Telephone dialing and answering device

• US 4,281,220 A
• Filed: 02/15/1980
• Issued: 07/28/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: George E. Frailey
• Original Assignee: George E. Frailey
• Inventors: Frailey, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brigance, Gerald L.
• Application Number:
  US06/121,652
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 179/90 B, 179/90 BD, 179/90 AN, 179/90 AD, 179/90 AT, 179/90 R, 179/1 HF, 179/1 HS, 179/162, 179/81 R
• US Class Current: 379/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2474 Telephone terminals specially adapted for disabled people user interfaces for cordless or mobile telephones specially adapted for disabled users H04M1/72475; network based special services or facilities for hearing-impaired persons H04M3/42391; devices for conversing with the deaf-blind G09B21/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/31 by interrupting current to generate trains of pulses; by periodically opening and closing contacts to generate trains of pulses

Abstract

A telephone dialing apparatus includes a housing to enclose the base portion of a telephone, a hook switch operating solenoid in the housing, a motor driven dial-operating drive disc, a switch unit operable by the user and an indicator light. A first switch is operated by the user to activate the telephone and a second switch is operated to energize the dial driving disc and motor. Blinks of the light indicate the extent of dial rotation and the digit to be dialed so that the second switch can be operated repeatedly to dial a sequence of digits forming any telephone number.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use by a handicapped person to operate a telephone instrument of the type having a handset, a base, means on the base defining a handset receiving location, a hook switch, a hook switch button protruding into the handset receiving location, a dial rotatable in a first direction to select a digit to be selected as part of a number being called, the dial being provided with spring return to generate a signal representative of the selected digit, the dial having angularly spaced finger holes and the base having a finger stop adjacent the dial, the apparatus comprising the combination

a switch unit having first and second manually operable switch means therein and first and second operator arms extending therefrom to facilitate selective operation of said switches by the person;

a housing dimensioned to at least partially enclose the base of the telephone;

means on said housing for releasing the hook switch button in response to momentary actuation of said first switch;

a dial engaging member including a drive pin engaging a finger hole in said dial;

a motor supported by said housing and electrically connected to said second switch, said motor having an output shaft coupled to said dial engaging member for rotating said member and said

dial during actuation of said second switch;

a light;

means responsive to rotation of said dial and dial engaging member for energizing said light each time a finger hole reaches said finger stop and for deenergizing said light as the hole passes said stop such that a count of the number of energizations of said light indicates the digit which will be dialed when said second switch is released.

2. An apparatus for use by a handicapped person to operate a dial telephone instrument of the type having a handset, a base having a spring-return rotatable dial and a handset-receiving location thereon, and at least one hook switch button which is normally depressed when the handset is placed in its receiving location, the apparatus comprising

a housing dimensioned to fit over and at least partially enclose the base of the telephone instrument with the handset removed therefrom,

said housing having a top portion lying above said base,

side walls, and

means defining at least one aperture through said side walls to permit passage therethrough of electrical conductors;

solenoid means mounted in said housing for operating said hook switch button, said solenoid means having a member movable between a hook switch depressing position and a hook switch releasing position upon deenergization and energization, respectively, of said solenoid means;

circuit means connectable to a source of electrical energy;

a motor carried by said housing;

drive disc means carried by said housing and coupled to said motor to be rotatably driven thereby for operating said telephone dial, said disc means being in substantially parallel, coaxial relationship with the telephone dial when said housing is over said base;

a drive pin mounted for rotation with said disc means and protruding axially therefrom into a finger hole in said telephone dial;

an indicator light;

first switch means operatively associated with said drive disc means for periodically completing an electrical circuit including said indicator light and said circuit means as said drive disc means rotates and for energizing said light and thereby providing a visible indication of each circuit completion by said first switch means;

second switch means manually operable by the person and electrically connected to said solenoid means and said circuit means for energizing and deenergizing said solenoid means to respectively depress and release said hook switch button; and

third normally open switch means manually operable by the person and electrically connected to said motor and said circuit means for energizing said motor such that said motor is energized and said disc is driven only while said third switch means is closed,

whereby operation of said third switch means permits the person to count visible indications of said light and thereby select the digit to be dialed by causing rotation of said motor, said drive disc and said dial in a first direction, said indicator light being energized a number of times equal to the integer next smaller than the total angular rotation of the disc and dial during operation of said third switch means divided by the angular separation between the centers of the finger holes in the dial, that integer being representative of the digit to be dialed when said third switch means is released and said dial returns to its starting position.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said drive disc means includes

a substantially circular disc having at least ten radial indentations in the edge thereof, the centers of said indentations being separated from each other by angles of about 30°

;

and wherein said first switch means includes

a switch having a normally open contact set and an operating arm for closing said contact set,

said switch being mounted in said housing with said arm in contact with said edge of said disc such that, upon rotation of said disc, a portion of said arm successively enters said indentations and closes said contact set.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising

a second housing;

and wherein

said second and third switch means each includes a manually operatable switch mounted in said second housing, each said switch having a normally open contact set and an operating arm extending from said second housing in a position to be manually depressed by the person.

5. An apparatus for use by a handicapped person to operate a dial telephone instrument of the type having a handset, a base having a spring-return rotatable dial, a finger stop adjacent the dial, and a handset-receiving location thereon, and at least one hook switch button which is normally depressed when the handset is placed in its receiving location, the apparatus comprising

a housing dimensioned to fit over and at least partially enclose the base of the telephone instrument with the handset removed therefrom,

said housing having a top portion lying above said base,

side walls, and

means defining at least one aperture through said side walls to permit passage therethrough of electrical conductors;

solenoid means mounted in said housing for operating said hook switch button, said solenoid means having a member movable between a hook switch depressing position and a hook switch releasing position upon deenergization and energization, respectively, of said solenoid means;

circuit means connectable to a source of electrical energy;

a motor carried by said housing;

drive disc means carried by said housing and coupled to said motor to be rotatably driven thereby for operating said telephone dial, said disc means being in substantially parallel, coaxial relationship with the telephone dial when said housing is over said base;

a drive pin mounted for rotation with said disc means and protruding axially therefrom into the zero finger hole in said telephone dial;

first bistable relay means having a contact set connected to said circuit means and said solenoid means for energizing said solenoid means when in one of its stable states;

first switch means manually operable by the person and electrically connected to said first bistable relay means and said circuit means for energizing and deenergizing said solenoid means to respectively depress and release said hook switch button;

second bistable relay means having a contact set connected to said circuit means and said motor for energizing said motor when in one of its stable states;

third relay means connected to said first switch means and said circuit means and having a contact set connected to said circuit means and said second bistable relay means for energizing said second relay means; and

second switch means in parallel circuit relationship with the contact set of said third relay means for operating said second relay means and deenergizing said motor when said pin drives said zero hole to a location adjacent said finger stop,

means to respectively depress and release said hook switch button; and

third normally open switch means manually operable by the person and electrically connected to said motor and said circuit means for energizing said motor such that said motor is energized and said disc is driven only while said third switch means is closed,

whereby operation of said third switch means permits the person to count visible indications of said light and thereby select the digit to be dialed by causing rotation of said motor, said drive disc and said dial in a first direction, said indicator light being energized a number of times equal to the integer next smaller than the total angular rotation of the disc and dial during operation of said third switch means divided by the angular separation between the centers of the finger holes in the dial, that integer being representative of the digit to be dialed when said third switch means is released and said dial returns to its starting position.