Method and apparatus for automatically limiting rewind in a telephone answering machine

A telephone answering apparatus has a forward drive time delay relay which causes a tape bearing a series of messages to advance for approximately 30 seconds subsequent to the reproduction of the last message in the series. The forward drive time delay relay cooperates with a recording amplifier so as to prevent recording of information on the advanced portion of the tape. The relay also cooperates with an erase circuit to cause recorded information on the advanced portion of tape to be erased to thereby create a no-signal or silent portions of tape. The advanced portions of the tape are detectable by a no-signal detector during rewind of the tape which automatically stops rewind when a no-signal portion is detected. A method is disclosed for generating silent portions on a tape and for automatically stopping rewind in a telephone answering apparatus at points, prior to complete rewind, where the no-signal portions are detected.