US1717147A - Telephone-dial lock - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1929. F. x. DAILY TELEPHONE DIAL LOCK Filed May 8, 1928 A TTORNEYS.

Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES FRANCIS x DAILY, bil AB-DMOBE, PENNSFLVANIA.

TELEPHONE-DIAL LOCK.

Application filed Kay 8, 1928. Serial 110. 278,050.

My invention relates to a new and useful telephone dial lock and more particularly to a lock adapted to be used in connection with automatic, or dial calling telephones, to prevent the unauthorized use of the instrument for putting through outgoing calls, without in any way interfering with the reception of 1ncoming calls.

It frequently happens that telephone instruments in homes, oflices and other places are used surreptitiously by persons who have access to the telephones but who nevertheless are unauthorized to use the instruments.

To eliminate this unnecessary expense I have devised a novel detachable lock which may be easily and quickly installed upon or removed from the telephone instrument, and which when installed or applied, will effectively lock the instrument against unauthor- 0 ized use.

To the above ends my invention consists of an annular metallic casing adapted to be snapped into position over and around the dial disc of a telephone instrument, a hinged cover secured to said casing, and a lock for securing said cover to said casing to prevent access to said dial disc.

My invention further consists in various other novel features bf construction and advantage, allhereinafter described and claimed.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred by me, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to therprecise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a telephone instrument equipped with a novel dial lock embodying my invention, certain parts being shown in section.

Figure 2 represents a top plan view of the dial disc of the telephone seen in Figure 1, shown detached.

Figure 3 represents a front elevation of Figure 2. T Figure 4 represents a fragmentary top plan view showing details of construction and 55 manner of operation.

Figure 5 represents, on an enlarged scale,

a sectional view on line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 represents a side elevation of a modified form of my invention.

Referring to thedrawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts, 1 designates a conventional telephone having the base 2, upright 3, mouthpiece 4, receiver 5, and operating dial disc 6, mounted on the 55 base 2, in the usual, conventional manner. 7 represents an annular band having the in wardly deflected bottom flange 8, which hugs the base or other support-9 of the dial disc 6, or which may be otherwise secured to the base 2, so as to encircle and enclose the dial disc in the manner shown. Y

The annular band 7 is split, or non-continuous and has the bottom flange 8 thereof adapted to permit the overlapping of one end of the band on the other, as will best be seen from Figures 4 and 5. One end 10 of the band 7' is provided with the lugs or ears 11 to which is pivoted the tongue 12 by the pin 13, said tongue being adapted to pass through an so opening 14 in the other end 15 of the band 7 and to be deflected to one side to lock the ends of said band together to form a continuous or circular band. To the upper rear edge 16 is hinged the cover or lid 17 which is provided 86 with the front pendant flange portion 18, which is adapted to cover and abut against. the lugs 11 and tongue 12 when the latter is in the osition shown in full lines in Figures 1. 2. 3 and 5, and in dotted lines in Figure 4. 90 To keep the cover 17 locked against the upper edge of the band 7 with the flange portion 18 thereof abutting against the lugs 11 and tongue 12 to prevent the disengagement of the latter, I employ any suitable or conventional lock 19. operated by the key 20, the tongue or latch of which engages the u per flange portion 22 on the upper edge 0 the p which no charge is made and prevents the un-,

' the band 7 into position with the bottom flange 8 thereof engaging the base 9 of the dial disc 6. I then secure the ends 10 and 15 of said band together by passingthe tongue 12 on the end 10 through the opening14 in I the end 15 and deflecting the tongue 12 to one side as shown. I finally pressdown the cover 17 and lock the same in the manner described, so that the front, pendant flange portion 18 thereof abuts against the locln'ng tongue12 and prevents the disengagement of the ends 10 and 15 of the band 7. In this position, no access can be had to the dial disc 6 and the telephone cannot be used for putting through upon the collar 24 may be turned around the upright 3 to an out of the way position, or 1f desired, the entire locking device including the collar 24 and its adjuncts, may be re- 'moved by disengaging the tongue 12, which is free to move whenthe plunger 27 is in its upper'position.

It will thus be apparent that I have de vised a novel lock for theoperating dial of a telephone which is easy to apply or to remove, and which will effectively prevent the unauthorized use of the instrument for outgoing calls, without in any way interfering with the use of the instrument for receiving incoming calls, to which there is no objection.

, My novel locking device can furthermore be outgoing calls. On the other hand, it is per- "fectlyfeasible to answer an incomingcall,

since the receiver and transmiter are altogether free and available for use. This permits the answering of an incoming call for authorized use of the elephone for outgoing calls for which a charge is made.

To remove the lock, the key 20 is turned, whereupon either the cover 17 is moved upwardly to afford access to the dial disc, or else the ends 10 and 15 of the band 7 are dis.- engaged and the entire device is readily. removed from the telephone 1. p

In Figure 6 I have shown a modified form of my invention wherein I employ a split collar 24, the front ends of--which are secured together inthe same manner asthe band 7 heretofore described. The collar 24 carries a tumbler lock 25, having the'plunger 27. operated by a'key 20. When this form of my'in- J tion, the plunger 27 serves the same purpose as the pendant flange portion 18, employed in the principal form of my invention; that is, it prevents the disengagement of the front ends of the collar 24, and: by engaging a finger hole in the dial disc 6, the plunger '27 revents the rotation or manipulation of said isc,thus preventing the unauthorized use 7 of the instrument, it understood that conventional means (not shown) are emf ployed to prevent the upward movement of the collar 24 and its adjuncts, with respect to the upright 3. To apply'the modified form of my invention; the collar 24 is snapped in position around the upri' ht 3 and the front en s thereof are locked y the tongue .12 above described, The key 20 is then manipulated to press the plunger 27 downwardly to engage a finger hole in the dial disc. When it is desired to unlock the dial disc, theke 20 is turned to releaseor raise the plunger 2 from engagement with the dial disc 6, wheresecuring the applied, to any standard automatic telephone without necessitating an change in, or marring the structure of t e latter. It will also be further apparent that my novel locknLg device is inexpensive to produce and is I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1. In a device of the character stated, .a split, annular band encircling the dial disc of a-telephone'said band having an aperture therein, means including a pivotal tongue for penetrating said aperture for securing the ends of said band, a hinged closure for the top of said band, and means for locking said closureto said band. 4

2. In a device of the character stated, a split, annular band adapted to encircle the dial disc of a telephone said band having an aperture therein, means including a pivotal tongue for Penetrating said aperture for ront ends of said band together, a hinged cover for the top of said band, having a front pendant flange adapted to abut against the front ends of said band when said cover is in its lower closed position and means to lock saidcover in said position.

3. In resilient, s lit, annular band, adapted .to encircle the ial disc of a telephone said band having an aperture therein, means including a pivotal tongue for penetrating said [aperture for securing the. front ends of said'band together, an inwardly deflected bottom flange on said band, a cover hinged to the top of said band and'having a front, portion adapted to, abut agalnst said front a device of the character stated, a

ndant, flange 1 3o ends when said cover is closed to prevent disincluding a pivoted tongife for engagin said engagement of said ends, and means for lockopening, for securing said ends toget er, a 10 ing said cover in closed position. cover hinged to the top of said band for pre- 4. In a device of the character stated, a venting access to said dial, and havin a 5 resilient, annular band adapted to encircle front, pendant flange portion adapted to a ut the dial disc of a telephone, one end of said against said ends to prevent disengagement band having an opening therein and the thereof, and means for lockin said cover. other end thereof being provided with means FRANCIS DAILY.

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