at both ends,
and is of suitable size to receive a penny or other coin of the size and denomination
determined upon for the use of the telephone.
H is a weighted lever pivoted to the case at, and carrying at the end of its longer
arm, a foot piece g, which projects through the front wall of the case into the chute G.
I is a vertical arm formed integral with, or secured to, lever H. The upper end of
arm I is hent ioward the sliding bar C, and passes through a mortise in an arm J
which projects from bar C. A shoulder on arm I engages the upper edge of arm J
and operates to prevent bar C and the switch-lever from moving upward.
The mortise is of sufficient width to allow shoulder to pass through it. When
the parts are in position shown in Fig. 5, the switch-lever is locked down in a position
which disconnects the telephone from the main fine. The deposit of the coin required
for toll in the chute, disengages shoulder and allows bar and the switch-lever to
move upward, thus connecting the telephone with the main line.
As arm J moves upward with bar C, along the bent upper end of arm I, the foot
piece is depressed, as shown in Fig. 6, until the coin is allowed to escape.
In case the desired connection with another station cannot at the time be made at
the exchange, it is desirable that the coin deposited for toll should be returned to the
depositor.
For this purpose I employ the device shown fully in in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
L is a short tube pivoted to the case at k, in a position to receive the coin from
chute G. Below tube L, in the lower part of case A, are two chutes, and m.
Chute is straight and leads directly to the cash drawer n. Chute mis curved out-
ward, and the outer end is closed, but cut away at the sides, so that the coin may be
removed, but will not fall out of the chute.
To the back of tube L is secured a soft iron bar », which forms an armature for the
electro-magnet P.
A light spiral spring is inserted in the core of the magnet, projecting slightly
therefrom, so as to hold the lower end of tube L normally over the partition between
the chutes and m, the armature resting against spring, as in Fig. 2.
Extending from the lower end of bar C is an arm s, carrying a wedget which
engages a pin projecting from the edge of tube IJ.
In operation, the telephone receiver having been removed from the switch-lever D
and the telephone being in electrical connection with the exchange station, the tube L
and arms, are in position shown in Fig. 2.
The coin passing from chute G, falls into iube L and rests with its lower edge
on the partition, between the chutes and m.
If the operator at the exchange station finds that the connection desired cannot be
made, he sends, by means of his "call circuit," or a suitable battery, a strong electric
current through the subscriber's line, thus energizing the magnet P, which, drawing
the tube I toward it, brings the tube and coin we over chute m, as in Fig. 3. The coin
falls into chute m, and, coming into view as in Fig. 1, it is removed by the depositor.
If, however, the desired connection is made, tube L remains in its normal position
until bar C, with its arms, moving downward with the switch-lever when the telephone
receiver is hung up, brings wedge t in contact with pin u, and thus forces the tube L
outward over chute 1, as in Fig. 4, and the coin passes to the drawer n.
If the subscriber finds that the exchange does not answer his call, it becomes
necessary to signal the exchange again. To do this it is necessary to draw the switch-
lever down to its normal position.
This may be done without affecting the discharge of the coin, or causing the lever

page_text: to become locked, by the operator depressing the switch-lever without engaging the
bracket F, as shown in Fig. 7. This movement of the lever does not move bar C;
and consequently does not affect the position of tube L.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;
1st. In a toll collector for telephones, the switch-lever of the telephone apparatus,
the sliding bar engaging said lever, the coin chute, and the pivoted catch-lever
arranged to engage said sliding bar and to project into said chute, all combined and
arranged to co-operate with each other and with a coin, whereby the switch-lever is
locked in position by the catch-lever, and unlocked by the coin, substantially as
specified.
2nd. In a telephone toll collector, the combination of the stationary chute arranged
io receive a coin, two auxilliary chutes arranged below said stationary chutes, the
intermediate swinging tube arranged to receive a coin from said stationary chute, and
to deliver the same to either of said auxilliary chutes, the electro-magnet arranged to
draw said tube into position to deliver its contents into one of the two auxilliary
chutes, a moving part of a telephone apparatus, as the switch-lever, and intermediate
connecting mechanism, connecting said switch-lever and swinging tube, whereby the
tube is swung into position to deliver its contents into the other of said chutes by the
movement of the switch-lever, all arranged to co-operate as specified.
3rd. The combination with the stationary coin receiving chute of a toll collector,
and a stationary auxilliary chute arranged to receive the coin after leaving the first-
mentioned chute, of an interposed swinging tube, arranged to receive the coin from the
first chute, a stop arranged opposite the free end of said swinging tube whereby the
coin is retained therein, and an electro-magnet arranged to attract said tube and to
draw it into a position to deliver its contents into said auxilliary tube as specified.
CHARLES WITTENBERG.
Wm. P. Thompson & Boult,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and
323, High Holborn, London,
Agents for the Applicant.