Telephone answering device with plural message recording tapes

Claim 1

An automatic telephone-answering and message-recording apparatus adapted to be connected to a telephone line and comprising: a plurality of recording tape media selectively connectable to the telephone line for recording incoming messages received over the telephone line, each tape medium being fed from a supply reel to a take-up reel during a recording operation; reference signal generator means for generating a reference signal having a constant frequency; counter means coupled to said generator means for counting the cycles of said reference signal; reset pulse generator means for generating reset pulses for said counter means at intervals proportional to the rotational speed of one of the reels during a recording operation; detector means coupled to said telephone line for producing a release signal upon the cessation of incoming messages being recorded or the pass of predetermined operation time period during a recording operation on a first of said recording media; and control means connected to said plurality of recording tape media, and responsive to a coincidence of said release signal and a predetermined count in said counter means, for switching subsequent incoming messages from said first recording medium to a second of said recording media.