US1356626A - Selective signaling system - Google Patents

Description

J. A HULIT.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM, I

APPLICATIQN FILED MAR.8, 1917. I W

' Patemeii Get. 26

7 SHEETSSHEET Imrenlur Ham-1g J. A. HULITF SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FIILED MAR. 11 1917 1,356,62 Patented 001a. 26,1920.

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J. A. HULIT.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1917.

1,356,626,, Patented 0st. 26, 1920:

7 SHEETSSHEET 3.

J. A. HULIT.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM. APFLlCAT-ION FlLED MAR. 8, 1917.

1 356 626, Patented Oct. 26, 1920..

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J [EZUEZYIUP 1. A. HULIT;

SELECTJVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, \I917.

Patented Oct. 26,1920.

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1. A. HULIT.

SELEC'HVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. a. 1917.

1,356,626 Patented Oct; 26, 1920.

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' [nLrE'rzZm J. A. HULIT.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR. s. 1917. 1 Patented 0613. 26, 1920.-

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llll illll ll l' cfmfiflwz UNETED STATES Parser orsica.

JOHN A. HULIT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SELECTIVE SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 26, 1920.

' Original application fi led March 16, 1912, Serial No. 684,114. Patent No.'1,221,801. dated April 3, 1917.

Divided and this application filed March 8, 1917. Serial No. 154,065.

T 0 all w 710m it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. HULrT,.a citizen of the United States of America,aI 1d resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented a certain new and .useful Improvement in Selective Signaling Systems, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to selective signaling systems and apparatus for use in connection with such systems, and it relates more particularly-to selectively signaling stations over a telephone or telegraph line.

In this connection it is particularly adapted I for use in connection with telephone train despatching systems.

A further feature of my invention is the provision of means in the signaling apparatus associated with the line whereby any or all of the signaling devices may be released with a single impulse followed by a space.

A further new feature is the provision of a signaling instrument of the character described having a plurality of bank contacts in combination with a wiper whereby the wiper may be carried into engagement with a plurality of circuitsat one time.

. A further object is the provision of means whereby by a single operation of the dial a connection can be built up at one of the stations and a short ring automatically given. By a second operation of the dial the connection is completed and the bell begins to ring and continues to ring for a period of time.

A further feature is an improved answerback arrangement whereby the operator is advised of the fact that the signal at the station being called is being operated.

These and many other features and objects of my invention will be more particularly pointed out in the following description in which I have illustrated one particular embodiment of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a planview of a substation selector. 7

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same with the side plate 3 removed.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the main office calling device.

Fig. 4 is a. front view of the calling device with the dial and finger lever removed.

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the calling device.

Fig. 6 is a similar view with the plate 11 removed.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the same on line 77 in Fig. 6.

Figs. 8 and Q-represent the circuit connections of the calling device.

Figs. 10'an'cl 11 are detail views of parts of the calling device. Flg. l 2'represents a line circuit comprismg one central station and two substations. Flg. 13 represents a line circuitin which the substations are provided with semaphores. r

' The mechanism of the substation selector shown in Figs. 1 and 2'is mounted between two mounting plates 2 and 3 which are secured to'the base block 4 and the spacing posts 5 and 6. Journaled betweenthe plates 2 and 3 there is a shaft 7 carrying a ratchet wheel 8 rigidly secured thereto. The haft 7 is maintained in its normal position with the pin 9 in the wheel 8 resting against the stationary stop post 10 by means of a small spiral spring 11, one end of which spring. is secured tothe shaft 7 and the other end to the pin 12. The ratchet wheel 8 may be rotated forwardby means of an electromagnet 13 through the medium of' its pivoted armature 14 and the pawl 15, which latter is secured to the upper end of said armature. wheel in any advanced position against the tension of the spring 11 thereis a holdin pawl 16 which is rigidly secured to the sha t 17, which shaft is pivoted between the side plates 2 and 3. This pawl is held in engagement with the ratchet wheel by the preponderance of weight of its rear end. A

throw-off is provided for the holding pawl 16, said throw-off comprising a balance wheel 18 which is secured to a shaft pivoted between the side plates. Near the rim of the wheel 18 thereis a' weight 19 which tends to rotate the Wheel-in a counter-clockwise direction, as shown in' Fig. 2. Secured to the shaft 17 with the pawl 16 there is a lever 20 which projects into'the path of a pin 21 in the side of the wheel 18. In the same side of the wheel 18, approximately diametrically opposite the pin 21, there is a second pin 22. Pivoted between the plates 2 and 3, behind the armature 14, there is- For maintaining theratchet .18 starts to return to normal position.

deenergizations of the magnet.

on the armature 14. A helical spring 27 tends to turn the shaft 23 to tip the arm 24 downward, but is normally restrained by the engagement of the arm 25 with the lug 26. When the magnet 13 is energized, the armature 14 is drawn forward, the pawl 15 rotates the wheel 8 forward one step and the arm 24 is tipped downward by the spring 27. When. the arm 24 is tipped downward it strikes the pin 22 to rotate the wheel 18in a clockwise direction to cause the .pin 21 to rise and. allow the holding pawl 16 to rise into engagement with the teeth of the wheel 8 to hold it in its advanced position. When the magnet 13 is denergized, the armature 14 drops back' and raises the arm 24, whereupon the whele the magnet 13 remains deenergized for .a suflicient length of time, the wheel 18 will return far enough for the pin 21 to strike the lever 20 to withdraw the pawland per-' mit the wheel 8 to return to its normalposition. slightly overbalanced and therefore rotates backward slowly, so that if the magnet 13 is energized again quickly it may arrest'the return of'the throw-off 18 before it has released the wheel 8, and said wheel will be advanced a second step and retained in this position. It is thus evident that the wheel 8 may be advanced continuously step by step if the deenergizations of the magnet between steps are of short duration only, but if a denergization of a longer duration ensues the wheel will be released. In the side of the wheel 18 there i a pin 28 and in the side of the wheel 8 there are a number of pins 29. The paths of rotation of the pins 28 and 29 intersect. The pins 29 are so arranged that when the wheel 8 has been advanced a certain number of teeth, one of said pins 29 will be advanced into the path of the pin 28. lVhen a pin 29 is thus in the There are a plurality of the pins 29 in the wheel 8, so that the magnet 13 may be deenergized for a long period at different points in the rotation of the wheel 8 without releasing said wheel. Secured to the inside of the plate 3, but insulated therefrom,

there are two pairs of electrical contacts 31' and 32 which are adapted to be contacted by an arm 30 on the shaft 7 after the wheel 8 has been rotated a certain number of steps. From the foregoing it is evident that the wheel 8 may be rotated to bring the arm 30 into contactwith the springs 32 and 31 by a certain number of successive impulses through the magnet 13, or by a series of groups of impulses separated by prolonged For in- The wheel 18, however, is only stance, if a su cient'number of impulses are transmitted t rough the magnet to rotate the first pin 29 into the path of the pin 28, then the magnet may be deenergized as long as desired without causing the wheel 8 to be released. In a similar manner the magnet 13 may be denergized any lengthof time while either of the next two pins 29 is in the path of the pin 28. The last two pins 29' are positioned so that'when they are in the path of the pin 28 the arm 30 is in engagement with either the spring 31 or the spring32. It is thus evident that the position of the first three of the pins 29 determines the grouping of the impulses by which. the selector may be operated. Thus,

f if a'plurality of the selectors are operated in multiple and the positions of the first three pins 29 are not the same in any two of them, and if pauses occur in the impulsesevery time one of the pins-29in some particular selector comes into the path of the pin 28, it will be seen that the wheel 8 of this selector willbe continuously progressed, while the wheels 8 in all the others will be released at least once and will not, therefore, be fully operated if the total number (Fig.7), which are held apart by suitable posts, there is a shaft 45 to the end of which in front of a cover plate 99, there is secure a dial 42 provided with a plurality of finger 1 holds. Secured to this shaft there are a plurality of toothed cam wheels 43, two of which are shown in'face view in Figs. 10 and 11. Above the wheels 43 there area. corresponding number of normally closed pairs of contact springs 44. Upon the lower end of the long spring of each pair there is a small lateral projection which projects into the path of the teeth of the wheels'43, so that whenever the teeth on any one of the Wheels come directly under its pairs of springs, said springs are separated. The teeth on the'diiferent wheels 43 are so arran ed that in each rotary position of the shaft, corresponding to the finger holds of the dial 42, three pairs of springs are opened, a different combination of pairs beingoperated in each position. Around the rear end of the shaft 45 there is a clock spring 46 for the purpose of returning said shaft to normal position after it has been rotated forward through the medium of the dial 42. -The speed of rotation of the shaft 45 is controlled by a small governor 47 which is connected with the said shaft through the medium of the gear wheels 48, 49 and 50. A pin 51 in the plate 41 serves as a normal stop for the shaft 45 by being Journaled in the plates 41 and there is also a shaft 58 to the rear end of which there is secured a disk of insulation 61 to the face of which there is secured a metallic plate 62, upon which latter there is mounted a wiper or brush 59 (Fig. 5) whichis adapted to rotate over and make contact with a plurality of insulated contacts 60. The power for rotating the shaft 58 is supplied by a clock spring 62" (Fig. 4) on the shaft 63. The power is transmitted from the shaft 63 to the shaft 58 through the medium of the gears 64 and 65. The gear wheel64 is not rigidly secured to the shaft 63, but is loosely mounted thereon and connected therewith through the medium of a pawl'151 and ratchet 150 so as to rotate with the shaft in one direction only. The speed of rotation of the shaft 58 is controlled by the governor 66 through the medium of the gears 67,68, 69, 70 and 71. Secured to the shaft 63, in front of the plate 40, there is a gear wheel 72 which meshes with a gear wheel 7 3 which is loosely mounted upon the shaft 45. Secured to the gear wheel 73 there is an arm 74 which extends up throu h an opening in the cover plate 99 and ra ially out behind.

the dial, andis then bent back over itsface,

the end extending inward beyond the inner the tension of a spring 77 by a pin 78 in the back of the wheel 73. The downward move ment of the lever 74 is limited by a' stop,

79 on the plate 99 (Fig. 3). t

The mode of operation of the calling de vice is as follows: Each of the finger holds of the dial 42 is numbered or otherwise designated in accordance with thedesignaition of the substations to. be called by it. In order to call any substation a finger is .inserted in a finger hold of the dial and the dial is rotated until the finger strikes the lever 74 and forces it down against the stop 7 9. Upon the initial movement. of the lever 74 the ratchet 54 is released and drops down into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 53. As the lever 74 continues to be pulled down it winds up the spring 62 and rotates the lever 75' (Fig. 6) out of the path of the pin 76. The wheel 64, and consequently the shaft 58, do not rotate'during this forward movement of the 'lever74 because of the ratchet connection between the shaft 63 and the wheel 64. The pitch of the worm of the governor 66 and the wheel 67 is such as to prevent a backward rotation of the governor by said wheel, which serves asa positive lock to prevent the shaft 58 from being rotated backward. .After the finger lever 74 has come into contact with the stop 79, the finger is removed from the finger hold, whereupon the lever 74 begins to be restored to its normal position by the spring 62*, while the dial remains held in its advanced position by the ratchet 54. As the lever 74 returns to normal position, the shaft 58 is rotated also to cause the wiper 59 torotate over the contacts 60. The ratio of the gear wheel is so chosen that while the lever 7 4'is returning from its operated position to its normal position the shaft 58 will make one complete revolution. Therefore, when'said shaft completes its revolution, the pin 76 finds the lever 75 again in its path,

whereby both the shaft 58 and the finger lever 74 are brought to rest in normal position.

Just before the finger lever reaches its normal position, however, the pin 78 forces the ratchet 54 out of the teeth of the wheel 53 and allows the dial to be restored to its normal position by the spring 46. seen that whenever the calling device is operated, the wiper 59 makes one complete revolution over the contacts 60, while the dial remains in some advanced position, corresponding to the'finger hold-used on the dial.

As has been explained, when the dial is 1'0: tated it causes the cam wheels 43 to separate. three difi'erent pairs of the springs 44 in each of its stop position. t

The electrical connections 'of the calling device shown in Fig.v 8 are as follows: The wiper 59 is connected through the medium of a brush 80 with an intermediate point of the battery B. There are twenty four of the contacts 60 and the wiper 59 normally rests upon the last one. The impulses are transmitted from the calling device to the line through the medium of two relays 81,

[and 82- The firstthree of the contacts 60 are permanently connected with the relays 81 and 82: The space-between the contacts 1 and 2 is longer than the space between the remaining contacts. The contacts 4 and 5 are connected with the relays through re 'spective' pairs of the springs 44, the contact 6 is ermanently connected with the relays, while the remaining contacts up to and including the contact 16 are connected with the relays through the springs 44.. Thecontacts 17 and 18 are ermanently connected with the relays.

open. The contacts 20 and 21 are connected together and are also connected with the spring 83 of a manually operated key K.

he contact 19 is It will thus be I The contact 22 is open. The contact 23 is connected to a spring 84, of a key K, and the contact 24 is connected to a spring 85 of the other side of the same key. The relays 81 and 82 are adapted, when energized, to bridge the battery'B betweenthe two line conductors 86 and'87. Besides the keys k and K there is also shown associated with the calling device an impulse sending device S whichmay be operated to transmit a certain number of impulses, in this case two, through the relays 81 and 82 each time it is operated. This device may be a call box, such as is used in well known district .telegraph systems, and is diagrammatically represented herein by an impulse wheel which is adapted to contact twice with a brush or wiper during each revolution.

. In Fig. 12 there is shown a line circuit comprising two conductors 88' and 89 across The bells 91 and 92 may be of the ordinary vibrating type" The secondary winding of the induction coil is brid ed across the line conductors 88 and 89. ach substation is also provided with a telephone instrument which is bridged-across the line. At the main or central station A the line conductors 88 and 89 terminate in contacts of a two-pole switch S, bymeans of which a calling device similar to that described herein may be connectedto the line. F ig. 12 only the relays 81 and 82' are shown. Thejmanner' in which said relays are .controlled is fully shown in Fig. 8. The main stationA is also provided with a telephone. By means of the switch S the calling device may be connected with any one of a number ofv difierent lines.

The complete operations by means of A which the operator at the station A may signal. one of the substations A or A are as follows: It will be assumed that it is de- "sired to call the substation A and that said substation is provided with a selector in which the pins 29 are placed as shown in Fig. 2. In said figure the pins 29 are-so spaced that the code number of this station, as ,represented'by the grouping of the impulses, is 3-3-3-5. In order to call the station A the operator must first operate the switch 8 to connect the .calling device 1 is situated, then place a fingerin the finger with the line upon whichthe substation A hold allotted to that substation and operate the Idial as heretofore explained. The cam wheels 13 must be so arranged that when the dial' is operated through the medium of this fin 'er hold it will separate the second, fifth an ninth pairs of t e springs 44, counting a from the left in Fig. 8, whereby the contact points 5, 9 and 13in the group-60 are disconnected from the relays 81 and 8 2. When the dial and lever 74 are released, the wiper -59 begins to return to normal position. As the wiper 59 passes over the Contact 1, the relays 81 and 82 are energized and cause one impulse of current to flow out over the line, wherebyall the selectors are advanced one step. Thisfirst impulse is followed. by a long pause, while the wiper is passing over the long space between the contacts 1 and 2. This pause causes all the selectors. to be immediately released andtheir wheels 8 to be returned to normal position. This preliminary impulse is, therefore, for the purpose. of insuring that all the selectors shall be in normal position before the selecting impulses begin to be sent in. As the wiper 59 passes over the remaining contacts 2 to 18, a total of fourteen impulses are transmitted to the selectors, which impulses are divided into four groups of three, three, three and five impulses, respectively, the groups being separated bypauses caused by the wiper passing over the contacts 5, 9 and 14, which contacts are disconnected from the relays 81 and 82 by the operation of the dial, as explained above. During these pauses the selector at the substation A is prevented from being released b the cooperation of the pins 28 and 29, w ile the setherefore, remains in this position'until the wiper 59 passes over the contact 23, whereby one more impulse is transmitted through the selector, causing the wheel 8, to be ad- .vanced one more step to remove the pin 29 from the path of the pin 28, whereby said wheel is returned to normal position as soon I as the magnet 13 is deenergized. When the arm 30 engages the contact 31, a circuit is closed through the bell 91, the battery B and the primary. winding of the induction coil 93, whereby the operator at the substation A is signaled. Since the circuit of the bell includes one winding of the induction coil 93, the other. winding of which is bridged across the line, the interruption of current in the bell circuit produces a buzz in the .line circuit so as to signify to the operator at-the main station A that the bell at the called substation is ringing. As has been explained, there are two bells 91 and 92 at each substation." The bell 92 might be used to signal a second operator at the same -substation, or it might be used as an emergency bell. In order to cause the bell 92 to be rung, the attendant at themain ofiice A,

before operating the calling device, throws the lever of the key K to the right so as to close the contact between the springs 83 and 94, whereby the .contacts 20 and 21 are connected with the relays 81 and 82. In this whenever either bell is rung. When the key K is operated to cause the bell 92 to be rung, it disconnects the contact 23 from the relays 81 and 82 by separating the springs 94 and 100. In this case no impulse is sent out on the line to release the selector when the wiper 59 passes over the contact 23 and the bell 92 rings continuously. The sele ctor may be released in this case by throwing the kev K to the left momentarily, whereby an impulse is transmitted thro ugh the'relays 81 and 82 by way of the brush 80, wiper 59, contact 24and the springs 96;

If, before a call is made, the lever of the key K is thrown to the right to separate the spring 84 from the spring 95, the key K remaining normal, no impulse will be sent out over the line when the wiper 59 passes over the contact 23, and the selector at the called substation will not be released, but its bell 91 will ring continuously. In order to release the selector in this case, the key K is thrown to the left momentaril has come to rest upon t e contact 24, whereby the relays 81 and 82 are-energized momentarily.

It is evident from the above description that the position of the first three pins 29 in the wheel 8 of the selectors determines their code numbers, or the manner in which the impulses must be grouped to operate them. For instance, it will be seen that by changing'the ositions of one or more of these pins in t e selector shown, it may be made to respond to the numbers 3-3'4-4, 3--3-53, etc. Although each selector is adapted to respond to impulses which are separated into groups in a certain way, it will alsorespond to fourteen impulses in one undivided group, so that all stations may be signaled simultaneously as well as selec- I tively. Some certain number on the dial of the calling device may be reserved for calling all the stations simultaneously, and the wheels 43 are so arranged that when this number is called the impulses will'not be bro'keninto small groups.

By duplicating the contacts 31 and 32, as shown at 31 and 32 in the substation A the bells 91 and 92 may be rung alternately, or any number of contacts may be employed and each contact may be connected to a separate bell if desired. The impulsesfor stepafter the wiper 59 ping the wiper 30 from one contact to the next may be produced by the device S (Fig.

8), said devlce being arranged to produce the exact number ofimpulses necessary to move the w per from one contact to the next.

The ratchet wheel'8 of the selector may be stepping the wiper at one station from one contact to another will not cause the, wiper at any of the other stations to be moved into engagement with its contacts. \Vhen there is a plurality of contacts on the selector they should preferably be at least two steps-apart, so that the selector may be released from any position by a single impulse.

The electrical connections shown in Fig. 9 are the same as 'those shown in Fig. 8 with the exception that in Fig. 9 all the contacts 2 to 18, inclusive, are connectedv with the line relays through the springs 44, while in Fig. 8 some of the contacts are connected to the relays direct. The arrangement shown in Fig. 9 is the more general arrangement,

since it permits of a greater number of combinations to-be called. It is often found that all the combinations desired may be obtained without ever opening certain pairs of the springs 44, in which case these springs and their corresponding wheels 43 may be omitted from the calling device and the corresponding contacts 60 connected to the relays 81 and 82 direct, as shown in Fig. 8.

As shown herein, it will be seen that the battery Bis normally entirely disconnected from the line circuit, and when an impulse is sent out, the two terminals of the battery are connected with the opposite sides of the line simultaneously. This is foundv to be much more satisfactory than the usual arrangement, where one terminal of the battery is permanently connected with one side 'of the line and the impulses are produced by opening and closing the connection between the other side of the line and the other side of battery.

phore may be of any suitable type which i may be controlled electrically from a distance and is. herein represented as being provided with a motor 100, which is included in a normally closed circuit to hold the semaphore in its safe vposition. .-\t D there is shown an answer back'device 1n the form of a sender, such as is generally used in district telegraph systems. This answer back device. sends back to the sending operator a distinctive signal to inform him that the circuit of the semaphore motor at the station desired has been opened. The operation of the system as shown in Fi 13 is as follows: The answer back device is normally held in its set position by the magnet 101. When the selector arm 102 is operated to make contact with the second contact point 103, the magnet 101 releases the answer back device, whereupon the wheel 104 makes one complete revolution, while the arm 105 rises and separates the springs 105 in the motor circuit, whereby the semaphore is permitted to be rotated by gravity to the danger position: As the wheel 104 makes its revolution a series of impulses are transmitted from ground Gr through the wheel-104 brush 106, thence through the operated by said armature an two coils of the selectormagnet 107 and the two-line conductors 108 and 109 in multiple, through an impedance coil 110, relay 111 and battery B to ground G. The relay 111 controls the local circuit of a printing telegraph instrument which will record on a tape the signal returned by the answer back device D, whereby the despatcher is informed that the proper semaphore circuit has been 0 ened, It will be noted that the impulses or operating the selectors are transmitted over the .two sides of the line-in series, while the impulses returned to the central ofiice b are transmitte over the two sides of the line in parallel, so that the devices intended to be operated by one kind of impulses are not aflected by the other kind. 7

While I have illustrated certain embodiments of m invention, it is to be understood {that a do not wish to be limited to those actually shown, as' many changes and modifications will readily suggest themselves and will come within the scope of my invention. 1 p

What I claim as my' invention is:

1."In a selectively operated circuit controllingfdevice, a step-bysstep element, con tacts" controlled thereby, an electromagnet,

an armature responsive to current impulses 7 through said elect omagnet, step ing means engaging the answer back device D said element to advance it step by step in response to impulses through said electromagnet 'to close said contacts, a holding member carried by said element, and a hold- I during a pause between series of impulses,

and means movable with said circuit closer, and rendering the balance wheel inoperative to release thecircuit closer, when said closer is advanced to certain predetermined positions.

3. In a code signaling system, selectively operated devices having a ratchetcontrolled movable element and contacts cooperating therewith whereby said element may be operated in a step by step manner to successivel close a plurality of circuits, a releasing evice also operated by said ratchet device and normally-tending to release the element from any advanced position when said step by step movement of the element ceases, and a' plurality of differently positioned holding members mounted on said movable lement and being so positioned as to prevent the releasing device from releasing said element when the element'stops in certain vpredetermined positions. p

4. In a selectively operated circuit control-ler, a step by step element, having con- .tacts controlled thereby, a magnet having an armature for operating said'element to suecessively close circuits, a holding pawl normally tending to hold said element in any position, a balanced wheel normally tending to disengage said pawl from said element, and means associated with said element for preventing said balance wheel from disengaging said pawl in certain predetermined positions of said element.

Signed by.me at Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, this 28th day of F ebruar 1917. 5

JOHN A. ULIT.

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