Vandal-resistant communications station

• US 5,086,463 A
• Filed: 10/02/1989
• Issued: 02/04/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John J. Mcmonagle Jr, Kevin T. Vesely
• Original Assignee: John J. Mcmonagle Jr, Kevin T. Vesely
• Inventors: Vesely, Kevin T., McMonagle, John J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shehata, M.
• Application Number:
  US07/415,782
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 379/45, 379/40, 379/37, 379/355, 379/356, 379/357, 379/359, 379/354, 379/387, 379/388, 200/341, 200/345
• US Class Current: 379/453
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/038 Anti-vandalism
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/12 Push-buttons
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/62 Lubricating means structurally associated with the switch for lubricating contact-making surfaces H01H1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A vandal-resistant telephone communications station having a one-piece face plate enclosure with a speaker phone aperture and a plurality of additional apertures therein. A plurality of call push-buttons and an answer push-button are respectively carried in the additional apertures. These buttons are of unique construction and are provided with resilient seals to prevent the insertion of foreign matter around the button, and each button is spring biased to its inoperative position. The call push-buttons control automatic signalling units within the face plate enclosure, and these units automatically generate an output signal at the location being called only during the time the push-button is held in its operative position. The answer push-button operates in similar fashion and is used to respond to an incoming call.

Claims

1. A vandal-resistant communications station comprising, in combination:

a face plate enclosure having a speaker aperture and at least one additional aperture therein;

a push button assembly including a body portion disposed in the at least one additional aperture and a plunger carried in an opening in the body portion and moveable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

means for resiliently sealing said plunger against the opening to prevent the insertion of foreign matter between the plunger and the opening;

spring means for biasing said plunger to its inoperative position;

switch means mounted within the face plate enclosure in position to be actuated by said plunger upon movement of the plunger to its operative position; and

circuit means within the face plate enclosure in electrical circuit relationship with said switch means, the circuit means including an automatic signaling unit for producing an output signal at a remote location in response to actuation of the switch means when the plunger is held in its operative position.

2. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 1, the resilient sealing means comprising a pair of spaced O-rings around the plunger, and a layer of synthetic grease interposed between the O-rings.

3. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 1, wherein said circuit means is operative to discontinue said production of an output signal at a remote location upon movement of the plunger from its operative to its inoperative position.

4. A vandal-resistant communications station comprising, in combination:

a face plate enclosure having a speaker aperture and a plurality of additional apertures therein;

a call push-button assembly and an answer push-button assembly, each of said call push-button assembly and said answer push-button assembly including a corresponding body portion disposed in a respective one of said additional apertures and a respective plunger carried in an opening in the corresponding body portion and being moveable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

means for resiliently sealing each of said plungers against the opening in its corresponding body portion to prevent the insertion of foreign matter between each plunger and its respective opening;

spring means for biasing said plungers to their inoperative positions;

first and second switching devices each in position to be actuated by a corresponding plunger of a respective one of said call push-button assembly and said answer push-button assembly upon movement of the respective plunger to its operative position; and

circuit means mounted within the face plate enclosure in electrical circuit relationship with said switching devices, the circuit means including an automatic signaling unit associated with said call push-button assembly for producing an output signal at a remote location in response to actuation of the first switching device when the plunger of the call push-button assembly is moved to its operative position, the circuit means additionally including means for establishing communication from said remote location to said station in response to actuation of the second switching device when the plunger of the answer push-button assembly is moved to its operative position.

5. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 4, wherein said circuit means is operative to discontinue said production of an output signal at a remote location upon movement of the plunger of the call push-button assembly from its operative to its inoperative position.

6. A vandal-resistant communications station comprising, in combination:

a one-piece face plate enclosure having a speaker aperature and plurality of additional apertures therein;

a call push-button assembly and an answer push-button assembly, each of said call push-button assembly and said answer push-button assembly including a corresponding body portion disposed in a respective one of said additional apertures and a respective plunger carried in an opening in the corresponding body portion and being moveable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

means for resiliently sealing each of said plungers against the opening in its corresponding body portion to prevent the insertion of foreign matter between each plunger and its respective opening;

spring means for biasing said plungers to their inoperative positions;

first and second switching devices each in position to be actuated by a plunger of a respective one of said call push-button assembly and said answer push-button assembly upon movement of the respective plunger to its operative position;

circuit means mounted within the face plate enclosure in electrical circuit relationship with said switching devices, the circuit means including an automatic signaling unit associated with said call push-button assembly for producing an output signal at a remote location in response to actuation of the first switching device when the plunger of the call push-button assembly is moved to its operative position, the circuit means additionally including means for establishing communication from said remote location to said station in response to actuation of the second switching device when the plunger of the answer push-button assembly is moved to its operative position; and

a signal unit within the faceplate enclosure for alerting the communications station of an incoming call.

7. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 6, in which the faceplate enclosure is of truncated configuration with sloping side portions.

8. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 6, wherein said circuit means is operative to discontinue said production of an output signal at a remote location upon movement of the plunger of the call push-button assembly from its operative to its inoperative position.

9. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 6, in which the face plate enclosure is of rigid metallic material.

10. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 9, which further comprises:

indicia means engraved on the face plate enclosure adjacent each of said push-button assemblies for denoting the function thereof.

11. A vandal-resistant communications station comprising, in combination:

a one-piece face plate enclosure of rigid metallic material having a speaker aperture and a plurality of additional apertures therein;

a plurality of call push-button assemblies and an answer push-button assembly respectively carried in said additional apertures, each of said call push-button assemblies and said answer push-button assembly including a corresponding body portion disposed in a respective one of said additional apertures and a corresponding plunger carried in an opening in the corresponding body portion and being moveable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

means for resiliently sealing each of said plungers against the opening in its corresponding body portion to prevent the insertion of foreign matter between each plunger and its respective opening;

spring means for biasing said plungers;

a plurality of micro-switch assemblies, each corresponding with a respective plunger of one of the call push-button assemblies and the answer push-button assembly, in position to be actuated thereby upon movement of the plunger to its operative position;

circuit means mounted within the face plate enclosure in electrical circuit relationship with said micro-switch assemblies, the circuit means including a plurality of automatic signaling units each corresponding with a respective micro-switch assembly associated with a corresponding plunger, for producing an output signal at a remote location in response to actuation of the respective micro-switch assembly when plunger of the corresponding call push-button assembly is moved to its operative position, the circuit means additionally including means for establishing communication from said station to said remote location upon receipt of a call from said remote location by actuating a respective micro-switch assembly upon movement of the plunger of the answer push-button assembly to its operative position;

a signal unit within the face plate enclosure for alerting the communications station of an incoming call; and

indicia means engraved on the face plate enclosure adjacent each of said push-button assemblies for denoting the function thereof.

12. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined in claim 11, wherein the resilient sealing means for each of said plungers comprises a pair of spaced O-rings around a respective one of each of said plungers, and a layer of synthetic grease interposed between the O-rings.

13. A wall-mounted vandal-resistant communications station as defined by claim 11, which further comprises:

a mounting bracket permanently secured to the wall;

only a single fastener for affixing the face plate enclosure to the mounting bracket; and

means positioned in overlying relationship with said single fastener for preventing access thereto.

14. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined in claim 11, wherein said circuit means is operative to discontinue communications with said remote location after receipt of a call therefrom upon movement of said plunger of the answer push-button assembly to its inoperative position from its operative position.

15. A vandal-resistant communications station comprising, in combination:

a face plate enclosure having a speaker aperture and a plurality of additional apertures therein;

a plurality of call push-button assemblies and an answer push-button assembly respectively carried in said additional apertures, each of said call push-button assemblies and said answer push-button assembly including a corresponding body portion disposed in a respective one of said additional apertures and a respective plunger carried in an opening in the corresponding body portion and moveable between respective operative and inoperative positions;

means for resiliently sealing each of said plungers against the opening in its corresponding body portion to prevent the insertion of foreign matter between each plunger and its respective opening;

spring means for biasing said plungers to their inoperative positions;

a plurality of switching devices, each corresponding with a respective plunger of one of the call push-button assemblies and the answer push-button assembly, in position to be actuated thereby upon movement of the plunger to its operative position;

circuit means carried by the face plate in electrical circuit relationship with said switching devices, the circuit means including a plurality of automatic signaling units each corresponding with a respective switching device associated with a corresponding plunger, for producing an output signal at a remote location in response to actuation of the respective switching device when the corresponding plunger of the call push-button assembly is moved to its operative position, the circuit means additionally including means for establishing communication from said station to said remote location upon receipt of a call from said remote location by actuating the corresponding one of said plurality of switching devices upon movement of the plunger of the answer push-button assembly to its operative position; and

a signal unit within the face plate for alerting the communications station of an incoming call.

16. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined in claim 15, wherein said circuit means is operative to discontinue said production of an output signal at a remote location upon movement of said plunger of the call push-button assembly to its inoperative position and said circuit means is further operative to discontinue communication with said remote location after receipt of a call therefrom upon movement of said plunger of the answer push-button assembly to its inoperative position from its operative position.

17. A vandal-resistant communications station comprising, in combination:

a metallic face plate having a speaker aperture and a plurality of additional apertures therein;

a plurality of call push-button assemblies and an answer push-button assembly respectively carried in said additional apertures, each of said call push-button assemblies and said answer push-button assembly including a corresponding body portion disposed in a respective one of said additional apertures and a corresponding plunger carried in an opening in the corresponding body portion and being moveable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

means for resiliently sealing each of said plungers against the opening in its corresponding body portion to prevent the insertion of foreign matter between each plunger and its respective opening;

spring means for biasing said plungers to their inoperative positions;

a plurality of switching devices, each corresponding with a respective plunger of one of the call push-button assemblies and the answer push-button assembly, in position to be actuated thereby upon movement of the respective plunger to its operative position;

circuit means carried by the face plate in electrical circuit relationship with said switching devices, the circuit means including a plurality of automatic signaling units each corresponding with a respective switching device associated with a corresponding plunger, for producing an output signal at a remote location in response to actuation of the respective switching device when the corresponding plunger of the call push-button assembly is moved to its operative position, the circuit means additionally including means for establishing communication from said station to said remote location upon receipt of a call from said remote location, by actuating a respective one of said plurality of switching devices upon movement of the plunger of the answer push-button assembly to its operative position; and

indicia means engraved on the faceplate adjacent each of said push-button assemblies for denoting the function thereof.

18. A vandal-resistant communications station as defined in claim 17, wherein said circuit means is operative to discontinue communication with said remote location after receipt of a call therefrom upon movement of said plunger of the answer push-button assembly to its inoperative position from its operative position.

19. A vandal-resistant communications station comprising, in combination:

a face plate enclosure having a speaker aperture and a plurality of additional apertures therein;

a plurality of call push-button assemblies and an answer push-button assembly respectively carried in said additional apertures, each of said call push-button assemblies and said answer push-button assembly including a corresponding body portion disposed in a respective one of said additional apertures and a corresponding plunger carried in an opening in the corresponding body portion and being moveable between an operative position and an inoperative position;

means for resiliently sealing each of said plungers against the opening its corresponding body portion to prevent the insertion of foreign matter between each plunger and its respective opening;

spring means for biasing said plungers to their inoperative positions;

a plurality of switching devices, each corresponding with a respective plunger of one of the call push-button assemblies and the answer push-button assembly, in position to be actuated thereby upon movement of the plunger to its operative position; and

circuit means mounted within the face plate enclosure in electrical circuit relationship with said switching devices, the circuit means including a plurality of automatic signaling units each corresponding with a respective switching device associated with a corresponding call push-button assembly, for producing an output signal at a remote location in response to actuation of the respective switching device when the corresponding plunger of the call push-button assembly is moved to its operative position, the circuit means additionally including means for establishing communication from said station to said remote location in response to actuation of the respective switching device when the plunger of the answer push-button assembly is moved to its operative position.