US2910547A - Shoulder rest for telephone handset - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1959 F. CROMER 2,910,547

SHOULDER REST FOR TELEPHONE HANDSET Filed May 13, 1957 Y INVENTOR. F0 v d ,C re me r BY wwy m /4 fifi'orneys United States Patent SHOULDER REST FOR TELEPHONE HANDSET Ford Cromer, Alabaster, Ala., assignor to Alabasta Optical & Plastic Company, a corporation of Alabama Application May 13, 1957, Serial No. 658,565

4 Claims. (Cl. 179--157) This invention relates to a shoulder rest for a telephone hand set such as is employed to free the hands of the telephone user, and has for an object to provide a device of the character designated which may be readily mounted on a telephone hand set and when mounted be held firmly in place.

Another object of my invention is to provide a telephone hand set shoulder rest, fitting snugly over the hand set, which shall be formed of a resilient material adapted to spring over and grip the hand set and which shall also include a portion having a ridge thereon engageable between the cap on the ear piece and the body of the hand set, whereby when the cap is screwed down the device is firmly clamped to the hand set.

A further object of my invention is to provide a telephone hand set shoulder rest made of resilient material fitting snugly over and gripping the handle of the hand set and which shall include ridges on the inside surface positioned to engage shoulders formed on the sides of the hand set, or against the bottom of the handle of the hand set.

A device embodying features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view showing the device installed on a typical telephone handset which is shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 2 with the hand set removed;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the handle housing taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, drawn to a smaller scale, showing the device in place.

Referring to the drawing, I show a conventional telephone hand set 10, having a mouth piece 11 and an ear piece 12. There is a cap 13 screwed onto the mouth piece and another cap 14 screwed onto the ear piece, the said caps holding the diaphragms in place in the mouthpiece and the ear piece. Also, as is well known, the caps 13 and 14 do not screw tightly against the body of the handset but are so designed as to leave a small groove 16 between the cap 14 and the body of the handset 10. In accordance with my invention, I take advantage of this fact to secure the shoulder rest in place.

The shoulder rest, shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive is made of a suitable resilient material such as a resilient molded plastic which can be sprung over and grip the handle of the handset. Inthe drawing, the shoulder portion is shown at 17 and, as is well known, is adapted to rest on the shoulder of the user, thus freeing his hands for other duties. Preferably, some soft material having a high coefficient of friction is embodied in the shoulder portion as shown at 15. The body of the device is provided with relatively thin, spaced walls.,18 and 19 which fit snugly over the handle of the handset and down over a portion of the ear piece 16. The particular handset shown in the drawings is one in which the upper sur- 2,910,547 Patented Oct. 27, 1959 face of the handle, or that side remote from the mouthpiece 13 and ear piece 14 is flat as shown at 21. It will be understood however, that telephone handsets are made with handles having various contours and it is contemplated that my invention will be formed with an inside contour to fit snugly over and bear against the surfaces of the handset. At the end of the device remote from the ear piece 12 I provide a downwardly sloping end portion 20 which is also designed to tfit snugly against the upper surface 21 of the handle.

Extending along the sides of the handle of the handset are shoulders 22 and 23 and formed on the inner surfaces of the sides 18 and 19 are ridges 24 and 26 which are positioned to hook in under the shoulders 22 and 23 when the device is in place and thus, in cooperation with the resilient gripping action of the sides of the device hold the end of the device remote from the ear piece 14 rigidly in place. Where the device is employed with a handset having a handle which is not provided with shoulders such as 22 and 23, the ridges 24 and 26 will be positioned to engage under the handle. Also, I provide a transverse reinforcing wall 27 extending between the side walls 18 and 19 which fit snugly against the upper surface 21 of the handle. Again, it will be understood that this transverse wall will be designed to fit whatever contour the handset has.

A very important feature of my invention is the means for securing the end of the device adjacent the ear piece 12. In accordance with my invention I provide a lip 28 on the device which extends downwardly, as viewed in the drawing, over the ear piece 12 and for a slight distance over the cap 14 for the ear piece. This lip is curved in cross section to fit snugly over the ear piece 12. On the underside of the lip 28, I provide a ridge 29 which fits into the groove 16 between the cap 14 on the ear piece 12 and the body of the handset. In mounting the device on a handset, the cap 14 is slacked off and the ridge 29 inserted in the groove 16 and then the cap 14 is screwed down. The ridge is of such width as not to interfere with the proper tightening of the cap 14 and of such thickness that it is firmly gripped between the cap 14 and ear piece 12.

By the means described, it will be seen that when the device is mounted on a handset, it is firmly held in place by the cap screw 14 and by the ridges 24 and 26 on the opposite end which hook in under the shoulders 22 and 23 on the sides of the handle.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved shoulder rest for a telephone handset which is simple of design, which may be readily manufactured by a molding operation, and which is adapted to be readily mounted upon a handset and firmly held in place.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a shoulder rest for a telephone hand set of the type having an ear piece and a mouth piece joined by a common handle, the ear piece having a cap which screws onto the body of the hand set leaving a groove between the body and the cap, the improvement comprising a resilient body molded to fit snugly about and grip the handle, said body having a lip portion extending over the handle to a position beyond the edge of the cap, and a ridge on the under side of the lip adapted to fit into the groove and engageable by the edge of the cap to hold the shoulder rest in place.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 in which the body 4. A device as defined in claim 2 in which the handle portion is provided with side portions adjacent the end of the handset is firmly gripped between the ridges on remote from the lip portion which grip the sides of the the sides and the end of the device remote from the ear handle, said side portions having ridges on the under sides piece. i thereof which engage the sides of the handle. 5 I i 3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which a transverse Refel'gilces Cited in the file of this Patent reinforcing wall, is provided which extends between the UN E A S PATENTS side portions and fits against the upper surface of the handle, and in which the upper surface of the device at 7 4 the end remote from the ear piece and opposite the shoul- 10 ders bears against the handle.

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