US2486438A - Telephone shoulder rest - Google Patents

Description

Nqv. i, 1949. E. s. SCARLETT ZA$6A38 TELEPHONE SHOULDER REST Filed Nov. 23, 1946.

Patented Nov. 1, i949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TELEPHONE SHOULDER REST Eddie s. seal-1m, South Pasadena, Calif. Application November 23, 1946, Serial No. I711,887- 1 Claim. (o1. its-r57) This invention relates to adevice for use with a telephone hand set of the type commonly employed with the so-called French type telephone.

The hand set employed with such telephones includes a mouthpiece and an earpiece mounted on a common handle member which is designed to provide a convenient grip for the users hand. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that it requires the use of one hand to maintain the hand set in operative relation with respect to the ear and mouth of the user, and thereby leaving only one hand free for other work; such-as taking notes, writing memorandums, etc.

In business and professional activities, it is,

well known that certain occasions require'that the telephone hand set be maintained in position by the user for long periods of time while waiting for information or while waiting for the desired telephone connection. In order to avoid the necessity of holding the hand set in position manually (which action may produce unnecessary fatigue of the user) ,various attempts have been made toward providing an attachment for the hand set which would enable the telephone user to maintain the device in position without requiring the use of one of his hands. For the most part these attempts have met with failure since the type of device employed for accomplishing this purpose was either too cum- I bersome or bulky or interferred with repositioning of the hand set within the cradle provided on the stationary part of the telephone assembly.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of my invention to provide an attachment for a telephone hand set which will enable a user to maintain the hand set in operative position without requiring the use of either of his hands.

Another object is to provide a removable device for attachment to the handle portion of a telephone hand set, which device is provided with an outwardly projecting horn adapted to engage the shoulder of the telephone user and thereby enable the user to maintain the earpiece and mouthpiece in operative position without requiring the use of one of his hands.

Another object is to provide such an attach,-

Other objects and advantages relate to details of construction and mountingofthe device in position on a conventional type of telephone han 'set. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention in position on the shoulder of a telephone user;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a conventional French-type telephone having a hand set on which my attachment is mounted; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a telephone hand set showing details of mounting of the attachmen embodying my invention;

Figure 4 is an end view of the device shown in Figure3; Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing details ofconstruction of the attachment embodying my invention; and Figure 6 is a view showing a modification thereof. Referring to the drawings, the telephone base generally indicated at 10 is provided with spaced projections II and I2 forming one side of the cradle which supports the hand set IS in its inoperative position. Duplicate projections are provided on the opposite side of the cradle and the hand set I3 is adapted to rest between them, as will be readily understood. The bulbous earpiece M on one end of the hand set is connected by means of the central handle portion I 5 to the mouthpiece l6 provided on the other end of the hand set.

The support attachment generally designated at H encircles a portion of the handle l5 and extends from a position midway of the handle toward the earpiece M. An outwardly extending horn I8 is provided on the device I! which extends in a direction away from the earpiece [4. This horn I 8 is adapted to hook over the shoulder of the user in a manner to prevent the hand set from sliding away from operative position when the telephone user releases his grip from the handle l5. The curved outer edge of the horn is provided with a surface which affords a relatively high coeflicient of friction as is well known in the art. Such a surface is indicated by the crossed lines in Figures 1, 2 and 5 of the drawing.

The attachment device I! may be made of any convenient or desirable material or composition and may be split longitudinally as indicated at I9 if desired. I have found that a plastic composition, such as polystyrene, is well suited for this use.

A forward end 20 is contoured to provide a socket fitting-snugly against the exterior surface of the earpiece l4 and the rearward portion 2| is curved to match the exterior surface of the handle l5. An open slot 22 is provided between the downwardly extending fingers 23 at the rearward end of the attachment l1. If the split construction is not employed and the device formed integrally of a single piece of material, the fingers 23 should be resilient to permit separa tion thereof'injadirection to w'ide'nthe slot 22 for the purpose of installing the device I! on the handle l5. In position the fingers 23 spring back toward the handle to anchor the device I! in position and prevent sliding movement longitur- -dinally of the handle. The contoured end i fi whi ch fits snugly against the earpiece f4 prevents-rotary movement about the axis of the handle l5. If a split construction is employed with a dividing line, as indicated at H], a set screw 24 may be employed for holding the two halves in assembled relation, and in such event the fingers 23 need not be of resilient construction. v

An important'feature-in. the construction of the attachment device I! for adapting it to fit snugly on conventional telephone hand sets is the provision of the webs 25 which extend under the curved portion 26 at the earpiece and of the handle l5. These webs 25 cooperate with the flange 21 formed at the extreme forward end of theattachment fitting I to further resist any relative motion between the attachment l1 and the hand set 13.

The material employed at the rearward end 2| of the attachment fitting I! is sufficientl-y thin to enable the entire-device, when assembled on the hand set 13, to fit easily within the cradle provided between the pairs of. upstanding projections II- and i2. The device I1 therefore when once installed on the hand set I3 remains in fixed position relative thereto and need not be locked'or turned or disconnected when the hand set I3 is replaced onthe telephone base I'll. Furthermore, the device I! does not interfere with-normal use of. the hand set lit-in the'event that the telephone user elects to hold it manually in the conventional fashion.

' Inthe modification." showniin Figure 6, aspring wire: 3t) formed in. the shape of a U is bent somewhat atj3=t and "extends inwardly at: 32 into a recess 33 provided in the horn tBa. Shallow grooves 34 extendoutwardly from thereeess '33 and theportions of the spring wire 3'll-between the recess 33 and the bend 3| are adapted to be received in the groove 34 when the wire is pivoted upwardly about the recess 33 into the dotted line position shown in Figure 6. The resilience of the wire maintains the portions 35 and grooves 34 in operative position against accidental displacement. This wire provides, in effect, an extension for the horn l8a in the event that such extension should be necessary or desirable for use by a particular person or persons. The spring wire 30 may pivoted to its inoperative position as shown by the full lines in Figure 6 and in this position it is out of the way and inconspicuous.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claim.

l eim attachment for a telephone hand set of the type having an earpiece and a mouthpiece mounted at opposite ends of a common handle, said, attachment comprising a body having first resilient gripping elements located to embrace and clamp a portion of the handle therebetween, a horn on said body providing a shoulder support for thetelephone user, said horn extending in a direction rearwardly away from the earpiece of the telephone hand set and being shaped to provide a curvedouter edge to conform to and hook over the shoulder of the user, the said curved outer edge being provided with a surface presenting a relatively high coefiicient of friction, a socket portion on said body shaped to conform to and contact the rear surface of said earpiece whereby relative rotational movement between said body and said handle is prevented and additional gripping elements on the socket portion adjacent said first resilient elements located to cooperate with and clamp the external surface of the earpiece adjacent its juncture with said handle whereby relative longitudinal movement between said body and. said handle is prevented.

EDDIE S. SCARLETL REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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