A TELEPHONE TIME SAVER
by Anon
Chamber's' Journal - Seventh Series (April 26th, 1913)
Inventions in connection with the telephone appear to be endless. While many so-called improvements fail to justify their claims, here and there is a device which certainly constitutes a time-saver. The amount of time lost during the day in the office where the telephone is in extensive use by 'holding-on a minute" is considerable. The latest device has been contrived to eliminate this exasperating incident in telephonic communication. There is a sound-magnifying trumpet of flat shape, behind which is a small attachment intended to support the telephone receiver. When it becomes necessary to hold the line, either when calling up or replying, instead of the person standing with the receiver glued to his ear, he places the receiver upon the time-saver, bringing the earpiece into position with the sound-magnifier. He is then at libery to resume his duties until such time as the person required at the opposite end attends his instrument. This is notified by the speech transmitted being magnified by the time-saving device, so as to be perfectly audible at a distance. The receiver may then either be withdrawn and held to the ear in the usual way, or left in connection with the magnifier, hearing being quite as simple and easy as under normal conditions. Another advantage of the invention is that the user's two hands are left free to carry out any other requisite task, such as the turning up of documents, making references, writing down messages or instructions from dictation, and so on.