International Telecommunication Corp.

International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation

Itt Corporation

Alcatel Business Systems

James M Sharp, Jr

Jerry W Fuqua

Steve W Haskins

Walter A Menn

Eugene Barber

Alexander Sarkis, Jr

Daniel H Christian

An integral handset supporting hook and number card cover for supporting a handset for a wall or desk mounted telephone subset comprises a hook portion which can be mounted in either a wall or desk mounting position and a number card cover portion for protectively covering the local telephone number card. The hook/cover is comprised of a clear plastic or polymeric material thereby allowing a user to see the number through the hook/cover. The hook/cover is easily adaptable for use with a wall mounted unit utilizing a protruding hook for supporting a handset or with a desk mounted unit employing the same hook in an inverted position where the hook is recessed and does not interfere with the lifting of the handset.

Integral handset supporting hook and number card cover

Telephone base with display

Telephone base

Console for a telephone system

A telephone subset with a desk and wall mount capability employs an east-to-west oriented handset. The subset base has a bearing at a first axis on which the subset housing pivots. The base has slots for the tabs of a bracket to engage and hold the subset in the desk or wall positions. The housing provides a cylindrical well in which a spring loaded pin is mounted, and also provides surfaces on which the subset handset cradle, which houses the hookswitch, rests in the desk and wall configurations. To prevent the bracket from translating, the spring loaded pin engages a hole in the bracket. As the pin is depressed, it disengages the hole and allows the smaller diameter section of the pin to enter the slot so the bracket can translate. The bracket provides an axle on which the cradle mounts, forming a pivot at a second axis, for pivoting from a desk position to a wall position.

Desk/wall mounted telephone subset

A key assembly having a line button and a hold button includes a release plate which engages pins on the buttons extending transversely of the buttons to a plane of the plate. The plate includes a first tongue having an undercut for receiving the pin of the line button for locking the line button, the first tongue having an inclined edge for urging the plate back from a rest position thereof for insertion of the line button pin in the undercut. The plate includes a second tongue having an inclined edge positioned on a lower portion of said tongue for engagement with the hold button pin on an upstroke of the hold button. A bypass path is provided for the hold button pin, which pin is spring loaded, to enable the pin to travel from the top of the second tongue to the bottom of said second tongue without introducing a translatory motion to the plate. The bypass path includes an inclined plane progressing from an upper edge of the second tongue and facing the hold button pin for urging the pin away from the second tongue so as to travel along the bypass path into engagement with the inclined edge of the second tongue. The configuration of the inclined plane in combination with a rounded end portion of the hold button pin reduces wear in the operation of the key assembly and allows for an integral unitary structure of the plate with the two tongues which facilitates manufacture of the key assembly.

Release mechanism in key assembly

Handset telephone

Telephone instrument

Growing community of inventors

Corinth, MS, United States of America

James M Sharp, Jr