US3569630A — Cyclically controlled telephone answering device …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 343 words

An automatic answering device for use with a telephone having a cradle and a handset, said cradle having an outwardly biased answering switch, said handset having an earpiece a mouthpiece, said answering device having in combination: an auxiliary cradle to be interposed between said cradle and said handset to support the handset; retractable means on said auxiliary cradle normally depressing said answering switch irrespective of handset location; a transmitter microphone on said auxiliary cradle positioned to deliver an outgoing message to said mouthpiece; pickup means on said auxiliary cradle positioned to cooperate with said earpiece to pick up incoming messages; sensing means to sense operation of the ringing circuit of the telephone; a power-actuated magnetic drum recording medium having a first portion for a prerecorded outgoing message and a second portion for recording an incoming message; a power-actuated lead screw adjacent the drum; a first transducer cooperative with said first portion to reproduce the outgoing message; a second transducer cooperative with said second portion to record an incoming message; a first fixed structure; a second structure movable relative to the first structure, one of said first and second structures having a plurality of elongated contacts extending in the direction of the relative movement between the two structures, the other of said two structures having a plurality of elements cooperative with said contacts for sequential switching; plural means responsive to said sensing means to retract said retractable means on the auxiliary cradle and to cause relative movement between said first and second structures respectively to carry out a multiple stage cycle including a stage for reproduction of the outgoing message and a subsequent stage for recording an incoming message; plural means operatively connected to said second structure for actuation thereby respectively to cause said first transducer to operate during said first mentioned stage and to cause said second transducer to operate during said subsequent stage; and manually operable control means linked to operate said first transducer for recording an outgoing message and to operate said second transducer to play back a recorded incoming message.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 343 words

An automatic answering device for use with a telephone having a cradle and a handset, said cradle having an outwardly biased answering switch, said handset having an earpiece a mouthpiece, said answering device having in combination: an auxiliary cradle to be interposed between said cradle and said handset to support the handset; retractable means on said auxiliary cradle normally depressing said answering switch irrespective of handset location; a transmitter microphone on said auxiliary cradle positioned to deliver an outgoing message to said mouthpiece; pickup means on said auxiliary cradle positioned to cooperate with said earpiece to pick up incoming messages; sensing means to sense operation of the ringing circuit of the telephone; a power-actuated magnetic drum recording medium having a first portion for a prerecorded outgoing message and a second portion for recording an incoming message; a power-actuated lead screw adjacent the drum; a first transducer cooperative with said first portion to reproduce the outgoing message; a second transducer cooperative with said second portion to record an incoming message; a first fixed structure; a second structure movable relative to the first structure, one of said first and second structures having a plurality of elongated contacts extending in the direction of the relative movement between the two structures, the other of said two structures having a plurality of elements cooperative with said contacts for sequential switching; plural means responsive to said sensing means to retract said retractable means on the auxiliary cradle and to cause relative movement between said first and second structures respectively to carry out a multiple stage cycle including a stage for reproduction of the outgoing message and a subsequent stage for recording an incoming message; plural means operatively connected to said second structure for actuation thereby respectively to cause said first transducer to operate during said first mentioned stage and to cause said second transducer to operate during said subsequent stage; and manually operable control means linked to operate said first transducer for recording an outgoing message and to operate said second transducer to play back a recorded incoming message.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 106 words

A combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said manually operable control means includes a third structure and a fourth structure manually movable relative to the third structure, one of said third and fourth structures having a plurality of contacts, the other of said third and fourth structures having a plurality of elements cooperative with said contacts for switching operations; and which includes plural means operatively connected to said fourth structure for actuation by movement thereof respectively to cause said first transducer to operate for recording an outgoing message and to cause said second transducer to operate to play back a recorded incoming message.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 39 words

A combination as set forth in claim 2 in which said four structures are grouped together and which includes printed circuit means adjacent the four structures and connected in common to at least some elements of the four structures.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 285 words

In a device of the character described for use with a telephone having a normally depressed answer switch, the combination of: a first fixed means; a second movable means; power means to move said second means relative to the first means along a given path to carry out an operating cycle, one of said first and second means having a plurality of elongated contacts extending in the direction of said path, the other of said first and second means having a pLurality of elements cooperative with said contacts for sequential switching operations in the cycle; plural means to release the depressed answer switch and to energize said power means respectively to carry out said cycle in response to an incoming telephone call; means synchronized with said cycle to cause relative movement between a first transducer and a first recording medium to reproduce a previously recorded outgoing message and subsequently to cause relative movement between a second transducer and a second recording medium record an incoming message from the caller, the first and second recording media being respective portions of a power-actuated drum; a power-actuated lead screw adjacent the drum; a third fixed means; a fourth movable rotary switching means; manually operable means to move said fourth means relative to said third means along a second given path, one of said third and fourth means having a pattern of contacts extending in the direction of said second path, the other of said third and fourth means having a plurality of elements cooperative with said contact; and means responsive to a given position of said fourth means relative to said third means to move said second transducer along the second recording medium to reproduce recorded incoming messages.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 285 words

In a device of the character described for use with a telephone having a normally depressed answer switch, the combination of: a first fixed means; a second movable means; power means to move said second means relative to the first means along a given path to carry out an operating cycle, one of said first and second means having a plurality of elongated contacts extending in the direction of said path, the other of said first and second means having a pLurality of elements cooperative with said contacts for sequential switching operations in the cycle; plural means to release the depressed answer switch and to energize said power means respectively to carry out said cycle in response to an incoming telephone call; means synchronized with said cycle to cause relative movement between a first transducer and a first recording medium to reproduce a previously recorded outgoing message and subsequently to cause relative movement between a second transducer and a second recording medium record an incoming message from the caller, the first and second recording media being respective portions of a power-actuated drum; a power-actuated lead screw adjacent the drum; a third fixed means; a fourth movable rotary switching means; manually operable means to move said fourth means relative to said third means along a second given path, one of said third and fourth means having a pattern of contacts extending in the direction of said second path, the other of said third and fourth means having a plurality of elements cooperative with said contact; and means responsive to a given position of said fourth means relative to said third means to move said second transducer along the second recording medium to reproduce recorded incoming messages.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 211 words

In a device of the character described for use with a telephone having an answer switch, the combination of: rotary switch means; power means to operate the rotary switch means through a multiple stage cycle; means responsive to an incoming call to operate said answer switch and to operate said rotary switch means; a power-actuated drum having a recording medium with separate portions for incoming and outgoing messages; a first transducer movable to reproduce an outgoing message; a second transducer movable to record a succession of incoming messages; lead screw means to move said transducers, the two transducers being normally retracted from the lead screw means; cam means mechanically connected to said rotary switch means to move said first transducer into operative coupling with said screw means to reproduce an outgoing message at an early stage in the cycle and to retract the first transducer from operative coupling with the screw means after the outgoing message is reproduced; means to return the first transducer to its starting position after it is retracted from coupling with the screw means; and cam means mechanically connected to said rotary switch to move said second transducer into operative coupling with said screw means to record an incoming message at a later stage in the cycle.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 211 words

In a device of the character described for use with a telephone having an answer switch, the combination of: rotary switch means; power means to operate the rotary switch means through a multiple stage cycle; means responsive to an incoming call to operate said answer switch and to operate said rotary switch means; a power-actuated drum having a recording medium with separate portions for incoming and outgoing messages; a first transducer movable to reproduce an outgoing message; a second transducer movable to record a succession of incoming messages; lead screw means to move said transducers, the two transducers being normally retracted from the lead screw means; cam means mechanically connected to said rotary switch means to move said first transducer into operative coupling with said screw means to reproduce an outgoing message at an early stage in the cycle and to retract the first transducer from operative coupling with the screw means after the outgoing message is reproduced; means to return the first transducer to its starting position after it is retracted from coupling with the screw means; and cam means mechanically connected to said rotary switch to move said second transducer into operative coupling with said screw means to record an incoming message at a later stage in the cycle.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

A combination as set forth in claim 5 which includes a second manually operable rotary switch and plural cam means mechanically connected to the second rotary switch to move the two transducers in sequence respectively into and out of operative coupling with said lead screw means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 246 words

In a device of the character described for use with a telephone having a normally depressed outwardly biased answering switch, the combination of: a power-actuated drum, said drum having a recording medium thereon with a first portion for a recorded outgoing message and a second portion for recording an ingoing message; a power-actuated lead screw parallel to and adjacent to the drum; a first transducer movable from a retracted position to an operating position coupled to the lead screw to traverse said first portion of the recording medium; a second transducer movable from a retracted position to an operating position coupled to the lead screw to record an incoming message on said second portion of the recording medium; a rotary control assembly; means to rotate said rotary control assembly in response to the ringing circuit of the telephone thereby to carry out an operating cycle having one stage in which the outgoing message is reproduced and a later stage in which the ingoing message is recordEd; means responsive to initial rotation of said rotary control assembly to release the depressed answering switch of the telephone during the operating cycle; means mechanically interconnecting the rotary control assembly and said first transducer to move the first transducer to its operating position for the first mentioned stage of the cycle; and means mechanically interconnecting the rotary control assembly and said second transducer to move the second transducer to its operating position for the second mentioned stage of the cycle.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 246 words

In a device of the character described for use with a telephone having a normally depressed outwardly biased answering switch, the combination of: a power-actuated drum, said drum having a recording medium thereon with a first portion for a recorded outgoing message and a second portion for recording an ingoing message; a power-actuated lead screw parallel to and adjacent to the drum; a first transducer movable from a retracted position to an operating position coupled to the lead screw to traverse said first portion of the recording medium; a second transducer movable from a retracted position to an operating position coupled to the lead screw to record an incoming message on said second portion of the recording medium; a rotary control assembly; means to rotate said rotary control assembly in response to the ringing circuit of the telephone thereby to carry out an operating cycle having one stage in which the outgoing message is reproduced and a later stage in which the ingoing message is recordEd; means responsive to initial rotation of said rotary control assembly to release the depressed answering switch of the telephone during the operating cycle; means mechanically interconnecting the rotary control assembly and said first transducer to move the first transducer to its operating position for the first mentioned stage of the cycle; and means mechanically interconnecting the rotary control assembly and said second transducer to move the second transducer to its operating position for the second mentioned stage of the cycle.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 64 words

A combination as set forth in claim 7 which includes manual means having one setting to permit dictating and recording the outgoing message, said manual means having another setting to play back a recorded message, said manual means having a third setting to make said rotary control assembly operative, the rotary assembly being inoperative at the first two mentioned settings of the manual means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-03-08	1974-09-07	1975-03-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-03-08	1978-09-07	1979-03-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-03-08	1982-09-07	1983-03-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Cyclically controlled telephone answering device having a sectioned recording medium for incoming and outgoing messages

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