GB228600A - Improvements relating to the storing and counting of electrical impulses - Google Patents

Abstract

228,600. Francis, F. W., and Cruickshank, W. Oct. 31, 1923. Metering.-An arrangement for counting events which occur at different locations comprises means at each location whereby each event changes the physical condition of a storage device, the counting apparatus being brought successively in cycles under the influence of the various storage devices to count the events and restore the storage devices to their normal condition. As shown applied to the totalization of the calls made on a telephone exchange, the calls are made to close an electrical circuit whereby a condenser is charged, a highspeed rotary distributor being arranged to connect the condensers successively with a counting device which is operated for each condenser discharge. When the operator depresses her key to operate the position meter PM, two relays R<1>, R<2> in the meter lamp circuit are energized and relay R' opens contact 11 so that relay R<2> is immediately de-energized. In energizing, relay R<2> connects a condenser C with the negative pole of a battery, and on the de-energization of the relay R<2> the charged condenser is connected by contact 14 with an insulated segment 13 of a rotary distributor RD. Each segment of the distributor is connected with a relay device and condenser such as R<1>, R<2>, C for each operator's position, and the rotating brush 15 discharges the condensers successively through a polarized relay PR shunted by a condenser C<1> to increase the speed of discharge. The armature of the relay PR is thus rocked once for each discharge, and operates a units counting device ID so that the wheel D, which may have 100 teeth, is moved through one tooth-space. Once in every revolution of the wheel D a contact arm 18 energizes the left-hand winding of a double-wound relay DR, thus closing a contact 19 which energizes the right-hand winding of the relay and operates a hundreds counting device M. When the armature of this counting device has completed its movement it closes a contact 20 to short-circuit the right-hand winding of the relay DR and open the contact 19. The speed of the rotating brush 15 is arranged so that only one depression of any one operator's key can take place between successive connections of the brush with the segment for that operator's position. Relays may be used instead of condensers as storage devices.