US 4,057,697 AGranted

Telephone dial lock

OwnerMarie Addooinventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A telephone dial lock assembly including a shield plate, shackle and lock covers and immobilizes the dial of a trimline telephone instrument to render the telephone dialing mechanism inoperable for making outgoing calls. No interference is presented to the use of the telephone instrument for the receipt of incoming calls.

Claims1

Dependent claims

A telephone dial lock apparatus for preventing unauthorized use for making outgoing calls of a telephone instrument of the type having a dialing mechanism in the handle member of the handset comprising:

a rectangular shield plate having two broad faces adapted to covering and obscuring said dialing mechanism;
first and second spaced-apart holes in said shield plate, the spacing between said holes being greater than the lateral dimension of said handle member;
a groove in one face of said shield plate extending between said first and second spaced-apart holes;
a generally U-shaped shackle, the cross member of said U-shaped shackle being substantially straight and the spacing between the legs of said U-shaped shackle being substantially equal to the spacing between said first and second spaced-apart holes in said shield plate;
the legs of said U-shaped shackle being inserted through the first and second spaced-apart holes in said shackle and the straight cross member of said U-shaped shackle nesting within said groove;
a plurality of support pins extending from the face of said shield plate opposite to the face containing the groove;
said support pins being adapted to rest upon the inner surface of the handle portion of said handset adjacent to said dialing mechanism whereby said shield plate is supported from and in close proximity to said dialing mechanism;
said legs being long enough to extend substantially past the handle member of said handset when said U-shaped shackle is inserted fully into said shield plate and said shield plate is placed adjacent to said dialing mechanism with said two legs straddling said handle member;
ratchet indentations on the portion of facing sides of the legs of said U-shaped shackle which extends past said handle member, said ratchet indentations being inclined toward the closed end of the U;
a lock plate having two spaced-apart holes therethrough, the spaced-apart holes in said lock plate having diameter and spacing adapted to the passage therethrough of said two legs;
spring loaded dogs in said lock plate adapted to oneway engagement with the ratchet indentations in said two legs, whereby said lock plate can be pressed onto said two legs without the use of a key;
said lock plate, spring-loaded dogs and ratchet indentations being adapted to resist the disassembly thereof;
a barrel type lock for use with a cooperating key in said lock plate;
and
said barrel type lock being adapted to releasing of said spring loaded dogs from engagement with said ratchet indentations when said key is operated in said barrel type lock.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

a rectangular shield plate having two broad faces adapted to covering and obscuring said dialing mechanism;
first and second spaced-apart holes in said shield plate, the spacing between said holes being greater than the lateral dimension of said handle member;
a groove in one face of said shield plate extending between said first and second spaced-apart holes;
a generally U-shaped shackle, the cross member of said U-shaped shackle being substantially straight and the spacing between the legs of said U-shaped shackle being substantially equal to the spacing between said first and second spaced-apart holes in said shield plate;
the legs of said U-shaped shackle being inserted through the first and second spaced-apart holes in said shackle and the straight cross member of said U-shaped shackle nesting within said groove;
a plurality of support pins extending from the face of said shield plate opposite to the face containing the groove;
said support pins being adapted to rest upon the inner surface of the handle portion of said handset adjacent to said dialing mechanism whereby said shield plate is supported from and in close proximity to said dialing mechanism;
said legs being long enough to extend substantially past the handle member of said handset when said U-shaped shackle is inserted fully into said shield plate and said shield plate is placed adjacent to said dialing mechanism with said two legs straddling said handle member;
ratchet indentations on the portion of facing sides of the legs of said U-shaped shackle which extends past said handle member, said ratchet indentations being inclined toward the closed end of the U;
a lock plate having two spaced-apart holes therethrough, the spaced-apart holes in said lock plate having diameter and spacing adapted to the passage therethrough of said two legs;
spring loaded dogs in said lock plate adapted to oneway engagement with the ratchet indentations in said two legs, whereby said lock plate can be pressed onto said two legs without the use of a key;
said lock plate, spring-loaded dogs and ratchet indentations being adapted to resist the disassembly thereof;
a barrel type lock for use with a cooperating key in said lock plate;
and
said barrel type lock being adapted to releasing of said spring loaded dogs from engagement with said ratchet indentations when said key is operated in said barrel type lock.

12 more elements