Superstar singer Michael Jackson co-patented a "Method and means for creating anti-gravity illusion" in 1993.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6574320 | Coin release mechanism of payphone A payphone coin release device includes a base plate fixed inside the payphone casing and having a pivotal pin extending therefrom to rotatably support thereon a driven link having two opposite arms of which one is rotatably pivoted at one end of an inter... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6480590 | Network access pay telephone, conversion, and method A kit for converting an existing pay telephone to additionally provide computer network access includes an upper housing unit that latches to a lower housing of the existing telephone, and a network adapter unit which includes a network computer and a con... | 11/12/2002 |
| 6370242 | Payphone electronic coin validator An electronic coin validator for connection to a payphone chassis is described. The validator includes a coin passageway having at least one coin sensor, power circuitry for connection to payphone chassis power lines and connected to the coin sensor, a va... | 04/09/2002 |
| 6304643 | Pay phone deposit method for limiting overpayment by a customer A method for limiting overpayment at a coin-operated telephone is disclosed. According to the method, a customer may initiate a call by first depositing a plurality of coins and then dialing the desired number. Once the number is dialed, the phone obtains... | 10/16/2001 |
| 6278768 | Portable fixture for simulating and testing payphones Disclosed is a portable fixture which can be employed in simulating and testing the various functions of a conventional payphone. In general terms, the fixture includes an umbilical cord which can be removably connected to a payphone's motherboard. The fi... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6249574 | Anti-stuffing device A coin return assembly having enhanced protection against stuffing or ignition, is disclosed. A flapper member is hingedly attached to the upper portion of the coin return chute such that it is biased against displacement against the flow of coins through... | 06/19/2001 |
| 6163603 | Coin escrow apparatus with relay switch contact simulator A coin escrow apparatus for use with a pay telephone includes a housing defining a coin hopper, a coin acceptance chute, and a coin return chute. The apparatus also includes a door mounted within the housing for selective movement between an escrow positi... | 12/19/2000 |
| 6101247 | Pay telephone A currency operated telephone, such as a coin operated telephone, and which is typically referred to as "pay telephone", having a uniquely designed outer housing capable of being wall mounted or supported in an upright or a self-standing position. The tel... | 08/08/2000 |
| 6072863 | Apparatus for conditioning automatic coin validation signals, and method-of-use therefor An external plug-in module is inserted, or field retrofitted, between a validator and a phone chassis and incorporates circuitry to condition the coin signals generated by the validator. This signal conditioning eliminates the possibility of the chassis b... | 06/06/2000 |
| 6052452 | Pay phone A pay phone having an operation module acted with a switch hook and a push button, the operation module including a base frame, a movable frame pivoted to the base frame and defining with the base frame a coin passage for guiding an inserted coin from a c... | 04/18/2000 |
| 6044139 | Plastic coin receptacle for pay telephones A coin receptacle for use with a locking coin receptacle cover and for use within a pay telephone. The coin receptacle comprises a molded one-piece plastic (polycarbonate) receptacle body having a bottom and four sides extending therefrom. The four sides ... | 03/28/2000 |
| 6039165 | Methods for coin sorting, coin change mechanism, and public telephone operable therewith A public telephone that has the ability to return change to a user is described. A coin changer that is advantageously sized to fit within the space available in a public telephone built to BellCore standards advantageously replaces the coin collect/rejec... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6038299 | Dispenser with vandal resistant coin validator runway A dispenser for dispensing goods or services is resistant to fraudulent vandalism by use of a hacksaw by having a coin receiver including a coin runway having at least one guide surface to guide a coin along a runway axis. The runway has at least one move... | 03/14/2000 |
| 6038298 | Lower casing structure of payphone A lower casing structure of a payphone is disclosed, including an outer casing member fit over the lower portion of the payphone and having threaded rods fixed thereon, a reinforcement plate having holes corresponding to and fit over the threaded rods, a ... | 03/14/2000 |
| 6031901 | Pay phone A pay phone includes a buffer block provided to buffer the falling of inserted coins, enabling inserted coins to be guided through a coin track and detected by sensor means, a motor controlled to turn a coin receiving control board through a set of gears,... | 02/29/2000 |
| 6014433 | Dynamic escrow type detection system An escrow unit is an electromechanical device used to collect or return coins deposited in a pay telephone. An escrow management system 10 for use in controlling a pay telephone escrow unit 26 is provided which consists of an energy storage unit 20 which ... | 01/11/2000 |
| 5924543 | Coin escrow apparatus for pay telephones A coin escrow apparatus for use with a pay telephone includes a housing defining a coin hopper, a coin acceptance chute, and a coin return chute. The apparatus also includes a door mounted within the housing for selective movement between an escrow positi... | 07/20/1999 |
| 5901828 | Device for receiving or rejecting coins or circular tokens This invention relates to a device for receiving or rejecting coins or circular tokens, for example for coin- or token-operated telephone apparatus. It comprises, for the chute down which the coins drop, a pivoting flap of which the state, retracted or no... | 05/11/1999 |
| 5887053 | Coin return anti-stuffing apparatus and method A coin return apparatus, for use with a pay telephone, which provides a discontinuous coin return path between the coin return structure and the coin discharge opening of the pay telephone and which resists "stuffing", "stringing", and "pinning". The coin... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5787158 | Smart bucket Apparatuses and methods immediately alert a telephone company or other owner/host or operator of a payphone that a vandalizing stuffing has occurred, thereby enabling it or him or her promptly to dispatch a maintenance person to the particular payphone or... | 07/28/1998 |
| 5748721 | Handicap telephone with associated booth A handicap telephone including a phone housing having a pair of speakers situated distant therefrom for emitting audio signals; and a phone panel positioned on the phone housing including a numeric keypad for allowing a user to dial a specific phone numbe... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5737402 | Coin release mechanism of pay phone A pay phone coin release mechanism includes a base plate fixed inside the pay phone casing and having a pivot pin extending therefrom to rotatably supported thereon a driven link having two opposite arms of which one has a pin formed thereon and the other... | 04/07/1998 |
| 5727054 | Anti-stuffing coin return assembly An anti-stuffing device involves removing the floor at the end of the coin return chute to create a floor opening, placing a wall over the end of the chute to stop coins coming down the chute, pivotally mounting at the bottom end of the wall a compound le... | 03/10/1998 |
| 5724415 | Coin deflector for a coin telephone receptacle A coin receptacle which maximizes use of the space within the receptacle and minimizes the frequency of collection visits. The coin receptacle solves the problem of pyramiding and dead space within by providing a resilient, angled surface positioned in th... | 03/03/1998 |
| 5526412 | Dial assembly terminalgard A telephone is secured against vandalism involving inserting a bare electrically conductive wire through the slot in the MEDECO lock securing the upper housing to the main housing. The free end of the inserted wire is made to contact either the "12" or th... | 06/11/1996 |
| 5524143 | Anti-stuffing coin realigner A mechanism prevents explosion damage to coin pay telephones by providing an almost horizontal offset in the coin path so that a wad of paper cannot be moved by the weight of subsequently inserted coins. For existing phones, a retrofit provides a horizont... | 06/04/1996 |
| 5509057 | Telephone body guard armor A telephone is secured against vandalism by a double layer face plate or assemblage of tough materials. The assemblage consists of an outer plate covering most of the front of a telephone upper housing or casing, and a second layer covering the housing ca... | 04/16/1996 |
| 5483583 | Pay phone A coin transmission control mechanism for a pay phone, including a plurality of projecting rods and slots below the projecting rods, a control plate connected to the projecting rods and having an actuating strip extended out of the telephone body of the p... | 01/09/1996 |
| 5400396 | Theft proof pay phone Apparatus to prevent the theft of coins in the coin return channel of pay phones and coin vending machines. Three vanes are pivotally mounted within or adjacent the return channel to provide a bypass path for returned coins so that blocking of the coin re... | 03/21/1995 |
| 5272747 | Mobile pay telephone system A mobile telephone system for public transportation vehicle, such as trains, cabs, etc., provides passengers with a wide variety of public services presently not available in any other system. Such services include access to facsimile machines and other p... | 12/21/1993 |
| 5102038 | Change return protection device A change return protection device is disclosed which prevents thieves from stuffing flexible material into coin-operated machines' coin return chutes. The device seals off the change return's change return chute when the change return door is opened, and ... | 04/07/1992 |
| 5027390 | Coin validation method and apparatus for a coin telephone or similar system having an escrow mechanism A coin collection and analyzation apparatus has a coin track extending between a coin opening and an escrow relay which escrows coins and then diverts them either to a collection box or to a customer return. The coins are analyzed while passing along the ... | 06/25/1991 |
| 4991202 | Coin call telephone apparatus A coin call telephone apparatus includes a control device comprised of a housing having set therein a coin track for continuous insertion therethrough of a coins of different value without interrupting the line so as to let the line be continuously keepin... | 02/05/1991 |
| 4953681 | Compact, low power gate apparatus for coin operated machines A compact, low power gate apparatus for use in coin operated machines, such as coin operated telephones, utilizes an inclined diverting surface and adjacent, coupled levers to decrease power requirements, multiply displacements and save space. A selective... | 09/04/1990 |
| 4924497 | Pay station telephone interface circuits An interface (10) is disclosed for coupling a conventional pay station telephone (12) to a telephone switching system (16). The interface (10) provides supervision signal detection functions normally provided by a switching system, and thus can be connect... | 05/08/1990 |
| 4922525 | Paystation theft inhibiting circuit A telephone paystation theft inhibiting circuit for detecting the grounding of the handset circuit conductors. Protection is provided for the receiver circuit conductor by means of an isolation transformer and solid state switching devices are employed to... | 05/01/1990 |
| 4903294 | Low voltage operated coin relay A coin relay adapted for use with an associated coin hopper mechanism particularly adapted for use in a microcomputer based deregulated paystation. The relay requires only minimum voltages to operate with the associated coin relay operate and release timi... | 02/20/1990 |
| 4860345 | Telephone system and method operated from central office loop current A telephone having a hook switch is coupled to tip and ring conductors for receiving loop current from a central office responsive to an off-hook condition at the hook switch. The electronic circuity within the telephone for facilitating various functions... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4841563 | Bucket type coin accumulation apparatus A bucket type coin accumulation apparatus includes a collection plate, a return plate, locking members, weights, and photodetectors. The collection and return plates constitute a bottom portion of a coin accumulation bucket and cooperate to randomly accum... | 06/20/1989 |
| 4761809 | Coin return chute for telephone pay station A coin return chute for a telephone pay station wherein the throat of the chute is provided with means for inhibiting stuffing of material into the throat while allowing passage of coins.... | 08/02/1988 |