Abstract: Control circuit for an answering machine having an electrical unit in parallel therewith including a controller for causing a first photocoupler to be conductive for a predetermined time period to discharge a capacitor when the machine goes into an on line state and, thereafter, causing the voltage across the telephone lines to charge the capacitor via a rectifier unit; a second photocoupler for detecting a voltage drop across the telephone lines caused by picking up said unit while the machine is in its on line state while using the voltage across the capacitor as a reference, whereby the controller returns the machine to its standby state after a predetermined time from the occurrance of the voltage drop.

Abstract: In a tape drive device for a telephone answering device, an idler is rotated by a motor and displaced selectively according to the directions of rotation of the motor so that the idler is brought into contact with a desired one of the first and second capstan flywheels which are adapted to drive the answering magnetic tape and the message recording magnetic tape, respectively.