Telephone-answering device

Claim 2

A telephone-answering device adapted to play out an announcement in response to an incoming call and to record an incoming message comprising announcement playout and message recording means including a recording surface provided with a first section of a prescribed width having at least one announce track adjacent one side of said recording surface and a second section adjacent to said first section, said second section having a prescribed width with plural message recording tracks across said prescribed width of said second section, a playback and recording head, resilient means exerting an urging force of a prescribed extent on said head to normally maintain said head in a starting position adjacent said announce track of said first section, movement-actuating means, signal means disposed on said first section at an end of said announce track to activate said movement-actuating means subsequent to an announcement playout, said movement-actuating means being operatively connected to pivoted member linkage means, said pivotal member linkage means being operatively connected to said head for moving said head from said starting position of said first section transversely across said recording surface to said second section in a message-recording position adjacent a selected one of said plural message-recording tracks in opposition to said resilient means an actuation of said movement-actuating means by said signal means, and track selecting means disposed in a path of movement of said pivotal member means to engage said pivotal member means to limit movement of said head adjacent to said selected one of said plural message-recording tracks.

Claim 3

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 1, wherein said recording surface is a part of an endless loop of A recording tape.

Claim 4

A telephone-answering device adapted to play out an announcement in response to an incoming call and to record an incoming message comprising announcement playout and message-recording means including a recording surface provided with a first section of a prescribed width having at least one announce track adjacent one side of said recording surface and a second section adjacent to said first section, said second section having a prescribed width with plural message-recording tracks across said prescribed width of said second section, a playback and recording head, resilient means exerting an urging force of a prescribed extent on said head to normally maintain said head in a starting position adjacent said announce track of said first section, movement-actuating means, first signal means disposed on said first section at an end of said announce track to activate said movement-actuating means subsequent to an announcement playout, said movement-actuating means being operatively connected to pivoted member linkage means, said pivotal member linkage means being operatively connected to said head for moving said head from said starting position of said first section transversely across said recording surface to said second section in a message-recording position adjacent a selected one of said plural message-recording tracks in opposition to said resilient means on actuation of said movement-actuating means by said first signal means, track-selecting means disposed in a path of movement of said pivotal member means to engage said pivotal member means to limit movement of said head adjacent to said selected one of said plural message-recording tracks, and second signal means disposed on said second section at an end of each of said plural message-recording tracks to deactivate said movement-actuating means subsequent to a message recording interval to allow said resilient means to return said head to said starting position adjacent to said announce track of said first section of said recording surface.

Claim 5

A telephone-answering device adapted to play out an announcement in response to an incoming call and to record an incoming message comprising announcement playout and message-recording means including a recording surface provided with a first section of a prescribed width having at least one announce track adjacent one side of said recording surface and a second section adjacent to said first section, said second section having a prescribed width with plural message-recording tracks across said prescribed width of said second section, a playback and recording head, resilient means exerting an urging force of a prescribed extent on said head to normally maintain said head in a starting position adjacent said announce track of said first section, movement-actuating means, first signal means disposed on said first section at an end of said announce track to activate said movement-actuating means subsequent to an announcement playout, said movement-actuating means being operatively connected to pivoted member linkage means, said pivotal member linkage means being operatively connected to said head for moving said head from said starting position of said first section transversely across said recording surface to said second section in a message-recording position adjacent a selected one of said plural message-recording tracks in opposition to said resilient means on actuation of said movement-actuating means by said first signal means, track-selecting means disposed in a path of movement of said pivotal member means to engage said pivotal member means to limit movement of said head adjacent to said selected one of said plural message-recording tracks, and second signal means disposed on said second section at an end of each of said plural message-recording tracks to deactivate said movement-actuating means subsequent to a message recording interval to allow said resilient means to return said head to said starting position adjacent to said announce track of said first section of said recording surface.

Claim 6

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 3 wherein said track-selecting means is a rotatable member having an edge provided with plural recesses effective to limit movement of said head as a function of the depth of one of said recesses engaged by said pivotal member linkage means during movement thereof.

Claim 7

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 3 wherein said track-selecting means includes an element provided with means to alternately space said head in order of its contemplated use with respect to said plural message-recording tracks so that one recording track is interposed between a pair of successively selected ones of said plural message-recording tracks.

Claim 8

A telephone answering device as defined in claim 3 including a second resilient means, said pivotal member linkage means and said second resilient means having an operative interposed position between said movement actuating means and said head, said second resilient means being expanded during each message-recording interval a distance proportional to the extent of movement of said pivotal member linkage means as permitted by said track-selecting means.

Claim 9

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 6 wherein said second resilient means is connected at one end to said pivotal linkage member means and at its opposite end to said movement-actuating means.

Claim 10

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 3 wherein said movement-actuating means is a solenoid having a piston with a prescribed stroke of proportionally lesser extent than the combined prescribed widths of said first and second sections of said recording surface, the proportion being a function of a movement amplification characteristic of said pivotal member linkage means.

Claim 11

A telephone-answering device adapted to play out an announcement in response to an incoming call and to record an incoming message comprising announcement playout and message-recording means including a recordinG surface provided with a first section of a prescribed width having plural announce tracks adjacent one side of said recording surface and a second section adjacent to said first section, said second section having a prescribed width with plural message-recording tracks across said prescribed width of said second section, a playback and recording head, resilient means exerting an urging force of a prescribed extent on said head to normally maintain said head in a starting position adjacent a selected one of said announce tracks of said first section, movement-actuating means, first signal means disposed on said first section at an end of said announce track to activate said movement-actuating means subsequent to an announcement playout, said movement-actuating means being operatively connected to pivoted member linkage means, said pivotal member linkage means being operatively connected to said head for moving said head from said starting position of said first section transversely across said recording surface to said second section in a message-recording position adjacent a selected one of said plural message-recording tracks in opposition to said resilient means on actuation of said movement-actuating means by said first signal means, track-selecting means disposed in a path of movement of said pivotal member means to engage said pivotal member means to limit movement of said head adjacent to said selected one of said plural message recording tracks, and second signal means disposed on said second section at an end of each of said plural message-recording tracks to deactivate said movement-actuating means subsequent to a message-recording interval to allow said resilient means to return said head to said starting position adjacent to said selected one of said announce tracks of said first section of said recording surface.

Claim 12

A telephone-answering device adapted to play out an announcement in response to an incoming call and to record an incoming message comprising announcement playout and message-recording means including a recordinG surface provided with a first section of a prescribed width having plural announce tracks adjacent one side of said recording surface and a second section adjacent to said first section, said second section having a prescribed width with plural message-recording tracks across said prescribed width of said second section, a playback and recording head, resilient means exerting an urging force of a prescribed extent on said head to normally maintain said head in a starting position adjacent a selected one of said announce tracks of said first section, movement-actuating means, first signal means disposed on said first section at an end of said announce track to activate said movement-actuating means subsequent to an announcement playout, said movement-actuating means being operatively connected to pivoted member linkage means, said pivotal member linkage means being operatively connected to said head for moving said head from said starting position of said first section transversely across said recording surface to said second section in a message-recording position adjacent a selected one of said plural message-recording tracks in opposition to said resilient means on actuation of said movement-actuating means by said first signal means, track-selecting means disposed in a path of movement of said pivotal member means to engage said pivotal member means to limit movement of said head adjacent to said selected one of said plural message recording tracks, and second signal means disposed on said second section at an end of each of said plural message-recording tracks to deactivate said movement-actuating means subsequent to a message-recording interval to allow said resilient means to return said head to said starting position adjacent to said selected one of said announce tracks of said first section of said recording surface.

Claim 13

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 9 including an announce track-selecting means operatively arranged in the return path of movement of said head and effective to limit movement thereof to a position adjacent a selected one of said announce tracks.

Claim 14

A telephone answering device adapted to play out an announcement in response to an incoming call and to record an incoming message comprising announcement playout and message-recording means including an endless loop of recording tape provided with a first section of a prescribed width having at least one announce track adjacent one side of said recording tape and a second section adjacent to said first section, said second section having a prescribed width with plural message recording tracks across said prescribed width of said second section, a playback and recording head, movement-actuating means including a solenoid, signal means disposed on said first section at an end of said announce track to activate said solenoid of said movement-actuating means subsequent to an announcement playout, said solenoid being provided with piston means of a prescribed stroke, spring means operatively connected between said piston means and pivoted member linkage means so as to resiliently urge said pivotal member linkage means through a pivotal movement upon operation of said solenoid, said pivotal member linkage means being operatively connected to said head for moving said head during said pivotal movement from a starting position adjacent said announce track of said first section transversely across said recording tape to said second section in a message-recording position adjacent a selected one of said plural message-recording tracks on actuation of said solenoid by said signal means, track-selecting means disposed in a path of movement of said pivotal member means to engage said pivotal member means to limit movement of said head adjacent to said selected one of said plural message-recording tracks.

Claim 15

A telephone answering device adapted to play out an announcement in response to an incoming call and to record an incoming message comprising announcement playout and message-recording means including an endless loop of recording tape provided with a first section of a prescribed width having at least one announce track adjacent one side of said recording tape and a second section adjacent to said first section, said second section having a prescribed width with plural message recording tracks across said prescribed width of said second section, a playback and recording head, movement-actuating means including a solenoid, signal means disposed on said first section at an end of said announce track to activate said solenoid of said movement-actuating means subsequent to an announcement playout, said solenoid being provided with piston means of a prescribed stroke, spring means operatively connected between said piston means and pivoted member linkage means so as to resiliently urge said pivotal member linkage means through a pivotal movement upon operation of said solenoid, said pivotal member linkage means being operatively connected to said head for moving said head during said pivotal movement from a starting position adjacent said announce track of said first section transversely across said recording tape to said second section in a message-recording position adjacent a selected one of said plural message-recording tracks on actuation of said solenoid by said signal means, track-selecting means disposed in a path of movement of said pivotal member means to engage said pivotal member means to limit movement of said head adjacent to said selected one of said plural message-recording tracks.

Claim 16

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 11 wherein said track selecting means is a rotatable member having an edge provided with plural recesses effective to engage with said Pivotal member linkage means at different positions of pivotal movement thereof as a function of the depth of said one recess against which engagement is actually made.

Claim 17

A telephone-answering device as defined in claim 12 wherein said solenoid is operatively connected to additionally cause rotative movement of said rotatable member of said track selecting means to thereby enable movement of said head to a different message-recording position in successive recording intervals.